BBC Frequencies

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va3saj

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Hi guys:

I used to be a big listener of the BBC World Service, when it ran round the clock 500 kW signals to North America, way back when. You could leave the dial on 5975 for hours lol. Nowadays, it's much harder, as the BBC has pretty much given up on the Americas (though it still serves Africa, Europe and parts of Asia).

When I want to hear the BBC here, I'll sometimes look up what channels it is broadcasting shortwaves on:

Short-Wave Frequency Schedule for BBC in ENGLISH at 00:19GMT

And of course there's always the BBC's own shortwave listings, here:

BBC World Service | Radio Frequency Guide

But here's the problem....many of these frequencies are basically inaudible in North America, being directed elsewhere. Is there any handy listing of BBC frequencies that is current, and can actually be heard here in North America?

With that in mind, I thought I'd make this handy frequency chart of BBC shortwave channels you can actually receive ok here in North America. These ones I've received recently with listenable quality here in Southern Ontario, and should be ok for most of North America, depending on equipment/antennas/propogation/etc. If you have any corrections, or know of any others you can actually get ok here in North America, please, please, add them...it's getting harder and harder to get the BBC on shortwave these days. Thanks so much!

BBC in English
UTC khz
Times...Frequencies
0000 9740
0100 7395/9740
0200 6005/9410
0300 6145/7255/9410
0400 6190/7255/7310/9410
0500 6005/6255/7310/9410
0600 6005

1300 17640/17830
1400 17640
1500 15400/17640/17830
1600 12095/15400/17640/17795/17830
1700 13675/15400/17830
1800 9410/11810/12095/13675/15400
1900 9410/11810/12095/15400
2000 9410/15400
2100 9915/12095
2200 9915/12095
2300 9740/12010

On a side note, sometimes in winter I can hear the BBC on longwave at 198 khz from Droitwich....but it has to be really quiet (atmospheric noise) to listen properly. Normally 0100-0400 UTC, when conditions permit.

VA3SAJ
 

ka3jjz

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Don't forget the NASWA spreadsheet - which is very comprehensive, and imports from numerous sources.

However, in your case, you might be better served by keeping an eye on the Ontario DX Association monthly newsletter, which is now free (I believe it's in a PDF format). Here's the website, and if you happen to run into Sheldon Harvey or Jacques d'Avignon, tell 'em Mike Agner says hi

73 Mike
 

va3saj

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Don't forget the NASWA spreadsheet - which is very comprehensive, and imports from numerous sources.

However, in your case, you might be better served by keeping an eye on the Ontario DX Association monthly newsletter, which is now free (I believe it's in a PDF format). Here's the website, and if you happen to run into Sheldon Harvey or Jacques d'Avignon, tell 'em Mike Agner says hi

73 Mike

Hi Mike:

Thanks so much for the info. Yeah I know about the ODXA, because I was a paid member before their magazine Listening In stopped (its now online, as you say, free). I wrote several articles for them, back in the day. Listening In has lots of useful schedules, but here's the thing.....the printed edition had a list of BBC Frequencies audible in the Americas, posted monthly as a separate article by Andrew Reid. That seems to have stopped in the online edition (or at least, I can't find it). The only page on the ODXA website that still covers the BBC is the summary of World English Broadcasts. This is the one for Sept. 2010:

http://www.odxa.on.ca/WESSep10.pdf

As you can see, all they have for BBC is:
0300-0700 6005
1500-2100 15400
2100-2300 12095

To my mind, that's unfortunate. There's virtually zero coverage of BBC in the Americas during primetime shortwave listening hours (local evening), and the only channel they recommend is 6005, after 11 PM local time. I can hear it, 0300-0700, but I'd probably use another frequency, if possible, because of strong splatter from nearby flamethrower Radio Habana Cuba, which starts two hours earlier and puts out a killer signal at 6000 and at 6010. While RHC is on, which it is till about 3 in the morning, you need narrow 2.7 khz filters on SSB for the BBC at 6005, and even then it's just not as good as some of the others.

But that's my situation lol. Maybe some of the others on here can find better frequencies I haven't yet? Here's hoping....

VA3SAJ
 
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ridgescan

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I have only been able to catch BBC english later at night like 04-06UTC to Africa and I think I can get them in the early morning....I will log it as I get them and drive people nuts:D
 

ridgescan

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I figure since we are on the same continent, you may have a better shot at these-
the BBC English from Zaire to the Africas at 0440UTC

the other one was a bit weaker on 6190.
 

va3saj

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Hi Ridgescan:

Yeah I'm getting 7310, and in fact I often prefer it in the evenings...it is usually better than 6190, and certainly a vast improvement on 6005. However at 0500 UTC 6190 is absolutely overwhelmed by China Radio International's 250 kW mega-signal from Sackville. It doesn't have a chance, CRI just blows it away. So 7310 or 9410 after 0500 UTC, or 6005 if you have good filters (and I'm pretty sure your Icom does, just don't know how wide the factory-installed ones are).

VA3SAJ
 

ka3jjz

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That's an alternative path to the Prime Time SW site Dan uses in the spreadsheet :.>>

Anyhow, while comparing notes like this is interesting, don't draw too many conclusions from them. One poster is in California, the other in Ontario. There's significant path differences in propagation between the two of them - for example, there are times when Ridge will hear something that VE3 can't due to the later sunrise times.

This is part of understanding how HF propagation works - and sometimes doesn't work - when you're trying to hear some specific target....73 Mike
 

ka3jjz

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AFAIK BBC has no relays from Meyerton - I'd have to check the NASWA spreadsheet....73 Mike
 

ka3jjz

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I'm at work, so I can't see the video (I saw the freq while I was at home)....but I just looked at the PTSW large frequency sort, and it shows BBC using a UK site beamed toward Africa. Hardly conclusive, of course - but I suspect that's what you had...73 Mike
 

ka3jjz

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Yup, cross referencing that freq on the NASWA list shows 'BBC Meyerton' - looks like the PTSW file needs an update (and so do I, hi) 73 Mike
 

ridgescan

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Mike all I can say is your constant help and direction here make us a fortunate bunch for sure-don't mean to be sappy but it is what it is:) but wow I am happy with that catch-propogation is sweet here. To get the southern tip of the African continent...boy their 500,000 watts makes the flight well. Of course Australia is along the same plane an I get them here regularly. What I am thinking is I am getting those signals via the Pacific Ocean obviously because that is the path of least resistance, right? My wire is east-west so I think my best reception is from points at an angle to the wire. Although Asia is level to me and I get them pretty good too.
 

xmusicianguy

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I'm the same. I LOVE listening to the BBC WS. As others have posted they don't broadcast to America anymore. I can listen on XM Radio but it's not the same. What can I say I love DXing. I can get CRI or RHC LOUD and CLEAR. That would block MOST anything else on the 6000Khz band.
 

ridgescan

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Me three-I have them right now on 6145khz, 100,000 watts out of Meyerton South Africa but the frikkin spreadsheet went away so I can't vid it.
 

n5ims

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While not exactly how you'd like to listen to them, Sirius Satellite Radio broadcasts the BBC World Service on their channel 141 with details here --> SIRIUS Satellite Radio - SIRIUS Satellite Radio - BBC World Service

Sad to say, but many of the SW broadcasters do not believe that broadcasts to North America is simply worth the cost. There are too many other ways for them to distribute their signal there to invest in their HF transmission facilities for that purpose. They beam their transmissions to other areas where SW is important (to them at least) and shut down the facilities that covered other areas.
 
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