Listening to BBC Radio in Mainland Europe

The following advice for listening to BBC Radio - mainly the BBC World Service Radio - while travelling in mainland Europe, is based on our own experience. I was prompted to write this piece when a query from a member was passed on to me by the UK's Caravan Club.

Barry Williamson

February 2008

STOP STOP PRESS

Since writing the STOP PRESS below, we have heard further sad news. On 14 February 2008, Cindy Webb wrote: 'While writing, I wonder if you heard the short snippet just before the 0600 hrs GMT news this morning ... " we shall be ceasing our shortwave transmissions to Europe from Monday due to lack of demand - you can now listen to us by a variety of methods". YEAH - like who has broadband in their campers? Oh well, end of an era etc. Me,- I shall move to VOR and VOC but not, I think, VOA. Alternatively, of course, one can download podcasts of last week's Today programme highlights et al when in an internet cafe, put them on the old MP3 player and plug into that - any other suggestions gratefully received.'

One area we are now exploring is the use of satellite radio as recommended by Mike Annan. Watch this space.

STOP PRESS

The following sad news has appeared on the BBC website

BC World Service is adjusting its shortwave transmissions in some parts of the world from 25 March 2007, in line with listener trends in radio. Increasing numbers of people around the world are choosing to listen to radio on a range of other platforms including FM, satellite and online, with fewer listening on shortwave.

As a result, broadcasts in English to Eastern and Central Europe on shortwave will stop. English shortwave broadcasts to Southern Europe will be reduced to 12 hours a day. The shortwave listening times of early morning and evening have been retained

1. Near the Channel coast, UK programmes on Medium Wave AM including Radio 5 can still be received, preferably on the cab or car radio because it has an external aerial.

2. For up to 100 and more miles from the Channel coast it is possible to pick up Radio 4 on Long Wave AM (198 kHz), again on the cab or car radio since this requires an external aerial.

3. The BBC World Service radio can be heard on medium wave at a frequency of 648 kHz in north-east France (about as far south as Paris and west as Le Mans), Belgium, the Netherlands, north-west Germany (south to Bonn & east to Osnabrück) and parts of south-east England. During the night, the Long Wave frequency of 198kHz carries the BBC World Service.

Find out all about the BBC World Service radio and its reception at: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice and see below.

4. The BBC World Service Radio can also be received throughout Europe (and other parts of the world) with a short wave radio (see below).

5. Occasionally, BBC World Service programmes are re-broadcast in major cities in Europe on the local FM networks. Details of this are given on the BBC website mentioned above.

6. BBC World Service is also a free channel on satellite radio, through the African Radio Satellite which carries the African Service of the BBC (albeit mainly in English). There are plans to start a European Radio Satellite service starting in 2008 in Italy. More details at www.worldspace.com and see below.

7. With access to the internet in the motorhome or caravan, through, for example, WiFi or a DataCard (we use the latter – from Vodafone), it is possible to listen to ANY radio station in the UK through such sites as www.radio-now.co.uk/main.htm. The BBC website gives access to all UK BBC radio channels, including podcasts and archives of back programmes. But this uses more megabytes than we can afford!

8. A number of UK radio channels are available through the SKY satellite, which is very convenient if you already watch Sky TV. The HOT BIRD satellite also carries the BBC World Service Radio as well as the BBC World TV channel (see below).

Our main link with UK Radio is through (4) above. The BBC World Service carries news, current affairs and documentaries with a world focus, although there is also coverage of UK news and politics as well as European affairs. We have a Roberts Radio which has good coverage of short wave frequencies as well as the usual AM and FM. Since short-wave broadcasts typically change frequencies, depending on the time of the day, it has digital tuning so that we can easily switch between a number of preset frequencies.

For short wave, an external aerial is highly recommended, or at least a long wire within the van. A horizontal aerial about 10 metres (say 30 feet) long is a good idea. It can just clip onto the radio's own extending aerial. The frequencies we find most useful in Europe are: 5875, 6195, 9410, 12095 and 15485 kHz

The following notes are taken from the BBC website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice

BBC World Service in English available 24 hours a day, free-to-air from the digital Eutelsat Hot Bird 6 satellite at 13° East, transponder 130U, vertical polarisation, 11131 MHz, PID 457, in stereo. Hot Bird 6 covers the whole of Europe, including the Canary Islands.

You should contact a local satellite/TV equipment dealer for information about the DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) receiver required for reception from Hot Bird 6. This works in conjunction with a television set, but you can connect the audio output of the set-top receiver box to a Hi-Fi system for better quality sound.

A number of local radio stations in continental Europe broadcast the BBC World Service on FM or AM frequencies. This may be our 24-hour English service, or selected programming broadcast along with the stations' own output.

In some countries, notably The Netherlands, Denmark, Switzerland and Austria, BBC World Service can be heard on cable FM frequencies in many cities. In France, BBC World Service is available via CanalSat.

Visit our schedules page and enter the name of your city to find out if there are local FM or AM frequencies carrying the BBC in your area.

Frequency 648 kHz can be heard in north-east France (about as far south as Paris and west as Le Mans), Belgium, the Netherlands, north-west Germany (south to Bonn & east to Osnabrück) and parts of south-east England.

Frequency 198 kHz (which carries the UK channel Radio 4 during the day and a modified World Service schedule between 0100 and 0530 UK time) can be heard in the UK & Eire, northern France, Belgium, the Netherlands, north-west Germany and southern Scandinavia when conditions permit.

Frequencies for West & South West Europe cover the area from Portugal to central Europe. Cyprus, Greece and the former Yugoslavia, are served by frequencies for South-East Europe. In southern Spain and Portugal, try North Africa frequencies 15485 kHz from 0700 to 1700 GMT and 15105 kHz from 1600 to 1800 GMT. While there no direct frequencies for Scandinavia or the Baltic States, these areas may receive frequencies for the Middle East.

Our 24-hour European programme stream can also be heard live online via the Radio Player link on the BBC World Service home page.

The following news channels are carried on the Worldspace Afristar Satellite Radio which also carries music channels. For more information, visit: www.worldspace.com

CNN International 300 – CNNi International Perspective on Today's headlines

NPR 301 – Internationally acclaimed - news, talk and entertainment

BBC Global News 302 – Presenting a Global View of Today's News

Bloomberg Radio 304 – International Business News

WRN 1 305 – Featuring the world's leading International Broadcasters

Liveway 306 – General

WRN 2 327 – Featuring the world's leading International Broadcasters.

RFI 1 329 – France's Premier Name in News

RFI 2 330 – News / Info / Features

BFM 331 – News / Business News

BBC News: - Africa West 355, Africa East 356 and Africa South 357