Radio in Cyprus by the Wireless Waffler

January 2006

Overall a good selection of radio stations on FM. Stations on am include BFBS and some duplications of stations on FM but not at very good strength in Limassol city where all my listening took place at odd intervals on holiday. I look forward to listening back to the recordings that I committed to mini disc.  The picture inset here is of what possibly may be a telephone exchange in Limassol tourist area possibly with fm aerials on it and also on the roof is either an am aerial of a communciations aerial for their cars.

 

All stations with the exception of BFBS are commercial and carry a range of advertisements, all mainly for local businesses.

Without exploring the politics too closely a visit to Nicosia explains the presence of British troops and the United Nations on Cyprus. The city of Nicosia is the only split City in the World. In 1974 in violation of human rights Turkey took the walked city and part of the North by force and still occupy it to this day. This has split Nicosia into two. The old part held by the Turks is old and poorer than the Cyprus half. I could only see cheap radios in shops on the Turkish side - radio cassettes with a psychedelic style of colouring and unknown names. In Limassol and Nicosia I did not see any hi fi or radio store. Ermes in Nicosia did have a big section selling mp3 players, phones, cameras, radios etc in glass cabinets.

My Eton mini 300 radio coped relatively well with a large quantity of stations. At the top and base of the dial it did present two stations on top of each other I also suspect that a set with narrower bandwidth tuning would have revealed further weak stations.   I may add audio to this feature at a later date.

Stations heard:

English Language

BFBS 1 92 FM

Current pop music with Cyprus weather and News and comment. As in Spain this did not seem to be on as strong power as BFBS 2,

BFBS 2  Mix of good pop music similar to BBC Radio 2 and with higher ratio of speech to music. Puts out R4 at times, heard Today programes and Just a Minute. They put out Today for thenews in the morningand leave it on for about half an hour.

Cyprus Greek language FM Radio 

88.2 Unidentified station  Rock and roll then Greek oldies. Cou ld have been Channel 98,6 listed later on

88.6 Love Radio  Weaker than some but a Greek national station also. Plays pop music in English and Greek - all love songs!

91? CYBB (Cyprus Broadcasting) Heard only once, lady introducing classical music. Lady spoke English at times. Almost as if translating programe going out.

93.3/ 6 Radio Sport 1 Heard identifying also as Super sport FM - then identified as Sky FM which is probably station’s proper name

96 Capital Radio Pop music current UK and Greek music presented by a lively dj.

91.4 Coast FM Back to back music - I suspect a playout system. It carries English identifications and also plays oldies as well as current chart hits. Carries adverts in English..

98.2 Radio Lemesos Greek music - excellent local music .pity there are not more stations like this.

98.6 Channel 98.6 Back to back music for Limassol, Monitored two evenings. Had hour of Engish and Greek oldies: hour of Greek then hour of oldies again.

100 Radio Deejay Lively station for younger audience . dance style. Station in Sardinia with same name is very similar      (a rather compressed picture of a poster for station below taken just outside Nicosia

103.2 Melody Radio Good mix of music with presenters - good reception

103.7 Antenna FM Greek national station good mix Greek and UK music. News on hour and half hour read over music bed.

104.4 Choice FM Good uk and Greek pop.

105.7 Radio City Weaker station with Greek Music

106.4 Radio Freedom Greek music

In Nicosia - I noticed this building with a banner for 94.4 on it - not sure the name of the station or if the wires on top of the building are its mast. The wires in front are the Xmas decorations which were still up in mid January.  In villages in Cyprus the priest goes round blessing houses and leaving an olive sprig on the doors of houses. This must make it ok to have decorations up after 12th night!

Finally below - one of the highest TV antennas on Mount Olympus - in beautiful snow which the locals were enjoying when we were there.   Lovely to be in a country which has mountains covered in snow with sunshine and by the sea by day around 15 centigrade.

 

If you have anything more to add to this report, or corrections please send them in to wirewaffle@hotmail.com and title the email "Cyprus" so I can spot it easily

Copyright Wireless Waffle Website - first edition 1st Feb 2006