Marconi pictured in 1896 with an early Spark Gap transmitter and receiver that could send and receive Morse Code.   (GEC Marconi)

Marconi was born on April 25th 1874 and was brought up in England and Italy. He attended scientific lectures given by Augusto Righi and did much work on the development of radio. By 1895 Marconi had made experimental transmissions using 'Hertzian Waves' over several kilometers in Italy. However insufficient interest was shown in his native Italy so, in 1896, he moved to London where the benefits of the wireless telegraphy system were demonstrated to General Post Office and Armed Forces.  After much development work Marconi made the first radio transmission across the Atlantic from Poldhu, Cornwall to Signal Hill, St Johns, Newfoundland, Canada in December 1901. Marconi is often credited with the invention of radio, but perhaps he should be credited with the bringing together of many other scientists work to evolve a workable wireless communication system.  However even this statement can be challenged, since it is probable that the Russian scientist Alexander Stepanovitch Popov actually stole the lead over Marconi's work. Read more about Alexander Popov HERE

Marconi set up an experimental transmitting station at Poldhu Point, not far from The Lizard and Mullion in Cornwall. Here he built very large aerial systems that would be required to send his signal as far as possible - the aim was to send his radio signals across the Atlantic - the great "Atlantic Leap". One of the first aerial systems was circular in structure, but this was damaged by gales. Another type of aerial system was fan shaped, shown on the right. The transmitter was a simple, but powerful, spark gap type that essentially produced clicks that could convey the Morse Code.


At this time it was not possible to transmit actual sounds such as voice or music by radio waves.


The 12th December 1901 marked Marconi's very first trans-Atlantic transmission involved sending the letter S in Morse Code from his station on the cliff at Poldhu. This radio signal was received by Marconi at Signal Hill in   Newfoundland, using a large antenna about 600 feet long suspended from a kite.  The signal heard was just the three faint clicks dot dot dot  that denote the letter S in Morse Code.  After much more development work Marconi's radio system would provide the world with one of the most important communication tools known to mankind.


Marconi's work was a tremendous achievement and over the next few years Marconi's wireless telegraphy sets, which used Morse Code, were fitted to many to ocean going ships so that they could communicate with wireless telegraphy stations on the mainland.


The Sinking Of The Titanic: Marconi's wireless telegraphy system saved the lives of over 700 passengers aboard the Titanic which sank in April 1912.  The distress calls were sent out to near-by shipping using the Marconi apparatus and were received by the Carpathia which was to effect a rescue.  Marconi's work was widely credited for saving the lives of hundreds of people. The military also found a use for the wireless equipment which was used during the First World War.



2MT Writtle (Near Chelmsford, Essex)

It was the invention of the Thermionic Valve, by Flemming and De Forest, in 1906 that allowed Marconi to eventually produce a reliable 'Carrier Wave' that could be 'modulated' so that voice and music could be transmitted, rather than the spark-gap transmitters that had been used to produce the dots and dashes used by the Morse Code signals that had hitherto been employed. Using this new method - the carrier wave - enabled Marconi to transmit speech and music from his experimental station 2MT in 1920.


Marconi sited this experimental station, 2MT, in an ex army hut at Writtle, Essex . The station was initially allowed to transmit its test transmissions for only half an hour a week.


Dame Nellie Melba made one of the first broadcasts from 2MT at 7.10 pm on 15th June 1920. Consisting of a concert of opera music to entertain the listeners, the broadcast opened with a recital of Home Sweet Home and finishing with the national anthem. Those early wireless listeners - the early radio amateurs - heard the broadcasts from Chelmsford to Paris, Madrid and Berlin.


Two years later, on 14th February 1922, 2MT in Writtle would commence broadcast daily half hour programmes of news and entertainment which lasted for a period of nearly three years.  Listeners could tune in using crystal sets, the simplest form of radio receiver that required no external power or batteries.  All that powers the headphones of a crystal set is the energy collected from its aerial which is derived from the radio waves sent by the transmitter of the radio station to which the set is tuned.


Captain Peter Eckersley was the first engineer at 2MT in Essex. and also became an on-air announcer. Eckersley found that he had a flair for radio broadcast entertainment and put on many performances, along with his small team of colleagues, from the studio in the old army hut. The programmes would consist of records, spoofs, plays and other music. Peter Eckersley on 2MT


By May 1922, seeing the commercial potential of radio broadcasting, Marconi's company was in talks with wireless set manufactures and other interested organizations to set up more broadcasting stations around the country under an umbrella organization called the British Broadcasting Company (BBC).


The main companies involved in the creation of the British Broadcasting Company and guaranteeing its finances for an initial period of two years were The Marconi Co; The General Electric Co; The Radio Communications Co; Metropolitan Vickers Co; Western Electric Co and The British Thompson-Houston Company. Their joint mission was, of course, to make money from the sale of radio sets - and people would only want to buy into this exciting new technology if there were wireless programmes to listen to.



2LO LONDON

On October 18th 1922 the British Broadcasting Company was formed - with the government indeed granting the BBC a licence to operate - and November 14th 1922 saw the official opening of the BBC London station 2LO, managed by Arthur Burrows, on a wavelength of 369 meters from Marconi House on The Strand. John Reith was appointed General Manager of the BBC on 14th December 1922, with Captain Peter Eckersley, the first engineer at 2MT, appointed as the BBC's first Chief Engineer. The BBC was formally registered as a limited company on 15th December 1922. On 15th November 1922 the BBC was registered and the BBC's Manchester station, 2ZY, was officially opened on 375 meters transmitting from the Metropolitan Vickers Electricity works in Old Trafford.  On November 16th BBC Birmingham opened with 5IT transmitting from the General Electric Company works at Witton using 420 meters.  BBC Newcastle, 5NO, was the last station to open in 1922 from a transmitter at Eldon Square using 400 meters.  These 'main' stations broadcast with a power of 1.5 kilowatts. On December 23rd 1922 the BBC broadcast the first orchestral concert, the first programme of dance music, the first radio talks programme and commenced the first regular bulletin of general news from London, provided from the Reuters news source. On Christmas Day 1922 the BBC broadcast "The Truth About Father Christmas" - the first play for radio - and transmitted the first religious programme. [Many of today's local radio stations use powers of around 1kW, but unlike today's listeners radio listeners in the 1920's often had to use crystal sets which had no power of amplification and were very insensitive to weak signals, therefore the area over which a 1.5 kilowatt station would have been quite limited. Modern radios are extremely sensitive and can receive even low powered radio stations over a very wide area.]

2LO in The Strand, London

Using research from various sources of information (newspapers, BBC publications etc) it can be seen that the wavelength used by the BBC's London station moved several times over the years, although it is not clear as to the exact reason behind these changes. One speculation is that it may have been to avoid, or prevent, interference to or from other stations. 1/1/23 to Sep 1923     369 m Sep 1923 to 2/10/23   360 m 2/10/23 to 10/10/23    400 m 10/10/23 to 17/10/23   369 m 17/10/23 to 10/12/23   363 m 10/12/23 to 15/12/23   350 m 15/12/23 onwards 365 m (822 kHz) The London transmitter then stayed of 365 m for the next few years. More details can be found in Martin Watkins' detailed spreadsheet of radio wavelengths and frequencies HERE

Source: Ken Baird of DX Archive
FULL SIZE Version (5000 pixels wide) here - http://www.dxarchive.com/mw/map_radio_map_of_britain.html

1924 saw more expansion with the opening of 5PY Plymouth on 28th March, the 2EH Edinburgh relay of 5SC on May 1st and in June stations 6LV and 2LS were opened to bring a relay of 2ZY to Liverpool and Leeds/Bradford.  On September 15th 1924 BBC Belfast, 2BE, was opened.  Other relay stations were also opened;  6KH in Hull; 5NG in Nottingham; 2DE in Dundee on 12th November 1924; 6ST in Stoke on Trent and 5SX in Swansea, which opened on the 12th December 1924.  The relay stations in the system broadcast with a power of 100 watts. On December 28th the BBC's Chelmsford transmitting station began to transmit an alternative programme.

During 1923 the number of radio receiving licenses, which cost 10 shillings, grew to 500,000 driven by the high quality programmes transmitted.  BBC London, 2LO, moved from Marconi House to new studios at Savoy Hill, while BBC Birmingham, 5IT, moved to new studios at The Picture House on New Street.


On November 14th 1923 John Reith became Managing Director of the BBC and declared that the BBC must bring the best broadcasting to the widest possible number of homes. John Reith was a Scottish engineer who envisaged that the BBC's mission must be to "inform, educate and entertain".


On 31st December 1923 Big Ben chimed in the new year for the first time by radio, while just a matter of weeks later, in February 1924, the Greenwich Time signal ("The Pips") was broadcast for the first time on BBC radio. By the mid 1920's programmes from the BBC could be received my most of the population.


The BBC broadcast programmes of talks, variety entertainment and classical music concerts from its London studios at Savoy Hill.

	1924 advertisement for the Pye Two Valve radio. W.G. Pye and Co began manufacturing radio sets as early as 1920 and supplied complete valved radios and components to early the radio enthusiasts. Many early radio listeners opted for crystal sets, which required no electricity or batteries and were very much cheaper than valved radios which could cost around £7 for a simple one valve model.  Crystal sets only provide headphone reception and need relatively strong signals.  A popular, and even cheaper option was for listeners to build their own receiver.  W.G. Pye could supply many of the necessary components.
Not a UK radio - But a Czechoslovakian Crystal Set with galena detector
THE CRYSTAL SET or "Cat's Whisker" and Other Home Made Radio Sets In the 1920's buying a radio was a very expensive proposal when considered as a proportion of earnings.  Some people may have saved up for a long time to buy a commercially built radio, but in the early days of radio this proposition would have been mainly the rich. The alternative to buying a commercially made set was to build a home made radio.  The most popular type was a Crystal Setoften knows as a "Cat's Whisker" which could be built from bits and pieces that may have been relatively easy to find or reasonably cheap to buy.  This was a time of 'Make Do And Mend' when many things would be repaired and fixed and others would be home made, such as clothes and even food (!) - so making a radio was just another example. A crystal set has no power from mains or batteries, and simply relies on the energy from the radio signal sent by the radio station's transmitter. These radio waves need to be collected as efficiently as possible to provide enough signal for the crystal set to work. Therefore a large long-wire aerial usually had to be erected - often in the back garden or across the roof-top.  The aerial for a crystal set may have to be many tens of yards long to be able to pick up enough signal for anything to be heard in the headphones. Since a crystal set has no power there is not enough energy to drive a loudspeaker, so headphones have to be used. The use of headphones meant that only personal listening was possible - one at a time - and so disputes could arise with who listened and when!  Compared to a commercially made radio, a crystal set is very 'deaf' and needed a strong signal to work, therefore the broadcaster had to consider the power of transmitters so that as many people as possible could hear the programme.  Over time the original low power transmitters of 1 or 2 kilowatts would be replaced with much higher power transmitters of  30 to 50 kilowatts. Apart from the crystal set, the more adventurous could experiment with a radio based on a thermionic valve (the predecessor to today's transistor) that would amplify the radio signals and the sounds so that weaker signals that a crystal set could not reproduce would be heard.  A valve radio would require more electronic components and both low voltage and high voltage batteries for it to work, making it a more expensive proposition. However a powerful valved radio could drive a loudspeaker so that everyone in the room could hear the radio programme. On the 11th November 1925 the BBC broadcast its first radio play, 'The White Chateau' by Reginald Berkley. .

MAIN AND RELAY STATIONS: 1922 - 4
Station	Call-sign	Wavelength (m)	Frequency (kHz)	Opening Date	Closing Date
Main Stations
London (Marconi House)	2LO	363.7	825	11.5.22*a	5.4.25
London (Selfridges)	2LO	363.7	825	6.4.25	4.10.29
Manchester	2ZY	378	793	16.5.22*c	17.5.31
Birmingham	5IT	477	629	15.11.22	21.8.27
Newcastle	5NO	404.5	742	24.12.22	19.10.37
Cardiff	5WA	353	850	13.2.23	28.5.33
Glasgow	5SC	422	717	6.3.23	12.6.32
Aberdeen	2BD	496	605	10.10.23	9.9.38
Bournemouth	6BM	387.2	775	17.10.23	14.6.39
Belfast	2BE	440	682	24.10.24	20.3.36
Relay Stations	Call-sign	Wavelength (m)	Frequency (kHz)	Opening Date	Closing Date
Sheffield	6FL	306.1	980	16.11.23	16.5.31
Plymouth	5PY	338.2	887	28.3.24	13.6.39
Edinburgh	2EH	328.2	914	1.5.24	12.6.32
Liverpool	6LV	318.2	943	11.6.24	16.5.31
Leeds	2LS	346.2	866	8.7.24	16.5.31
Bradford	2LS*b	310	968	8.7.24	16.5.31
Hull	6KH	355.5	844	15.8.24	16.5.31
Nottingham	5NG	326.1	920	6.9.24	11.11.28
Dundee	2DE	331	906	12.11.24	12.6.32
Stoke-on-Trent	6ST	301 .1	996	21.10.24	16.5.31
Swansea	5SX	482.2	622	12.12.24	28.5.33

Note:
The wavelengths and frequencies given are those on which the stations operated at the time when they opened or shortly after. A number of changes were made subsequently.

*a Taken over by the BBC on 14.11.22
*b Bradford relayed Leeds
*c Taken over by the BBC on 15.11.22

Of the nine transmitters, seven were manufactured by Marconi’s and six of them were of the ‘Q’ type with choke modulation and independent drives to ensure frequency stability. The one at Marconi House, London, preceded the ‘Q’ set, but had about the same output power. (As already mentioned, the other two — at Birmingham and Manchester — were made by the Western Electric Company and the Radio Communication Company respectively).
[Credit: Please note: The preceding table of information is from 'BBC Engineering' by BBC engineer, Edward Pawley]

On 15th November1922 on its first day of transmission as BBC Manchester the station broadcast Kiddies Corner, its first children's programme and also, along with London, the results of the general election.

More on BBC transmitter developments by Clive McCarthy - BBC Engineering:  http://www.bbceng.info/Technical%20Reviews/dev_am_tx_nw_6a.pdf

LONG WAVE

Until 1924 the BBC had been providing local programmes on the medium waves from the chain of relatively low power transmitters established around the country.  In June of that year 5XX, a new experimental transmitting station at Marconi's Chelmsford site, was opened using the long waves enabling the BBC to be heard over most of the country and also overseas with the alternative National Programme enabling people in Britain, who were beyond reach of a local medium wave transmitter, to hear the BBC. 


The experimental long wave station at Chelmsford was deemed a great success and to a permanent site was sought out and on July 25th 1925 the 5XX transmitter was moved to Daventry in Northamptonshire.  Daventry was a more centralized location and with a new more powerful 25kW transmitter on 1562 meters (187.5 kHz) enabled improved coverage across a greater area of the UK.  By this time there were over 1½ million radio receivers in use, many were still crystal sets, but valved radios which could amplify the signals enough to enable loudspeaker operation, though more expensive, gradually gained popularity.

With the new 5XX Daventry station in operation the BBC experimented with stereophonic broadcasts for the first time with a concert from Manchester being broadcast from all transmitters, 5XX longwave transmitting the right hand channel, while the local medium wave stations broadcast the left hand channel.

THE ROYAL CHARTER  -  Company becomes Corporation

The BBC's licence expired 31st December 1926 and a government committee recommended that the British Broadcasting Company should be replaced with a public authority.  The first  Royal Charter was agreed upon and published on 20th December 1926 enabling the British Broadcasting Company to be nationalized and therefore to become the British Broadcasting Corporation with the granting of the first 10 year Royal Charter.


While the BBC was no longer an independent commercial company, the aim of the charter was that it would remain independent of central government interference as the corporation would, from there on, be overseen by an appointed Board of Governors, John Reith being the first Director General (DG) who was also knighted in 1927.


In 1929, the rather puritanical, John Reith felt that he had to sack Peter Eckersley, the original engineer at 2MT, for having an extra-marital affair and for subsequently getting divorced.


Under Reith's leadership the BBC continued its mission to "inform, educate and entertain" and contained broadcasts of talks, variety and concerts. However, due to pressure from the newspaper industry the BBC was not allowed to transmit its news bulletins, assembled by the news agencies, until after 7pm - after the newspapers had been printed, distributed and sold! This was a measure taken so that newspaper sales would not be lost to a BBC radio news service.


By the early 1930's the premises at Marconi House at Savoy Hill were becoming inadequate for the BBC's needs therefore the corporation had to find and establish a new operating centre. In 1932 the BBC moved into purpose built studios at Portland Place in London - the famous and now iconic Broadcasting House.


Popular entertainment programmes broadcast by the BBC in the 1930's included "ITMA" - It's That Man Again and "Band Wagon".



THE REGIONAL SCHEME

Tn 21st August 1927 the BBC opened the new 5GB station at the Daventry transmitting site using medium waves, this brought a new Regional Programme as an alternative to the long wave National  Programme to the Midland Region.  5GB was a new departure for the BBC, not only did it mark the start of a new policy 'The Regional Scheme', but it also required a high power transmitter of between 30 - 50 kilowatts, bigger than any transmitter previously built.


The Geneva Plan of 14th November 1926 had reduced the number of medium wave frequencies available to the BBC so from now on the BBC would develop this pattern of services under The Regional Scheme.  It was this development that  led to the eventual demise of the original pioneering low power local stations such as 2LO, 2ZY and 5IT by 1931.  These original low power local stations closed and were replaced by the two BBC radio services; National and Regional.

With the successful establishment of 5GB at Daventry the Regional Programme was provided on Medium Wave for the Midlands area. 5GB was deemed to be a great success and there followed the establishment of seven regional services across the UK, each broadcasting programmes from its own local studio - The regions covered were Midlands, West, North, South East, Scottish, Welsh and N Ireland. The National Programme was broadcast from the centrally located transmitting station 5XX on long wave from Daventry, backed up by medium wave fillers in areas where the long wave signal was weak.

This new Regional Scheme required the BBC to build new, more powerful, transmitting stations that could carry both the National Programme and the Regional Programme services to the whole country.  The first of these "Twin Wave" stations to be purpose built specifically for the Regional Scheme was Brookmans Park in Hertfordshire - a meticulously chosen site capable of providing signals to London and the South East.  The station was a huge undertaking, using four large lattice towers, two towers used to support the aerial system for each service. 


The Brookmans Park station opened in 1929 using wavelengths of 261 meters* for the National Programme at 70 kilowatts and 356 meters for the Regional Programme at 40 kilowatts.  Because the National Programme used shorter wavelengths (higher frequencies) the range was somewhat less than that of the Regional Programme on 356 meters, however the long wave transmitter 5XX at Daventry also transmitted the National Programme and would fill in any areas of poorer reception.  The BBC ensured that the new transmission arrangements would provide robust reception for listeners with both valved radios and humble crystal sets which were still being used.

[ * Interestingly 261 meters was later used in London for the start of the first commercial radio station in the UK, LBC, in 1973 and shortly afterwards by Radio Clyde in Glasgow from Dechmont Hill, BRMB Radio in Birmingham from Langley Mill, Piccadilly Radio in Manchester from Ashton Moss, Metro Radio in Newcastle and Plymouth Sound from Plumer Barracks]


On September 6th 1934 the BBC opened a new Twin Wave station located near the town of Droitwich to serve the Midlands region. Droitwich was to replace the existing transmitting site at Daventry. Initially the 5XX service was moved from Daventry to Droitwich using powerful new transmitters that produced 150 kilowatts. Five months later, on February 17th 1935, 5GB opened from Droitwich radiating the Regional Programme on medium wave with a power of 50 kilowatts; this replaced the original 5GB 25 kilowatt transmitter at Daventry.


Eventually further high power "Twin Wave" stations would be built at Moorside Edge (North), Washford Cross (West) and Westerglen (Scottish).  Additional high power transmitting stations were also established at Lisnagarvey ('N.Ireland' on 977 kHz at 100 kW), Burghead ('Scottish' on 767 kHz at 60 kW), Stagshaw ('North' on 1122 kHz at 60 kW), Clevedon ('West' on 1475 kHz at 20 kW) and Start Point ('West' on 1050 kHz at 100 kW) to bring a Regional Programme to most areas of the UK.  Additionally Penmon (Welsh) and Redmoss (Scottish) carried lower powered (5kW) transmissions of the Welsh and Scottish regional programme.


SHORT WAVE




NORMANDIE CALLING

The programmes were comparatively lively and fun, and financed by advertising, Philco being an early sponsor.  Henleys, a car sales company, successfully launched the SS1 motor car on the station.  This proved to skeptics that radio advertising really worked.  Henley's went on to become a chain of car showrooms and repair garages from which later Jaguars, Rovers, Land-Rovers, etc, were sold, while SS Cars (aka Swallow Sidecars) went on to become Jaguar Cars! Radio Normandie could be heard across Southern England and beyond and proved to be such a success with the audience that programmes were expanded in 1932 and ran from 6pm to 3am.  Roy Plomley and Bob Danvers-Walker were voices that could be heard on Radio Normandie in the late 1930's, along with commercials voiced by Gracie Fields. Find out more about Radio Normandie and Captain Plugge on this fascinating page on Offshore Echos: http://www.offshoreechos.com/radionormandie/RadioNormandy01b.htm

Meanwhile the BBC Chamber Orchestra was broadcast for the first time on 18th December 1931 and later, having moved to moved to new headquarters at Broadcasting House in Portland Place in May 1932, the BBC commenced experiments with the Baird 30 line mechanical television system, while on December 19th The Empire Service was inaugurated. As 1933 arrived so did Radio Luxembourg, using a large 200kW transmitter on 1190 meters long wave, English programmes started in June running from 5pm to midnight.  Like Radio Normandie the programmes were of a less formal nature than those provided by the BBC and also funded by advertising and sponsorship.  Again the programmes proved to be a hit with the British listening public and by December 3rd 1933 Radio Luxembourg had expanded English programmes to run from 3.30 pm to midnight.

Pye model MM 6 valve radio of 1932 with the Pye trademark Rising Sun loudspeaker grille.

AUDIO: "THE SET MAKERS" a feature broadcast on RADIO NETHERLANDS and narrated by Jonathan Marks and Nick Meanwell:   Click the tape to listen to "THE SET MAKERS" [32 kbs]

Television and More

In 1934 the BBC was still experimenting with television, but dropped the Baird 30 line experimental system in favour Baird's new 240 line system.  The Selsdon Committee (Jan '35) recommended that the BBC trial the Baird 240 line system alongside the Marconi-EMI 405 line electronic method, which used the Emitron electronic camera.  Radio was still being expanded and the BBC moved the 5XX long wave station from Daventry to its new home at Droitwich in October 1934. 

On 17th February 1935 the BBC moved Midlands regional transmitter from Daventry to Droitwich to form the Midlands 'twin-wave' station, on the same day BBC Belfast was renamed BBC Northern Ireland and changed wavelength from 267 to 307 meters, with improved reception.  In June the BBC installed a mast, studio and television transmitter at Alexandra Palace and continued experiments using the Marconi-EMI 405 line system alongside the Baird 240 line system.  Vision was on 45 MHz while sound used 41.5 MHz.  A regular television service started from Alexandra Palace in November the competing systems being trialled one at a time on alternate weeks. 


After two years of regular experimental television transmissions the Television Advisory Committee recommended that the BBC adopt the 405 line Marconi-EMI system in January 1937.   Sir John Reith, who incidentally was quite unimpressed by the new medium, retired from the BBC in June 1938.  He did not want to leave his post, but had effectively been pushed by a government that no longer wanted such an independent minded man at the helm of the national broadcaster at a time of impending war.  At 10pm he asked to be driven from Broadcasting House to Droitwich, where he closed down the transmitters for the last time as Director General.  


On the 11th November 1936 the BBC broadcast King Edward VIII's abdication. On 1st January 1937 the BBC's Royal Charter renewed for a further ten years, while in September 1938 the BBC started the European service with programmes in German, Italian and French.  From February 1938 listeners across Eire and parts of Western Britain were able to hear a new service transmitted from Eire, southern Ireland, from Radio Eireann on 531 meters.


Between the full establishment of the Regional and National Programmes in 1931 and 1939 there would be many transmitter and frequency changes. By 1939 the BBC was transmitting the National Programme from a main high power station at Droitwich on 1500 meters (200 kHz) long wave with 150 kW. Additional transmitters for the National Programme were at Brookmans Park, serving London and the South East (40 kW); Moorside Edge for The North (40 kW) and Westerglen for Central Scotland (50 kW) all using 1149 kHz (261 metres) medium wave.


Regional Programmes were being provided from transmitters at Moorside Edge (North - 668kHz / 449 metres - 70kW); Westerglen (Scottish - 767kHz / 391m - 70kW); Burghead (Scottish - 767kHz / 391m -  60kW); Washford (Welsh - 804kHz / 373 m - 70 kW); Penmon (Welsh - 804 kHz / 373 m - 5kW); Brookmans Park (877kHz / 342m - 70kW); Lisnagarvey (977kHz / 307m - 100kW); Droitwich (Midlands - 1013kHz / 296m - 70kW); Start Point (West - 1050kHz / 285m - 100kW); Stagshaw (North - 1022kHz / 267m - 60kW); Redmoss (Scottish - 1285 kHz / 233m - 5kW); Clevedon (West - 1474kHz / 203m - 20kW).


However, all this was to change in September 1939......



I.T.M.A.

The very popular comedy series It's That Man Again (ITMA), starring Tommy Handley, began in the summer of 1939.  ITMA was to become a classic radio series that ran for ten years until Tommy Handley's death in 1949.  It was set on board a commercial pirate radio ship and gained it's unusual title from a popular phrase at the time:  Newspapers reporting another Adolf Hitler story would often write "It's that man again" as the headline.  It was not long after the ITMA programme made its first appearance on radio that the crisis with Hitler caused war to break out.  Germany invaded Poland on 1st September, annexing Danzig,  Britain and France responded by declaring war on Germany on 3rd September 1939.


RADIO DURING THE WAR YEARS

War broke out in 1939 and the nature of programmes provided by the BBC was quickly changed to adapt to the situation.  On September 1st the BBC quickly closed its television service from Alexandra Palace for fear of the German air force being able to use the television signals for direction finding. The Regional and National radio programmes were also closed and replaced by a single Home Service


Radio Luxembourg closed the English service on September 21st 1939, followed later the same year by Radio Normandie. Meanwhile, on 10th November 1939 the BBC Home Service began Garrison Theater with Jack Warner.


The new BBC Home Service used two frequencies formerly used by the North Regional and Scottish Regional Programmes: 668kHz (449 metres) and 767kHz (391 metres) medium wave. Two groups of transmitters were established - each group synchronized together to impede enemy direction finding capabilities. The old Daventry 5XX long wave transmitter was converted to medium wave operation and joined the Home Service group.


The Home Service was supplemented by the overseas European Service initially using 1149 kHz (261 metres) medium wave, i.e. the frequencies vacated by The National Programme. The 150kW long wave transmitter at Droitwich was also converted to medium wave operation and together with the other former National Programme transmitters, was synchronized on 1149kHz and broadcast the Forces Programme during the day (until 2300 hrs) and the European Service during the hours of darkness.


On 7th January 1940 the BBC Forces Programmes was introduced on 877kHz medium wave (The former frequency used by the London and South East Regional Programme) from four 50kW transmitters (Brookmans Park; Washford; Moorside Edge and Westerglen) with lower power supplements at Droitwich, Stagshaw, Redmoss and Burghead. As with the Home Service all the Forces Programme transmitters used the same frequency, synchronized together to impede enemy direction finding capabilities of the enemy.


From March 1940 the frequency used by the European Service was changed to 804 kHz (373 metres) from  the transmitters at Westerglen, Moorside Edge and Brookmans Park, with Droitwich being added in March 1941. 804 kHz was the frequency previously used by the Welsh Regional Programme.


In October 1940 the Start Point transmitter in South East Devon was converted from 877 kHz to1050 kHz to transmit the European Service.  (1050 kHz was used by the West Regional Programme before the war). A new high power medium wave transmitter installed at Droitwich in February 1941 using 1149kHz with 400kW. These two transmitters broadcast the European Service, leaving other transmitters available for the Forces Programme.



Group H: The synchronization of the Home Service transmitters on to just two frequencies caused many interference problems for domestic listeners, with one Home Service transmitter interfering with another on the same frequency - this caused reception to sound very "mushy" in many areas.  To overcome this problem the BBC initially installed a network of 61 low power relay stations around the UK using 203 meters (1474 kHz) called 'Group H', and which was later expanded.  This network of low power relays filled in the coverage gaps (the mush areas) from the main transmitters.  All of the Group H stations were manned 24 hours per day so that any single transmitter could be quickly closed down should there be an air raid.


On the 19th November 1940 a BBC transmitter at Adderley Park in Birmingham was completely destroyed in a bombing, with some loss of life. At midnight on July 20th 1941 the BBC commenced its "V  for Victory" campaign.  The "V for Victory" broadcasts started with a message  from Prime Minister Winston Churchill directed towards the European countries then occupied by the Nazis.  "The V sign is the symbol of the unconquerable will of the people of the occupied territories and a portent of the fate awaiting the Nazi tyranny."  From then on the BBC's broadcasts employed a call-sign that used the opening bars of Beethoven's 5th Symphony, which has the same rhythm as the Morse code for the letter V (dot dot dot dash).


Subsequently, in 1941, the old (5XX) Droitwich transmitter was converted from medium wave operation (804 kHz) back to long wave use. The old long wave 5XX transmitter at Daventry was also brought back into service and a new long wave transmitter was installed at Brookmans Park. These three transmitting stations were established as a long wave group to broadcast the European Service on 200kHz (1500 metres). In February 1943 these transmitters were replaced by a very high power transmitter at Ottringham in the East Yorkshire Riding, again using 200kHz.  The Ottringham transmitting station was a massive affair consisting of a 600 kilowatt transmitter and six 500 feet high masts.

Programme Service	Transmitter Site	Frequency (kilohertz)	Wavelength (metres)	Transmitter output power
Home Home Home Home Home Home Home Home Home Home Home Home Home Home Home Home	Brookmans Park  (Southern Group) Droitwich 5GB  (Southern Group) Washford  (Southern Group) Moorside Edge  (Southern Group) Bartley   (Southern Group) Norwich  (Southern Group) Swains Lane - Reserve TX (Southern Group) Stagshaw  (Northern Group) Westerglen  (Northern Group) Lisnagarvey  (Northern Group) Burghead  (Northern Group) Ottringham  (Northern Group) Penmon  (Northern Group) Redmoss  (Northern Group) Fraserborough (masking) Start Point started testing Oct 1939 for horizontal polarization initially on 1474 kHz - Then initially used for the Home Service on 877 kHz  - Then The Forces Programme before the  transmitter was converted to 1050kHz to transmit the European Service.	668 668 668 668 668 668 668 767 767 767 767 767 767 767 767 877 (temporarily)	449 449 449 449 449 449 449 391 391 391 391 391 391 391 391 342	50 kW 50 kW 50 kW 50 kW 10 kW 0.5 kW 5 kW 50 kW 50 kW 50 kW 50 kW 30 kW 4 kW 1 kW 1 kW 50 kW
Home	Group H transmitter chain  [more details below]	1474	203.5	low powers tx's
Irish - masking Athlone Irish - masking Athlone Irish - masking Athlone	Penmon+ Redmoss+ Clevedon ++ + Penmon & Redmoss were closed in 1940; the transmitters were reallocated to the Home Service. ++  Clevedon closed Oct 1940 - converted to short wave	565 565 565	531 531 531
European  (night time only) European  (night time only) European  (night time only) European  (night time only) European  (night time only)	Brookmans Park Droitwich (using converted long wave transmitter Oct '39) Moorside Edge Westerglen Washford  (from Nov 1939 closed Feb 1940)	1149 (initially) 1149 (initially) 1149 (initially) 1149 (initially) 1149 (initially)	261 261 261 261 261
European (nights / Forces day) European European (nights / Forces day) European (nights / Forces day) European	Brookmans Park Droitwich (using former long wave transmitter) Moorside Edge Westerglen Crowborough (opened Nov 1942)	804 (from Feb 1940) 804 (from Mar 1941) 804 (from Feb 1940) 804 (from Feb 1940) 804	373 373 373 373 373	140 kW - 150 kW - 500 kW
European European European European	Start Point (opened Oct 1940 - converted from 877 kHz) Droitwich (new high power medium wave transmitter) Brookmans Park + Droitwich + Daventry Ottringham	1050(from Oct 1940) 1149(from Feb 1941) 200 (from 1941) 200 (from Feb 1943)	286 261 1500 1500	180 kW 400 kW - 600 kW
Forces Forces Forces Forces Forces Forces Forces Forces	Bookmans Park Washford Moorside Edge Westerglen Droitwich Stagshaw Redmoss Burghead (from September 1941)	877 877 877 877 877 877 877 877	342 342 342 342 342 342 342 342	50 kW 50 kW 50 kW 50 kW 2 kW 2 kW 2 kW 2 kW
ABSIE - American Broadcasting Station In Europe See text below. From 1945	Moorside Edge Westerglen Rampisham Start Point (Masking) Bartley (Masking) Alexandra Palace (Masking) Moorside Edge Westerglen Rampisham Start Point (Masking) Bartley (Masking) Alexandra Palace Plus Short wave transmitters	977 977 977 977 977 977 1122 1122 1122 1122 1122 1122	307 307 307 307 307 307 267 267 267 267 267 267
SHAEF - Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force From 1945 See text below.	Start Point	583	514.6

Together with domestic radio, the BBC broadcast radio programmes to other countries. The overseas service to Albania began on 13th November 1940, the Icelandic Service on 1st December 1940 and the Persian Service on 28th December 1940.


On July 4th 1943 (see note below) the American Forces Network (AFN) was established on 877 kHz / 342 meters, this provided an uplifting service of record programmes that was popular with the American forces based around Europe using facilities provided by the BBC. AFN also proved popular with British audiences who could hear records and music, including jazz and country styles, not normally heard on the BBC.


Initially starting with five regional transmitters, AFN expanded the number to fifty five transmitters located all around the UK using a number of frequencies; 1375, 1402, 1411, 1420 and 1447 kHz. It is thought that many of these transmitters may have been of low power - about 50 watts. After the end of the war AFN had additional transmitters in Central Europe and as far as North Africa.


It was the popularity of AFN and the increasing numbers of American forces based in Britain that encouraged the BBC to 'fine tune' their Forces Programme, renaming it The General Forces Programme, and lightening up the output giving it a wider appeal with material that would be popular with the American troops.  The station adopted a more American style and played more American material.  This new sound was a big hit and certainly helped the listeners endure those troubled times.


During the war years the BBC's programming necessarily changed. "ITMA" continued alongside other light entertainment and morale boosting programmes such as Vera Lynn's "Sincerely Yours" and "Hi Gang". Meanwhile the BBC also established a war reporting unit to bring accurate news to a worried population. The BBC also designed and produced a portable sound recording machine that its radio news reporters, including Frank Gillard, Wynford Vaughan-Thomas, Godfrey Talbot and Richard Dimbleby could use in the field. Half of the British people tuning into the regular evening news broadcasts.

(Note: The date of the start of the AFN service has not been fully established and July 1943 is the only date I can find at the time of writing.)



ABSIE and SHAEF - The American Broadcasting Station In Europe

American Broadcasting Station in Europe (ABSIE) began five weeks before DDay, established by USA's Office of War Information (OWI) with the help of CBS and was operated by the OWI and Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force's (SHAEF) Psychological Warfare Division. The aim of American Broadcasting Station in Europe was to provide "...the truth of this war to our friends in Europe — and to our enemies". Like the BBC, ABSIE provided news, talks, music and propaganda and also broadcast   information for the underground movement. Broadcasts were made in various languages.

ABSIE used twelve transmitters situated in the UK using two frequencies plus some additional short-wave transmission facilities provided by the BBC. ABSIE



Details of the "GROUP H" Transmitting Stations  -  transmitted the Home Service, all using 1474kHz (203.5 m), 0.05-10kW
No. | Station Name   |  Type of Location     |    Service Date   |   Closed Down
 1      Belfast                 Studio premises              1.11.40             14.8.43
 2      Cardiff                 Studio premises              1.11.40             14.8.43
 3      Edinburgh            Studio premises              1.11.40             14.8.43
 4      Glasgow              Studio premises              1.11.40             14.8.43
 5      Leeds                  Studio premises              1.11.40             14.8.43
 6      Bristol                 (i) Studio premises          1.11.40             13.9.41
                                    (ii) Clifton Rocks Tunnel 14.9.41              28.7.45
 7      Manchester          Studio premises              1.11.40             14.8.43
 8      Newcastle            Studio premises              1.11.40             14.8.43
 9      London                Swains Lane Tel.-
                                      OB reception point         1.11.40           14.8.43
10     Birmingham          Studio premises               1.11.40           14.8.43
11     Plymouth              Studio premises              15.1.41            28.7.45
12     Nottingham          Hosiery Dyers' plant        15.1.41            28.7.45
13     Stoke-on-Trent     Minton's China works    16.1.41           28.7.45
14     Liverpool             Biscuit factory                 16.1.41           28.7.45
15     Aberdeen            (i) Studio premises           21.1.41           26.10.44
                                    (ii) Redmoss, open site     27.10.44         28.7.45
16     Hull                     Oil jetty *                             8.3.41          12.10.44
17     Brighton               Garage                            24.3.41          28.7.45
18     Tunbridge Wells    Laundry                         22.4.41           28.7.45
19     Reading                (i) Restaurant buildings      5.5.41          10.2.43 [Destroyed]
                                     (ii) Seedsmen's grounds   22.2.43           28.7.45
20     Cambridge            (i) Room in Shire Hall     20.5.41          29.6.43
                                     (ii) Building in Shire Hall grounds  30.6.43  14.8.43  
21     Dundee                 Jute factory                    12.6.41           28.7.45
22     Ipswich                 Swimming baths             14.6.41           28.7.45
23     Lincoln                 Asylum                            26.6.41          28.7.45
24     Ayr                      Carpet works                  18.6.41           28.7.45
25     Leicester              (i) Mortuary                     27.6.41           26.4.43
                                     (ii) University buildings     27.4.43           28.7.45
26     Hastings               Garage                             27.6.41           28.7.45
27     Sheffield               School                             28.6.41           14.8.43
28     Gillingham             Shoe factory:
                                                  (Jezreel's Tower)  5.7.41            14.8.43
29     Wrexham              Leather works                 11.7.41           28.7.45
30     Aberdare              Brickworks                      20.7.41           28.7.45
31     Barrow                 Brickworks                        5.8.41          28.7.45
32     Redruth                (i) Garage                           8.9.41          19.2.44
                                     (ii) Lannar Hill, open site    20.2.44          28.7.45
33     Blackburn             Mill                                   15.9.41         14.8.43
34     York                     The Yorkshire Museum     19.9.41         14.8.43
35     Worcester             Brickworks                       19.9.41         14.8.43
36     Middlesborough     Institute for the Blind         21.9.41         10.10.44
37     Torquay                 Brickworks                      24.9.41         28.7.45
38     Swansea                Brickworks                      25.9.41         14.8.43
39     Northampton         Water tower                     26.9.41         14.8.43
40     Peterborough         Laundry                           10.10.41        28.7.45
41     Shrewsbury           Castle                               25.10.41       14.8.43
42     Exeter                   Coach-house                     26.10.41       28.7.45
43     Swindon                Open site                          30.10.41       28.7.45
44     Carlisle                  Mill                                     3.11.41       9.10.44
45     Moorside Edge     Transmitting station             13.11.41      28.7.45
46     Whitehaven           Brickworks                        15.12.41      28.7.45
47     Inverness               Mill                                       7.1.42       14.8.43
48     Oxford                  Water tower                          5.1.42       28.7.45
49     Folkestone             School                                22.1.42        28.7.45
50     Ramsgate               Water works                       24.1.42         9.9.44
51     Taunton                  Sewage disposal works       30.1.42       14.8.43
52     Blackpool               Swimming baths                  24.2.42       28.7.45
53     Guildford                Open site                            24.2.42       28.7.45
54     Gloucester              Reservoir                            24.2.42       14.8.43
55     Weymouth              Laundry                                3.3.42       28.7.45
56     Scarborough           Poor Law Institution            10.3.42       12.10.44
57     Doncaster               Engineering works               20.3.42       14.8.43
58     Bournemouth          Refuse destructor                 23.3.42       14.8.43
59     Hitchin                   Water tower                           2.4.42       14.8.43
60     Fareham                 Open site                               7.12.42      28.7.45
61     Norwich                 Sweet factory                         5.10.44      28.7.45

Compiled by Martin Watkins from information gathered from "BBC Engineering 1922 - 1972" by Edward Pawley.
More About The Wavelengths

Before we move on to part 2 and post-war radio you may want to know more intricate detail about the various wavelengths (frequencies) that have been used by radio in the UK.  A great many wavelength changes have occurred over time, especially in the early years as the number of transmitting stations rapidly expanded into an ever more crowded radio 'dial'.  The many changes were made to accommodate all the new radio transmitting stations that were being established  in the UK and around Europe so as to minimize the effects of interference. Interference at night time can be especially prevalent when medium waves travel greater distances due to being reflected from the ionosphere.  World War Two from 1939 to 1945 brought about many more alterations as special transmission arrangements, noted above, were brought into force.


I cannot list all the wavelengths used, or offer a blow by blow account of all the frequency and transmitter re-organizations that have taken place in my brief history, but Martin Watkins kindly sent me an Excel spreadsheet of all the medium wave (AM) radio frequencies that have been used year on year from the 1920's to today (with the exception of the Group H chain shown above).  This is a task that has so far taken very many hours of hard graft on Martin's part.  We think it is the definitive list of all time.  Please download the AM Frequency listing by clicking HERE.  Thank you Martin it is an amazing achievement!  The file is about 372KB, and is very well worth looking at.  Martin kindly refined and updated the list on 15th January 2008.


FM Too  - Martin has very kindly compiled an additional comprehensive FM transmitter listing, and that can be downloaded HERE.
With DAB development - Here

Free software for viewing spreadsheets: OPEN-OFFICE can be downloaded for free HERE 



Lord Haw Haw

Lord Haw Haw, real name William Joyce, was a British citizen hanged for treason after defecting to Germany and broadcasting Nazi propaganda to Britain and unoccupied Europe from German transmitters and the captured radio transmitting stations in France and Luxembourg.