Tropo continues

This evening, from 8pm onwards, Dutch radio was again heard at the lower end of the FM dial.

On 88.0, Dutch Radio 2 was heard, strong enough to read RDS = RADIO 2
On 91.8 was Dutch Radio 1 ("Radio En")
Unidentified Dutch stations also heard on 91.8 and 93.9


Earlier this evening, around 4:45, the following were heard overlooking Kippax near Leeds:

87.7 Asian Air - Bradford - RSL
87.9 Leeds 11 FM - Leeds - RSL
88.1 Radio Frequency - Leeds - pirate (welcome back after a long absence!)
93.2 Sheffield Live - Sheffield - community radio station
94.7 BBC Radio Sheffield - Chesterfield TX
95.3 BBC Radio Derby
95.6 Fresh FM - Leeds - pirate
104.5 Peoples FM - Leeds - pirate
107.4 Peak FM - Chesterfield ILR

Also, I notice the Huddersfield ILR on 107.9 - which started out in 1998 as Huddersfield FM before becoming Home FM - is now IDing as The New Pennine FM. (The original Pennine Radio, which started in Bradford back in the 1970's, changed its name to Pulse FM in the 90's).

Slight lift from Holland

Slight tropo noticed this evening, a number of stations heard with variable-weak signals from 87.6 to 88.1 FM. None strong enough for RDS.

Only one was ID'd, namely Arrow Classic Rock on 87.7

On a Dutch high

As the high pressure area (which has been responsible for the freezing weather lately) dissipates, its swan song seems to be a bumper crop of tropo from the Netherlands and Belgium. This evening from 5pm to 6pm, the following were heard at Woodhall Service Station (north of M1 junction 30):

87.6 Unidentified (weak, music format)
87.7 Unidentified (weak)
87.9 Omroep Zeeland
89.5 Klara (classical music) RDS = KLARA
90.4 Klara RDS = KLARA
91.7 Radio 1 ("Radio En")
94.0 Radio Mi Amigo (Oldies) RDS = MI AMIGO
95.7 Radio 1 ("Radio En") RDS = RADIO 1
97.6 City FM
101.4 Unidentified (weak, rock music)
104.4 Radio 1

Dunno if Mi Amigo is connected in any way with the old offshore pirate, but it's obviously inspired by said; the jingles, and the format, are very reminiscent of the offshore Mi Amigo :-)

A couple of exotic UK stations were also heard; Stray FM on 97.4, and Yorkshire Coast Radio on 102.4

Skip from Eire to Holland

Tropo seems to be with us again.

This morning, from 7am to after 9am, RTE Lyric FM from Eire was heard on 87.8 (from the Clermont Carn TX). Heard while driving from Clowne to Garforth.

Also heard at the time, intermittently, was a Dutch station on 87.9. North of Wakefield, said station was competing with the Asian Paradise Radio RSL for the frequency.

On the way home, on 87.9 was Omroep Zeeland from Holland. (Possibly the Dutch station heard this morning on the frequency). This time the signal was at times quite strong (although no RDS received), audible all the way from Garforth to Clowne.

Another Arrow from Holland

In addition to Arrow Classic Rock 87.7, this evening (approx 4pm) I heard Arrow Jazz FM on 90.5

Much weaker than Arrow Classic Rock, but still audible down the A1 motorway as far as the M18. Soon after joining the M18, the signal was sadly lost underneath BBC Radio 2 from Sutton Coldfield, on the same frequency.

Quite enjoyable to listen to, music included hits by groups like the Style Council.

Jingle was similar to that of Arrow Classic Rock, but in a more jazzy/mellow style.


In addition, Dutch Radio 2 on 88.0 and Dutch Radio 1 on 91.8 were still audible.


By 10pm, the tropo has, sadly, gone. Hope it comes back soon ...

Tropo brings N-ether-lands on FM

Perhaps this spell of chucking filly (spoonerism) weather may be drawing to a close. At least, the high pressure appears to be slowly moving away.

As a result, today has brought a spell of short-range but relatively consistent tropospheric ducting, meaning a number of Dutch FM stations are now audible - both in Garforth and Clowne, and on the journey to and from said locations.

This morning, I first noted Arrow Classic Rock (Holland) on 87.7 FM. A welcome return (albeit probably short lived) to my radio of a ststion I used to listen to sometimes on 675kHz, when it used to broadcast on MW.

Arrow Classic Rock was still there this evening, now occasionally strong enough to read the RDS, which scrolls as follows:

ARROW
CLASSIC
ROCK
ARROW-NL
*AFLITS*

According to FMLIST, this was from the Lelystad/PTT Toren transmitter (chuffa chuffa whoo whoo, lol)

A number of other Dutch stations were heard this evening, as follows:

88.0 Radio 2 (announced as Radio Tre), RDS = RADIO 2
91.8 Radio 1, RDS = RADIO 1
92.6 FFN (announced thereas)
96.8 3-FM (or was it V-FM?)
100.7 Q-Music

There were other Dutch stations heard, very weakly, but reception of these was very difficult due to fading and/or their proximity of UK-based stations in frequency.

Tropo tonight

The weather forecast says that the warm and dry weather we are currently experiencing will soon give way to unsettled rain and windy weather. Ah well, what do I expect, this weekend is a bank holiday :-(

But it's an ill wind that blows no good. As the high pressure slowly moves away, tropospheric ducting has brought in foreign stations on the FM band. I only managed to ID one, though.

Radio Speranza 87.6 from Italy was heard around 19:40 tonight, with a clear enough signal for the RDS to be displayed. The RDS scrolled between "RADIO" and "SPERANZA".

I haven't found a website for Radio Speranza, but the Italian Pagine Radio station database listing for Radio Speranza implies they are linked to Radio inBlu