RTE Radio 1 reception

dixiefly

I think I posted about this a few years ago.

Basically, I am finding it harder and harder to get a decent reception of RTE Radio 1. I tune in at 89.1mhz. It is especially bad with any small portable radio. There is always a hiss and, depending on the location, can have serious interference from 2FM.

There are other channels such as Newstalk, Radio na Gaeltachta that are almost perfect. It is so bad that I bought a DAB for when I am in Dublin and on the bus etc but it is intermittent.

It has got to the stage where I just dont bother tuning in anymore but I like some of their programmes.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? I thought about msking a complaint but will it have any effect if it is just 1 person complaining?

Greenman

Where are you located?

Plus have you seen http://www.rte.ie/radio/tuning.html ?

trad

I was in St Vincents Hospital, Elm Park, about 500 meters from RTE and I couldn't get a good signal without hiss on my phone radio. Other chanels were coming in fine but I couldn't get the 'Rolling Wave'

dixiefly

Greenman wrote: »

Where are you located?

Plus have you seen http://www.rte.ie/radio/tuning.html ?

Thanks for the response.

I am in Trim Co. Meath and 89.1mhz from Kippure seems correct. I often try other frequencies. I also try to listen in Dublin without much success either.

What gets to me is that this is (supposedly) the flagship station in the country and does have some very good programmes. Only you cannot hear them properly.

I resort to online sometimes at home. The clock radio in the bedroom is better but still quite a bit of hiss at times.

Greenman

What about 87.8 from Clermont Carn?

Seems strange, are you in a valley or close-by electrical pylons?

Damo is out near you I think maybe he can add something.

In Belgium I listen at home via satellite and in my truck on the LW band.

Let us know.

yaboyabobo

I love listening to Rte radio over here in London.It was off the air on lw a few days ago but its back better than ever.Of course its also available online and thru Sky.

BrianD

trad wrote: »

I was in St Vincents Hospital, Elm Park, about 500 meters from RTE and I couldn't get a good signal without hiss on my phone radio. Other chanels were coming in fine but I couldn't get the 'Rolling Wave'

Just to note that no FM broadcast transmissions originate from Donnybrook!

The problem that the OP has seems unusual. It's unfortunate fact of life that portable FM receivers are becoming poorer in quality. I would suggest that the OP gets a receiver with a digital display so he knows he is correctly tuned in. Another option would be to purchase an external FM receiving aerial.

exaisle

I have perfect RTE1 from Kippure on 89.1....and I'm in line of sight to the transmitter. However, I have distortion on Lyric FM on 97.8...it's not terribly obvious at low volume but at higher volumes it's easier to hear..and it's only during music (probably stereo) rather than voice/speech/continuity (probably mono).

DMC

Kippure on 89.1 booms in across the whole of Co. Meath, 87.8 from Clermont Carn might be stronger the nearer Louth you are, but for Trim, 89.1 is the only game in town. (Mount Leinster can be used too, 89.6)

I've never had an issue with Kippure with my small portable Roberts while on busses down the years from Dublin to Kells, so a couple of things come to mind for the OP.

1. Type of radios used?
2. As Greenman suggested, Pylons or other sources of electrical interference? Wiring in an old house can be a factor.
3. Is it ok outside, but crap inside, or are both crap?
4. Have you tried inside a modern car with a digital display near the location where the interference occurs?

Another thing to note, I find radios in mobile phones are next to hopeless. the FM receiver is more often an after thought.

DublinWriter

DMC wrote: »

Kippure on 89.1 booms in across the whole of Co. Meath, 87.8 from Clermont Carn might be stronger the nearer Louth you are, but for Trim, 89.1 is the only game in town. (Mount Leinster can be used too, 89.6)

It's the weirdest thing. I'm in Meath. If I take my portable radio into my home-office room I can only listen on 87.8. A couple of doors down the hall I can only pick up 89.1 on the same radio!

Antenna

dixiefly wrote: »

Basically, I am finding it harder and harder to get a decent reception of RTE Radio 1. I tune in at 89.1mhz. It is especially bad with any small portable radio. There is always a hiss and, depending on the location, can have serious interference from 2FM.

If you are using a radio with 'dial' tuning, and the relevant components are getting worn out - the low end of the band can be impossible to tune (you might hear a rumbling sound while tuning) , whilst stations higher up in frequency is unaffected.

Mike 1972

Would 88.5 (Three Rock) not come in better at the OP's location ?

lucernarian

Kippure's output of 160kW ERP would beat the hell out of Three Rock's ERP of 20 kW (IIRC), and they're equidistant from Trim.

From what I find while using my mobile phone on buses is that roughly north of the airport, Kippure is usually equal or stronger in strength compared to Three Rock.

I'm in Louth but can almost see Kippure from the roof. Or a 50 m walk away and I can see it from the road. Kippure comes in a fair bit better than three rock, but three rock is still good. 87.8 from C.C. comes in slightly better here overall, but it's the opposite for 2fm and especially Today FM.

As for quality, I've no issues with Radio 1 quality in recent days.

I have a small stereo system here which came with one of those simple wire aerials that plugs into the co-ax socket. If I use that aerial, Kippure comes in better than Three Rock. Three Rock hisses quite a bit and when a train passes me overhead (due to my proximity to the Dublin - Sligo railway line) the radio loses RDS. However Kippure seems to be solid no matter what. The radio doesn't seem to auto tune like car radios do, maybe it wasn't implemented since the thing isn't exactly portable.