copied from Mike Terry's posting @ Caroline Newsletter!
A power increase has been agreed for Radio Caroline to extend its coverage
area from Suffolk and Essex to include Kent as East Sussex.
The station is broadcasting under a community radio licence and was originally
granted 1kW of power on 648 AM in 2018.
The actual power increase amount has not been announced.
Ofcom says a power increase was agreed to combat man made noise and interference
in the existing coverage area, and to extend coverage to adjoining areas.
While the subsequent increase in the licensed area was considered to be significant,
the decision-maker deemed there to be exceptional circumstances in order to approve
this request, saying the service has experienced high levels of background noise and
interference, particularly in urban areas.
The licensee also serves a ‘community of interest’ as opposed to a defined geographic
community meaning the service is positioned to be accessible to the community of interest
in the proposed extended areas.
Ofcom adds: “There is an affinity between the existing and extended coverage area
as the sea path from the existing transmitter at Orford means that the service is already
receivable in parts of the extended coverage area, although existing reception is currently
poor.
Furthermore, the studio location means that the station attracts and engages volunteers
from both the existing and extended coverage areas.
The power increase will therefore improve signal in the extended coverage area, where
some of the station’s volunteers live and work.”
“The applicant cited demand from its online audience base for access to the service via
analogue.
The power increase will therefore contribute to fulfilling this demand and broaden choice
in how the community of interest in the extended area access the service.
“The licensee provided plans of how it would further engage audiences in the extended areas
noting that the social gain prospects would be greatly enhanced in Kent, Essex and elsewhere
as a consequence of the proposed extended coverage.
“Specifically, the extended coverage would result in their iconic and historically important
Radioship becoming part of the licensed area.
This will enable the use of this museum space to serve as an educational tool in offshore radio,
and an additional education and training resource for potential volunteer radio presenters
and technicians, which alongside the studio facilities in Kent will provide additional
social gain capabilities.
No additional frequency resource is required to extend the service to the community of
interest in the extended area.”
https://radiotoday.co.uk/2021/08/ofcom-agrees-for-radio-caroline-to-turn-up-the-power/https://twitter.com/CoolAMRadio/status/1422539142777524231?s=20André
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