Orchard FM

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Orchard FM

Broadcast area	Yeovil and Taunton
Frequency	97.1 MHz, 102.6 MHz
First air date	26 November 1989
Format	Contemporary
Audience share	16.6% (September 2007, [1])
Owner	GCap Media
Website	www.orchardfm.co.uk

Orchard FM is an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting from Somerset, England. Previously owned (and officially remains licenced) by Orchard Media Ltd, the company was purchased by GWR Group in 1999, and who subsequently became GCap Media in 2005. The station is based at Haygrove House, Shoreditch near Taunton, next door to the M5.

The main frequency is on 102.6FM from the Mendip TV Mast. This is at 4 kW, mixed polarisation. The signal is highly directional, with the maximum ERP only being radiated to the south and into Somerset in order to prevent a coverage and thus programming overlap with GWR FM from Bristol.

Other frequencies are 97.1FM from Chedington (near Crewkerne), which is at 400 watts, but again directional in order to prevent interference with nearby Wessex FM from the Dorchester area, which broadcasts on 97.2FM. This transmitter exists to reinforce coverage in the Yeovil, North Dorset and South Somerset areas. 96.5FM radiates from a 60-watt transmitter located in the gardens of the converted house at Shoreditch in Taunton, from which Orchard FM operates. This transmitter reinforces signal in the Taunton area.

In November 2005 it was announced that GCap's local radio stations in the South West, including Orchard FM, were to be sold. This is due to the fact that they were outside of the company's primary target area. This sale was called off in Spring 2006 because the bids received were much lower than hoped.[2].