2LO

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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. This building, opposite Somerset House, was demolished in 2006, apart from the listed façade, which will be incorporated into a new hotel complex.^[1]

Initially the power was 100 watts on 350 metres (857kc.). 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 was itself replaced in 1927 by the British Broadcasting Corporation or BBC. 2LO is also the name of the transmitter from which the station originated and now resides at the Science Museum. The radio station was replaced by the London BBC Regional Programme and the BBC National Programme.

The 'LO' part of 2LO's callsign was later adopted by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's metropolitan radio station in Melbourne. The station, 3LO (its official callsign is actually VL-3LO), was known as 774 3LO until 2000 and is now known as 774 ABC Melbourne.

[edit] Notes

The 2LO transmitter at the science museum was donated by Crown Castle International on 7 November 2002. [1]

The amateur radio callsign G2LO is currently held by the staff association at National Grid Wireless, formerly Crown Castle International, formerly the BBC Transmitter Dept. [2]

[edit] External links

• BBC - Press Office - 2LO
• History of the BBC - Pre-BBC
• The Science Museum: London Calling
• History of Marconi House where 2LO first broadcast

Coordinates: 51°30′43.6″N 0°07′6.2″W / 51.512111, -0.118389

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