The future of RTE Radio 1 LW

Go to http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/

You can hardly hear RTE , it used to be way clearer than this on this SDR , listen hard enough and you'll just barely hear RTE in the background.

RTE really should change frequency, was there not some agreement that stations would not broadcast on the same frequency ?

Maybe ALG turned up the power to knock RTE out ? at least they're playing good music, Never going to give you up, Rick Astley ! wow takes me back ! :-)

dxhound2005

Deleted User wrote: »

Go to http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/

You can hardly hear RTE , it used to be way clearer than this on this SDR , listen hard enough and you'll just barely hear RTE in the background.

RTE really should change frequency, was there not some agreement that stations would not broadcast on the same frequency ?

Maybe ALG turned up the power to knock RTE out ? at least they're playing good music, Never going to give you up, Rick Astley ! wow takes me back ! :-)

At other times of day RTE is equal to or stronger than Algeria on that Dutch radio. At night I can completely null out RTE and get Algeria very strong in Dundalk, which is not very far from Summerhill. But if I turn my radio, Algeria disappears. Everyone in Ireland should be able to do something similar.

Czech on 270 is a good signal even with 50 KW at night, and Poland is very strong on 225. I don't know if they are using the full 1000 KW.

I have various radios, those results are from a Grundig Satellit 700, using the internal ferrite bar antenna indoors.

I have a Wellbrook ALA 1530 loop antenna outside on a rotator which gives a 40 dB over S9 signal from RTE on a JRC NRD525 receiver. But again I can completely null out RTE and get Algeria very strong by rotating the antenna.

feez

Deleted User wrote: »

Go to http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/

You can hardly hear RTE , it used to be way clearer than this on this SDR , listen hard enough and you'll just barely hear RTE in the background.

RTE really should change frequency, was there not some agreement that stations would not broadcast on the same frequency ?

Maybe ALG turned up the power to knock RTE out ? at least they're playing good music, Never going to give you up, Rick Astley ! wow takes me back ! :-)

I can't see why they would want to knock out RTÉ, it's not like they're hearing it in Algeria anyway :pac:

Propagation will vary and will be clearer on some days than others, but yes, RTÉ was very strong on this websdr with a little ALG in the background (back in the day)

dxhound2005

Now at 6 pm RTE is by far the dominant signal on that Dutch receiver. 9 + 20 dB on their signal meter. Just a little ALG in the background.

kazoo106

846 From Inishowen in Donegal is stronger on that SDR than 252

TAFKAlawhec

Deleted User wrote: »

Magnetic loops offer excellent rejection of interference and can be mounted in the attic.

Just like TV reception, the signal is always best with an external antenna.

The average Joe in GB whom is listening to RTÉ Radio 1 via long wave is likely listening via a portable or boom box which have no external aerial input, or a hi-fi which might have at best a plastic loop to give directivity. Talk of grounding etc. is also well beyond such technical reception capabilities especially for those living in built up areas (as many Irish ex-pats in GB are). DRM is also (sadly) a busted flush.

Given current trends in LW broadcasting, I'd say the current LW 252 service will be gone from the airways in two years time. It's only got a stay of execution for the time being.

DRM is actually gaining interest whether it actually takes off , who knows , there needs to be more radios made available.

A good Am signal is far better in quality anyway the trade off in digital is no noise but they usually use low bitrates which makes the audio sound much worse than a good Am signal, however they can use higher bitrates too.

In the U.S AM radio is still huge , there are no signs of DRM taking off any time soon. E.U countries are hell bent on getting rid of radio altogether and using the Internet or DAB, which is all fine and dandy only in the car you can't receive it and I do not believe everyone should be forced to use the internet to listen to radio but obviously there are cost benefits to the radio companies by not having to maintain transmitter equipment.

I do hope that when 252 closes that RTE do not dismantle the transmitter like most of the European countries are doing. There could be money to be made with the transmitter at some point.

Antenna

dxhound2005 wrote: »

At other times of day RTE is equal to or stronger than Algeria on that Dutch radio. At night I can completely null out RTE and get Algeria very strong in Dundalk, which is not very far from Summerhill. But if I turn my radio, Algeria disappears. Everyone in Ireland should be able to do something similar.

In parts of Ireland the two would be approaching 180 degrees apart so not of use in those areas. And of course no use on a car radio, where LW is most likely to be used by the general public. The technically obvious thing to do is move up +9kHz to clear channel 261kHz on at least a trial basis.

feez wrote: »

I can't see why they would want to knock out RTÉ, it's not like they're hearing it in Algeria anyway :pac:

Though they do want to be heard in France, where Algeria has a lot of ex-pats

Deleted User wrote: »

DRM is actually gaining interest whether it actually takes off , who knows , there needs to be more radios made available.

Its been around for years, tested on MW, LW in Germany etc then abandoned.

That said there are once again DRM tests on MW in Europe from north west France, on and off on 1071kHz MW (its just 'noise' on an AM receiver) of a service intended for mariners

Mickey Mike

RTE will not move to 261 or anywhere else or increase in power even, there prime goal is to switch the Long Wave service off, more so now when France turned off there's.

dxhound2005

Antenna wrote: »

In parts of Ireland the two would be approaching 180 degrees apart so not of use in those areas. And of course no use on a car radio, where LW is most likely to be used by the general public. The technically obvious thing to do is move up +9kHz to clear channel 261kHz on at least a trial basis.

261 won't be much use to people with new cars. They don't have LW these days.

marno21

Mickey Mike wrote: »

RTE will not move to 261 or anywhere else or increase in power even, there prime goal is to switch the Long Wave service off, more so now when France turned off there's.

There are still 3 French stations on 183, 216 and 234kHz. They may not have TXs within France but there is still obviously a market for them. Monaco doesn't need a 1.4MW transmitter to cover its area so there is clearly still listenership in France.

The 162kHz carrier is still on to facilitate data transmission on the carrier itself so there could be a future for an radio station on the sidebands.

dxhound2005 wrote: »

261 won't be much use to people with new cars. They don't have LW these days.

I have a 2011 car that has LW and is very clear with good selective reception. It's the radio that came with the car too.

The Parish priest

Mods badly need to change the title of this thread

Mycroft H

Getting 252 clear on a Tecsun multiband tonight in Leeds.

Mickey Mike

I was a huge fan of Atlantic 252 back in the day with booming sound rocking Ireland and beyond. But now its sound quality is way down with the reduction of power and clashing with Algerian radio at the same time Day and Night. Its not worth talking about, only recking one's head. Believe me RTE will do nothing to improve the situation, only watch that red button to turn off.

Fuzzy Clam

CVB wrote:

Yes you should be free to roam automatically but I would give PAYG Customer care a call to make sure International roaming is not disabled on your account just to be sure . Call 1747 from your Vodafone Mobile or 1850 208787 from any other phone .

Mycroft H wrote:

Getting 252 clear on a Tecsun multiband tonight in Leeds.

What station though ? :-).
You're in a good area to be able to null out Algeria. Turn the radio approx 90 degrees and RTE won't be so good.

Mycroft H

RTE. Directional antenna is pretty good in the Tecsun PL600. My car picks up RTE pretty clear too, it's nice to catch up with the news.

Fuzzy Clam

I have no idea why the first quote in my previous post occured.

Fuzzy Clam

Mycroft H wrote:

RTE. Directional antenna is pretty good in the Tecsun PL600. My car picks up RTE pretty clear too, it's nice to catch up with the news.

RTE absolutely hammered on the NL SDR tonight.

The Parish priest

it's a big exaggeration to say that lw 252 is running at only 5kw, it's actually running at about 120kw=150kw by day and about 60kw=75kw by night.. personally I think it would be wiser to run it at higher power during the day and just switch it off for the night.

marno21

The Parish priest wrote: »

it's a big exaggeration to say that lw 252 is running at only 5kw, it's actually running at about 120kw=150kw by day and about 60kw=75kw by night.. personally I think it would be wiser to run it at higher power during the day and just switch it off for the night.

This is a good call. The fact that it can barely be heard in Ireland at night says enough about how effective it is at covering the diaspora.

I can here 252 perfectly here near Carlow.

How much could be saved my shutting down a big ass valve transmitter at night when it has to warm up for the day ?

Fuzzy Clam

Deleted User wrote:

How much could be saved my shutting down a big ass valve transmitter at night when it has to warm up for the day ?

Its not a valve transmitter.
Even if it was, it wouldnt take long to warm up providing dampness isn't an issue in the premises.

Oh that's a shame, thought it was a big valve transmitter. Oh well.

Seems like less of a reason to shut it down then.

marno21

Deleted User wrote: »

I can here 252 perfectly here near Carlow.

Can you not hear RTE Radio 1 perfectly on 91.8? If so, you don't need 252. The main parts of the country without FM reception are along the south, west and north west coasts. The south coast has severe interference from Algeria rendering 252 useless, and a few FM relays would be much more useful than 252 for covering the west and north west coasts.

Mickey Mike

I was in west Birmingham just outside of it for 3 days last August, I had my portable radio and tuned into 252, I wonder how people listen to such trash and noise, even had the radio outside, turned it and all the works. If RTE want to save a few bob they should it off from 7pm to 7am and operate that transmitter on full power at 300kw.

marno21

marno21 wrote: »

Can you not hear RTE Radio 1 perfectly on 91.8? If so, you don't need 252. The main parts of the country without FM reception are along the south, west and north west coasts. The south coast has severe interference from Algeria rendering 252 useless, and a few FM relays would be much more useful than 252 for covering the west and north west coasts.

Yes of course I can but Someone mentioned the poor signal elsewhere in the country so I said I can hear 252 perfectly here.

Perhaps, or maybe they should have kept the old MW station going ? or just run 252 on full power ?

kazoo106

If they put 567 on from Summerhill, the signal would be quite good into the UK

Mickey Mike

It would be a better job to activate MW 567 from Tullamore again. I could never understand why RTE shut off MW. They carried out major refurbishment on the mast in 2004 and then abandoned it in 2008. They should have installed a new solid state transmitter and keep it going.

Was the Mw transmitter using valves and did they die , was that the reason for shutting it down ?

252 was even upgraded to DRM yet they couldn't be arsed transmitting in DRM .

I'd say if they had their way all transmitters would be shut down and everyone would be streaming at horrible 56 Kbps Mp3 !!!