{"id":14959,"date":"2015-09-29T15:43:47","date_gmt":"2015-09-29T19:43:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=14959"},"modified":"2015-09-29T15:43:47","modified_gmt":"2015-09-29T19:43:47","slug":"the-demise-of-longwave-could-lead-to-the-end-of-the-shipping-forecast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/09\/the-demise-of-longwave-could-lead-to-the-end-of-the-shipping-forecast\/","title":{"rendered":"The demise of longwave could lead to the end of the Shipping Forecast"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"shipping-forecast-locations\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Many thanks to SWLing Post<\/em> reader, Erica, who writes:<\/p>\n

“I saw this article about the demise of the Shipping Forecast<\/a> on Radio 4 Longwave and thought readers might be interested:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/culture\/tvandradio\/bbc\/11892805\/End-of-Shipping-Forecast-on-long-wave-radio-could-leave-sailors-high-and-dry.html<\/a><\/p>\n

I’m not a fan of DAB radio and my bedroom radio aerial has to be positioned just so to get radio 4 FM with cclarity, so I will be disappointed if Longwave eventually gets switched off. That’s not to mention all the people–however many there may be–who don’t have easy ways to get weather info out at sea.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here’s an excerpt from The Telegraph<\/a>:<\/p>\n

It has kept sailors safe on the ocean waves for 90 years, becoming just as much a part of national consciousness as cricket, cups of tea and The Archers.<\/p>\n

But the days of hearing the Shipping Forecast out on a boat may be numbered thanks to the demise of long wave technology, a veteran announcer has said.<\/p>\n

Peter Jefferson, who read the Shipping Forecast to Radio 4 listeners for 40 years, said the “very old” transmitters which worked on long wave could soon be retired.<\/p>\n

If that was to happen, he said, anyone more than 12 miles from the coastline would be unable to hear the shipping forecast on long wave, ending a Radio 4 tradition dating back to 1924.<\/p>\n

Speaking at the Radio Times Festival, in Hampton Court, Mr Jefferson said the soothing tones of the Shipping Forecast would then be left to its many fans who choose to listen to it from their homes in lieu of a “sleeping pill”.<\/p>\n

“Long wave reaches much further than FM, it’s as simple as that,” he said.
\n“So FM would be totally useless for shipping beyond 12 miles from land.<\/p>\n

[…]A spokesman for the BBC said they were no firm plans to end long wave broadcasting, and no date set for when the technology could run out.<\/p>\n

The service currently reaches as far as south-east Iceland, and is occasionally picked up as far as 3,000 miles away.<\/p>\n

Read this full article at The Telegraph online<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Of course, I haven’t heard the Shipping Forecast on longwave since moving back to the States from the UK. Still, I would be very sad to hear the program and the longwave medium fall silent.<\/p>\n

I would like to start adding some Shipping Forecast programs on the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive<\/a> where we also curate select mediumwave and longwave recordings. \u00a0If you have the means to record episodes on longwave, please consider helping us!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Erica, who writes: “I saw this article about the demise of the Shipping Forecast on Radio 4 Longwave and thought readers might be interested: http:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/culture\/tvandradio\/bbc\/11892805\/End-of-Shipping-Forecast-on-long-wave-radio-could-leave-sailors-high-and-dry.html I’m not a fan of DAB radio and my bedroom radio aerial has to be positioned just so to get radio 4 FM with […]<\/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":[2436,3,288,1],"tags":[2964,4123,2734],"class_list":["post-14959","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-longwave","category-news","category-radio-history","category-uncategorized","tag-bbc-radio-4-shipping-forecast","tag-longwave","tag-shipping-forecast"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-3Th","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":61113,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/11\/the-shipping-forecast-a-special-1993-filmed-version\/","url_meta":{"origin":14959,"position":0},"title":"The Shipping Forecast: A Special 1993 Filmed Version","author":"Thomas","date":"November 15, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and good friend, BJ Leiderman, who shares the following video on YouTube--a special Shipping Forecast tribute: On 18 December 1993, as part of the Arena Radio Night, BBC Radio 4 and BBC 2 collaborated on a simultaneous broadcast so the shipping forecast \u2013 read\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Longwave"","block_context":{"text":"Longwave","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/longwave\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/shipping-forecast-locations.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/shipping-forecast-locations.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/shipping-forecast-locations.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":24142,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/02\/video-history-of-the-shipping-forecast\/","url_meta":{"origin":14959,"position":1},"title":"Video: History of the Shipping Forecast","author":"Thomas","date":"February 16, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, George, who writes: With all of the recent postings about the Shipping Forecast, I thought I'd share this excellent little video\u00a0produced by the Met Office: https:\/\/youtu.be\/ts7nGURT3Pw Click here to view on YouTube. Thank you, George!","rel":"","context":"In "Longwave"","block_context":{"text":"Longwave","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/longwave\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/shipping-forecast-locations.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/shipping-forecast-locations.png?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/shipping-forecast-locations.png?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8333,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/04\/and-now-the-shipping-forecast\/","url_meta":{"origin":14959,"position":2},"title":"And now, the Shipping Forecast…","author":"Thomas","date":"April 11, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"When I lived in the UK, I would often fall asleep and\/or wake up to the Shipping Forecast:\u00a0a BBC Radio broadcast of weather reports and forecasts for the seas around the coasts of the British Isles. Though I had, of course, no real need of the Forecast, on many occasions\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"shipping-forecast-locations","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/shipping-forecast-locations.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/shipping-forecast-locations.png?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/shipping-forecast-locations.png?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":24144,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/02\/kris-also-forced-the-shipping-forecast-to-repeat-a-broadcast\/","url_meta":{"origin":14959,"position":3},"title":"Kris also forced the Shipping Forecast to repeat a broadcast","author":"Thomas","date":"February 14, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Kris Partridge (G8AUU) who shares the following comment in reply to our post about Dave's experience forcing the Shipping Forecast to repeat a broadcast: Hi Dave, G4OYX, et al Not the only time the Shipping Forecast has had to be repeated for \u2018Operational Error\u2019\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/The-Shipping-Forecast-Beaufort-Scale-1024x573.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/The-Shipping-Forecast-Beaufort-Scale-1024x573.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/The-Shipping-Forecast-Beaufort-Scale-1024x573.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":56938,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/05\/bbc-radio-4-campaign-to-transition-from-long-wave\/","url_meta":{"origin":14959,"position":4},"title":"BBC Radio 4 campaign to transition from long wave","author":"Thomas","date":"May 29, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Chris Greenway, who shares the following article from the BBC: BBC Radio 4 begins information campaign to transition listeners from Long Wave (BBC Media Centre) BBC Radio 4 begins information campaign to transition listeners from Long Wave\u00a0 The BBC has begun an information campaign\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Longwave"","block_context":{"text":"Longwave","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/longwave\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/1280px-Droitwichtransmitter-e1685368184500.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/1280px-Droitwichtransmitter-e1685368184500.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/1280px-Droitwichtransmitter-e1685368184500.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/1280px-Droitwichtransmitter-e1685368184500.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":24033,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/02\/dave-once-forced-the-shipping-forecast-to-repeat-a-broadcast\/","url_meta":{"origin":14959,"position":5},"title":"Dave once forced the Shipping Forecast to repeat a broadcast","author":"Thomas","date":"February 7, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Our post yesterday regarding the Shipping Forecast reminded me of a\u00a0story\u00a0SWLing Post contributor, Dave Porter (G4OYX) once shared. Dave writes: I worked at the Droitwich Transmitting Station through 1972-1974, the home of the BBC UK Long Wave 1500 m\/200 kHz service as it was then. In the summer of 1973\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\/02\/Droitwich-transmitter-station-963x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Droitwich-transmitter-station-963x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Droitwich-transmitter-station-963x1024.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14959","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=14959"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14959\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14959"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14959"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14959"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}