ARCHIVE: Bryan Green
A chance to view an entire Ceefax AM broadcast from early January 1988 – including the test card and pulse and bar signal that preceded it.
Video content
[00:00:00] TEST SIGNAL: the first thing to appear on BBC One each morning, when transmitters were powered on again after the overnight shutdown, was the pulse and bar test signal, accompanied by tone.
It was usually fed out from BBC Television Centre for about 20 minutes, allowing enough time for all the transmitters across the UK to power up again.
[00:00:26] TEST CARD: at 5.52am (and 30 seconds), Test Card F would appear, accompanied by music.
A full list of tracks played during this Ceefax AM broadcast is shown below.
[00:07:55] TELETEXT IN-VISION: at exactly 6am, Ceefax AM would start. A text-based digest of news, newspaper reviews, finance, sport, weather and TV listings.
The BBC One Ceefax tape being played here is Simple Piano, which was in use from 28th September 1987 until 25th October 1988.
The tracks played:
[00:00:29] Simple Piano performed by The Maximus Music Players.
[00:03:11] Sand Dunes performed by The Maximus Music Players.
[00:06:55] Rambo Mambo performed by The Maximus Music Players.
[00:10:03] Ginger Bread performed by The Maximus Music Players.
[00:13:06] Karen’s Song performed by The Maximus Music Players.
[00:15:53] Shaka performed by The Maximus Music Players.
[00:19:05] No Time performed by The Maximus Music Players.
[00:22:38] I Want This Love performed by The Maximus Music Players.
[00:25:47] Hunger in My Heart performed by The Maximus Music Players.
[00:28:51] Oscar’s Place performed by The Maximus Music Players.
[00:31:03] Living of You performed by The Maximus Music Players.
[00:34:44] See When You Can performed by The Maximus Music Players.
[00:38:45] Thanks performed by The Maximus Music Players.
[00:41:30] Love Is On Your Side performed by The Maximus Music Players.
[00:44:31] Save Your Love performed by The Maximus Music Players.
This track was faded out by the announcer by [00:46:30].
Tracks also featured on this tape but which were not aired during this broadcast:
Shady Lady performed by The Maximus Music Players.
Maringo performed by The Maximus Music Players.
Drifting Along performed by The Maximus Music Players.
The Strip performed by The Maximus Music Players.
[00:46:30] IDENT: unfortunately, we only have the beginning of the continuity link into the first programme of the day – Edgar Kennedy – before the recording ends. But, better than nothing at all.
Acknowledgements
PICTURED: Ceefax AM. COPYRIGHT: BBC.
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