{"id":13400,"date":"2015-05-30T11:45:59","date_gmt":"2015-05-30T15:45:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=13400"},"modified":"2015-12-03T22:21:20","modified_gmt":"2015-12-04T02:21:20","slug":"listening-to-bbc-click-on-shortwave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/05\/listening-to-bbc-click-on-shortwave\/","title":{"rendered":"Listening to BBC “Click” on shortwave"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"PL-680-BBC-Click-Frequency\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Many thanks to SWLing Post<\/em> contributor, Richard Langley, who writes:<\/p>\n

“Last January, I wanted to see if I could hear the BBC World Service’s technology program “Click”<\/a>\u00a0via shortwave.<\/p>\n

\"BBC_Click\"<\/a>I was and still am a regular listener to the podcast but I was home on a Tuesday<\/span><\/span> afternoon stranded by a snow storm and tuned to one of the frequencies used by the World Service for west and central Africa, which usually come in reasonably well in eastern North America. To my disappointment, another program was aired at the time “Click” was going out on the real-time online streamed service. I kept listening but “Click” didn’t appear on shortwave later that afternoon either. In general, the programs going out shortwave were not the ones being streamed over the Internet.<\/p>\n

I made enquiries to Bill Thompson, the knowledgeable co-host of “Click” and to others about when “Click” aired on shortwave but came up empty.<\/p>\n

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. I got an e-mail from Bill asking me if I’d heard back from the BBC about the airing of “Click” on shortwave as he’d passed on my request for information. Unfortunately, I hadn’t, but his e-mail reminded me of my effort and so I did some more digging.<\/p>\n

I once again scoured the BBC website and eventually found the World Service FAQ page<\/a>. And, on that page, we find the answer to the question “Where can I find a schedule and frequency for BBC World Service programmes?”with the online program schedule as well as the program schedules for radio transmissions to the various world regions, including local AM and FM radio, DAB radio, satellite radio, and, for some regions, shortwave radio.<\/p>\n

I noticed that, according to these schedules, “Click” is broadcast by radio at various times on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, depending on the target region, including some broadcasts by shortwave.<\/p>\n

So, on Tuesday<\/span><\/span> afternoon this week, I took one of my portable shortwave receivers (a Tecsun PL-880<\/a>) to work and operated it from the back of my SUV in the parking lock of my building with a short wire antenna fed out through the rear window and recorded the audio.<\/p>\n

Low and behold, I heard “Click” at 19:32 UTC<\/span><\/span> on 15400 kHz from one of the transmitters on Ascension Island. Reception was not bad given the fact that the signal is beamed in the opposite direction to us and there’s a fair degree of radio-frequency interference (RFI) from various electrical and electronic devices in and around my building. The signal would have been much stronger in the African target zone. A short audio clip of the start of the program<\/a> is [below]\u00a0(lasts one minute).<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/click_clip.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

I’m sure I could find a quieter location RFI-wise like one of the university’s playing fields and might try that next week.<\/p>\n

After confirming that “Click” is indeed still on shortwave, I decided to make a chart of all the “Click” broadcast times including those via shortwave as the “Click” website only gives the times of the online streamed broadcasts. [Click here to download a]\u00a0PDF-version of the chart<\/a>.\u00a0A \u201cbullet\u201d indicates a broadcast of \u201cClick\u201d by any transmission method for each target region. If, in addition to other types of radio broadcast, shortwave is used, then the frequencies (in kHz) and transmitter locations are listed. I think all the information is correct but I’m happy to receive corrections. The schedule should be good until October and I’ll try to produce an updated version after that.<\/p>\n

It is good to see that the BBC technology program is still available via shortwave \u2013 a still-useful technology in many parts of the world. And, although I’ll still listen to “Click” via the podcast, it’s nice to know that I can still catch it on a Tuesday<\/span><\/span> afternoon with a shortwave receiver.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Click here to download Richard’s PDF chart of Click<\/em>\u00a0shortwave broadcasts<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Many thanks, Richard! Like you, I’ve been a long-time fan of Click<\/em>. Indeed, five\u00a0years ago, I had the honor of being interviewed for the program<\/a> [then known as Digital Planet<\/em>].<\/p>\n

I’ve heard Click<\/em> a number of times via the BBC World Service on shortwave, but never noted the times and frequencies. \u00a0Thank you so much for compiling this info for us, Richard, and happy listening!<\/p>\n

Readers:<\/strong> Note that if Click’s shortwave schedule doesn’t work for you, you can always subscribe to Click’s podcast<\/a>, or listen online<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Note: This post was updated December 3, 2015 with current broadcast schedule.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Richard Langley, who writes: “Last January, I wanted to see if I could hear the BBC World Service’s technology program “Click”\u00a0via shortwave. I was and still am a regular listener to the podcast but I was home on a Tuesday afternoon stranded by a snow storm and tuned to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[56,3,27,651,43,1167],"tags":[3862,327,420,3865,3863,3864,2079,3866,3516],"class_list":["post-13400","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-broadcasters","category-news","category-program-spotlight","category-schedules-and-frequencies","category-shortwave-radio","category-whats-on-shortwave","tag-bbc-click-shortwave","tag-bbc-world-service","tag-bbc-ws","tag-bill-thompson","tag-click-shortwave","tag-digital-planet","tag-gareth-mitchell","tag-how-to-hear-bbc-click-on-shortwave","tag-richard-langley"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-3u8","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":18729,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/05\/richards-updated-bbc-click-shortwave-schedule\/","url_meta":{"origin":13400,"position":0},"title":"BBC World Service: \u201cClick\u201d Broadcast Times (April \u2013 October 2016)","author":"Thomas","date":"May 8, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Richard Langley, who shares his latest shortwave radio schedule for the BBC World Service technology program, Click. Click on the image below to view the schedule, or simply\u00a0click here to view the schedule as a PDF.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"BBC_Click","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/BBC_Click.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":29319,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/11\/bbc-world-service-click-broadcast-times-october-2017-march-2018\/","url_meta":{"origin":13400,"position":1},"title":"BBC World Service: \u201cClick\u201d Broadcast Times (October 2017 – March 2018)","author":"Thomas","date":"November 24, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0contributor,\u00a0Richard Langley, who shares his latest shortwave radio schedule for the BBC World Service technology program,\u00a0Click. Click on the image below to view the schedule, or simply\u00a0click here to view the schedule as a PDF. Richard notes: As with previous versions of the chart, a \u201cbullet\u201d indicates\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/JRC-NRD-93-Dial-1024x678.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/JRC-NRD-93-Dial-1024x678.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/JRC-NRD-93-Dial-1024x678.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15978,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/12\/bbc-world-service-click-broadcast-times-oct-2015-mar-2016\/","url_meta":{"origin":13400,"position":2},"title":"BBC World Service: “Click” Broadcast Times (Oct 2015 \u2013 Mar 2016)","author":"Thomas","date":"December 4, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Richard Langley, for providing this simple updated broadcast schedule for one of our favorite technology programs, Click: Click here to download as a PDF.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"BBC_Click","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/BBC_Click.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":43946,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/06\/2020-bbc-midwinter-broadcast-to-antarctica-time-and-frequencies\/","url_meta":{"origin":13400,"position":3},"title":"2020 BBC Midwinter Broadcast to Antarctica: Time and Frequencies","author":"Thomas","date":"June 19, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The BBC Antarctica winter solstice broadcast will take place on June 21, 2020 at 2130-2200 UTC. Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Richard Langley, who confirms the three frequencies the BBC plan to use this year: 5790 kHz from Woofferton UK 7360 kHz from Woofferton UK 9580 kHz from Ascension\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/1024px-Antarctica_6400px_from_Blue_Marble.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/1024px-Antarctica_6400px_from_Blue_Marble.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/1024px-Antarctica_6400px_from_Blue_Marble.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":49299,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/06\/four-frequencies-will-be-used-for-the-2021-bbc-midwinter-broadcast\/","url_meta":{"origin":13400,"position":4},"title":"Four frequencies will be used for the 2021 BBC Midwinter Broadcast","author":"Thomas","date":"June 17, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to Richard Hollingham with Boffin Media, who writes: Hi \u2013 I\u2019m (proudly) the Executive Producer of the Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast. It\u2019s made by Boffin Media for the BBC\u2026.I\u2019m about to deliver this year\u2019s edition. In terms of the broadcast itself, following the test on Monday, the BBC\u2019s decided\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "International Broadcasting"","block_context":{"text":"International Broadcasting","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/international-broadcasting\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/1024px-Antarctica_6400px_from_Blue_Marble.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/1024px-Antarctica_6400px_from_Blue_Marble.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/1024px-Antarctica_6400px_from_Blue_Marble.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":49289,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/06\/possible-frequencies-for-the-2021-bbc-midwinter-broadcast\/","url_meta":{"origin":13400,"position":5},"title":"Possible frequencies for the 2021 BBC Midwinter Broadcast","author":"Thomas","date":"June 16, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Click here to read an update to this post (17 June 2021). Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Richard Langley, who follows up with the following information about the 2021 Midwinter Broadcast to Antarctica: As usual, there was a test of this year\u2019s possible frequencies yesterday (14 June) from 21:30\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/halleyvi_antony_dubber_bas-Antarctica.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/halleyvi_antony_dubber_bas-Antarctica.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/halleyvi_antony_dubber_bas-Antarctica.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13400","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13400"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13400\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13400"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}