Emergency Radio Format

Very much a Tea Room Thread as it isn't model engineering, but I figured it would have more potential experts than most of the forums I visit.

While Idly browsing some data on the contents of American survivalists stashes I notice they often have a small radio for receiving emergency broadcasts from the government. In the UK I think we used to use AM radios for this, but suspect its all FM now.

What has happened to the UK emergency radio transmissions now that Digital is replacing analog radio? Has that shifted over too, or is it running in parallel with Analog transmission?

After a brief search I found some documents discussing and making recomendations to the government on the issue but nothing actually concrete.

To précis, If the sirens went, what kind of radio should I take down to my shelter to listen for the All Clear?

(I don't have a bunker, most sirens went away for scrap long ago, this is all out of interest!).

Jon

Have you seen this announcement from uk.gov?

Martin

In the UK it never was analog. It was analogue.

As a former colleague used to remark when the danger of nuclear war was mentioned “The best thing to do would be get as close as possible to an actual explosion”.

Thinking of possible long term consequences that might be more sensible than going into a bunker.

Edited By V8Eng on 03/05/2022 13:32:50

Except now it will be digital! The US has had this emergency alerting via mobile for quite a while.

Is this so that 'off grid' survivalists won't get the message?

No good if your phone is switched off or you have left it at home.

This link suggests you have no-where to run:
https://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/russian-state-tv-simulates-nuclear-attack-on-ireland-41607244.html

pgk

Bunkers won’t work either!

I would tend to assume that an underwater attack might originate from the eastern side of the U.K. if started in right area it would probably wipe out a large chunk of the European mainland as well.

I read decades ago a nuclear blast might well wreck communication systems so the survivalists might just be wasting time with radios..

Edited By V8Eng on 03/05/2022 16:09:00

Edited By V8Eng on 03/05/2022 16:11:35

Britain's nuclear submarine commanders are allowed to launch their Trident missiles in the event they can't hear BBC Radio 4 on 198kHz. Low frequency radio not only has long distance ground wave, it penetrates underwater too. A submarine can detect BBC Radio 4 almost anywhere in the North Atlantic without surfacing and revealing it's position.

Unfortunately, the BBC has many enemies working hard to kill the institution. Be ironic if lefty comedians were stopped from pointing out political blunders and sleaze due to a "don't bother me with mere details" enthusiast not understanding what the Archers is really for!

(For non-Brits, the Archer's is the world's longest running radio soap opera. It's been broadcast come hell or high water in 15 minute slots on weekdays, plus an omnibus edition on Sunday, since 1950. Allegedly an everyday story of country folk, except almost anything goes. Today, Kathy Perks decided to resign rather than take a pay rise rather than help ruthless businessmen Oliver and Adil modernise Grey Gables Hotel. Odd, because despite being a busy hotel's General Manager Kathy Perks hasn't been heard of for many years. Her plan now is to drive from Alaska to Florida. And she must be at least 70 years old... )

That’s rather scary considering that over 10 years ago radio 4 LW was reckoned to be operating on obsolete equipment and some of the spares no longer existed.

Edited By V8Eng on 03/05/2022 16:51:52

Edited By V8Eng on 03/05/2022 16:53:03

I find it incredible that our nuclear deterrent could rely on the broadcasting of BBC radio 4 with our sophisticated communications network that can broadcast underwater, as incredible as I find it, it fits with the quirky way our country operates in many areas. In respect of a nuclear attack, if you are out in the open, you may see the initial flash but will probably be vaporised before the sound of the explosion reaches you. We live in very dangerous times. Dave W

On the occasion of my 20,000th post on this forum … I must mention one of the most significant publications that I have ever read:

The Prompt and Delayed Effects of Nuclear War Author(s): Kevin N. Lewis Source: Scientific American, Vol. 241, No. 1 (July 1979), pp. 35-47 Published by: Scientific American, a division of Nature America, Inc.

When I read this in 1979, the dispassionate discussion of hard facts seared itself into my brain.

… I never thought that in 2022 we might be so close.

Read it if you can.

MichaelG.

Just something else to keep us on edge.

... Not for long. I figure all this means that the super-beings that are running this universe feel that the experiment has failed in this corner of it and is about to be terminated.

Edited By Peter Greene 🇨🇦 on 03/05/2022 18:52:47

That was always the 'public knowledge' as a contingency on the premise that London gets destroyed along with main comms systems. If memory serves it was said the BBC has to be off-line for 4 days before our subs can retaliate. The reality is doubtless different with several alternative communication systems available. I doubt that submarine launched missiles can be accomplished from any huge depth and there is bound to be some simple satellite phone that can be deployed on a relay while still deep.

pgk

100 megatonnes? Standard Russian TV propaganda bombast.

The most powerful nuclear weapon ever tested was the Tsar Bomba with a design yield of 100 MT, but reduced to 50 MT to reduce fallout or, some say, because the design team (led by Andrei Sakharov) feared the fireball would extrude out of the earth's atmosphere, and they didn't know what the consequences of this would be.

The Tsar Bomba was a completely impractical willy-waving exercise and modern nuclear weapons have far smaller yields, which isn't to say they're inconsequential - see this link (which has been receiving a lot of visits lately):

https://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/

Michael G,

As no one has already said it, let me be the first to congratulate you on reaching 20,000 contributions to this Forum. It would be interesting to know how many Michael hours this has absorbed?.

Keith

So if destroying the LW transmitters has a nasty side effect it behoves our enemies to make sure Rugby is not damaged. I'm going to look for a small holding as close as possible to the Tx, plant a coppice for fuel and some shatterproof greenhouses with filtered air.

.

I dare not contemplate that, Keith

… Too many, I’m sure.

MichaelG.