Report on Radio in Jersey on the Channel Islands                                          

                                                        By the Wireless Waffler

This is the second time I have been to Jersey ; the last time was when our children were young.  We stayed at the capital St Helier .  It is a charming place, but the seafront has been turned into a mass of roads and fast traffic. The charming old Elizabethan Castle and walkway are partially hidden by a new quay and an indoor pool/gym, cinema and other buildings. These have been built on landfill, and an abattoir which stood on the original front road is being turned into a shopping mall.  Fort Regent used to be home to a range of amusements, but seems to be out of bounds now and houses military personnel.  We did go on a coach trip around the island and were able to see the TV and Radio mast at Freemont Point where BBC and ITV transmissions come from in the Channel Islands . Below is a picture of that mast taken through the coach window.   St Helier has its own TV transmitter but Channel 103, the commercial station on the Island comes from Freemont Point, and is quite directional on a small Eton Radio in St Helier .  BBC Radio Jersey was almost DX on 88.8FM but fine on am on 1026 Khz.  FM BBC Radio Jersey comes from Les Platons, and AM transmissions come from a place called Trinity.  

 Channel 103 the commercial station must have a deal with the bus company Connex. The output is piped into each bus through four speakers which are at the front and rear.  It does not evoke the atmosphere in Barbados , where private bus operators played loud reggae music from speakers.  On my first trip on a bus I thought that the people behind had their mobile phones on playing music.  Due to the traffic and road noise only the music was audible, the speech often lost.  The station is on 103.7 FM and has jingles similar to UK commercials.  Peter Mack does the breakfast show on his own. Unusual now for any station.  He has a good on air voice.  The choice of music they plays  features both old and new. It is definitely pop oriented with commercials and local news. Our hotel had the station on its tv menu, so I made some recordings off the TV for my archive. On my radio and mini disk recorder this was not practical due to interference problems, from the laser lens on a directional signal.  

BBC Jersey on 88.8 FM was difficult to receive on a portable in our hotel room in St Helier .  We were on high ground as well.  It did come in on am very well.  It would be great if BBC London still had its am transmitter, but it was given to Sunrise Radio a long time ago.  It does seem the majority of other BBC locals do still have an am outlet.  BBC Essex is a prime example, and they use this for BBC Pirate Essex much to my delight!  Breakfast shows are very varied and interesting, presented by John Uphoff ,and either a female or male colleague.  John has experience of working in the commercial radio world at Viking FM in Yorkshire , and is BBC Jersey's Head of Music.  The afternoon show with Carrie Cooper has some good oldies music on it.  She has guests to chat to as well.  Anneka Rice appeared on phone talking about Cholesterol and the Heart.  She also spoke to the pilot who claimed to have seen a UFO whilst flying into the Channel Islands that week.

http://www.radiofrance.fr/chaines/france-bleu

The real delight and surprise to me was that the strongest signal on the dial cam from France Blue Amorique on 103.1.  It may have been what made reception of Channel 103 Fm challenging for me. I have heard them on am but weakly before. But to have the chance of dipping in to this station for 10 days was pure heaven.  They have a reasonable amount of chat, but play a good easy listening mix of French and English language music in Stereo. France is quite close by, but on a small set some proved DX. Reception was then aided by hand held capacitance, on my part, boosting reception.  I even heard Jimi Hendrix in the output so it is very varied.  I made many recordings of this, even a whole LP4 mini disc which lasts around 4 hours.

Stations received on holiday (some frequencies may not be 100% accurate for French Stations - the Eton radio I have tends to be slightly inaccurate on its digital read out:

BBC Radio Jersey - 88.8 FM and 1026 Khz

Channel 103 - 103.7 FM directional signal in St Helier

Elle FM on 104.9 (not sure of spelling of station or name may be L FM?)

France Bleu Amorique 103.1 FM

France Culture 91.5

Nostalgie 106.9 FM

Radio France Publique?

Sky Rock 107 FM

Unidentified on 93.5 with a talk programme? Man speaking over piano music.

I have been to Guernsey several times in the 80s and I can remember on one occasion having problems listening to Island FM there.  The Guernsey BBC locals came in ok.  I also managed to listen in to Channel 103 FM, they carried a phone in then with James Whale!  The masts for radio into St Helier do not seem to give strong coverage on FM which was a pity.  By far the best music station was France Bleu.