Dutch broadcaster Radio 10 Gold is announcing that the new high power mediumwave service on 1008 kHz will be officially launched at 1008 local time (0808 UTC) tomorrow. However, Media Network understands that the transmitter will be switched on at midnight (2200 UTC) tonight.
Update 1230 UTC:
The Radio 10 Gold Web site has added a short history of transmissions on and near AM 1008 kHz, and some photos of the Flevo site. Confirms power will be 400 kW, and 1395 continues till 1st August. Click on the link on the Home Page.
Update 1500 UTC:
Dutch media site radio.nl reports that from tomorrow, Radio 10 Gold will have a new news provider: Novum Nieuws, replacing ANP. Novum has been providing a radio news service for the past 14 months, and is currently servicing about 100 local stations as well as ID&T Radio. Radio 10 Gold becomes the second national station to use Novum Nieuws.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 10:05
Do you know what the plan is with 1395 AM Andy? Will they switch it back on at 22:00 BST tonight and run it for one more night?
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 10:29
They’ll run it until the end of July -
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 10:32
Try and give top-of-the-hour a listen. They’ve remade the jinglepackage and now says:
“Radio 10 Gold verhuist naar 1008″
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 11:44
Did they tell you that? Because some UK listeners might be interested in being able to hear 1395 AM for another month if night-time reception is better.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 12:01
Yes, Poul is also a professional broadcaster and is in direct contact with Radio 10 Gold. When he says “They’ll run it until the end of July” that’s good enough for me
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 12:07
That’s o.k., sorry didn’t know that- just wanted to be certain before I passed it on as being definite
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 12:10
If you can do it, it would be normal practice in that situation to simulcast, that way anyone who doesn’t realise they are now on 1008 and listens on 1395, will get the message. To turn 1395 off on the 1st wouldn’t make much sence. (Remember the chaos last June when casual listeners suddenly found they couldn’t find their favourite radio stations ? )Obviously it’s different if you HAVE to give up the old frequency but if you have the option to hold on to it, then it’s best to use it to point listeners to the new frequency. I’d imagine towards the end of the July a message will do just that.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 12:12
Do you know Poul or Andy whether normal programmes will actually continue on 1395 AM until the end of July or will they cut programmes at some point and operate a taped announcement loop towards the end?
Some people in England, fear that night-time reception may not be so good on 1008 AM as it it not directed at us which is why I ask.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 12:35
Just got a mail that they’re testing right now. Check out 1008 please…
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 12:37
I’ve been checking on and off (usually every hour) during the last 3 days- still nothing on 1008 right now, but I know I can get it here.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 12:47
All I can say is that if 1008 is on air at the moment, it’s on very low power -all I can get is static in southern England.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 13:03
It was either a very short test, or they haven’t done it yet
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 13:23
I got a mail at 12.47 saying: We’re testing right now
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 13:27
hmmm it’s not them but Nozema- they are probably still having lunch
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 15:05
I still haven’t heard anything on 1008 so unless they’ve done a short test at a peculiar time -I’ve been checking every half hour.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 15:14
There have been some short tests, apparently, but I missed them. Just carrier and low level audio, apparently. But if you can just be patient for a few more hours, they will be on permanently
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 15:19
I just want to see how good the reception will be
Won’t know what the daytime reception is like until tommorrow morning.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 17:23
Maybe if reception is really good in the UK then Radio 10 could rent the frequency to some organisation which wants to reach that country.
Oh sorry, what am I saying?
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 17:34
I have just tried 1008 and can hear Radio 10 Gold on the frequency, but it is very weak.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 17:47
This isn’t full power test transmissions is it?
It is barely audible unless I put the radio near something metal.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 18:34
Signal here in South Norfolk is better than 1395, but nowhere near as strong as 675 & 747.
Is this really full power? Or is the directional beam being unkind to my part of the world?
If the latter, are they allowed to go to an omni pattern? Would that help or hinder their coverage in Holland?
I’m sure the signal from Dutch National Radio on this channel (when I listened many years ago) was a bit stronger than this….
JA
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 18:43
If this is full power and they want to reach Dutch people in neighbouring countries, then if they are going to continue paying to run the transmitters at 400kW, I really think they should invest in making the coverage go the same distance in all directions. It’s not getting far into England at all from reports so far.
I wouldn’t think it would get far into Germany with the current coverage pattern either, though they would have to take care not interfere with the station on 1017 in Mainz.
I’d imagine the only neighbouring country really benefiting is Belgium.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 19:03
We are now listening in Basildon to an excellent signal on 1008 loud and clear although there is some noise compared with 1395. The new news provider has already been heard at 8pm Dutch time 7 pm British time. We will see what reception is like after dark. Basildon is a difficult area for radio and TV reception so to get a clear signal in here is quite a feat - even the BBC do not manage it.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 19:12
It’s no better here- on a Grundig Yatch Boy YB400 675 AM always managed 3 bars out of 5, so did 747 AM, although it has always been slightly weaker. People in Norfolk and the and Midlands have noticed the slight 2 db drop in power lately on 675 AM, but there is no noticable difference here.
But 1008 is barely any stronger here than NRK on 1314 from Norway during the daytime at the moment.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 19:31
Twas ever thus (in order to protect the UK allocations of 999 and 1017 kHz).
In order to cover the UK in any real way it would have to change to an omni directional pattern which would result (quite rightly) in the UK screaming blue murder to the ITU!
1008 is a Dutch *national* channel not an international one.
Perhaps you should stop believing certain peoples publicity talk about 1008 being used for an English UK service and let the Dutch get with running their own national radio system..?
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 19:35
Really an incredibly disappointing signal on 1008 (at 1826 UTC)here in Cambridge. One can only hope this is just a test and the power will be increased, or an omnidirectional pattern applied to the tx. The signal is no better than 1395 (i.e. practically non existant) and Radio camb on 1026 (!) is bleeding all over it.
I was really looking forward to hearing R10 again clearly, but at this rate its back to (the excellent Arrow 675).
Regards to all,
Disappointed of Cambridge!
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 19:50
Judging by reports so far, the signal seems to be loud and clear on the east coast, but sharply declines inland especially to the west and northwest.
In contrast 675 AM can be clearly heard as far west as the Welsh borders during the daytime.
Sadly I could not tell a Dutch person to tune into 1008 AM here in the Thames Valley, not even on a car radio.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 19:59
“Twas ever thus (in order to protect the UK allocations of 999 and 1017 kHz)”.
Yes but Radlon were allowed to do it.
Even with the full power in this direction it would not be strong enough to interfere with the local stations in their TSA’s- they are too far away inland.
The signal could only be twice as strong as it is now, not enough to interfere with the adjacent UK stations in the north and western half of the country, but strong enough so that Dutch people visiting eastern and south east England could enjoy it.
I can listen to Radio 10 Gold crystal clear day and night online- Therefore, I’m not really bothered about reception at home, though I enjoy the good portable reception of Arrow on 675 AM around the house.
I’m thinking of the station spending a lot of money using the transmitters on full power and not succeeding in getting a good signal for Dutch listeners in England, Germany and parts of northern France.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 20:04
Anyway even Arrow doesn’t interfere with BBC North Yorkshire -yet it is on an adjacent channel and near the east coast.
1008 would not do any harm to UK stations if it was more omnidirectional.
It would only do any harm if it was significantly stronger in power and directed at the UK.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 20:05
Good signal of R10 in Lublin Poland now at 19:00 UTC.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 20:19
it should be a good signal in C. Europe, its beaming in your direction.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 20:28
It’s still very poor here, but I’ve since heard that the transmitter has been deliberately nulled in the London direction.
1296 AM from Orford Ness is better here day and night even though virtually all the signal is directed away from here.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 20:36
So yes I have to say this is a real damp squib if ever there was one in radio.
Thank goodness for the internet!!
I was looking forward to a signal as good as Arrow, not barely being able to receive it at all.
The skywave reception isn’t much better either though in other directions it’s blasting in.
You can receive it here for for dx purposes that’s about it
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 20:57
Someone posted this link on “Anorak Nation” earlier today:
http://www.waniewski.de/id84.htm
It shows that Flevoland is operating a cardioid pattern aiming South-eastwards, producing considerable attenuation between NNE and WSW - effectively knocking out UK coverage.
But it wasn’t always so - 1008 was operated from Lopik at 100kW for many years and reception in East Central Scotland was excellent.
According to Radio 10’s website, it only moved to Flevoland, with increased erp of 400kW in 1980. So wasn’t this radiation pattern used simply to provide the coverage which was required at the time for Hilversum 1, latterly 5?
Ray W believes it was put in place to protect UK users - is this really correct? If so, why doesn’t 675 protect BBC R York on 666?
Surely it’s the LP channels which have to guarantee protection from the primary users of high power transmitters? So BBC Ulster on 1341 would be protected from Classic Gold on 1332, but not vice versa. Likewise Radio Lincolnshire on 1368 wouldn’t be protected from France on 1377. And Radio Luxembourg didn’t change its radiation pattern on 1440 when BBC Cambs started on 1449.
Or have I missed something?
J
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 21:08
I don’t believe that Ray Anderson would have applied to use 1008 AM if he knew that he couldn’t make the pattern omnidirectional.
As long as it wasn’t any stronger than 400kW and was omnidirectional, not deliberately made to be stronger towards England, I can’t see how it would cause any problems to UK stations during the daytime. The nearest station to the Flevo transmitters is BBC Solent on 999 AM on the south coast, but none of the Dutch stations including Arrow manage to get into it’s coverage area very well. Therefore I can’t see how it would cause interference during the day.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 22:14
It’s now just after 2200 in the UK, and I’m so disappointed with the night=time signal on 1008.
So weak that the splatter from 999 and 1017, and tv line timebase interference, make it almost impossible to listen for any length of time.
Ironic that 1395 is just SO STRONG over here tonight, with no interference at all……
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 22:31
After all the disappointment from the UK some excitement from Germany: 1008 is booming in here with a local-like signal (considerably better than 675; it would be really pointless to speak about 1395 at all), just as it used to be the case until 13 months ago. In case anybody doesn’t believe it: Point your Real Player at
http://www.radioeins.de/_/meta/sendungen/apparat/040626_a2.ram
for a recording from 2030 UT.
I note that Radio 10 Gold now promotes the launch of 1008 for tomorrow 10:08 CET. There could be something to record, although it seems that it is already done and the transmitter in definite service now since early in the evening today.
By the way, obviously Nozema indeed left the Optimod untouched. The audio processing is still the very same than 13 months ago, with a lowpass cut-off at 4.5 kHz.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 22:38
They had planned to move the audio processing from 1395 to 1008 during 20.00-23.00, but since they’ve been testing since late afternoon, they might not have done that yet. That’ll boost the signal even more. In Denmark they’re great … pity for people in the UK…
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 23:43
Oh dear, what a terrible reception here in the UK on 1008khz. After all the excitment of the new frequency, here is Staffordshire, it is much worse than 1395khz. Indeed, barely audible at all? Why on earth is the power beamed away from the UK? the frequency is clear and interference would be minimal in the UK. I am so dissapointed.
on Jun 30th, 2004 at 23:46
I’m sorry, but as 10 Gold is a Dutch Station and as 1008 is close to a number of UK TX’s, 1026 being my local station, how can anyone seriously expect it to blast into the UK ? Stop giving them grief ! Someone one else mentioned this before and got abused for it, but at the end of the day it is there in stereo on Astra and a Free to Air box is only about £80, even less in Lidl when the offers are on. As Kite states it is also online. Good luck to 10 Gold = and I hope they continue to build their audience to the level it was before.
on Jul 1st, 2004 at 00:07
Well I myself was thinking of Dutch people coming over here and wanting to tune in having been told that they could.
I wouldn’t expect them to change the signal to broadcast to any English listeners, but they said they wanted to reach into surrounding countries so that their listeners could still tune in whilst outside the Netherlands.
on Jul 1st, 2004 at 00:18
Has anyone noticed the poorer sound quality on 1395 AM tonight?- last night it sounded so much sharper and clearer, now it sounds very flat without any substance to the sound.
I guess this would be explained by the removal of the optimod processor.
on Jul 1st, 2004 at 06:15
Can’t hear anything on 1008 now this morning though it is on air- I heard it just before it began to fade away completely at 5:00 UTC.
I had to listen to 1395 AM last night because 1008 was unlistenable most of the time here.
At least the Netherlands and Flanders has good reception again- that’s what really matters.
on Jul 1st, 2004 at 08:05
Can hear it again, but it’s the same as at 5:30 BST last night- so that’s the best it’s going to get here.
on Jul 1st, 2004 at 09:23
I could hear it this morning on the car driving to work … in the middle of Jylland (Jutland) in Denemarken.
It sounds good for the Autumn and Winter. Keep up the good work Tom, Dave, Peter, Jos and everyone at 10!
Like the remake of the jingles too…
on Jul 1st, 2004 at 09:44
I’ve heard they’ve had lots of good reports from Belgium, Northern France, Denmark and parts of Germany.
Unfortunately over here 1395 AM is actually better than 1008 in some parts of eastern England and in fact reaches just as far inland as 1008 during the day (though 1008 AM has a better signal on the coast).
Quite funny what they did with the jingles - they introduced the new jingle package at Midnight (CET) last night and then reverted back to the old package at 04:00 CET and again at breakfast.
Reception of 1395 AM was excellent here all night, but 1008 AM was poor much of the time here, fading out and breaking up/stuttering for long periods- sadly it’s too bad to be listenable much of the time. It looks like all my listening to 10 Gold will be on the internet from August 1st.
Some lucky people in Ireland and the Isle of Man managed to get very good night-time reception of 1008 AM however.
on Jul 1st, 2004 at 19:01
Hi There.
About the aerial system beiing directed away from the UK”: The attenuation of the ground in the eastern and southern parts of the Netherlands is more severe than in the west and north. Therefore, the two-mast array is being used to put more power in the directions with the most attenuation.
Both 747 and 1008 are allowed 1 MW omnidirectional, but remember these two tx’s where build for a good coverage of the Netherlands. The current aerial system manages that perfectly.
With 400 kW Tx output, the effective radiated power is about 660 kW towards Eindhoven or the Northeast, and roughly 160 in westerly direction.
Remember the aerial has only two towers, do not expect an enormous directivity.
on Jul 1st, 2004 at 19:26
Can’t we have c-quam am stereo on 1008khz. More people than you think have am stereo radios or are VERY EASILY obtained even new still apart from ebay…
It’s a chicken and egg stitation. Someone has to start an am stereo transmission - radio 10 gold - announce they are doing so often on air, then watch the interest grow. Come on Radio 10 Gold. be the first am stereo station in Europe.
As long as there is analogue am there should be analogue am stereo
on Jul 1st, 2004 at 21:11
Dave, I said on UK Radio, they won’t invest in AM stereo. They will however invest in DRM and possibly stereo DRM when the time comes. They have already done DRM tests via 1296 AM.
Anyway what’s the point in having stereo AM that we can’t pick up?
on Jul 1st, 2004 at 21:13
I though you said it was 330 kW ERP in this direction Hans?- no wonder we can’t get anything inland if it’s only 160 kW ERP in this direction.
on Jul 2nd, 2004 at 16:42
To Kite of Bearroc:
Yes, someone had informed me that the diagram had been changed to elliptical (by sending the same power to both towers). All the current evidence suggests that the original diagram is still beiing used, which is bad luck for the UK and good luck for germany.
But only 3 dB of difference is not enough to go from no reception to reasonable reception. So I wonder what’s going on.
on Jul 2nd, 2004 at 18:23
I’m sure I used to be able to get Radio 1 on 1008- the reception was nothing brilliant, but it was audible, so I’m very puzzled why I can’t get anything to speak of now.
on Jul 2nd, 2004 at 21:06
I suppose Radio 10 Gold wiil be audible in the winterseason daytime in Scandinavia.
Here in scandinavia it’s daylight 20h/day. Will be good reception at nigths in sep-april and early mornings at 0600cet.
on Jul 3rd, 2004 at 11:07
Reception should be possible in Scandinavia, as 1314 kHz is regularly heard in the Netherlands. Power is a few dB more from Kvitsoy, though.
on Jul 4th, 2004 at 12:02
> Dave, I said on UK Radio, they won’t invest in AM stereo
THere’s not much to invest in! it’s as cheap as chips’ now to implement. The TX is almost certainly equipped for c-quam am stereo. Just a few mods to the feed is only needed. DRM won’t happen for a long time and probably even longer until cheap stand alone DRM recevers are available. It’s just an anorak thing at the moment Where c-quam is 20 year old tried and tested technology which has been proven to work well in many countries. Oh well enjoy your low fi mono AM! What a waste of spectrum…
on Jul 4th, 2004 at 14:58
I think it would be nice to have AM stereo, but it never took off in Europe and with DRM around the corner I don’t think there’s any hope for it.
-but it wouldn’t be commercially sensible decision for them given the very low number of listeners who would benefit 
Plus Radio 10 Gold are a commercial station, they won’t invest in technology that very few people can benefit from, let alone even heard of-most people don’t even know about AM stereo.
If someone rich donated the money and equipment to them though to implement it, I’m sure they wouldn;’t mind installing it then