DAB in Ireland: RTE multiplex closed

L1011

WRN is FTA on Astra 2, so you'll still be able to get it if you want it. Nowhere near as convenient as a portable DAB, but similar enough to a table radio.

"WRN English Europe 11389 V 27500-2/3"

byrnefm

No satellite dish at my house, unfortunately (I'm renting) - however, I'm sure I'll find it on shortwave, too. Didn't know it was on satellite, though - cheers!

DMC

Back at home yesterday, Three Rock was definately stronger here indoors than Clermont Carn was last week, which is excellent news. About 60% outdoors, and useable indoors.

Still here today, and my guess is that Three Rock is off air today?

byrnefm

Three Rock was on the air yesterday all day, AFAIK - it certainly was at 8:15pm last night, anyway and is still on air at the moment.

Question - on the following Radio Engineering website in the UK:
http://radioengnews.blogspot.com/

It mentions of several DAB channels for each region (I'd say Dublin and Donegal were mixed up) and I contacted the blog owner about it, as I've never seen channel 11 mentioned for DAB here before. He said that he came across it on some EU website - is RTÉ planning on acquiring the channels listed on this webpage at the RRC this year?

lawhec

It might well be that these block 11 assignments were already there, it is that while TV bradcasts on Channel I continue from Truskmore and Mt.Leinster, they're unusable for the time being.

Edit - some details here (very technical!) - http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/conferences/rrc/rrc-04/intersession/workshops/damaskus/docs/Exercise/ITU_7_Digiital_Exercise.pdf

waiguoren

I was able to pick up the 6 stations at the weekend no problem from my Sony DAB radio. However, it was a bit hit and miss from my handheld DAB radio walking around Dublin 1&2 - sometimes I just got no sound out at all without any explanation as to why. It is the trinlock srpocket dab which is also sold under another name by Richer Sounds. It works fine in Manchester city centre though, so it looks like they need to do a bit more work on the DAB network here.

Has anyone got a WIFI radio such as this one:
http://www.reciva.com/news/article.asp?ItemID=45

WRN is also available on Worldspace (I can't remember if WRN is one of the few free channels or not), but I think it's better to wait until DRM is available as I'm sure WRN will be available there.

Mayo Exile

It was mentioned further up the thread that it was not worth buying a DAB set just to listen to RTE's test broadcasts. So I am enquiring as to whether UK DAB signals can be picked up indoors in Dundalk town or whether you would need an external antenna or can they be received at all?

White Horse

Mayo Exile wrote:

It was mentioned further up the thread that it was not worth buying a DAB set just to listen to RTE's test broadcasts. So I am enquiring as to whether UK DAB signals can be picked up indoors in Dundalk town or whether you would need an external antenna or can they be received at all?

I am able to pick up BBC digital radio via a loft aerial 10 miles south of Dundalk. Until RTE started transmission, I had a 100% signal. Since RTE started transmission, I have less than 50%. It's still listenable though, with no breaking up.

I'd guess you'd need a loft aerial in Dundalk. To get a good reception via a telescopic area, you'd need to be in the west of the county and well above sea level.

If you purchase, make sure you buy a dab radio that works well in fringe areas. I have two radios and the ability of each to pick up a weak signal is very different.

DMC

Which of the two pick up the weak signal better, WH? The Arcam DT81 or the Roberts RD1?

White Horse

DMC wrote:

Which of the two pick up the weak signal better, WH? The Arcam DT81 or the Roberts RD1?

The Arcam DT81 picks up the weak signal much better. It also has a superb DAC. That's what you get for £500, I suppose.

The RD1 is great for recording onto SD cards and transferring to my IPOD, but requires a stronger signal than the Arcam.

Mayo Exile

There's a rooftop uhf directional aerial getting Group A tv signals from Divis. Would this pick up DAB signals as well, even though its not the right aerial for the job?

DMC

White Horse wrote:

The Arcam DT81 picks up the weak signal much better. It also has a superb DAC. That's what you get for £500, I suppose.

The RD1 is great for recording onto SD cards and transferring to my IPOD, but requires a stronger signal than the Arcam.

Heh, guessed as much.

Mayo Exile

There's a rooftop uhf directional aerial getting Group A tv signals from Divis. Would this pick up DAB signals as well, even though its not the right aerial for the job?

Would this work?

lawhec

Mayo Exile wrote:

Would this work?

Pretty much only in the sense of acting like a random piece of metal as...

(A) the frequencies for DAB are well out of band for the TV aerial in question.
(B) the aerial will be horizontally polarised while DAB transmissions are vertical.

It would be no harm trying I suppose but don't expect miracles.

Mayo Exile

Thanks for that NC. Much like a lightning conductor is a piece of metal I suppose...!!!! Its been mentioned in other threads that if you can get Freeview, DAB reception is possible. I get solid enough reception on BBC4, Channel Five, as well as patchy reception on BBC1, 2, UTV, Ch. 4 etc. So I was thinking DAB reception could be possible.....

lawhec

Mayo Exile wrote:

Thanks for that NC. Much like a lightning conductor is a piece of metal I suppose...!!!! Its been mentioned in other threads that if you can get Freeview, DAB reception is possible. I get solid enough reception on BBC4, Channel Five, as well as patchy reception on BBC1, 2, UTV, Ch. 4 etc. So I was thinking DAB reception could be possible.....

That's a rather dangerous assumption to make.

For example in Strabane it's rather difficult to receive Freeview on DTT, but DAB radio is perfectly possible.

Mayo Exile

That's a rather dangerous assumption to make.

Apologies. A lightning conductor is a potentially important piece of equipment!

(A) the frequencies for DAB are well out of band for the TV aerial in question.
(B) the aerial will be horizontally polarised while DAB transmissions are vertical.

What are the frequencies in Mhz DAB is broadcast on? What type of external aerial would you need?

Hissing Sideban

DAB is on Band III, typically around 200 MHz

What would work reasonably well is an RTE tv aerial - ideally one that is not too narrowband, like the skeleton slot design ( a horizontal rectangle, the coax connected across the middle and with two vertical reflectors behind, each joined with a short piece of aluminium to the shorter sides of the rectangle) or the log periodic - (looks sort of like a very tapered yagi,) - both should be available from local TV shops, (in non UHF areas of course)

DMC

Mayo Exile wrote:

What are the frequencies in Mhz DAB is broadcast on? What type of external aerial would you need?

RTÉ are currently using 12C, which is 227.360 MHz
12A, the other frequency alotted for Ireland, is 223.936 MHz.

In the North, the BBC mux is on 12B, 225.648 MHz, while Score is on 12D, 229.072 MHz

Mayo Exile

RTÉ are currently using 12C, which is 227.360 MHz
12A, the other frequency alotted for Ireland, is 223.936 MHz.

In the North, the BBC mux is on 12B, 225.648 MHz, while Score is on 12D, 229.072 MHz

These are VHF Band III, channel J frequencies aren't they? I have an old VHF RTE aerial used when the local Castlebar RTE relay broadcast in VHF in pre-TG4 days. This would work wouldn't it? Does anybody know what VHF frequency this relay used then?

DMC

Yep, Channel J alright. I've no idea what Castlebar VHF relay was on.

lawhec

DMC wrote:

Yep, Channel J alright. I've no idea what Castlebar VHF relay was on.

The old Castlebar relay, when on VHF used VHF Band III channels D and F.

Mayo Exile

The old Castlebar relay, when on VHF used VHF Band III channels D and F.

Thanks for that NC. Would my VHF aerial work, despite the DAB frequencies being J, even though its probably meant for D and F?

satgirl

Was in Peats, Parnell Street today.

They had a Harmon Karden tuner on display picking up Lyric on DAB @ 192kbits.

byrnefm

That's a good way of them [Peats] causing trouble for themselves in three months, after the signal's switched off "Hey, this worked yesterday!"

byrnefm

Tried out the DAB portable up to the airport on Monday night (Three Rock was on) - reception was clear for the most part on the Aircoach except around Parnell St and some streets nearby (including one or two spots near the airport on the M1), where reception level dropped so low (3 '>') that burbling happened for a moment or two. Apart from that, it was good. Even so, I'd have hoped for non-interrupted reception all the way, though maybe I'm asking for too much

It was kind of funny listening to WRN on the way at around 7pm - programming changed from Radio Polonia to ... RTÉ Radio 1 news! There was definitely a gap in time between Radio 1 and that on WRN by a few minutes (though that, of course, had nothing to do with it being on DAB).

lawhec

LIFT ALERT!!!
Digital 1 is coming in for myself full whack on 12A and bubbly on 11D. Score Ayr (11B) is also coming in above threshold.

Disappointingly, still no sign of the RTÉ DAB test on 12C despite better reception on FM from Celrmont carn than normal and most of the FM stations from Three Rock coming well in

stylers

Howye All,

good bit of a lift on tonight, should be good for next 2 days or so. no sign of the BBC or score MUX's down here in westmeath yet though...

Owen.

http://home.cogeco.ca/~dxinfo/tropo_nwe.html

Theres high pressure meandering about the place and its likely to be around for a while so you should see it affecting radio signals in a good way from time to time.

watty

Yep on Monday all day a VHF 2 way radio in Co. Limerick was working with a Cornish repeater. Less than 2W TX and with 10dB receive attenuator. Absolutely perfect audio for at least 4 hours, with poorer signal in afternoon.

It was also operating with a Belfast (Hollywood hills) repeater. It *IS* connected to an aerial 30m (90ft) up a mast on a fairly serious hill.

In November it was on test here and linking to Dundee.

It is part of a larger Irish VHF/UHF repeater network and used to link a VHF repeater in N. Tipp with a UHF repeater in Mid Co. Limerick.

Sunday and last Monday week was good too. but today it has shifted. Spanish stations heard today via Mullaganish VHF repeater, or possibly a Spanish repeater heard direct to Limerick City. Around 1991 I picked up Spanish TV near Sth Cir Rd in Limerick on a portable TV with whip aerial on VHF.