Forum for former BBC staff

Forum for former BBC staff
http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl >> Ex-pats >> Whatever happened to R4 reception? http://www.ex-bbc.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1286269288 Message started by stephenj on Oct 5^th, 2010, 9:02am

Title: Whatever happened to R4 reception?
Post by stephenj on Oct 5^th, 2010, 9:02am

I have lived in the same flat in Paris for 15 years and never had any trouble picking up R4 as clear as you could wish on 198 LW. But for the last two months the signal has all but vanished. Is this to do with the Droitwich LW transmitter or, more probably, an act of spite by the BBC suits who don't like expats listening to a service they don't pay for? (as if there were still a radio licence...)

Title: Re: Whatever happened to R4 reception?
Post by david en france on Oct 15^th, 2010, 9:50pm

Still get it loud and almost clear in Brittany. But R4 on-line is far better and doesn't get Yesterday in Parliament and Test Match Special, thank you! Suggest you try it!

Title: Re: Whatever happened to R4 reception?
Post by stephenj on Oct 19^th, 2010, 10:41am

Thanks for the tip and to the ex-colleague in the south of Spain who had some suggestions/questions and alerted me to the existence of a wifi portable. In fact we have two broadband connections so can listen on line, the problem being we can't carry the PCs around the flat and are stuck in the rooms where the PCs are. As it happens r4 reception online has been fairly patchy for some days: keeps cutting out/ making bubbling sounds. Not the case with r3/WS. Wonder why.

Title: Re: Whatever happened to R4 reception?
Post by David Shute on May 5^th, 2011, 7:03am

All you need is a small low-power VHF transmitter about the size of a f*g packet. Link this to your computer cans outlet and you can tune in any VHF receiver in your apartment. Being low-power there's little chance of upsetting the neighbours.
That's how we listen to Radio 4 where we live at a place called Calpe on the Costa Blanca, Spain.
Bestest regards. David Shute, ex Pebble Mill.
web site = davidshute.co.uk

Title: Re: Whatever happened to R4 reception?
Post by Amigo on May 7^th, 2011, 10:32pm

There are several 'apps' for iPhones, iPod Touches etc that, when connected via a Wi-Fi link, can access the wonders of "Internet Radio".

My iPod Touch is capable of many hours of portable listening on a single charge.