The BBC Radio 4 longwave service on 198kHz will cease broadcasting from the Droitwich, Westerglen and Burghead sites at 00:00 UTC (01:00 BST) on Saturday 27 June 2026 marking the end of an era that began in 1932 at Westerglen, 1934 at Droitwich and 1936 at Burghead.
The three transmitters were established to ensure that anywhere in the United Kingdom would have reliable reception of the BBC longwave signal, something that is still not gauranteed for FM, DAB or internet streaming. The Droitwich transmitter uses 500kW and covers the whole of England and Wales with the two “supplementary” stations using 50kW to cover Scotland and fill in the gaps.
Originally home to the Light Programme, the longwave transmissions were given over to Radio 2 in 1967 before Radio 4 called them home from 1978. Prior to 1988, the transmissions were on 200kHz making them ideal for radio calibration but had to be adjusted to 198kHz to harmonise use of the spectrum. The signals have served a multitude of purposes alongside broadcasting of the Shipping Forecast, Test Match Special and traditional Radio 4 programming. Transmissions on longwave were used to send coded messages to the Resistance during the war, as a control for off-peak energy meters and, allegedly, as part of a multi-step verification process should submarine commanders find themselves out of communication with the UK.
The use of the BBC Radio 4 LW frequency to broadcast emergency information nationally in the case of a nuclear attack or similar disaster was formalised through the NAWS arrangements between the BBC and the Cabinet Office. However, as a result of the limitations of this system in the present day, from the falling numbers of LW receivers in homes, to the delay incurred from having to restore transmitters following an attack, the Cabinet Office has since cancelled their NAWS arrangements with the BBC.
Sadly the equipment at the 3 sites is reaching end of life with critical components being unavailable or prohibitively expensive and replacing equipment with more modern systems is not considered to be worthwhile given the general trend away from analogue radio to digital systems despite the lack of relaibility such services provide.
GB1500M
The RSGB and the BBC Amateur Radio Group will be marking this occasion on the air and are looking for volunteers to activate the call sign GB1500M in the week leading up to and including the day of the closure. 1500m was the wavelength of the BBC Long Wave transmissions for many decades. Operation will be from Sunday 21 June until Saturday 27 June. Activators may be individuals or clubs operating from within the UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands. More information can be found here: https://rsgb.org/main/radio-sport/rsgb-contest-club/bbc-long-wave-shutdown/gb1500m-activator.
GB198LW
Cray Valley Radio Society will be activating GB198LW with their focus on celebrating the Droitwich Transmitting Station.
They plan to be on the air with three HF stations and one VHF station. They hope to operate on Friday 26 June until the BBC Long Wave transmissions are shutdown at 1am BST on Saturday 27 June.
On Saturday 27 June they will continue to operate the four stations.
GB198END
Moray Firth Amateur Radio Society will be activating GB198END from close to the site of the Burghead Transmitting Station.
GB198kHz
Stirling and District Amateur Radio Society will be activating GB198KHZ from close to the site of the Westerglen Transmitting Station.
The club will have up to four stations running, from Thursday 25 June to Sunday 28 June, operating at various times throughout the day on 160m through to 6m, SSB, CW, and FT8.
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