Q.      When is Vixen 87 coming back? 

A.      We have not been able to set a firm date for our return, as we have moved premises and are currently building 3 new studios, and negotiating with OFCOM on permission for the location of a permanent transmitter site in preparation for full-time broadcasting. We may not do anymore 28-day broadcasts, and may elect to go full-time straight away if everything we need to organise can be arranged by the end of 2008. 

Q.      How much does it cost to broadcast for 28 days? 

A.      We need 6 separate licences for each 28-day period. The total cost of these 6 licences is almost £5,000. We also have to pay rent on our premises, each month, even when we are not using them. This is currently £2,040 per year. We also have public liability insurance, (currently £850 per year). Also we have several telephone lines to pay for, as well as electricity, business rates, Internet charges, specialist equipment hire, repairs to equipment and various day-to day expenses, like CD’s, Mini Discs etc. 

Q.      Why can’t Vixen 87 be on all the time? 

A.      After 5 years of trial broadcasts, we have finally been given the go-ahead to start permanent broadcasting within the next year. Initially, we will broadcast live weekend programmes, with a weekday rolling local information, music and live news service, with evening specialist music programmes. There are many things which need organising and putting in place before we can commence.
 

Q.              I liked it better the first time you were on, when there were no advertisements on Vixen 87. 

A.               We managed to get some one-off grants to start us off for

the first broadcast. After that we were on our own. It is a fact of life in broadcasting, that with the exception of the BBC who are funded by the television licence, funding is obtained by the selling of airtime for advertisements. If some kind benefactor who is reading this wants to donate us £20,000 a year we could remove the adverts!

Q.      My radio can’t get 87.9. 

A.      When we commence full-time broadcasting, we will be allocated a new frequency further up the FM band. It will not be 87.9 as this is reserved for trial broadcasts around the country.  If we elect to carry out another trial broadcast before we commence full-time broadcasting the frequency will probably be 87.9 again in the short term. 

          However, here is a bit of technical information regarding radio broadcast frequencies. The FM (or VHF) broadcast band throughout most of the world, except a few eastern block countries covers 87.5 to 108.0 MHz. Therefore, the majority of radios cover all of this band. Some old radios form the 1960’s and 1970’s only covered up to 100 or 104 MHz, as in those days the top end of the band was used for police, fire & ambulance radio communication. Most still went as low as 87.5. Some analogue tuning radios (that is a radio with a scale or dial with numbers or markings on, which a pointer or needle moves past, when a knob or thumbwheel is moved), only show some of the frequency numbers, so as not to make the dial too cluttered and unreadable. As such, on most of these types of radios, the lowest number printed on the dial is usually 88 or 90, but the tuning pointer will usually move lower than this down to 87.5.

          If in doubt, turn the tuning as far as it will go beyond the lowest number, and start tuning upwards. We should be the first station you come to. If you get Radio 2, you have gone too far.

Q.      My radio hasn’t got FM on it. 

A.      In the 1940’s, 50’s, 60’s & 70’s, some radios only had Long, Medium & sometimes Short wave bands on them, before FM became more popular and established. If you have such a radio, then you are correct and there is not much you can do, except obtain another radio with FM on it.

          However, there are sometimes some confusing different marking systems on radios. VHF is another term for the FM band. This is sometimes abbreviated to V. Some radios manufactured in Europe have the letter U, on the band selector. This also means the FM band.

Q.              Will Vixen 87 be available on DAB?  

A.      OFCOM has allocated the management of DAB multiplexes to several large radio & media groups. We have approached the multiplex operator for this area. Firstly, they told us that there was no further space available on their multiplex for another station. We don’t believe them, as the multiplex operators are also involved with running the radio services on the DAB multiplexes, and we feel that they are ring fencing their own interests. Even if there was space, the annual rental figure they quoted us is way beyond our financial means.

Q.      What’s the story these days with Long Wave, Medium    Wave, Short Wave, or AM? 

A.      Long Wave is set aside for powerful, large-scale European broadcasters. Small-scale radio is not licencable on it, as the signals would reach into Europe & cause interference to other users. Also the transmitting aerial has to be massive for Long Wave, and the transmission equipment is phenomenally expensive.

          Medium Wave (or AM) licences can be obtained for trial broadcasts and Community Radio stations, but the sound quality is not as good as FM. Stereo programming on MW/AM is not broadcast in this country, and RDS information cannot be broadcast.

          Short Wave is set aside for long-distance round-the-world broadcasting. Mainly national radio stations from various countries provide programmes for their citizens abroad on Short Wave.

          AM is the collective term for broadcasts on the Long, Medium and Short Wave bands. This is often interpreted to mean the Medium Wave band, especially in the USA, where they don’t use the Long Wave band.

Q.              I can receive Vixen 87 upstairs on a portable radio, but not downstairs on my Hi-Fi stereo system. 

A.               The higher a receiving aerial is, the better it is for good reception. FM/VHF radio waves travel in straight lines, and do not follow the curvature of the earth, and are better received without obstructions between the transmitter and receiver.

If you use the “T” shaped plastic indoor aerial, or piece of wire, manufacturers usually provide with their Hi-Fi’s, you are bound to get poor reception. These are really only any good for trying out the system, or for receiving very high-power signals, such as those broadcast by BBC National radio.

Vixen 87 is only allowed a low power allocation. Usually 25 Watts. Radio 2, for instance, broadcasts to our area with 250,000 Watts. A decent outdoor aerial is the best way to receive good quality, interference-free reception.

TIP

Vixen 87 28-day trial broadcasts have been carried out with vertical polarisation. Very basically, this means that the radio waves go up & down, rather than from side to side. So you should get better reception with an aerial that is set pointing in a vertical direction, rather than one which is horizontal. However, when we commence full-time broadcasting, our new transmission system will broadcast with mixed polorisation, which will give better signal reception with the aerial in various directions.

Q.              I can’t get it very well in Beverley, Cottingham and on the A63 between Welton & Hessle. 

A.               We are not licenced to provide a radio service to these areas. However, reception in certain parts of Beverley is usually possible, especially with an outdoor aerial. However, due to our low power transmissions, our signal will be blocked by buildings if you are using a portable radio, or Hi-Fi stereo system with an indoor aerial, or if you are travelling around the town in a car.

The hills at High Hunsley and Riplingham Wold are higher than our transmitter, and block the signal between Welton & Hessle. Our transmitter is at the maximum height allowed by the terms of our licence.