Hasty Briefsbeta

Farewell Economy 7, a Casualty of the Long Wave Switch-Off

a month ago
  • #Economy7
  • #LongWave
  • #BBC
  • Economy 7 was a 1980s UK electricity system using off-peak power for storage heaters.
  • The system relied on a BBC Radio 4 Long Wave signal at 198 kHz for nationwide control.
  • In 2025, the BBC is shutting down its Long Wave service, making Economy 7 meters obsolete.
  • The signal was phase-modulated and allowed different energy use programs.
  • Droitwich transmitter's shutdown is due to the unavailability of high-power vacuum tubes.
  • Electricity companies are replacing old meters with smart meters, but progress is slow.
  • Some users report modern non-smart Economy 7 meters track time via 50Hz cycles.
  • Discussions include potential hacks to manipulate the system, like generating fake signals.
  • Long Wave's reliability contrasts with modern internet-dependent systems.
  • The shutdown raises concerns about the future of services like the Shipping Forecast.