87.9 // 87.7 Religious pirate or RSL, west Midlands

[Tim Bucknall]

African accented ee rlg, monitored 1312 - 1500ut good Friday with gospel mx and yl sermon. ID jingle at 1500utc but too muffled to understand "..…online...." Then into FSN news with Rebecca Foster (some cr stns use this news feed , ie: faza 97.1)

[Chris Howles]

Last week I had a religious (probably christian) RSL on 87.7 vert... I assumed it was the same one that was about last year cant remember the name but it was Easter time

[Tim Bucknall]

Thanks

[Andrew Webster,Wigan]

Just put radios on this morning and there was Hope FM 87.7 with RDS C595 going on about the Sabbath hmm I thought that's tomorrow cock then it went off air looks like I have that to look forward to tomorrow but no RSL listings on Ofcons page.

MAR on air 87.5 from the Liverpool TX and a weak pirate on 108.0 from Manchester.

Andy

[John Faulkner, Skegness]

"The Sabbath" is basically Friday evening to Saturday evening for Jews, but Christians adopted Sunday as their day of rest. I forget the history behind it, but it was, originally, the former.

It is a period of "religious observance and abstinence from work", according to the Gospel of St Google.

Praise be!

[Chris Howles]

Diddly on Ofcon's website as you say Andy but it does mention 87.7 and 87.9 on Hope FMs front page

http://www.hopefm.org.uk/

[Andrew Webster,Wigan]

Ah right thanks John I think that shops how much I know about religion probably learned that at school but that was a long time ago.

Thanks Chris was going to look at their website but forgot anyway looks like a one day job.

Andy

[Andrew Webster,Wigan]

Ah might be a month job after all as their Facebook page says starting on 01/04/18 oh well there 's no DX anyway but this only affected vertical.

Andy

[Chris Howles]

Yeah last year it only affected me vertically and it only lasted a month... however come May 15th the Ramadaners will be kicking off for another month.

[Andrew Webster,Wigan]

Ah Ramadan at least it's earlier every year so not falling in the middle of the season now a pain all the same though.

Andy

[John Faulkner, Skegness]

Ah right thanks John I think that shops how much I know about religion probably learned that at school but that was a long time ago.

Thanks Chris was going to look at their website but forgot anyway looks like a one day job.

Andy

I only just discovered this myself last year. I too always thought the Sabbath was Sunday. It comes from the Hebrew word "sabat", I believe, meaning "Stop."

I thought Ramadan was towards the end of the year. I had no idea it got earlier and earlier. All very interesting and useful to know for our hobby.

[Tim Bucknall]

Hope fm 87.9 was massive at Middleton Top but with something burbling away underneath
87.7 was dominated by donnington FM at Middleton top

Hope 87.7 came in at really odd unexpected spots on the A54 when I couldn't see how there could even be a path to the south, heavy audio compression

[Tim Bucknall]

Back at home, 87.9 is much weaker than 87.7 and coming from further east

[Andrew Webster,Wigan]

Hope FM 87.7 has gone off air now leaving a weak distorted pirate playing oldies.

Andy

[Andrew Webster,Wigan]

Hope FM 87.7 back on air doh!

Andy

[Tim Bucknall]

Right,
87.70 exactly Manchester tx
200 hz higher Birmingham tx

Will examine 87.9 when programme content produces modulation gaps

[Tim Bucknall]

I swear these people are deliberately being wide now like they know what I'm trying to do...

87.9 north east close to nominal , must be Leeds because I've had Leeds RSL's before but never Sheffield

87.9 east south east presume Nottingham , approx 500hz above nominal. (Uncalibrated)

[Chris Howles]

Today is the final day of their RSLs so hope(FM)fully we'll have a nice clear BOB for a bit until Ramadan kicks in.

[Chris Howles]

Well they havent gone yet, 87.7 was still going strong at 8.00am ...a bit naughty really unless Ofcom's website info is wrong.

[Andrew Webster,Wigan]

Hope FM are still on here they have had 28 days on air which I think is the max for RSLs so maybe as it's Sunday they might think well Ofcon won't be working lets have another day.

Andy