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Re: Flex fm

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 12:33 am
by famefm
Oh yeah I know the 101.3 that is the awful spice 1 station that is miles to the east you can't even get that in central London and where I am unique is really strong on 101.2 and in stereo for the first time in 24 years
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Re: Flex fm

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 8:17 am
by teckniqs
Unique was in Stereo when I was in London 2 or 3 years ago. I remember it well because when I had the radio in Stereo there was a strange quiet buzzing noise on the audio, but when selected over to Mono the background noise disappeared.

Re: Flex fm

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 12:06 pm
by famefm
I think that's what it is doing now there is a buzz on 101.2 especially when the talking is on instead of music

Re: Flex fm

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 6:17 pm
by famefm
Unique is not buzzing now but I noticed they relay independent radio news and I remember 80s pirates getting into trouble for that

Re: Flex fm

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 11:11 pm
by Nick_G
teckniqs wrote: Wed Jun 13, 2018 2:23 am
famefm wrote: Mon Jun 11, 2018 11:18 pm also no chance it will be able to get heard in any part of Hampshire
LOL you do speak some right rubbish at times.

....So how come I could pick up Dream FM 107.6 back in 1996 in Aldershot, HAMPSHIRE when they were running just 60w with a single dipole on a 4ft broom handle pole from a block in Battersea using just a standard car radio?

Oh, and Nick_G isn't using a standard set up, he's got one of those BW Broadcast receivers with the ultra sensitive Sony XDR chipset and a 5 element Triax yagi.

And if Flex is going to be coming from the proposed site it is closer to Hampshire and on slightly raised ground with a better take off towards Hants (than what Dream FM Battersea was), and I expect Flex will get more than the 60w Dream was using at that time.
It wasn't under 'lift conditions' either as it was like it every weekend when I went to Farnham and Aldershot.

So there is every chance it could be heard in many parts of north east Hampshire.
Regarding my set-up, yes you are partly right:

1) I do use a BW Broadcast RBRX Encore receiver and have been since March last year. Apparently it uses a different chipset to the Sony XDR-F1HD as these were no longer available.

2) I used to have a 5-element Triax Yagi fixed beaming due east. In October 2014, this was upgraded to a Körner 9.2 (9-element beam) and a rotator.

3) There was a tropo lift at the time of those recordings, so if that was Flex FM, I don't expect it to be that good in flat conditions.

Re: Flex fm

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 11:31 pm
by famefm
Intresting it's hard to find a good arial these days and I am 100% sure flex hasn't been on yet so that could have been anything if it was a lift but I don't think it came from London

Re: Flex fm

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2018 12:02 am
by teckniqs
Nick_G wrote: Thu Jun 14, 2018 11:11 pm
1) I do use a BW Broadcast RBRX Encore receiver and have been since March last year. Apparently it uses a different chipset to the Sony XDR-F1HD as these were no longer available.
The person who told me that information bought one directy from Roger from Broadcast Whorehouse.
Nick_G wrote: Thu Jun 14, 2018 11:11 pm 2) I used to have a 5-element Triax Yagi fixed beaming due east. In October 2014, this was upgraded to a Körner 9.2 (9-element beam) and a rotator.
Tasty, is it still horizontal though?
Nick_G wrote: Thu Jun 14, 2018 11:11 pm 3) There was a tropo lift at the time of those recordings, so if that was Flex FM, I don't expect it to be that good in flat conditions.
Going by how clear the signal was on your recording, that makes sense.

Re: Flex fm

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2018 12:26 am
by Nick_G
Well, I spoke with a guy at BW Broadcast before I bought mine and he was telling me about the fact that they had to change chipsets due to the unavailability of the originals used in the Sony XDR-F1HD and then the previous RBRX1 receiver.

The 9-element beam is still horzontal, yes.
famefm wrote: Thu Jun 14, 2018 11:31 pm Intresting it's hard to find a good arial these days and I am 100% sure flex hasn't been on yet so that could have been anything if it was a lift but I don't think it came from London
The signal was peaking in strength in the direction of London, and I was chatting to a fellow DXer in Reading, who was also picking it up. I suspect it was coming from somewhere in west London.

Re: Flex fm

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2018 2:41 am
by famefm
He must have something special to pick up 101.4 in reading the 101.3 classic fm signal strength is still strong in reading coming from Oxford I would am very curious to know just where that signal was from

Re: Flex fm

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2018 8:41 am
by teckniqs
Nick_G wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 12:26 am Well, I spoke with a guy at BW Broadcast before I bought mine and he was telling me about the fact that they had to change chipsets due to the unavailability of the originals used in the Sony XDR-F1HD and then the previous RBRX1 receiver.
Sounds like you've got the later version then, the fella I know has the first one.

Re: Flex fm

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2018 8:44 am
by teckniqs
famefm wrote: Fri Jun 15, 2018 2:41 am He must have something special to pick up 101.4 in reading the 101.3 classic fm signal strength is still strong in reading coming from Oxford I would am very curious to know just where that signal was from
Yes using an omnidirectional aerail and a less narrow receiver, it would be pretty much impossible.

Re: Flex fm

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2018 7:19 pm
by Twista UK
Nothing on 101.4 around here yet and I am in West London

Re: Flex fm

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2018 7:21 pm
by Twista UK
Nick_G wrote: Tue Jun 05, 2018 9:52 pm Getting 101.4 loud and clear here in north Hampshire this evening. It'll be interesting to see if I can still pick it up in flat conditions.
I've been checking a lot around here (west) and not heard anything how long ago was this?

Re: Flex fm

Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2018 7:54 pm
by famefm
He said about June 5th but like I said I am certain it was not flex

Re: Flex fm

Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2018 9:04 am
by cheese ranger
Anyone seen this website before?

https://mossyvale.co.uk/queryfreq.php?frequency=101.4


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Re: Flex fm

Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2018 9:11 am
by SD-E1102
Now on air!

Re: Flex fm

Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2018 9:14 am
by cheese ranger
Looks like it’s on


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Re: Flex fm

Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2018 9:36 am
by Danieljames
Reports please?!

Re: Flex fm

Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2018 9:46 am
by cheese ranger
Nice and clear in Weybridge Dan, see above video


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Re: Flex fm

Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2018 10:38 am
by Nick_G
Interesting. Am I right from that pic it has mixed polarisation?

I can just about hear it here on 101.4, bearing in mind conditions are flat. It sounds like it's playing ambient stuff as I type this.