Radio Ramadan Sheffield

The Muslim festival of Ramadan is with us again, and so is the network of Radio Ramadan RSL's.

One of the more significant (at least in terms of coverage) seems to be Radio Ramadan Sheffield, who are on 87.7 FM.

Audible easily in Clowne, listenable signal in Chesterfield.

RDS = RAMADAN

More info on the Radio Ramadan Sheffield website

Sheffield 103.1 is BCR

While visiting Sheffield this evening, the station on 103.1 was positively ID'd as BCR.
Back to full programmes again :)

Bounce back and feel the Vibez

Huddersfield pirate Vibez FM 90.6 heard tonight on the M1, near Barnsley (junction 37).

RDS = VIBEZ FM

Signal faded out soon afterwards, but was still audible as far as junction 36.


In Sheffield, Bounce FM 88.0 was heard for the first time in ages. Although no RDS, a strong signal was still audible almost as far as Clowne.


In Leeds, the usual pirates - namely Peoples FM 104.5, Fresh FM 95.6, and Radio Frequency 88.1, were all heard on the way home just after 4pm.

In addition, an Asian RSL was heard on 87.9. Adverts mentioned Bradford, so station is probably Apni Awaaz FM.



BTW yes, I've just found out how to use colour on Blogger :-)

Ramadan RSL

As the Muslim holy month of Ramadan is upon us, a number of Islamic radio stations have opened to celebrate Ramadan and promote Islam.

Radio Ramadan Sheffield on 87.7 is audible in Clowne, and as far as Doncaster on my way to work.
RDS = RAMADAN

Other Asian stations, presumably Ramadan-based, have been heard nearer Leeds on 87.7 and 87.9, but their locations have not yet been ID'd

Burngreave Community Radio 103.1

New radio stations are like buses, you wait for ages then 2 come at once. So is the case in Sheffield, where Radio Hallam ruled the roost from the early 1970's, and (at least legally) it seemed that the boom in small-scale local radio was passing Sheffield by.

Things suddenly changed last summer, when Sheffield Live 93.2 started testing, followed by full broadcasts in the autumn. Now another community radio station has started, this time from northern Sheffield ...

Burngreave Community Radio, aka BCR, is now testing on 103.1

Full programmes are due to start on Saturday 31st May. Broadcasting hours will be 7am to midnight daily.

Signal easily reaches as far as Woodhall Service Station on the M1 southbound, and a very weak signal can be heard in Clowne (although there is splatter from adjacent stations). No RDS noted yet, and no website found.

Sheffield Live returned

Sheffield Live 93.2 are testing once again, this time with their own test transmissions - the earlier ones were by Ofcom (thanks to Sangita of Sheffield Live for this info). This time, a range of different music is aired, interspersed with announcements - in the morning, 1960's soul was aired, this evening it was a mixture of world music and UK hits.

Sheffield Live website

Also returned tonight (definitely not heard on Tuesday) is Hit Music Radio 100.8. Same coverage/range as before, RDS still HITMUSIC.

Sheffield Live and Hit Music Radio missing

This evening, I was surprised to find both Sheffield Live 93.2 and Hit Music Radio 100.8 were missing from the FM dial.

Especially surprised to see Sheffield Live gone, as I know for a fact they have been awarded a community radio licence by Ofcom.

Still not sure about Hit Music Radio 100.8 though, nowhere (even on the internet) have I found any information about this web radio station's FM frequency.

Sheffield Live testing

Sheffield Live are now testing on 93.2 FM.
RDS = SHEFLIVE

A loop tape of music which sounds like ambient music from the late 80s/early 90s is transmitted, occasionally interspersed with a brief announcement.

Signal was first heard near junction 35 of the A1, and was still audible when I reached Clowne - although for much of the journey (at the extremes of its range) it was competing with BBC Radio 4 on or near 93.2

Radio Ramadan Sheffield

Radio Ramadan 87.7 from Sheffield started their RSL today.

RDS = RAMADAN

Strong signal, audible in both Leeds and Clowne - in both cases with RDS received.


As regards Hit Music Radio 100.8, the plot thickens.
I visited Sheffield this evening, it couldn't be heard in Central or Northern Sheffield, except briefly near junction 34 of the M1 (near Meadowhall).
As I left Sheffield to the south, however, the signal became receivable quite well on the hill top. By the time I reached Eckington, Hit Music Radio could still be heard (albeit weakly) in the low areas.
Location of their TX - and its legal status - remains a mystery.

Hit Music Radio Sheffield

Hit Music Radio was heard tonight on 100.8 FM, from 17:15.

RDS = HITMUSIC

Mentioned Sheffield numerous times (their traffic news mentioned the M18/M1 traffic jam I was stuck in at the time!), their website mentions broadcasts from Sheffield but implies Hit Music Radio to be an internet radio station. Strange :-$

Was first heard on the M18 near junction 1 (Rotherham), becoming stronger when I joined the M1 (junction 32). Was heard strongly near the Woodall service station, but faded out soon after and had disappeared underneath bleedover from Heart FM 100.7 by junction 30. Not audible in Clowne on FM, but can of couse still be heard via their website:

Hit Music Radio website

Bounce-ing around

Pirate station Bounce FM 88.0 was heard tonight from 8:35 pm, while parked at the gale-swept peak of Hickenwood Lane near Clowne. Thought to be from Sheffield, but not sure.

Format was rap and R&B music.

Also heard at the same location was Vixen FM 87.9 from Market Weighton, with a listenable signal. Interestingly, 87.7 was totally vacant.

Radio Ramadan Sheffield

Radio Ramadan from Sheffield audible on 87.7
Asian RSL to celebrate the Muslim festival of Ramadan.

RDS = RAMADAN

Audible as far as Clowne, with a very weak signal

Milad FM Sheffield

Milad FM also on-air in Sheffield, on 87.9

Strong signal in Sheffield, audible as far as Clowne.

Radio Ramadan

Radio Ramadan has been on-air for over a week now, from various areas, to celebrate the Islamic festival of Ramadan.

Near Leeds, Radio Ramadan Wakefield is audible on 87.7. Radio Ramadan Sheffield is also on 87.7, and can be heard weakly in Clowne. Due to the sharing of frequencies, they can - on a good reception day - sometimes compete with each other while driving between Barnsley and Sheffield (just south of junction 37)!

In addition, Radio Ramadan Huddersfield is on 107.2, and can be heard between Barnsley and Leeds. Their frequency of 107.2 is very close to that of Trax FM 107.1 from Doncaster, and so "splatter" sometimes occurs - otherwise, I suspect, their signal could be heard over a wider distance.

Radio Ramadan Sheffield broadcasts a programme for young muslims in the late afternoon, often heard from approx 4:30pm (while I'm driving on the M1 past Sheffield).

Details of the locations have been gleaned from Ofcom's RSL list.

For more details on the Ramadan festival itself, click here.

RSL BCR 87.7

BCR 87.7 FM from Sheffield heard this evening, on the way home from work. Heard from 17:45, playing dance music.

Strong signal from M1 junction 34 to 32, then - at approx 17:50 - the audio stopped and dead carrier was heard.

Can't find their website, but a bit more info here

More on Sheffield Live!

Sheffield Live! seem to be either using low power or are from a low area of Sheffield, as the range is not that far.

Heard on the M1 just north of junction 34 (the Tinsley Viaduct, near Meadowhall), best signal was while crossing the Viaduct. Signal was then strong enough to read the RDS display:

SHEFLIVE

Soon started to fade after junction 34, but a very weak signal was still audible until just before junction 32.

A diverse range of programmes aired; an African music programme was on-air this evening at approx 5pm.

(Sheffield Live! also heard this morning with dead carrier, ID'd by RDS)


Also of interest: Peoples FM 104.5 of Leeds now have RDS again:

PEOPLES_

Peace to Sheffield Live

At Sheffield's Peace In The Park festival today, a banner was seen advertising the fact that Sheffield Live! Community Radio will be on-air from 16th June, on 87.7. Their website mentions that this will be an RSL (as expected, bearing in mind the frequency).

Peace In The Park is an annual pro-peace and anti-war festival, with music, entertainment for adults and kids, many alternative sales and info stalls, and a lively atmosphere. If you missed it this year, it's well worth going next year!

NB If you plan to park your car in Sheffield, don't make the mistake I did. I parked my car on a multi-storey car park in the city centre, returning at 9pm only to find that the car park had shut at 7pm and my car was locked in (and I was locked out, and had to catch a bus home to Clowne). What's more, it doesn't open again until 7am Monday morning. (Trust me to find one of about 5 businesses in the UK that doesn't open on a Sunday ...). Peace (show 2-findered peace salute) to Peace In The Park, but "peace off" (turn fingers other way round) to bosses of a certain car park!