UK and Ireland Radio Stations in 1977

During the 1970s, radio in the UK comprised BBC Radios 1 to 4, together with a Simulcasting was needed because nearly all car radios and many portables were limited number of BBC and independent local stations. Most stations broadcast AM-only during the 1970s. Furthermore FM reception, particularly on portable on both FM and AM, known as simulcasting. The main exception was Radio 1, radios, was not as good as it was from the 1990s onwards. which was only available on AM. However, the BBC national networks broadcast 1977 is a good point at which to take a snapshot as it lies between the 1972 and separate FM and AM programmes at certain times. Radio 1 borrowed Radio 2’s 1978 re-organisations of the AM band. It also follows the minor FM re-organisation FM network for a few hours a week. A few Radio 2 music programmes were also in 1973 and the launches of the second wave of BBC local radio and the first carried on FM only with sport opting out on AM. Radio 3’s AM network sometimes wave of independent radio. broadcast cricket commentaries with regular programmes on FM only. Meanwhile Radio 3’s and Radio 4’s FM networks both opted out with education programmes.

BBC National and Regional Radio

See tables at end for details of the BBC FM network. BBC RADIO 3 VHF BBC RADIO 4 VHF (ENGLAND) BBC RADIO 1 Format: Classical Music with Jazz Music, Talk and Education As Radio 4 England except for Regional News and (including Open University) Educational programmes Mon-Fri 0900-1200, 1400-1500 Sat Format: Contemporary Music with Talk Broadcast Hours: 0655-2330 0900-1200, 1400-1700, Sun 0900-1030, 1430-1600. Broadcast Hours: 0600-0000 (As Radio 2 Mon-Fri 0600-0700 FM: 90.3 - 92.4, 94.75, 96.8 MHz, see table FM: 92.5 - 94.7, 97.1 MHz see table and 1900-2200 and Sat Sun 0600-0800 and 1900-0000) AM: 1214, 1484 kHz MW, see table BBC RADIO 4 SOUTH WEST BBC RADIO 3 MW Area kHz Site kW Opt out of Radio 4 England London, Herts, Essex, S Beds 1214 Brookmans Park 50 As Radio 3 VHF (except OU), opting out with Cricket, North Devon 683 Barnstaple 2 Brighton and South Sussex 1214 Southwick, Brighton 1 Education and Music Plymouth area 1457 Plymouth 1 S Hampshire & Isle of Wight 1214 Fareham 1 Broadcast Hours: 0655-2330 Exeter and East Devon 989 Exeter 1 Bournemouth area 1484 Bournemouth 0.5 AM: 647, 1594 kHz MW, see table Torbay area 854 Torbay 1 West Cornwall 755 Redruth MF 2 Torbay area 1484 Occombe, Torbay 0.5 Area kHz Site kW With Educational programmes: Plymouth area 1214 Plymouth 1 Central, South, East England 647 Daventry 150 FM: 92.5, 92.9, 93.1, 93.2, 94.1, 97.1 MHz, see table West Cornwall 1214 Redruth 2 Exeter area 647 Exeter 0.5 South Wales, Avon, Somerset 1214 Washford 60 Plymouth area 647 Plymouth 0.5 BBC RADIO 4 EAST ANGLIA North Dyfed & SW Gwynedd 1214 Tywyn 1 West Cornwall 647 Redruth 1 Western Midlands Region 1214 Droitwich 30 Swansea area 647 Swansea 1 Opt out of Radio 4 VHF (England) East Norfolk & NE Suffolk 1214 Postwick 1 North East England 647 Wrekenton 2 FM: 93.3, 94.1, 94.5 MHz, see table NW England & Yorkshire 1214 Moorside Edge 100 Glasgow area 647 Glasgow 2 Humberside 1214 Hull 0.3 Edinburgh area 647 Edinburgh 2 BBC RADIO 4 SCOTLAND Tyneside, N Durham, S Nthmb 1214 Wrekenton 2 Dundee area 1594 Dundee 0.25 Opt out of Radio 4 England Central Scotland 1214 Westerglen 50 Aberdeen area 647 Aberdeen 2 Central and South Scotland 809 Westerglen 100 Aberdeen and East Grampian 1214 Redmoss 2 Coverage: 91% daytime, 71% nightime Aberdeen and East Grampian 809 Redmoss 5 North Scotland 1214 Burghead 20 Northern Scotland 809 Burghead 100 Belfast & East Northern Ireland 1214 Lisnargarvey 10 South West Scotland 809 Dumfries 2 Derry area 1214 Londonderry 0.25 BBC RADIO 4 ENGLAND Coverage: 87% daytime, 38% nightime BBC RADIO 4 SCOTLAND VHF Format: Talk, News and Entertainment Broadcast Hours: 0615-0015 As Radio 4 Scotland except for Educational programmes (as BBC RADIO 2 LW AM: 692, 719, 908, 1052, 1340 kHz, MW see table England) and local opt-outs Radio Aberdeen, Radio Highland, Radio Orkney and Radio Shetland Format: Easy Listening Music, Mixed Music, Talk and Sport Area kHz Site kW London and South East England 908 Brookmans Park 140 FM: 92.5 - 94.7, see table Broadcast Hours: 0600-0000 (As Radio 1 Mon-Fri 1400-1630, Sat North East Kent 692 Ramsgate 2 0800-1000, Sun 0830-1000 and 1800-1900, BBC RADIO 4 WALES AM: 200 kHz LW, 1484 kHz MW, see table South East Kent 1052 Folkestone 1 East Sussex Coast 1052 Bexhill MF 2 Mixed Format Area kHz Site kW Brighton and Worthing area 692 Brighton 2 South Wales 881 Washford 70 England, Wales, N Ireland 200 Droitwich 400 Central Southern England 692 Bartley 10 North Dyfed and SW Gwynedd 881 Tywyn 5 Glasgow area 1484 Glasgow 2 Devon, Cornwall and Dorset 1052 Start Point 100 North Dyfed and North Clwyd 881 Penmon 10 Edinburgh area 1484 Edinburgh 2 West Cornwall 908 Redruth MF 2 Clwyd 881 Wrexham 2 Dundee area 1484 Dundee 2 South Wales and West England 908 Clevedon 20 Aberdeen area 1484 Aberdeen 2 Swindon 1340 Swindon 0.5 BBC RADIO CYMRU Coverage: 98% daytime, 83% nightime The Midlands 1052 Droitwich 150 Opt-out of Radio 4 VHF in Welsh Language

Norfolk and Suffolk 1052 Postwick 7.5 FM: 92.5 - 94.7, see table BBC RADIO 2/ RADIO 1 VHF North Norfolk 692 Cromer 2 Yorkshire, NW England & Wales 692 Moorside Edge 300 BBC RADIO ULSTER MW As Radio 1 Mon-Fri 1400-1630 and 2200-0000, Sat 0800-1000 Humberside 908 Hull 2 Mixed Format and 1300-1930, Sun 0830-1000 and 1800-1900 Scarborough area 908 Scarborough 2 Northern Ireland 1340 Lisnagarvey 100 As Radio 2 at other times, opting out with music when LW Cleveland and Darlington 1052 Stockton 2 Derry area 1340 Londonderry 0.25 carries sport South Cumbria & N Lancashire 1052 Barrow 2 FM: 88.1 - 90.1, 91.1 MHz, see table West Cumbria 692 Whitehaven 1.3 BBC RADIO ULSTER VHF Carlisle area 1052 Carlisle 2 Opt out of Radio Ulster MW with Education North East, Cumbria & Borders 908 Stagshaw 100 FM: 92.5 - 94.7, see table Belfast 719 Belfast 0.5 Derry 719 Londonderry 0.25 Coverage: 97% daytime, 75% nightime (includes R4 Scotland)

RADIOS 2/1, 3 AND 4 FM TRANSMITTERS (97% stereo coverage) ENGLAND Area R2/1 R3 R4 Region Site kW Area R2/1 R3 R4 Region Site kW Bath 88.8 91.0 93.2 West Bath 0.035 London & South East England 89.1 91.3 93.5 SE Wrotham 120 Gloucester & Cheltenham 89.0 91.2 93.4 Mid Churchdown Hill 0.025 East Kent 90.0 92.4 94.4 SE Swingate 7 Hereford 89.7 91.9 94.1 Mid Hereford 0.025 Brighton and Worthing area 90.1 92.3 94.5 South Brighton (Whitehawk H) 0.15 Midlands 88.3 90.5 92.7 Mid Sutton Coldfield 120 Central Southern England 88.5 90.7 92.9 South Rowridge 60 Oxon, Bucks, Berks, S Midlands 89.5 91.7 93.9 SE Oxford 22 Ventnor, Isle of Wight 89.4 91.6 93.8 South Ventnor 0.02 Northampton 88.9 91.1 93.3 EA Northampton 0.06 Devon and East Cornwall 88.1 90.3 92.5 SW North Hessary Tor 60 Cambs, Beds, S Lincs, E Nthnts 90.1 92.3 94.5 EA Peterborough (mono) 20 Okehampton, Devon 88.7 90.9 93.1 SW Okehampton 0.015 Cambridge area 88.9 91.1 93.3 EA Cambridge (mono) 0.02 North Devon 88.5 90.7 92.9 SW Barnstaple 0.15 Norfolk and Suffolk 89.7 91.9 94.1 EA Tacolneston 120 West Cornwall 89.7 91.9 94.1 SW Redruth 9 Lincolnshire & E Yorkshire 88.8 90.9 93.1 North Belmont 8 Isles of Scilly 88.8 91.0 93.2 SW Isles of Scilly 0.02 North West and Yorkshire 89.3 91.5 93.7 North Holme Moss 120 Channel Islands 91.1 94.75 97.1 SW Les Platons (mono) 1.5 Sheffield & Rotherham 89.9 92.1 94.3 North Sheffield 0.06 Avon, Somerset and Wiltshire 89.95 96.8 92.125West Wenvoe 120 South Cumbria & NW Lancs 90.0 92.2 94.4 North Morecambe Bay 4 UK and Ireland Radio Stations in 1977 Frequency Finder UK (www.frequencyfinder.org.uk)

Area R2/1 R3 R4 Region Site kW Area R2/1 R3 R4 Region Site kW Windermere & Ambleside, Cumb 88.6 90.8 93.0 North Windermere 0.02 Largs, Rothesay, Clyde Mouth 88.5 90.7 92.9 Scot Toward 0.25 Kendal, Cumbria 88.7 90.9 93.1 North Kendal 0.025 Greenock & Firth of Clyde 89.2 91.4 93.6 Scot Rosneath 0.025 Wensleydale, North Yorks 88.3 90.5 92.7 North Wensleydale 0.025 Dumbarton & Alexandria 88.8 91.0 93.2 Scot Millburn Muir 0.025 Scarborough area, N Yorks 89.9 92.1 94.3 North Scarborough 0.025 Perth 89.0 91.2 93.4 Scot Perth (mono) 0.015 Whitby, North Yorkshire 89.6 91.8 94.0 NE Whitby 0.04 East Tayside and North Fife 88.3 90.5 92.7 Scot Forfar 10 North East England 88.5 90.7 92.9 NE Pontop Pike 60 Pitlochry & Aberfeldy, Tayside 89.2 91.4 93.6 Scot Pitlochry (mono) 0.2 Weardale, County Durham 89.7 91.9 94.1 NE Weardale 0.1 Grampian Region 88.7 90.9 93.1 Ab Meldrum (mono) 60 North Cumbria & N Isle of Man 88.1 90.3 94.7 NE Sandale 120 Inverness & Moray Firth area 89.6 91.8 94.0 High Rosemarkie (mono) 12 Isle of Man 88.4 90.6 92.8 NE Douglas (mono) 6 Speyside, Highland 89.8 92.0 94.2 Ab Grantown (mono) 0.35 WALES Kingussie, Highland 89.1 91.3 93.5 Ab Kingussie (mono) 0.035 Area R2/1 R3 R Cymru Site kW Thurso & Wick area, Highland 90.1 92.3 94.5 High Thrumster (mono) 10 South Wales 89.95 96.8 94.3 Wenvoe (as above) 120 Orkney 89.3 91.5 93.7 Ork Orkney (mono) 20 Carmarthen 88.5 90.7 92.9 Carmarthen 0.01 Shetland 88.3 90.5 92.7 Shet Bressay (mono) 10 Pembrokeshire 89.3 91.5 93.7 Haverfordwest (mono) 10 E Lewis, N Skye & W Highland 89.1 91.3 93.5 High Melvaig (mono) 22 Ceredigion and SW Gwynedd 88.7 90.9 93.1 Blaenplwyf (mono) 60 Skye, Harris, East N & S Uist 88.5 90.7 92.9 High Skriaig (mono) 10 Machynlleth, Dyfed 89.4 91.6 93.8 Machynlleth (mono) 0.06 Portree, Skye 89.5 91.7 93.9 High Penifiler (mono) 0.006 Dolgellau, Gwynedd 90.1 92.3 94.5 Dolgellau (mono) 0.015 Oban area, Highland 88.9 91.1 93.3 High Oban (mono) 1.5 Ffestiniog area, Gwynedd 88.1 90.3 92.5 Ffestiniog (mono) 0.05 Ballachulish, Highland 88.1 90.3 92.5 High Ballachulish (mono) 0.015 North Gwynedd & NW Clwyd 89.6 91.8 94.0 Llanddona (mono) 12 Kinlochleven, Highland 89.7 91.9 94.1 High Kinlochleven (mono) 0.002 Betws-y-Coed & Llanrwst 88.2 90.4 92.6 Betws-y-Coed (mono) 0.01 Fort William area, Highland 89.3 91.5 93.7 High Fort William (mono) 1.5 Clwyd, Merseyside, W Cheshire 88.85 91.05 93.25 Llangollen (mono) 10 Lochgilphead, Strathclyde 88.3 90.5 92.7 High Lochgilphead 0.01 Llanidloes, Powys 88.1 90.3 92.5 Llanidloes 0.005 NORTHERN IRELAND Central Powys 89.1 91.3 93.5 Llandrindod Wells 1.5 Area R2/1 R3 R Ulster Site kW Brecon, Powys 88.9 91.1 93.3 Brecon 0.01 East & Central Northern Ireland 90.1 92.3 94.5 Divis 60 SCOTLAND Larne, Northern Ireland 89.1 91.3 93.5 Larne 0.015 Area R2/1 R3 R4 Region Site kW Ballycastle, Northern Ireland 89.0 91.2 93.4 Ballycastle 0.04 South West Scotland 88.1 90.3 92.5 Scot Sandale (as above) 120 Coleraine, Northern Ireland 88.7 90.9 93.1 Maddybenny More 0.03 Border Region 89.1 91.3 93.5 Scot Ashkirk 18 Derry area 88.3 90.55 92.7 Londonderry (mono) 13 Central Scotland 89.9 92.1 94.3 Scot Kirk O’Shotts 120 Fermanagh and South Tyrone 88.9 91.1 93.3 Brougher Mountain 2.5 Ayr 88.7 90.9 93.1 Scot Ayr 0.055 Newry, Northern Ireland 88.6 90.8 93.0 Newry (mono) 0.03 Campbeltown, Strathclyde 88.6 90.8 93.0 Scot Campbeltown 0.035 Kilkeel, Northern Ireland 88.8 91.0 93.2 Kilkeel 0.025

BBC Local Radio

Format: News, Talk, Sport, Contemporary music and Oldies. BBC RADIO DERBY BBC RADIO MERSEYSIDE Local programmes ran from 0600 to 1800 or 1900 with Radio 2 Derby 94.2 Derby Studios (m) 0.01 Merseyside 95.8 Allerton Park (m) 7.5 LW generally carried during the evenings and overnight. South Derbyshire & East Staffs 96.5 Sutton Coldfield (m) 5.5 Merseyside and West Cheshire 1484 Wallasey 2

S Derbyshire & E Staffs 1115 Burnaston Lane 1 BBC RADIO BIRMINGHAM BBC RADIO NEWCASTLE West Midlands 95.6 Sutton Coldfield (m) 5.5 BBC RADIO HUMBERSIDE Tyneside, Durham, S Nthmblnd 95.4 Pontop Pike (m) 3.5 Birmingham area 1457 Langley Mill 10 East Yorkshire & North Lincs 96.9 High Hunsley (m) 4.5 Tyneside, Durham, S Nthmblnd 1457 Newcastle 2

East Yorkshire & North Lincs 1484 Hull 2 BBC RADIO BLACKBURN BBC RADIO NOTTINGHAM East and Central Lancashire 96.4 Hameldon Hill (m) 1.6 BBC RADIO LEEDS South Nottinghamshire 95.4 Colwick Park (m) 0.3 Lancashire 854 Preston 1 West Yorkshire 92.4 Holme Moss (mono) 5.2 South Nottinghamshire 1520 Trowell 0.25

West Yorkshire 1106 Farnley 1 BBC RADIO BRIGHTON BBC RADIO OXFORD Brighton and Worthing area 95.3 Brighton (mono) 0.5 BBC RADIO LEICESTER Oxfordshire 95.2 Oxford (mono) 4.5 Brighton and South Sussex 1484 Brighton 1 Leicester 95.1 Anstey Lane (mono) 0.3 Oxfordshire 1484 Oxford 0.5

Leicester 1594 Freemans Common 0.5 BBC RADIO BRISTOL BBC RADIO SHEFFIELD Avon and Somerset 95.5 Mendip (mono) 5 BBC RADIO LONDON Sheffield and Rotherham 88.6 Sheffield (mono) 0.03 Avon and North Somerset 1546 Mangotsfield 5 South Yorkshire & North Notts 97.4 Holme Moss (mono) 5.2 London area 94.9 Wrotham (mono) 16.5 London and South East 1457 Brookmans Park 50 Sheffield, Roth., Chesterfield 1034 Sheffield MF 1 BBC RADIO CARLISLE North Cumbria 95.6 Sandale (mono) 5 BBC RADIO MANCHESTER BBC RADIO SOLENT North Cumbria 755 Carlisle 1 Greater Manchester, Cheshire 95.1 Holme Moss (mono) 4.2 S Hampshire, E Dorset & Wight 96.1 Rowridge (mono) 5 West Cumbria 1457 Whitehaven 0.5 Greater Manchester, Cheshire 1457 Ashton Moss 5 South Hampshire & Wight 998 Fareham 1

Bournemouth area 1594 Bournemouth 0.25 BBC RADIO CLEVELAND BBC RADIO MEDWAY BBC RADIO STOKE Cleveland, Durham, N N Yorks 96.6 Bilsdale (mono) 5 North and West Kent 96.7 Wrotham (mono) 5.6 Cleveland and Darlington 1546 Stockton 1 West Kent 1034 Hoo 0.5 Stoke-on-Trent area 96.1 Alsagers Bank (m) 2.5 Stoke-on-Trent area 1502 Sideway 1

Independent Local Radio

Mixed format of Contemporary Music, Oldies, Talk and other RADIO CLYDE MANX RADIO programmes, except where stated. Broadcasting hours varied. Glasgow and Clydeside area 95.1 Black Hill 3.4 Isle of Man 89.0 Snaefell Glasgow and Clydeside area 1151 Dechmont Hill 3.6 Douglas, Isle of Man 91.2 Douglas Isle of Man (Daytime only) 1295 Foxdale 2.0 BEACON RADIO DOWNTOWN RADIO Isle of Man 1594 Foxdale 1.0

Wolverhampton area 97.2 Turners Hill 1.0 East & Cent. Northern Ireland 96.0 Black Mountain 1.0 Wolverhampton area 989 Sedgley 0.09 Belfast & East Northern Ireland 1025 Knockbreckan 1.7 METRO RADIO

Tyneside, N Durham, S Nthmb 97.0 Burnhope 5.0 BRMB RADIO FORTH Tyneside, N Durham, S Nthmb 1151 Greenside 1.8

Birmingham area 94.8 Lichfield 2.0 Lothian and Fife 96.8 Craigkelly 0.5 Birmingham area 1151 Langley Mill 3.0 Lothian and Fife 1546 Colinswell 2.2 RADIO ORWELL

South and East Suffolk 97.1 Foxhall Heath 1.0 CAPITAL RADIO RADIO HALLAM South and East Suffolk 1169 Foxhall Heath 0.28

London area 95.8 Croydon 2.0 Sheffield area 95.2 Tapton Hill 0.2 London area 1546 Saffron Green 97.5 PENNINE RADIO Rotherham 95.9 Rotherham 0.05 RADIO CITY Sheffield and Rotherham 1546 Skew Hill 0.74 Bradford area 96.0 Idle 0.5 Bradford area 1277 Tyersal Lane 0.43 Merseyside & West Cheshire 96.7 Allerton Park 5.0 LBC Merseyside 1546 Rainford 4.4 News and Talk

London area 97.3 Croydon 2.0 London area 1151 Saffron Green 23.5

UK and Ireland Radio Stations in 1977 Frequency Finder UK (www.frequencyfinder.org.uk)

PICCADILLY RADIO Greater Manchester 97.0 Saddleworth 2.0 Irish Radio Other Stations Greater Manchester 1151 Ashton Moss 1.5

PLYMOUTH SOUND RTE RADIO RADIO LUXEMBOURG Plymouth area 96.0 Plympton 1.0 Mixed format Based: Dublin Format Contemporary Music Based: Luxembourg Plymouth area 1151 Plumer Barracks 0.32 Broadcast Hours: 0730-2350 Broadcast Hours: 1900-0300 SWANSEA SOUND North West Ireland 89.7 Truskmore 120 Europe (night-time) 1439 Marnach 1200 South West Ireland 93.5 Mullaghanish 120 Swansea area 95.1 Kilvey Hill 1.0 NE Donegal & N N Ireland 94.0 Moville 2 AMERICAN FORCES NETWORK Swansea area 1169 Winsh-Wen 0.58 West Ireland 94.1 Maghera 120 Mixed format for US forces in Germany South East Ireland 94.9 Mount Leinster 120 RADIO TEES Europe (night-time) 872 Frankfurt 150 East Ireland 95.3 Kippure 60 Also availably (weakly) on 611, 935, 1106 and 1142 Cleveland, Durham, N Yorks 95.0 Bilsdale West Moor 2.0 West Kerry 95.3 Cahirciveen 5 Cleveland and Darlington 1169 Stockton 0.32 Ireland 566 Tullamore 100 RADIO CAROLINE

County Dublin 1250 Dublin 5 Rock Music broadcast from international waters RADIO TRENT County Cork 1250 Cork 10 London, South East, East Anglia 962 North Sea 10 South Nottinghamshire 96.2 Colwick Park 0.3 RTE RADIO NA GAELTACHTA Used 1187 and then 953 earlier in 1977. South Nottinghamshire 998 Trowell 0.25 Irish Language Broadcast Hours: 1800-2115 INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTERS RADIO 210 East Ireland 89.1 Kippure 60 South East Ireland 90.4 Mount Leinster 120 Reading area 97.0 Butts Centre 0.5 The following multilingual services are receivable throughout South West Ireland 91.3 Mullaghanish 60 Reading area 1430 Manor Farm 0.14 Europe at night and include programmes in English North West Ireland 91.9 Truskmore 60 Radio Berlin International East Germany 1511 RADIO VICTORY West Ireland 97.0 Maghera 60 Deutschlandfunk West Germany 1268 Western Ireland 539 Connemara 2 Radio Moscow USSR via E Germany 1322 Portsmouth area 95.0 Fort Widley 0.2 South West Ireland 962 Cahirciveen 1 Radio Prague International Czechoslovakia 1286 Portsmouth area 1169 Farlington Marshes 0.12 North West Ireland 1250 Annagary 10 Radio Sweden International Sweden 1178

Transworld Radio Monaco (religious) 1466 Vatican Radio Vatican (religious) 1529 Voice of America USA via W Germany 1196 Radio Warsaw Poland 1502 UK and Ireland Radio Stations in 1977 Frequency Finder UK (www.frequencyfinder.org.uk)