May
1
BBC World Service
A Guide to Programmes in English
How to Listen
You can tune in to English Programmes on short wave and via satellite. In some places, you can also listen on long wave, medium wave or FM.
The dials on some sets may be marked in kilohertz (kHz) or megahertz (MHz) or metre bands(M band). To help you find your way around, here is a conversion chart:
kHz Metre Band MHz
3900-4000 75 3.90-4.0
5950-6200 49 5.95-6.20
7100-7300 41 7.10-7.30
9400-9900 31 9.40-9.90
11700-12100 25 11.70-12.10
13600-13900 21 13.60-13.90
15100-15600 19 15.10-15.60
17700-17900 16 17.70-17.90
21450-21750 13 21.45-21.75
Central & Eastern Europe
frequencies are in kHz
metre Am midday Pm
49 - - 6180
49 6195 - 6195
31 9410 - 9410
25 12095 12095 12095
19 - 15565 -
16 - 17640 -
Tips for better short wave reception:
Remember to change frequencies according to the time of day.
Try all the frequencies and see which gives the best reception (this may vary).
Try higher frequencies during the day i.e. (those above 15MHz) and lower frequencies after dark.
If the reception is unsatisfactory on recommended frequencies, try those directed at neighbouring areas.
Make sure the radio aerial is fully extended and pointed vertically.
Try using the radio near the window or by an outside wall. Outdoor reception is usually the best of all.
Connect an outside aerial (even a length of plastic-covered wire may help).
The latest radios with digital tuning make it possible to call up the BBC frequencies precisely and store the best ones in a memory.
The BBC World Service broadcasts the news on the hour daily.
Also Superstar in the Greater Athens area (93,4 FM) broadcasts in English around the clock.