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SUSY Radio

Hi Readers,

For the 10th year running, a group of enthusiasts (G6IXM G4WGD and G3TWJ) have been putting on a local charity fund raising broadcast radio station (Restricted Service Licence) on air from 25th September for 16 days from new studios at RNIB Training centre in Redhill, this time back on VHF.

The station is called "SUSY RADIO" (SUssex & SurreY).
Any profits again are to go to the IC Ward at East Surrey Hospital and several other local charities.

The move back to FM from 3 years of MW RSLs to FM came at the end of the use of studio's site with large trees for the huge MW aerial.

The restricted Licence only permits low power of 10W ERP on 87.7MHz using vertical polarisation. But our Tx site is 750ft Reigate Hill in Surrey! The station runs a full spec. Stereo & RDS system with traffic flags etc.

The station is live from the studio 24 hours a day with a real mixture of presenters young and old, playing music mainly 60-90s, local traffic information, phone-ins, IRN news, Saturday night live OBs in stereo etc.

The various licence costs are high compared to permanent local radio station, for a 28 day RSL station, they are:-
OFCOM Broadcast, about £2,500 FM (1500AM)
Performing Rights Society, about £900,(N.B. not all published Phonographic Performance, approx £1150 material is covered!) Mechanical Copying & Reproduction, £60. eg BBC records. Band3 1 Watt, JFMG stereo Link licence £480. if Tx not co-sited).

In anyone's language this is "an arm and several legs" even for a fund raising station! Direct sponsorship and adverts from major companies generally covers all the fixed costs, any profit goes to the nominated charity. A £28K sunshine
coach was given a few years ago partly by SUSY after several radio events.

SUSY Radio is also on the Internet "http://www.susyradio.com" where the station can be found as LIVE "REAL AUDIO" all the time. EMAIL studio@susyradio.com

Requests etc, to the studio on Tel 0870 7650531 (I expect) when on air. For general RSL/engineering information packet me or telephone the station manager Colin on 01737 643767 shop hours.

Reception reports would be much appreciated.
This Radio Group also has an application in for one of the new permanent local station licences.

Needless to say broadcast engineering eg. O.B. links, Digital Satellite links, Phone systems, Computer Audio sources, Computer logging, Hifi audio sources, Studio mixers, Stereo/AM limiters, Stereo coders, RDS coders, fixed radio links, Broadcast Tx & Aerials systems, are just a little bit different from mainstream Amateur Radio.

If anyone or a club would like a technical visit (or talk?) or would like to be involved with the station please RSVP me.

73 de John (eng team) G8MNY @ GB7CIP