BBC Three/Scotland/R4X to close

[EEPhil]

The government has been prattling on about how we should all be able to survive for three days if some disaster occurs. One of their recommendations is that we should have a battery powered FM radio. Presumably the BBC would be responsible for any broadcasts either nationally or locally. This means they've got to preserve a link to an analogue transmitter - with it's own power supply at the studio and transmission ends. This seems like a good reason to preserve the local radio structure. Now, is resilience a government diktat, in which case the government should find the money, or is another drain on the licence fee? We know the current DG wants to move everything to online to save money.

 

[Wildebeest]

If our nuclear submarines still rely on receiving R4 in the absence of other direct commands not to launch a nuclear strike - and that used to be the case, not sure if it still is - then yes I'd say they still need transmitters. (you can google it, but sample link https://www.businessinsider.com/bbc-radio-show-may-be-preventing-nuclear-apocalypse-2018-8). Not sure if that's FM or longwave though (and I can't be arsed googling to check).

 

[gomezz]

Don't we have an army of town criers in reserve to let the people know what is going on? May be one of the gritter lorry drivers who have to fill their time at work somehow the rest of the year.

 

[Black Hole]

If it's resilience they want now, they can ditch the axing of analogue phones.

 

[Black Hole]

If our nuclear submarines still rely on receiving R4 in the absence of other direct commands not to launch a nuclear strike

That would be long wave, which is already gone.

 

[trog]

Maybe the BBC should start a dedicated Freely channel that teaches semaphore and how to build a signal fire.

 

[prpr]

This means they've got to preserve a link to an analogue transmitter - with it's own power supply at the studio and transmission ends.

The link is the BT distribution network, which is going to be massive. Which bit of that needs to be preserved?
And "its" not "it's". See also: "whose" not "who's"

If our nuclear submarines still rely on receiving R4 in the absence of other direct commands not to launch a nuclear strike - and that used to be the case, not sure if it still is

Obviously not, as they shut it down earlier this year. It was Long Wave. VHF doesn't go very far on the surface of the planet (or below it).

 

[Owen Smith]

If our nuclear submarines still rely on receiving R4 in the absence of other direct commands not to launch a nuclear strike - and that used to be the case, not sure if it still is - then yes I'd say they still need transmitters. (you can google it, but sample link https://www.businessinsider.com/bbc-radio-show-may-be-preventing-nuclear-apocalypse-2018-8). Not sure if that's FM or longwave though (and I can't be arsed googling to check).

It was Long Wave, and the MOD stated it wasn't the only thing our nuclear missile submarines checked for and there are enough things left to check.

 

[EEPhil]

And "its" not "it's".

And I even thought about it before I wrote it!

The link is the BT distribution network,

Chances are the government hasn't though this through. Who'd have thought?