Angel Radio

Angel Radio Angel Radio has its own unique place and purpose, celebrating the past in a warm and inclusive way.
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Our guest on the Late Breakfast this morning (Friday) was Ann from Citizens Advice. A wonderful lady with many a tale to...
20/09/2024

Our guest on the Late Breakfast this morning (Friday) was Ann from Citizens Advice. A wonderful lady with many a tale to tell.

Friday 20th September: 9am - Havant Borough Talking News  /  9.15am - Tony with guest Ann from Citizens Advice  /  and b...
19/09/2024

Friday 20th September: 9am - Havant Borough Talking News / 9.15am - Tony with guest Ann from Citizens Advice / and by special request, at 10.30am - Journey into Space.

Just a very brief post to let you know that our new transmitter in Chichester came on-air today. It's on 94.8 FM. Many t...
19/09/2024

Just a very brief post to let you know that our new transmitter in Chichester came on-air today. It's on 94.8 FM. Many thanks to our Ash Elford who has done all the hard work behind the scenes, and to our transmitter engineer Alan, who plugs things in and tweaks things at the transmitter site.
Photos: The expected coverage, the transmitter aerial (the white pole right at the top of the mast), and the latest pic of yours truly thrown in for good measure.

Apologies for the loss of your programmes on Monday evening. This was the fault of BT who suddenly switched off our broa...
17/09/2024

Apologies for the loss of your programmes on Monday evening. This was the fault of BT who suddenly switched off our broadband at the old studio without any prior warning.
In fact just about everything that has gone wrong with the move to the new studio has been caused by BT.
I worked 60-hours in 3-days to get everything prepared for a smooth change-over without disruption to programmes.
On Saturday I spent several hours creating an exact copy of the overnight programmes, including jingles, and sponsor announcements, so that I could synchronise the shows coming from the old studio with my copy, which would come from the new studio. Then, with both sets of night-time shows running, I could switch off the internet streams, which feed audio to our transmitters from the old studios, and the new streams at the new studio would automatically take over. However, when I arrived at the new studio in the middle of the night to start the synchronised programmes I found our BT broadband, which is supposed to be 200 Mbps, was down to just 29 Mbps. So I couldn't risk switching off the streams from the old studio.
So my next plan was to try again in the middle of Monday night.
I had, by Monday evening, worked a 15-hour shift and was just about to grab a few hours sleep when I got the call that Angel Radio was off-air. I went to the old studio and discovered BT had disconnected our broadband with no prior warning. So I disconnected the auto-playout computer and carried it to the new studio. Then went back for the monitor and carried that to the new studio. Then I went back to the old studio and disconnected the streaming computer and carried it to the new studio. Then went back for the monitor and carried that to the new studio. After connecting everything up at the new studio I got the shows and the streaming back on-air before midnight. I spent the rest of the night balancing the sound coming from the studio. Then I went back to the old studio to disconnect the reception desk equipment ready for Jacqui and her husband Dave to ship it across to the new studio. Then I began dismantling all the equipment in the old studio ready for it to be brought to the new building.
I got Roy Beagley's studio in the USA connected to our studio and on-air with no problems at all, but following Roy's show, Jacqui's microphone on her You to Me show wasn't working. That totally baffled me and I spent 20-minutes tearing my hair out. Finally I discovered a cable going into the back of the mixer was faulty. I replaced it and Jacqui was back on your wireless. Pete's Wireless Waffle at 2pm ran smoothly and only had one minor hiccup when a monitor suddenly went blank. That was caused by the mains lead not being pushed far enough into the socket and was working again in no time. Pete kindly drove me home after his show (37-hours after I started my shift) and I got a very welcome couple of hours sleep before coming back to the new studio to ensure everything is running smoothly for David, which it is.
As I write this it is 10pm and I'm off home again, but not before I show you some photos I took this evening.
The new studio+David
The recording studio
The reception desk
The cabinet where the sound comes from the studio and is sent out to the transmitters
The auto-playout
The equipment where I turn 78s and vinyl into computer playable files.

Late Breakfast: Our guest this morning was Bruce from St James' Church in Emsworth.====================Saturday 14th and...
13/09/2024

Late Breakfast: Our guest this morning was Bruce from St James' Church in Emsworth.
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Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th September … Flower Festival …. An Amazing display of Flowers and Baptism Gowns, photographs and baptism stories from the last 100 years at St James’ Church in Emsworth. Open from 10am until 4pm Saturday and 11am until 4pm Sunday. A special Baptism celebration service will be taking place on the Sunday Morning at 10am – Everyone is welcome.
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A new presenter sitting in for Mark & Josie today from 1pm until 3.30pm and playing your requests - Rich.
06/09/2024

A new presenter sitting in for Mark & Josie today from 1pm until 3.30pm and playing your requests - Rich.

My guest on the Late Breakfast - Ivan.Now doing some studio training.
06/09/2024

My guest on the Late Breakfast - Ivan.
Now doing some studio training.

Friday 6th September: I have a guest on this morning's Breakfast Bustle, Neil will be telling us all about Havant's very...
06/09/2024

Friday 6th September: I have a guest on this morning's Breakfast Bustle, Neil will be telling us all about Havant's very first Heritage Festival and some of the events taking place.
For more information visit https://thespring.co.uk/heritage/havant-heritage-festival-2024/
(photo: Neil, organiser of Havant Heritage Festival)

We are soooo lucky .... Steve is with us today. He normally does the IT contracts for major companies, but today he is a...
26/08/2024

We are soooo lucky .... Steve is with us today. He normally does the IT contracts for major companies, but today he is at Angel Radio, on his day off, resurrecting our damaged / dead computers and advising on better ways to run our internet services.
(photos: Steve breathing new life into a damaged computer)

An amazing gift from a long-time Angel Radio listener, John in the New Forest.John is 80 and is moving to a smaller home...
25/08/2024

An amazing gift from a long-time Angel Radio listener, John in the New Forest.
John is 80 and is moving to a smaller home. He is downsizing and has donated his lovely Rowe Ami USA made jukebox to enhance the visitors area of our new building. I took delivery of the juke box on Saturday and it fits perfectly in its new surroundings.
When you look at the photos below you will see that, when our Mark Ross is fully recovered and back with us, this is going to be his favourite new 'Elvis' toy.

Hello on a wet Saturday morning. Our guest, Pauline from Portsdown & Purbrook Good Neighbours is hoping some local Angel...
24/08/2024

Hello on a wet Saturday morning. Our guest, Pauline from Portsdown & Purbrook Good Neighbours is hoping some local Angel Radio listeners will be able to spare a few hours a week to join their team of volunteers. Call their helpline on 07 842 367 490.
Thank you.
(Photo: Pauline in the new studio)

Wheeeee .... the running total for our Pay-to-Play is almost £3,000. Thank you chums of Angel Radio for your generosity....
24/08/2024

Wheeeee .... the running total for our Pay-to-Play is almost £3,000. Thank you chums of Angel Radio for your generosity.
I must say a special thank you to Gerry in Emsworth who sent a letter saying "I didn't join in Pay-to-Play, but I heard several records that I haven't heard for years, so I'm enclosing a cheque for £100"

Good morningJust a note of grateful thanks for donating and making our Pay-to-Play Day a success yesterday. An unbelieva...
21/08/2024

Good morning
Just a note of grateful thanks for donating and making our Pay-to-Play Day a success yesterday. An unbelievably wide range of records from all eras.
I'm afraid I don't have any idea of the amount pledged, but as soon as I know I will post it here and on our website.
Apart from the usual internet problems with YouTube in the studio, the day was, fun, happy, and trouble-free.
Regarding the internet; I'm pleased to announce that I was with the BT engineer yesterday when, finally, the fibre internet in the new building was connected. I tested the speed in the racks unit, where it is most vital for streaming to our many transmitters, and it was perfect. I also measured the strength of the wi-fi in various parts of the building and, even at the furthest point from the router, after the signal has gone through two solid walls, it is still stronger than what we have now.
I will check the diary and try to arrange another Pay-to-Play in mid to late October.
Raising more funds is essential, so your ideas for fundraising events would be gratefully received.
Thanks again for your continued help and support for Angel Radio.
Best wishes
Tony

BLAST OFF: Yes folks, despite all the problems, Pay-to-Play will go ahead this coming Tuesday from 8am until midnight.I ...
18/08/2024

BLAST OFF: Yes folks, despite all the problems, Pay-to-Play will go ahead this coming Tuesday from 8am until midnight.
I have had to juggle the schedule as we have two presenters with medical appointments and one presenter on a speeding awareness course. Here is the schedule:
8.00 Tony & Candis
9.00 Vic & Eileen
10.30 Bob Hind & Bob Sevier
12.00 Bill Smith
1.30 Pete & Jason
6.00 Big Col & Lesley
8.00 David Godfray
12.00 ANGEL AT NIGHT
You can telephone your record request and pledge your donation: 0800 014 1955
You can email: [email protected]
Here is a link to listen online: http://s2.xrad.io:8522/stream
Here is a link to our website: https://yelluk.wixsite.com/my-site-2143
Thank you so much for your continued support.

Saturday: Good morning, I think I have found a temporary way to view our website until it is fully restored in a few day...
17/08/2024

Saturday: Good morning, I think I have found a temporary way to view our website until it is fully restored in a few days.
Please try this link and, if it works for you, pass it on to your friends.
Okay, fingers crossed -

Vintage Music Nostalgia Memories Oldies Music 78rpm Shellac 78s Older Community The Good Old Days Golden Oldies

From Tony: I have spoken to the company causing problems for our three websites (Angel Radio, Swinging Radio 60s, Angel ...
16/08/2024

From Tony: I have spoken to the company causing problems for our three websites (Angel Radio, Swinging Radio 60s, Angel Radio Isle of Wight) and am told it may take 5 or 7-days before they are back online.

The website is vital to the success of our Pay-to-Play Day because lots of our online listeners access our streams from the website. Also many of our Pay-to-Play donors use the PayPal link on our website. Also the Pay-to-Play schedule is used by many listeners to select the presenter they favour to play their request.

Because of these problems I am minded to postpone Pay-to-Play until the website is back online. However, I would like your views on the matter -

A) Should I postpone Pay-to-Play despite the many hours of work I have put into organising it?
B) Should I keep Pay-to-Play despite the obvious problems for many listeners and donors?

I am happy to be swayed by your advice.
For those of you who depend on the website to listen to Angel Radio, Please try each of these links to our streams and bookmark the one that works best for you.
Main URL 1 – https://edge.clrmedia.co.uk/angel_hb
URL2 – https://edge.clrmedia.co.uk/angel_lb
URL3 – http://s2.xrad.io:8522/stream

Thank you
Tony Smith

Here's our 9.15am guest, Christopher Peskett, who talked candidly about his learning difficulties, his medical problems,...
09/08/2024

Here's our 9.15am guest, Christopher Peskett, who talked candidly about his learning difficulties, his medical problems, and how he helps others in a similar situation.

Friday 9th August - Just one change to the usual schedule today .... our Bill Smith will be presenting the Friday reques...
09/08/2024

Friday 9th August - Just one change to the usual schedule today .... our Bill Smith will be presenting the Friday request show from 1pm to 3.30pm.
Call free on 0800 014 1955
Email [email protected]
PLEASE NOTE: Facebook is not monitored in the studio, so please don't post your requests here.

Thursday 8th August: Just one change to today's schedule, Hannah will be presenting Childhood Days at 11am. She would li...
08/08/2024

Thursday 8th August: Just one change to today's schedule, Hannah will be presenting Childhood Days at 11am. She would like your choice of records that you remember your mum, dad, big brother or big sister playing on the record player when you were a child. Not necessarily records made specifically for children. Just records you remember being played in your house as a child.
Call free on 0800 014 1955
email [email protected]
**Please Note** Facebook isn't monitored in the studio, so please don't post your requests here. Thank you.

Just got back home after getting Angel back on-air. I set off as soon as your emails began arriving but the buses on Sat...
03/08/2024

Just got back home after getting Angel back on-air. I set off as soon as your emails began arriving but the buses on Saturday are not nearly as as frequent as on weekdays, so I had to wait a while. When I eventually got to Angel I found the streaming computer had closed down and I tried about half a dozen times to get it going. Eventually it fired up, but nothing would work. So, on my office computer, I Googled the problem and a suggestion came up that the date and time is wrong. So back in the racks room I checked the date & time on the streaming computer and it said 6pm on the 1st September 2008. Back on Google to find out how to reset the time & date. Then back to the streaming computer to reset the date & time. Saved, clicked OKAY, and then restarted the computer. It came on first time, and everything worked first time. Good old Google.
(Photo: Interviewing The Three Belles)

A couple of changes to today's schedule (Friday 2nd August) -1pm to 3.30pm Friday Requests with Bill Smith.6pm to 8pm Pe...
02/08/2024

A couple of changes to today's schedule (Friday 2nd August) -
1pm to 3.30pm Friday Requests with Bill Smith.
6pm to 8pm Pete Cross sitting in for Big Col.

SCAM WARNING ... If you receive an email from this address beverly__webster@hotmail.co.uk IT IS A BEGGING LETTER SCAM. T...
26/07/2024

SCAM WARNING ... If you receive an email from this address [email protected] IT IS A BEGGING LETTER SCAM. That is not Bev Webster's email address.
The email begins with the request to exchange emails rather than telephone calls, and then goes on to beg for help.
IT IS A SCAM.

25/07/2024

Angel Radio Isle of Wight is now streaming on-line again

Zoe Ball named as highest paid radio presenter at the BBC on £4,750 per show ..... but I bet she doesn't have as much fu...
24/07/2024

Zoe Ball named as highest paid radio presenter at the BBC on £4,750 per show ..... but I bet she doesn't have as much fun as us at Angel Radio .....

Thursday on Angel Radio ... Pete Cross will be bringing you Childhood Days at 11 o'clock .... we are sooo looking forwar...
24/07/2024

Thursday on Angel Radio ... Pete Cross will be bringing you Childhood Days at 11 o'clock .... we are sooo looking forward to that.

Angel Radio has been running a trial DAB multiplex since 2015, bringing 28 radio stations to digital radios in Portsmout...
24/07/2024

Angel Radio has been running a trial DAB multiplex since 2015, bringing 28 radio stations to digital radios in Portsmouth, Gosport, Waterlooville, Havant, and the surrounding area.
Ofcom has now rewarded Angel Radio with a full broadcast licence for our unique ground-breaking multiplex.
The leading role in this project, right from its inception, has been undertaken by Angel Radio's Digital Development Manager, Ash Elford.

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ANGEL RADIO

Angel Radio was the brainchild of electrician, art & design technician and former pirate radio operator, Tony Smith. This unique station, Angel Radio, was launched in 1999 to bring music and memories into the homes of older people at a time when most other radio stations were concentrating on much younger listeners. It was also Tony Smith’s ambition to provide an opportunity for older people to participate in the running of the station, including the creation and presenting of programmes. Tony himself is 65 and visually impaired as a result of several strokes. He has demonstrated that despite some of the effects of ageing, it is still possible to learn new skills and enjoy being part of a friendly community, whether in person or through the airwaves.

Angel Radio began as a temporary broadcaster in Portsmouth with a licence of just a few days. It was designed as a 24-hour a day ‘memory box’ with presenters playing music from the 1920s to the early 1960s and providing friendly, informal, memory-jogging chit-chat. The first broadcast proved so popular that several further short-term licences enabled the station to become more established. Its unique nature gained national publicity, including a dedicated leader column in The Times newspaper, a five-minute news feature on BBC Radio 4, and Portsmouth City Primary Care Trust awarding Angel Radio ‘Most Effective Public Information Project 2001’.

At that time, temporary 28-day licences were the only way a small community group could broadcast. The radio waves were primarily under the ownership of the BBC or large commercial stations. However, in 2002 the Radio Authority (now part of Ofcom) invited Angel to run on a full-time licence, as an experiment to test the feasibility and viability of a small group of volunteers running their own community radio service. After Angel, and several other ‘Access’ stations had run, non-stop, for four years, the experiment was judged successful, with one of Ofcom’s leading figures, Kevin Carey, stating “Angel Radio is fabulously offbeat but it has the potential to be a national brand”. The all-round social benefits for Angel’s team of volunteers and regular listeners to the station had proved substantial. Responses from both clearly indicated a rise in self-esteem and a positive effect on reducing both the sense of, and the reality of social isolation. Local charities spotlighted by the station had shown an increase in those taking advantage of their services, listeners and local organisations were contributing to a regular weekly calendar of local events and activities, and the station was providing information and advice on a variety of listener concerns such as scams and cold-callers. In 2006 Ofcom announced that they would be issuing the first full-time community radio licences. There are currently around 240 community radio stations serving small communities of interest around the UK. Having been on air continuously since February 2002, Angel Radio is the longest running community licensee and is still unique in both the music it plays and its aim to offer mental and physical stimulation to older people, provided by older people, in a relaxed, informal atmosphere, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Whilst Angel’s uniqueness continued to attract national TV and radio news and documentaries, until 2010 it was still only broadcasting to an area of about 15 miles on FM. There was plenty of feedback from potential listeners living outside the broadcast area, who had read or heard about the station. So, in 2010, Angel Radio began broadcasting on a regional digital (DAB) network covering West Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Initially, this cost many thousands of £££s per year, but the huge rise in listener numbers and their donations offset a major amount of the expense. Although Angel continues to seek financial support from a variety of sources, the largest part of Angel’s funding has always been listener donations. In 2014 Angel Radio attempted to take over Portsmouth’s commercial broadcaster, The Breeze, which would have enabled Angel Radio’s FM signal to be considerably stronger, raising its potential FM audience by tens of thousands. Although the bid failed, Ofcom advertised another community licencence for the Portsmouth & Havant area, which Angel applied for using the mass of positive information originally collected for the bid for The Breeze. Ofcom were impressed by the quality of Angel Radio’s proposals and they granted the station the new FM broadcast licence which provided the extended FM coverage that the Breeze takeover would have provided. FM is often still the radio of choice for older people. Angel Radio is currently seeking Ofcom’s permission for a further expansion of its coverage to include the city of Chichester. In 2015 the increased income from listener donations, and income from Angel Radio’s experimental Small Scale DAB transmissions, enabled further expansion of Angel’s DAB coverage too. For those with digital radios, Angel Radio currently broadcasts to London, Glasgow, Birmingham, Norwich, Brighton, Aldershot, Cambridge and Woking, in addition to West Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. This expansion is due to the groundbreaking work of Angel Radio’s Digital Development Manager, Ash Elford.