RTE Radio 1 Reception

LFC5Times

Living in South Dublin - Dublin 14 to be precise.

Always have the radio on in the kitchen - on RTE 1, but over the last few weeks the reception hasnt been great.

There always seems to be a kind of background fuzz coming and going.

Have tried a different radio and same problem.

Anybody know what this could be? Or what is the ideal frequency?

Cheers

lawhec

South Dublin, I'd expect 88.5MHz on FM to be the main frequency, with 89.1 and 87.8 as alternatives.

If its in the kitchen could certain appliances be causing interference to reception? You could see if there's a pattern. Also if you're listening in stereo, switch the reception to mono and see if that gets rid of the fuzz in the background.

craoltoir

DAB might be a solution. I have a small portable DAB/FM radio. In areas where I have experienced interference on FM, DAB has worked fine. Also on DAB, as well as the RTÉ FM services, you get some addtional DAB only services, including RTÉ Choice, which provides english language programmes from international public service broadcasters such as BBC, Deutsche Welle and Radio France.

You should be able to pick up a reasonably priced DAB/FM radio from Powercity (best offers on-line).

Otherwise, there is LW252.

coylemj

If you live on the southside check that's it's tuned to 88.5 Mhz which is Three Rock, that has to be the best frequency. Someone might have retuned it to another station and then back to RTE 1 but they might have tuned it to Mt. Leinster (88.6) or Kippure (89.1) neither of which will be as good as Three Rock.

Sam Russell

I have a Sony clock radio next to my bed that has a wire as the aerial. If it is not placed exactly right, I get Radio 2 swamping the 88.5 transmission. Is R2 so strong or is the radio so bad. The aerial input is about 5mm from the mains lead. I have tried a ferrite bead on the mains lead but it makes no difference.
I find reception of Radio 1 to be poor inside my house in general, I live in Dublin 4.

lawhec

Sam Russell wrote: »

I have a Sony clock radio next to my bed that has a wire as the aerial. If it is not placed exactly right, I get Radio 2 swamping the 88.5 transmission. Is R2 so strong or is the radio so bad. The aerial input is about 5mm from the mains lead. I have tried a ferrite bead on the mains lead but it makes no difference.
I find reception of Radio 1 to be poor inside my house in general, I live in Dublin 4.

Probably a combo of both. Alarm clock radios are not built to very high standards (certainly none I know of). It would be unlikely that the mains lead would have an effect here. Without looking at it or knowing more, overloading from a strong signal is I reckon the culprit.

Mike 1972

I get Radio 2 swamping the 88.5 transmission

BBC or RTE ???

Sam Russell

Mike 1972 wrote: »

BBC or RTE ???

88.5 is RTE Radio 1, and it is swamped by RTE Radio 2FM. I can see the RTE mast in Donneybrook from my house. The radio has a puny aerial consisting of a 40cm bit of wire that hangs out of the back next to the mains input. Without care, the RTE2 swamps the radio. I do not know where it comes from but it could be the Cablelink feed that runs across the front of my house. (Cablelink installed the cable when Adam was a lad some 400 years ago.) I am amazed at the obvious strength of the 2FM signal in comparison with the RTE1 signal. On the other hand it could be a crap radio, but the radio is made by a very reputable Japanese company that is known for the quality of their products.

Other radios in the house also have a similar problem with 88.5. Also 89.1 is not very strong signal.

I would need a spectrun analyzer to get the actual levels, this is all very subjective, but is quite apparent.

nikon1000

Sam Russell wrote: »

88.5 is RTE Radio 1, and it is swamped by RTE Radio 2FM. I can see the RTE mast in Donneybrook from my house. The radio has a puny aerial consisting of a 40cm bit of wire that hangs out of the back next to the mains input. Without care, the RTE2 swamps the radio. I do not know where it comes from but it could be the Cablelink feed that runs across the front of my house. (Cablelink installed the cable when Adam was a lad some 400 years ago.) I am amazed at the obvious strength of the 2FM signal in comparison with the RTE1 signal. On the other hand it could be a crap radio, but the radio is made by a very reputable Japanese company that is known for the quality of their products.

Other radios in the house also have a similar problem with 88.5. Also 89.1 is not very strong signal.

I would need a spectrun analyzer to get the actual levels, this is all very subjective, but is quite apparent.

Yes, it maybe the Cablelink cable leaking in your area. Analogue cable systems can also carry FM radio using ordinary FM band frequencies. Perhaps the cable company carries 2FM on a frequency very close to 88.5MHz.

Mickey Mike

From where I live (north Kerry) RTE Radio1 is only half the power of Today FM, why is this so? You would imagine Radio 1 would have a stronger signal!
Radio 1 output is 1kw, when activated in 2000 it was 2kw, this is the power of Today FM and its fantastic.

icdg

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