[HCDX] fwd: SUSY RADIO on 531 kHz, UK (LowPower)

[dl8aam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Hi !
found on my local amateur radio mailbox DB0EAM. 73 - Tom / DL8AAM

DIVERSE @EU      de:G8MNY  29.07.02 06:53   5   4274 Bytes
MW station from Redhill back on
From: G8MNY@GB7CIP.#32.GBR.EU
To  : RSL@EU


Hi Readers,
          For the 9th year running a group of enthusiasts (several Hams me,
G6IXM M1AJB G4WGD & G3TWJ) have put on a local charity fund raising 28 day AM
MW broadcast radio station (Restricted Service Licence) on air for the month of
August from 4th. Profits (if any) go to a local charity.

The station is called "SUSY" (SUssex & SurreY). The restricted licenced only
permits a low power of 1W ERP on 531KHz vertical polarisation from a 20M tall
aerial system at the studio site in Merstham near Redhill. This is the 2nd time
AM has been used by SUSY RADIO & last time we had very good reports.
The move from VHF to MW came about after a donation of a Decca Navigator Tx
that could do the LF end of MW, and also the 2K reduction in the Licences for
MW.

At the LF end of MW band a large amount of power is needed to obtain 1W ERP
from the radiating part of such a low & short aerial (1/14 dipole). The plus is
this end of MW has a much bigger ground wave propagation about twice as far as
1500KHz. If the site's ground conditions are as good as last year the signal
should again get out very well. Last year we had quite large number of
reception reports from far afield from listeners at QRM locations & a half
decent Rx.

Although this is a fairly clear frequency in the UK and it is also the 1st ch
on the MW band so a scanning Rx will pick it up first, unfortunately at night
the 100KW German & Spanish station will kill the coverage area with heavy slow
beating QRM.

The station is live from the studio 24 hr a day, with music mainy 60-80s, local
traffic information, phone-ins, news, and a half day sport program Saturday.
There will be two Outside Broadcasts programs each week.

The various licence costs are high compared to permenant local radio station,
for a 28 day AM  RSL station, they are:-
          DTI RA & RA Broadcast, about ?1000, (?2,500 FM)
          Performing Rights Society, about ?900,     } N.B. not all published
          Phonographic Performance, approx ?1150,    } material is covered!
          Mechanical Copying & Reproduction, ?60.    } eg BBC records.
          (Band3 1 Watt, RA stereo Link licence ?480. if Tx not co-sited)

In anyone's language this is "an arm and several legs" even for a fund raising
station! Direct sponsorship & adverts from major companies generally covers all
the fixed costs, any profit goes to the nominated charity. A ?28K sunshine
coach was recently been given partly by SUSY after several radio events.

SUSY Radio is also on the Internet "http//www.susyradio.com" where the station
can be found as LIVE "REAL AUDIO" all the time. EMAIL studio@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Requests etc, to the studio on Tel 0870 7650531 when on air. (local call rate)
For general RSL/engineering info. Tel 01737 643767 daytime Mon-Sat.
Reception reports would be much appreciated.

Needless to say broadcast engineering eg. O.B. links, Digital Satellite links,
Phone systems, Computer Audio sources, Hifi audio sources, Studio mixers,
Stereo/AM limiters, Stereo coders, RDS coders, fixed radio links, Broadcast Tx
& Aerials, are just a little bit different from mainstream Amateur Radio.

If anyone or a club would like a technical visit or would like to be involved
with the station please RSVP me.

73 de John (eng team) G8MNY @ GB7CIP


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Keep in mind EDXC Conference 2002 in mid-August - the biggest DX and SWL
meeting in Europe! See http://www.sdxl.org/edxc/edxc2002.html, come to
Pori, Finland and enjoy!
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