BBC Radio Suffolk

BBC Radio Suffolk
City	Ipswich
Broadcast area	Suffolk
Frequency	95.5 MHz, 95.9 MHz, 103.9 MHz & 104.6 MHz; Freeview: 720; DAB: 10C
RDS	BBC SUFF
Slogan	The sound of Suffolk, and all the music you love
Programming
Language(s)	English
Format	Local news, talk, sport and music
Ownership
Owner	BBC Local Radio,; BBC East
History
First air date	12 April 1990
Links
Website	www.bbc.co.uk/radiosuffolk

BBC Radio Suffolk is the BBC's local radio station serving the county of Suffolk.

It broadcasts on FM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios on St Matthews Street in Ipswich.

According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly audience of 98,000 listeners and a 8.3% share as of March 2020.^[1]

Overview[]

BBC Radio Suffolk began broadcasting on 12 April 1990. In 2004, it won was named Station of the Year in the Sony Radio Academy Awards.^[2]

Transmitters[]

SE Suffolk The Manningtree frequency 103.9FM is the strongest at 5KW ERP. The 154.4-metre (507 ft)^[3] antenna mast transmitter is just south of Manningtree, in Essex, and is also one of the BBC Essex MW transmitters. However, the BBC Radio Suffolk broadcasts are directional to the North.

West Suffolk The Great Barton transmitter on 104.6FM 2KW ERP, also has on 96.4FM.

Lowestoft and Waveney Due to what was called a "planning error" with Lowestoft at launch, having no coverage, a 50W VP relay started during January 1991 on 95.5FM. It was on the water tower at Hollingsworth Road. It covered just the town of Lowestoft itself, leaving other nearby areas reliant on the transmitters at Manningtree or Great Barton. It was replaced by a higher power transmitter (2KW ERP VP) at Oulton in 2003 to service NE Suffolk. The Oulton transmitter also has The Beach on 103.4FM.

Aldeburgh and East Suffolk The 95.9FM frequency, from the Aldeburgh mast, began in 2004 and had to be approved by the Dutch government in case of interference in the Netherlands. Broadcasts are at 2KW ERP Mixed Polarization. The mast is also used as a TV relay for the Suffolk coastal area. Aldeburgh is a relay of Manningtree on 103.9FM, all the other transmitters have direct links with ISDN backup system in place (August 2017). Aldeburgh was added because of the locally poor reception (as it was on the edge of the Manningtree coverage).

There is no MW frequency. Radio Suffolk is licensed to broadcast commentary on all Ipswich Town league and cup games on FM and DAB, but not on Freeview or via the BBC Sounds app.

DAB signal is on 10C from Mendlesham (Central Suffolk and Ipswich), Puttock's Hill (Bury St Edmunds), Warren Heath (Ipswich), Felixstowe (Town and Dock area). Suffolk MUX testing started on 30 September 2016 and launched on 7 October 2017 at 9:30am.^[4] Due to the few masts currently in use, there is a lack of coverage towards the Suffolk Coast north of Felixstowe to Lowestoft. Sudbury, Newmarket, Haverhill, Lowestoft, Southwold and Beccles & Bungay also have very poor or no DAB coverage of the Suffolk MUX. BBC Radio Suffolk was the penultimate BBC Local Radio station to be made available on DAB.

Digital TV As of 6 June 2016, BBC Radio Suffolk is available on Freeview and YouView channel 720 as part of the nationwide roll out of BBC local radio stations on Freeview.^[5] The station broadcasts from the Sudbury and Tacolneston transmitters and their dependent relays.

Programming[]

Local programming is produced and broadcast from the BBC's Ipswich studios from 6am - 10pm on Mondays - Saturdays and from 6am - 2pm on Sundays.

Off-peak programming, including the Saturday and Sunday late shows from 10pm - 1am, originates from BBC Three Counties Radio, BBC Radio Norfolk, BBC Radio Northampton and BBC Essex. The Eastern Counties' 10pm - 1am weekday late show originates from Radio Suffolk, and is presented by Nick Risby.

During the station's downtime, BBC Radio Suffolk simulcasts overnight programming from BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio London.

References[]

^ "RAJAR". RAJAR. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/suffolk/3170374.stm
^ http://www.thebigtower.com/live/Manningtree/
^ http://www.a516digital.com/2016/10/official-launch-for-new-suffolk-dab.html
^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/help-guides/freeview/freeview-channels-numbers

External links[]

Coordinates: 52°03′37″N 1°08′50″E / 52.0603°N 1.1472°E / 52.0603; 1.1472

[1] "RAJAR". RAJAR. Retrieved 27 September 2015.

[2] ttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/suffolk/3170374.stm

[3] ttp://www.thebigtower.com/live/Manningtree/

[4] ttp://www.a516digital.com/2016/10/official-launch-for-new-suffolk-dab.html

[5] ttps://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/help-guides/freeview/freeview-channels-numbers

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