DAB in Ireland: RTE multiplex closed

Danish Daddy

In my experience, apart from late 90s/V early 00s prototypes, Every DAB radio has FM, even if it's not written on the front of the box. That DAB/FM kitchen radio at €25 is more or less the same price as the Roberts R993 FM/MW/LW, nobody would say that the Roberts shouldn't be stocked now that MW & LW are closed in Ireland 🤷

Andy From Sligo

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Danish Daddy

Below is what's on a small scale DAB operation in Northern Ireland, Bear in mind that the local community stations are also available on FM. It has pretty much ended up like the EIrdab trial in cork a few years ago that only got external Religious stations and a relay of a college FM station https://foyledab.com/our-clients

TAFKAlawhec

Meanwhile, in DAB matters up north, Bauer have announced that they are going to use the capacity they are currently using for five of their DAB stations on the SDL ensemble to make way for 12 DAB+ services. Scala Radio is to go from DAB (joint) stereo to DAB+ stereo, while four mono DAB services (Absolute 80's, Absolute Radio 90's, Mellow Magic & Planet Rock) become stereo DAB+ services. Seven additional services will also start broadcasting on the ensemble - Absolute Classic Rock, Absolute Country, Heat, Kerrang!, Magic at the Musicals, Magic Chilled & Magic Soul, presumably all in stereo. Exact date for this to be done is TBA, but it should be during this Autumn.

From an NI perspective, Absolute Classic Rock & Magic Soul are currently broadcast (each in DAB mono) on the Bauer NI ensemble that covers significantly more population & landmass than the SDL ensemble does in Northern Ireland, but it's difficult to see Bauer leave those two services on their local ensemble for those outside of SDL coverage. Presumably they'll be replaced with another couple of stations from Bauer's stable that are otherwise on some local DAB ensembles in parts of GB for the time being at least.

waywill1966

Dab signal very poor in Fermanagh south of enniskillen!

Mickey Mike

The north of Ireland should knock off DAB as well.

Mickey Mike

The north of Ireland should knock off DAB as well.

TAFKAlawhec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121205770#Comment_121205770

As I don't want to receive any infractions, I'll limit myself to simply saying that the only way DAB(+) will be completely switched off in NI will be when it is also done across the UK, and that ain't gonna happen any time soon.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121205487#Comment_121205487

There's definitely an issue with DAB coverage in much of Fermanagh because the DAB Band III TX aerials on Brougher Mountain are quite strongly directional towards the north & east, less so towards the south & west. DAB reception is still good in places close to the Tyrone border like Tempo & Irvinestown, but starts getting worse once you move away. For whatever reason, the UK authorities appear to be a lot more paranoid about DAB overspill outside the UK compared to their DVB-T(2) and FM radio counterparts, making coverage in Fermanagh suffer because of it. The BBC DAB filler in Enniskillen (at the MW radio TX site) helps give better coverage for the BBC National DAB ensemble in the town, but the D1 & Bauer NI coverage is otherwise very patchy there. Unfortunately, it seems that there will be very little, if any, DAB coverage improvements until FM transmissions start closing down.

And just to update from my last post, it appears that along with Absolute Classic Rock & Magic Soul, Hits Pride will also come off the Bauer NI ensemble to be replaced with DAB mono simulcasts of Absolute 80's Absolute Radio 90's & Planet Rock to give supplementary coverage in areas not served by the SDL ensemble (though if you like ACR, Magic Soul or Hits Pride and can't receive the SDL ensemble, then that'll obviously be a disappointment).