They all mean different things.
The basic science is that radio waves have two attributes: -
1. The distance between each peak (wavelength)
2. The depth from peak to trough (amplitude)
In olden days wavelength was simply that - the distance between the troughts, but it has been replaced by frequency which is the inverse of wavelength - the longer the wavelength the lower the frequency (frequency being the number of time a peak hits a certain point in a certain time).
So Long Wave, Medium Wave and Short Wave are bands of wavelength that are actually denoted now in Hertz (Hz - cycles per second), but are all within the same spectrum. AM and FM are different methods of using radio waves to communcate, with AM being the older less clear method and FM being the newer clearer method that can also transmit in stereo and has a different set of wavelenghts as well!
VHF (Very High Frequency) i.e. very short wavelength is for Radios and UHF (Ultra) is used for television, but again are part of the same spectrum as each other, but different from AM. Before we had FM, we used the term VHF.
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The basic science is that radio waves have two attributes: -
Thanks for that!
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Worth listening to the Cricket yesterday (finally)
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Being a radio in a German car for the European market, I would be surprised if the set doesn?t have long wave, but I?ve been away from the car radio business for a few years and things may have changed. You should experiment with a few of the more usual methods which are: Press the AM button sequentially and see if anywhere on the display indicates AM1, AM2 etc...you may find the next will be a LW band. It?s probably worth holding down the AM button to see whether this activates another band. This is a trick manufactures use give the set more functions without crowding the fascia with buttons. Along the same lines, does the set have some form of custom menu setting? Blaupunkt sets used to have such a function to allow certain little used features to be switched off. As suggested, you should also manually tune the set off both ends of the medium wave bands, the set may switch to long wave. Good luck!
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As I said earlier, Radio 4 long wave - including the cricket - is broadcast on 603AM.
Edited by ifithelps on 11/08/2008 at 23:41
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I tried the 603am trick today and nothing.
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Cricket on the radio? It is sleep inducing enough on the TV!
How do you commentate on the radio - he runs up,he throws the ball oh and he has hit it ?
There really isn't that much variance in cricket is there?
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Oh dear, someone who wasn't brought up on the likes of Jonners and John Arlott.
Cricket on the radio is actually far better than seeing it live.
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Sorry if this adds to the heresy but I'm with Bobby on this one. Cricket would not be on my list of things to keep me alert in the car. In fact it would not be on my list of things to subject even my worst enemy to !
This may of course be due to my Scots upbringing. ( I think Bobby is also similarly blessed ) We, in the main, really don't get cricket. This is probably due to the fact that a dry spell long enough to accomodate a game of cricket would be unusual in our homeland.
In stark analysis though you must concede that it does seem to be a lot of palaver to celebrate one man occasionally hitting a ball with a piece of wood while others stand around clapping. This apparently goes on for some time until they all get thirsty and they drink tea. Obviously I'm missing something !
I'll be be off now..........
;-)
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Cricket on the radio is actually far better than seeing it live.
>>
Utterly wrong
Being there live, with a glass of amber something in your right hand, a pie in your left hand AND listening to TMS at the same time is one of lifes finest experiences.
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A pie? at a cricket match? My dear boy have you no shame?
Pies are for eating whilst watching football.
My typical cricket lunch consists of freshly made rolls, filled with rare roast beef and smoked salmon, both purchased form a Jewish delicatessen just round the corner form Lords, ironically named Panzers. They also do an excellent spicy potato salad and some cake is always welcome.
Before lunch, the correct drink is Pimms. Champagne with lunch, beer through the afternoon session then some sandwiches and cake for tea. Instant margaritas are fun for the evening session.
As for a motoring connection, do not drive if you're watching a cricket match.
My mates 2005 Audi can receive TMS, I fail to see how anyone can't be entertained by the chat.
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Presumably that will only work in the Newcastle area.
From 'Radio 4 - Ways to Listen':
"It is also possible to listen on Medium Wave in some locations: London 720; Plymouth 774; Hayle (Cornwall) 756; Newcastle 603; Carlisle 1495; Aberdeen 1449; Enniskillen 774; Derry 720; Glasgow 720."
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603 also works at my caravan in leafy North Yorkshire, which is 60-odd miles down the road from Newcastle.
Seems those odd frequencies are worth a try if you live anywhere near the places mentioned.
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My complaint with automakers is nobody puts a comprehensive stereo in their cars--given my druthers, you'd be able to get a factory installed car stereo with these features:
Longwave
AM/FM
Shortwave
CB
8-track tape
Cassette
CD player
Gives you some more options, you understand.
As for cricket, I'm one of those oddball, Anglophile Americans who loves cricket. I'd give anything to have it on the radio or TV, but there's none here so I'm reduced to watching clips on YouTube.
"Hear the cricket calling, turn on the TV/Sit and stare for hours, cheer Dennis Lillee"
Men at Work, 1980ish
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Problem is then that you'd have to add even more to that -- that list isn't comprehensive -- the only radio stations I listen to are digital-only (mainly Radio 6) so DAB would need to be there, and some connectivity to an MP3-playing device is a must as well. While we're on we'd need a record player (most of my bought albums are on vinyl -- new ones!!) and preferably an internet-radio player as well, connected via GSM or HSDPA.
There'd be no room for the engine...
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who has 8 track tapes left that are not stretched? come ot that who has an 8 track player in the thier car?
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You can get longwave in BMWs and Mercs, but not in VWs. This is a major omission in an otherwise good car. I have tried 603AM and have gone down the whole of the AM band with no Blowers or Aggers.
I agree with others who say that cricket on radio is brilliant. The other day they had Rory Bremner as a guest, he was fantastic doing Boycott, Johners, John Arlott and many more. Some years ago, during a rain stops play, they had the air raid warden from Dad's Army talking about the show. He was very funny, I was quite cross when they started playing.
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Quizman,
I think your only alternative now is DAB, but as others have said, reception can be hit and miss.
You might get an honest opinion from a local in-car audio specialist.
It's more trouble than it's worth to them to sell DAB sets and have people coming back all the time because they won't work locally.
Agree about the lunchtime interviews on TMS, Hugh Cornwell of The Stranglers was another good one.
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ifithelps, thanks for your reply.
My wife bought me a portable DAB radio for Christmas. I just can't get on with it at all, it has put me off them in cars. If they were any good they would be fitted to more vehicles.
The only answer to the problem is either to change the car, lose interest in cricket, or take a transister radio with me on the passenger seat. This will take me back to my first days of owning a car without a radio.
Come on VW/Audi group, it would cost pennies to put longwave on your otherwise excellent radios. How many customers do you lose with this ommission?
Volkswagen, let us have our cricket. Who won the w orld cup?
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My wife bought me a portable DAB radio for Christmas. I just can't get on with it at all it has put me off them in cars.>>
I have 'gone DAB' because I like one or two of the music stations.
But the sets are not very user friendly, so I fully understand your remark about 'not getting on with it'.
They are not too bad if you can get the pre-sets set and you don't want to listen to any other stations.
Sound quality is inferior to FM, though.
The portables also use a lot more power than ordinary radios, so batteries are not really an option.
And in my case there was the added cost of installing a roof aerial at Ifithelps Towers.
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Saw a re run of the first episode of Life on Mars last night when he woke up in the 70s and peered into a P6 Rover with a double take on the 8 track cartridge sticking out of its player. Found the way in which they highlighted small comparisons between now and then amusing which I think was an attraction of the series
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