Sabena332 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (7 years 8 months 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 1621 times:
I am sure that ANCFlyer will know the answer to my first question.
In North Rhine-Westphalia, and probably in other parts of Germany were British troops are positioned, can everyone receive BFBS (British Forces Broadcasting Service). The good thing is that you can receive it via FM so you can also listen to it when you are driving in the car, and not only at home via satellite or cable.
I find it pretty amazing to be able to receive an English speaking radio station here in Germany as easy a a normal German radio station, BFBS belongs actually to my favourites.
Now I am curious: Is there also an American military radio station in the Rhein-Main area where a lot of American soldiers are positioned or is BFBS unique?
And if yes, does any German user listen to this station?
Does any other of the North Rhine-Westphalians on A.net also listen to BFBS?
Exile From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2005, 6 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (7 years 8 months 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 1606 times:
BFBS is also one of my favourites! It used to be one of the reasons I looked forward to going to Germany.
I could pick it up via FM in the middle of Lower Saxony too.
As I remember, back in 1995 when I spent a long time there, it used to be funnier - not quite like Good Morning Vietnam - but the presenters used to joke around a lot. Now it seems much more stiff.
Anyway, now you can get it online, live/streaming.
By the way, does anyone else tune into FM radio stations when they are flying as a passenger? ... or is it just me who's weird?
ANCFlyer From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (7 years 8 months 4 days 1 hour ago) and read 1602 times:
I can fondly remember AFN (AFRS-Europe) and the Chicken Man show from the 1980s . . . AFC TV was pretty tame and pretty lame back then. On at 9am, off at midnight or some such thing. Occasionally, during special events we'd get a live broadcast - Superbowls for instance.
Sabena332 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (7 years 8 months 4 days 1 hour ago) and read 1592 times:
Quoting Exile (Reply 1): As I remember, back in 1995 when I spent a long time there, it used to be funnier - not quite like Good Morning Vietnam - but the presenters used to joke around a lot. Now it seems much more stiff.
It was very, very funny in 1992 or 93 when I started to listen to it "actively". I grew up with BFBS, I remember that it was my parents' standard radio station when I was a child and that they heard it every time when we were in the car, unfortunately couldn't I understand the moderators back then.
But I agree, the program has become more stiff compared to 10 or so years ago (I will not imagine how it was in the 70's/80's.
Quoting ANCFlyer (Reply 2): can fondly remember AFN (AFRS-Europe)
John, you are right! I just found an interesting report via Google on the "Radio Bremen" website, they had an interesting report regarding the 60 years anniversary of BFBS, so they also mentioned AFN.
Interesting fact I heard in the report: BFBS is a private company working for the British military, AFN is part of the military and the mods are wearing normal uniforms like every other army member.
ANCFlyer From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (7 years 8 months 4 days 1 hour ago) and read 1587 times:
Quoting Sabena332 (Reply 3): AFN is part of the military and the mods are wearing normal uniforms like every other army member.
They are world wide - even broadcasting here in the states. There is a cable channel here that has them on 24/7. Army, Navy, Air Force. Haven't ever seen a Marine . . . guess they don't need the news . . . .
It is channel 72 here in Anchorage on GCI Cable systems . . .
HT From Germany, joined May 2005, 6475 posts, RR: 26 Reply 6, posted (7 years 8 months 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 1564 times:
Quoting Sabena332 (Reply 3): But I agree, the program has become more stiff compared to 10 or so years ago
Oops. Quite for a number of times I have to tune to another station because I can´t bear that nonsense they broadcast, but that´s nothing I would describe as "stiff" - it´s just not my taste.
Do you only listen to BFBS-1 or also to BFBS-2 ?
The -2 seems to use much less powerful transmitters in northern/western parts of Germany; it fades out rather fast when driving, while -1 has a pretty strong reception.
MD11Engineer From Germany, joined Oct 2003, 13369 posts, RR: 64 Reply 7, posted (7 years 8 months 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 1553 times:
We used to have the stations of all four Allied powers in Berlin, BFBS, AFN, the Soviet and French military radio and TV stations. After 1994 (Allied withdrawal from Berlin following the reunification), the BBC world service took over the old BFBS frequency and AFAIK, a French station took over the former French military radio.
The AFN is completely gone, I myself blew up the AFN transmission tower on the fields of Domaene DAhlem in Podbielskiallee in autumn 1996 during a civil defense exercise.
Chqdispatch From United States of America, joined Sep 2004, 50 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (7 years 8 months 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 1527 times:
Jan, jetzt wess ick warum da terror war in daaleem im herbst.
Did anyone actually watch AFN on TV? Man, they had some real crappy programming.
Aloges From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 8394 posts, RR: 47 Reply 9, posted (7 years 8 months 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 1515 times:
Quoting Sabena332 (Thread starter): In North Rhine-Westphalia, and probably in other parts of Germany were British troops are positioned, can everyone receive BFBS
same for the Gifhorn area in Lower Saxony
Quoting Sabena332 (Thread starter): Now I am curious: Is there also an American military radio station in the Rhein-Main area where a lot of American soldiers are positioned or is BFBS unique?
Sure! I love hopw the AFN anchors usually say "Shtootgart"! Check http://www.afneurope.net/ for info on the network. In Heidelberg, you can listen to it via both FM and cable and AFN has its place among the stations stored in my radio receiver(s).
Quoting Sabena332 (Thread starter): And if yes, does any German user listen to this station?
As you might have guessed by now: Yes!
Quoting Sabena332 (Thread starter): Does any other of the North Rhine-Westphalians on A.net also listen to BFBS?
I spent September in Bielefeld doing an internship, BFBS Radio One usually offered some of the more "listenworthy" music.
Walk together, talk together all ye peoples of the earth. Then, and only then, shall ye have peace.
ANCFlyer From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (7 years 8 months 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 1508 times:
Quoting Chqdispatch (Reply 8): Did anyone actually watch AFN on TV? Man, they had some real crappy programming.
I guess that's perspective. IN the late 1970s and early 1980s AFN had a pretty decent selection of programming from the States. I watched it, I was a young soldier and it was a taste of home. What I did find humorous was the lack of commercials . . . . no advertisements . . . .instead, military propaganda: Re-Enlist, Safety Programs, Fire Prevention, blah, blah. I recall having been "in-country" for two years then heading back to the States on leave and seeing a commerical for the first time - again. Rather mezmerised watching a commercial . . . .
KROC From United States of America, joined May 2000, 19737 posts, RR: 75 Reply 11, posted (7 years 8 months 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 1502 times:
In Korea, all the programs on AFN were usually a season behind too. Like ANCFlyer though I remember all the military proaganda too. If I have to hear one more time about driving with your radio off (a requirement for G.I.'s in Korea) I'm gonna go on a killing spree.
"Never tell anybody outside the family what you're thinking again"
Andreas From Germany, joined Oct 2001, 6104 posts, RR: 34 Reply 12, posted (7 years 8 months 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 1491 times:
BFBS, my favorite during Berlin student days, AFN, not that often, except one highlight of the program: The King Biscuit Flower Hour...does someone remember that?
Always in the evening 10 pm or so, and they played Live gigs from the USA, I remember the first time, Molly Hatchet I believe it was.
Today my favorites in Berlin are 3 stations that are to be found side by side on the panel:
1. 101.3 Classic Radio
2. 101.9 Jazz Radio
3. 102.6 Radio Fritz
Skidmarks From UK - England, joined Dec 2004, 7121 posts, RR: 60 Reply 13, posted (7 years 8 months 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 1486 times:
I remember BFBS when I was stationed in Germany. We called it "Bumbling Fumbling Broadcasting Service" as it was a very amateur operation. It got better though and I don't know what it is like now.
AFN was the other English language station, for the American Forces. Not as funny and disjointed as BFBS but better than RDF etc
A lot of BFBS staff went on to have careers with other stations by all accounts, so they can't have been that bad.
BFBS telly was a godsend too, when it finally came out.
David L From United Kingdom, joined May 1999, 9243 posts, RR: 42 Reply 16, posted (7 years 8 months 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 1463 times:
Quoting Skidmarks (Reply 13): A lot of BFBS staff went on to have careers with other stations by all accounts
I'm sure there were more but the only one I know of was Tommy Vance. I used to listen to his evening show in about 1977/78 in JHQ (Rheindahlen) but I can't remember much about it. They played some UK chart stuff. There was a phone-in competition, maybe not on his show, which often involved some drunk phoning in from the pub with a ridiculous answer.
A few years earlier, in Braunschweig, I used to listen to some Tales of the Forest type of childrens story when I got home from school. Gripping stuff!
Aloges From Germany, joined Jan 2006, 8394 posts, RR: 47 Reply 17, posted (7 years 8 months 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 1459 times:
Quoting Skidmarks (Reply 13): AFN was the other English language station, for the American Forces. Not as funny and disjointed as BFBS
Funny, nowadays it seems to be the other way around... AFN can give you the heebie-jeebies every now and then whereas BFBS sounds as professional as most others.
[Edited 2005-10-20 18:27:07]
Walk together, talk together all ye peoples of the earth. Then, and only then, shall ye have peace.
Stratofish From Germany, joined Sep 2001, 1019 posts, RR: 6 Reply 19, posted (7 years 8 months 2 days ago) and read 1412 times:
I only get BFBS 1 while driving near or south of the river Elbe and (of course) on cable and online. Been listening to it for a long time.
Usually Sunday is the best, starting with the Rock Show from 7pm-9pm (CET) and finishing with the Chillout Room 11pm-1am. Better than any German Radio show (well, Bremen4 used to be ok too).
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AFN can give you the heebie-jeebies every now and then whereas BFBS sounds as professional as most others.
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