Historic 198kHz transmission to end this month as amateur radio enthusiasts prepare farewell events

THE BBC is to switch off its historic Long Wave radio service later this month, bringing to an end almost 92 years of broadcasting on 198kHz.

The service, which currently carries BBC Radio 4 programming, will cease transmission at 1:00am BST on Saturday, June 27.

The closure will see the shutdown of the BBC’s remaining Long Wave transmitters at Droitwich in Worcestershire, Westerglen near Stirling, and Burghead overlooking the Moray Firth in Scotland.

The move marks the end of one of Britain’s most iconic broadcasting technologies, which has played a vital role in national communications since the 1930s. Long Wave radio became a trusted source of news, entertainment and emergency information for generations of listeners, particularly in rural and coastal communities where signal reliability was valued.

In Pembrokeshire, the loss of Long Wave will be felt particularly keenly in rural villages, coastal communities and farming areas where FM, DAB and mobile signals can still be patchy. For many older listeners, boat users and people living in more remote parts of the county, 198kHz has remained one of the few reliable ways to receive BBC Radio 4, weather updates and national information when other services fail.

The decision has prompted tributes from radio enthusiasts and amateur operators across the UK, many of whom see the switch-off as the end of an era in British broadcasting.

To mark the occasion, the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB), working alongside the BBC Amateur Radio Group, will operate special amateur radio stations in the days leading up to the closure.

Volunteers are being sought to activate a special callsign during the final week of broadcasting and on the day the transmitters are turned off.

In addition, three amateur radio clubs will operate commemorative special event stations on June 27 to celebrate the remarkable legacy of the Long Wave network before the signal finally falls silent.

For many listeners, BBC Radio 4 Long Wave has remained a familiar companion, particularly for specialist programming, shipping forecasts and rural audiences, even as digital and internet services increasingly dominate broadcasting.

The end of Long Wave broadcasting will leave only digital, FM, DAB, television and online platforms carrying BBC Radio 4 content.

Photo caption:

End of an era: The BBC’s Long Wave transmitter network, including the historic 198kHz service, will be switched off on June 27 after almost 92 years of broadcasting (Pic: RSGB/BBC Amateur Radio Group).

NHS LEADERS have welcomed the new Welsh Government’s health and care priorities, saying they are ready to work with ministers to help turn the plans into action.

The Welsh NHS Confederation said many of the priorities set out by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care reflected the concerns of NHS leaders across Wales.

Darren Hughes, director of the Welsh NHS Confederation, said the organisation particularly welcomed the proposed ten-year digital strategy, describing it as “an essential lever for improvement”.

He said: “NHS leaders welcome the new cabinet minister’s statement on health and care priorities, and we look forward to the minister’s response to our offer to convene leaders to take these priorities forward.

“Many of the minister’s priorities chime with those of NHS leaders and we especially welcome the 10-year digital strategy as an essential lever for improvement.”

Mr Hughes said a whole-government and whole-system approach would be needed if Wales is to make progress on integrating health and social care.

He added that workforce planning, performance frameworks and financial arrangements should cover both the NHS and social care sectors.

He said: “Although targeted intervention to reduce waiting lists is welcome, truly sustainable progress will be driven by looking at the wider NHS estate as key to unlocking productivity and efficiency gains.

“The new government is certainly saying a lot of the right things. Time will tell as to how intentions will turn into delivery and NHS leaders look forward to working with the Welsh Government and wider partners to transform health and care for the people of Wales.”

The Welsh NHS Confederation represents all organisations making up the NHS in Wales, including the seven local health boards, three NHS trusts and two special health authorities.

WELSH LABOUR has challenged Plaid Cymru to set out how it will turn billions of pounds of inward investment into jobs, higher wages and stronger communities across Wales.

The call came after the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy made a statement in the Senedd on the future of economic development, connectivity and energy policy.

Labour said Wales had attracted £4.6bn of inward investment in the twelve months before the recent Wales Investment Summit, arguing that the figure was the result of the previous Welsh Labour Government’s work to bring jobs, businesses and major investment into Wales.

Shav Taj MS, Welsh Labour’s spokesperson for Economic Transformation, said Plaid Cymru must now explain how it intends to build on that record.

She said: “Wales attracted a staggering £4.6bn of inward investment in the twelve months prior to the recent Wales Investment Summit, thanks to the previous Welsh Labour Government’s commitment to attracting more jobs, businesses, and investment to Wales.

“Plaid Cymru must now urgently show how they will capitalise on this and the difference their plans will make to people’s day-to-day lives. How many jobs will they create? By when and where? And how will they build on the successes of Welsh Labour’s Young Person’s Guarantee?

“People across Wales don’t need plan after plan or structural changes made for the sake of it, they need high-quality, fair-work jobs.”

The comments mark one of Labour’s first major economic attacks on the new Plaid-led Welsh Government, with the party seeking to frame the debate around delivery, jobs and measurable outcomes.

Labour is expected to press ministers on whether new economic policies will maintain previous commitments around fair work, youth employment and regional investment.

The Young Person’s Guarantee, introduced under Labour, was designed to ensure everyone under 25 in Wales had access to work, education, training or self-employment support.

Welsh Labour said any new economic approach must show clearly how investment will reach communities across Wales, rather than simply being presented through new strategies or government structures.

The row comes as Wales faces continuing pressure over productivity, wages, transport links and the need to attract long-term private investment into key sectors including energy, manufacturing, digital industries and infrastructure.

Plaid Cymru ministers are now under pressure to demonstrate how their programme for government will translate into new employment opportunities and improved living standards.

Labour said the key test would be whether people in towns and communities across Wales see practical benefits from investment announcements, including secure jobs, better training and fair pay.