Envelope-to: dave@picks.force9.co.uk
Delivery-date: Fri, 03 Jun 2005 14:55:44 +0100
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From: "Alan Melia" <Alan.Melia@btinternet.com>
To: "LF-Group" <rsgb_lf_group@blacksheep.org>
Date: Fri, 3 Jun 2005 14:48:56 +0100
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Subject: LF: MSF futures
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Hi all, the following was received in an NPL Time & Frequency Newsletter
recently.

--------------------------------
       The Future of the MSF Radio Time Signal

The MSF standard-frequency and time signal is one of the most widely used
sources of time in the UK. It is transmitted on behalf of the NPL by BT plc
from its Rugby Radio Station on a frequency of 60kHz

The current contract to broadcast the signal finishes at the end of March
2007, and recently the Department of Trade and Industry has commissioned
studies to consider the longer-term future of the signal. As a result of
this work, DTI has given the go-ahead for NPL to procure the MSF broadcast
for a further 10 years.

It is anticipated that there will be no interuption to the MSF service,
whatever the outcome of the contract negotiations. It is possible that MSF
operation will need to be tranferred to another site within the UK, but if
that proves to be the case, a key aim will be to ensure that the reception
of the signal is the same or better than it is at present over the whole of
the UK.
-----------------------------------------------

Cheers de Alan G3NYK