2LO: Difference between revisions
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imported>Mpk Removed non-cited claim that "LO" as a BBC site code became "LN". Firstly, a direct connection to 2LO isn't really apparent, and secondly, when I was at the BBC "LO" was very much still in use anyway. |
imported>Ionmars10 m clean up, typo(s) fixed: ’s → 's (2) |
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==History== | ==History== | ||
Initially the power was 100 watts on 360 metres (832 [[Hertz|kHz]]). 2LO was allowed to transmit for seven minutes, after which the "operator" had to listen on the wavelength for three minutes for possible instructions to close down. On 14 November 1922 the station was transferred to the new [[British Broadcasting Company]] which in 1923 took up the nearby [[Savoy Hill]] for its broadcasting studios. At midnight on New Year's Eve 1923, the twelve chimes of [[Big Ben]] were broadcast for the first time to mark the new year.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Macdonald |first=Peter | Initially the power was 100 watts on 360 metres (832 [[Hertz|kHz]]). 2LO was allowed to transmit for seven minutes, after which the "operator" had to listen on the wavelength for three minutes for possible instructions to close down. On 14 November 1922 the station was transferred to the new [[British Broadcasting Company]] which in 1923 took up the nearby [[Savoy Hill]] for its broadcasting studios. At midnight on New Year's Eve 1923, the twelve chimes of [[Big Ben]] were broadcast for the first time to mark the new year.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Macdonald |first=Peter |title=Big Ben : the bell, the clock and the tower |date=2004 |publisher=Sutton |isbn=0-7509-3827-7 |location=Stroud |oclc=56657409 |quote=A few days earlier a microphone had been set up on the roof of a nearby building, No. 1 Bridge Street, just opposite the Houses of Parliament. As the time approached midnight the chimes of the Great Clock ringing out the old year were followed on the hour by the twelve deep strokes of Big Ben ringing in the new, and broadcast, by means of a temporary line running to the control room at Savoy Hill, to listeners tuned to 2LO, the BBC’s first radio transmitter, then barely a year old. }}</ref> | ||
In 1927 the company became the [[BBC|British Broadcasting Corporation]]. On 9 March 1930 2LO was replaced by the [[BBC Regional Programme]] and the [[BBC National Programme]]. | In 1927 the company became the [[BBC|British Broadcasting Corporation]]. On 9 March 1930 2LO was replaced by the [[BBC Regional Programme]] and the [[BBC National Programme]]. | ||
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| footer =Parts of the 2LO transmitter in the Science Museum, London (2013) | | footer =Parts of the 2LO transmitter in the Science Museum, London (2013) | ||
}} | }} | ||
The 2LO transmitter now belongs to the [[Science Museum (London)|Science Museum]], having been donated by Crown Castle International on 7 November 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url= | The 2LO transmitter now belongs to the [[Science Museum (London)|Science Museum]], having been donated by Crown Castle International on 7 November 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2002/11_november/03/2lo.shtml |title=Gift to nation marks BBC's 80th anniversary |work=BBC Press Office |date=3 November 2002 |access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=8 November 2002|title=Science Museum Gets Original BBC Transmitter|url=https://www.culture24.org.uk/places-to-go/london/art14092|url-status=live|website=Culture24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709181728/https://www.culture24.org.uk/places-to-go/london/art14092 |archive-date=9 July 2021 }}</ref> It is displayed in the Information Age gallery on the second floor of the museum. | ||
Marconi House was demolished in 2006, apart from the [[listed building|listed]] façade, which was incorporated into a new hotel complex.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/MarconiHouseStrandAldwychLondon.htm |title=Marconi House, Strand / Aldwych, London |work=The Music Hall and Theatre Site |access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> A first-hand account of a broadcast from 2LO is given in ''[[The Spell of London]]'' by [[H. V. Morton]]. | Marconi House was demolished in 2006, apart from the [[listed building|listed]] façade, which was incorporated into a new hotel complex.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/MarconiHouseStrandAldwychLondon.htm |title=Marconi House, Strand / Aldwych, London |work=The Music Hall and Theatre Site |access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> A first-hand account of a broadcast from 2LO is given in ''[[The Spell of London]]'' by [[H. V. Morton]]. | ||
The 'LO' part of 2LO's callsign was adopted in 1924 by the metropolitan radio station in [[Melbourne]] which, since 1932, has been a part of the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]. The station, [[3LO]], still has this callsign allocated to it, but since 2000 it has used different on-air names: as from 2017, it was 774 ABC Melbourne; and it is now [[ABC Radio Melbourne]].<ref>''Radio Melbourne'' was formerly the slogan for commercial station [[3AW]]. Both ''3LO'' and 3AW are considered rivals for the same audience.</ref> | The 'LO' part of 2LO's callsign was adopted in 1924 by the metropolitan radio station in [[Melbourne]] which, since 1932, has been a part of the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]. The station, [[3LO]] (officially VL3LO), still has this callsign allocated to it, but since 2000 it has used different on-air names: as from 2017, it was 774 ABC Melbourne; and it is now [[ABC Radio Melbourne]].<ref>''Radio Melbourne'' was formerly the slogan for commercial station [[3AW]]. Both ''3LO'' and 3AW are considered rivals for the same audience.</ref> | ||
The amateur radio callsign G2LO is currently held by the staff association at [[Arqiva]], formerly Crown Castle International, formerly the domestic part of BBC Transmitter Department.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.qrz.com/db/g2lo |title=Callsign Database |website=www.qrz.com |access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> | The amateur radio callsign G2LO is currently held by the staff association at [[Arqiva]], formerly Crown Castle International, formerly the domestic part of BBC Transmitter Department.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.qrz.com/db/g2lo |title=Callsign Database |website=www.qrz.com |access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> | ||
==In fiction== | ==In fiction== | ||
2LO is briefly mentioned in the 1928, [[Lord Peter Wimsey]], detective short-story [[Lord Peter Views the Body#The Entertaining Episode of the Article in Question|''The Entertaining Episode of the Article in Question'']] by [[Dorothy L. Sayers]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sayers |first=Dorothy L. | 2LO is briefly mentioned in the 1928, [[Lord Peter Wimsey]], detective short-story [[Lord Peter Views the Body#The Entertaining Episode of the Article in Question|''The Entertaining Episode of the Article in Question'']] by [[Dorothy L. Sayers]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sayers |first=Dorothy L. |title=Lord Peter views the body |publisher=Hodder |year=2016 |quote=It was by a continual and personal badgering of the Chief Engineer at 2LO on the question of "Why is Oscillation and How is it Done?" that his lordship incidentally unmasked the great Ploffsky gang of Anarchist conspirators, |chapter=The Entertaining Episode of the Article in Question |isbn=978-1-4736-2132-9 |location=London |oclc=947925610 }}</ref> | ||
2LO is mentioned in Chapter 32 of Anthony | 2LO is mentioned in Chapter 32 of Anthony Burgess's 1980 novel ''[[Earthly Powers]]'', as part of a fictional episode involving the narrator's brother. | ||
A 2LO broadcast with a weather forecast and news bulletin is mentioned in Chapter V of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's ''[[The Maracot Deep]]'', first published as a serial in 1927.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Conan Doyle |first=Arthur | A 2LO broadcast with a weather forecast and news bulletin is mentioned in Chapter V of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's ''[[The Maracot Deep]]'', first published as a serial in 1927.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Conan Doyle |first=Arthur |title=The Maracot Deep : and other stories |publisher=J Murray |year=1929 |quote=“2L.O. calling,” cried a clear voice. “London calling the British Isles. Weather forecast.” Then followed the usual sentence about depressions and anticyclones. “First News Bulletin. His Majesty the King this morning opened the new wing of the Children’s Hospital in Hammersmith—” and so on and on, in the familiar strain.|chapter=V |location=London |oclc=5685345 }}</ref> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Latest revision as of 06:31, 23 November 2025
Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Script error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Script error: No such module "Listen". 2LO was the second radio station to regularly broadcast in the United Kingdom (the first was 2MT). It began broadcasting on 11 May 1922, for one hour a day from the seventh floor of Marconi House in London's Strand, opposite Somerset House.
History
Initially the power was 100 watts on 360 metres (832 kHz). 2LO was allowed to transmit for seven minutes, after which the "operator" had to listen on the wavelength for three minutes for possible instructions to close down. On 14 November 1922 the station was transferred to the new British Broadcasting Company which in 1923 took up the nearby Savoy Hill for its broadcasting studios. At midnight on New Year's Eve 1923, the twelve chimes of Big Ben were broadcast for the first time to mark the new year.[1]
In 1927 the company became the British Broadcasting Corporation. On 9 March 1930 2LO was replaced by the BBC Regional Programme and the BBC National Programme.
Preservation and legacy
Script error: No such module "Multiple image". The 2LO transmitter now belongs to the Science Museum, having been donated by Crown Castle International on 7 November 2002.[2][3] It is displayed in the Information Age gallery on the second floor of the museum.
Marconi House was demolished in 2006, apart from the listed façade, which was incorporated into a new hotel complex.[4] A first-hand account of a broadcast from 2LO is given in The Spell of London by H. V. Morton.
The 'LO' part of 2LO's callsign was adopted in 1924 by the metropolitan radio station in Melbourne which, since 1932, has been a part of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The station, 3LO (officially VL3LO), still has this callsign allocated to it, but since 2000 it has used different on-air names: as from 2017, it was 774 ABC Melbourne; and it is now ABC Radio Melbourne.[5]
The amateur radio callsign G2LO is currently held by the staff association at Arqiva, formerly Crown Castle International, formerly the domestic part of BBC Transmitter Department.[6]
In fiction
2LO is briefly mentioned in the 1928, Lord Peter Wimsey, detective short-story The Entertaining Episode of the Article in Question by Dorothy L. Sayers.[7]
2LO is mentioned in Chapter 32 of Anthony Burgess's 1980 novel Earthly Powers, as part of a fictional episode involving the narrator's brother.
A 2LO broadcast with a weather forecast and news bulletin is mentioned in Chapter V of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Maracot Deep, first published as a serial in 1927.[8]
References
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- ↑ Radio Melbourne was formerly the slogan for commercial station 3AW. Both 3LO and 3AW are considered rivals for the same audience.
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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Sources
- H.V. Morton. 1926, 18th Edition 1948, The spell of London, Methuen & Co Ltd, London.
External links
- The Science Museum: London Calling
- History of Marconi House where 2LO first broadcast
- Audio of 2LO station identification
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