In 2022, the British Broadcasting Corporation is marking 100 years of broadcasting. The BBC staff amateur radio club, The Ariel Radio Group, was established in 1945 and there has been some form of ham radio club at the BBC ever since. The current team, the London BBC Radio Group, have secured the callsign GB100BBC to help in the celebrations. GB100BBC will be on air from the main shack at BBC Broadcasting House in central London, from other BBC premises and members' home QTHs around the UK. We are indebted to Ofcom, the UK regulator, which has permitted the callsign to be used for the entirety of 2022.
EARLY BBC HISTORY The British Broadcasting Company (as it was then called) was founded on 18th October 1922 by a group of wireless manufacturers. The Marconi Company was one of the group. A broadcasting studio was constructed within Marconi House on The Strand, London. The medium-wave transmitter was housed in the same building, with antennas on the roof. The station was allocated the callsign 2LO.
The original 2LO transmitter. 22,500 volts ran through the system! The power output was 1.5kW on 820kHz. (Picture courtesy of the Science Museum)
At 5:33pm on 14th November 1922, regular programming commenced, with a mixture of news, music, drama and talks. Programmes were initially broadcast for just a few hours a day. By 1926 the transmission power had increased to 3kW when an improved transmitter was established with antennas on the roof of Selfridges department store in London. The studios were located at Savoy Hill. Several regional transmitters were installed around the UK, carrying the same programming. The public were required to purchase a radio receiving licence, costing ten shillings per annum. That equates to about £60 in today's currency.
In 1927, the British Broadcasting Corporation was established by Royal Charter and a Director-General, Sir John Reith, was appointed.
In November of the same year, Marconi used his Chelmsford base to make experimental Empire Broadcasts on 11750kHz using the callsign G5SW and with a power of 12kW. In 1930, King George V spoke to the whole British Empire from the House of Lords via the Chelmsford transmitting system and 9510kHz was added.
By 1932, the BBC had outgrown the Savoy Hill studios and a purpose-built centre was commissioned. Broadcasting House opened in May, with many architectural features created by the modernist designers of the day. The Empire Service was formally inaugurated that December with programmes from the new centre.
London Broadcasting House in 1932, an Announcer and a sound mixing console
In November 1936, the BBC started its television service with studios and a transmitter located at Alexandra Palace, a high point in north London that looked down over much of the city. It didn't last long. On 1st September 1939, at the outbreak of war, it was closed down with no official explanation but it has been speculated that authorities were worried that the strong broadcast signal could act as an aid to enemy aircraft. The last programme to be viewed was Mickey Mouse's Gala Premiere. When TV returned in June 1946, the same Mickey Mouse programme was the first thing to be aired!
The BBC commenced foreign language radio broadcasting in January 1938 with a programme in Arabic. This was soon followed by many more languages. In 1941, the BBC External Services were transferred to their own building, Bush House.
You can read much more about the BBC's history HERE.
An early tuning signal allowing customers to adjust their receiving sets. (Image courtesy meldrum.co.uk)
QSL INFORMATION The team at the BBC Radio Group look forward to working you. We are not able to issue a schedule of operations, but we hope you will find us using all bands and modes throughout 2022. A special commemorative QSL card will be available via the traditional bureau. We will send out a card upon receipt of your incoming card. You can also QSL via Logbook Of The World and eQSL. Please carefully note that WE ARE UNABLE TO QSL DIRECTLY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. Please do not send any cards to BBC Broadcasting House or to the participating individual club members, you will unfortunately not receive a response. (QRZ.COM)
