Radio Frequency on UPC

Storm 10

Hi all

I have UPC and as you know it also comes with radio channels, I have connected the radio cable to my FM Radio and tuned in a good few channels but I can find BBC Radio 5 Live despite it being on my TV.

Does anyone have the frequency listing for these radio channels please or where could I find them.

Koloman

Storm 10 wrote: »

Hi all

I have UPC and as you know it also comes with radio channels, I have connected the radio cable to my FM Radio and tuned in a good few channels but I can find BBC Radio 5 Live despite it being on my TV.

Does anyone have the frequency listing for these radio channels please or where could I find them.

BBC Radio 5 Live is on 95.2 FM on my radio that's connected to the cable. I'm in Dublin.

MHP

95.1 on mine.

Infoanon

5Live frequncy in Dublin is 95.1 on cable.

There used to be a listing of the frequencies for all the areas on the UPC website but it does not seem to be there now.....

coylemj

Infoanon wrote: »

5Live frequncy in Dublin is 95.1 on cable.

There used to be a listing of the frequencies for all the areas on the UPC website but it does not seem to be there now.....

They pulled it from the website years ago, they want everyone to go digital for TV and radio so they don't go out of their way to publicise the analog radio signal.

dub45

coylemj wrote: »

They pulled it from the website years ago, they want everyone to go digital for TV and radio so they don't go out of their way to publicise the analog radio signal.

It is a pity as it has always been a great facility and amazing how many people over the years I have come across who were interested in radio and who did not know about it.

Only reason I held on to UPC over the past few years.

For anyone interested in the BBC radio stations especially dont forget they are available on Freesat, can be tuned in on sky and of course are available on the web and via internet radios and even iphone or itouch apps.

Jimmy444

I did a scan of the stations I can receive a while back and here's the list I came up with (Dublin):

RTE 1 89.40
2FM 91.70
Lyric FM 97.50
Raidio Na Gealtachta 93.50
98FM 99.00
TodayFM 100.60
FM104 104.60
Q102 102.20
BBC R1 99.7
BBC R2 90.10
BBC R3 92.30
BBC R4 96.35
BBC Ulster 94.50
BBC World Service 97.10
Classic FM 101.60
Five Live 95.10
LMFM 95.50
CKR 97.60
WRN 102.70
4FM 94.90
Newstalk 104 101.10
Spin1038 103.80
Phantom 105.20
Sunshine 105.70
Try Mix 106.80

Some of the Irish stations may be just incidentally picked up by the cable rather than being amplified/rebroadcast like the UK stations.

When I was upgrading to digital the new aerial sockets did not have a radio outlet, but I insisted that I keep FM radio and they found a way to adapt the new socket. The installer said he had never heard of anyone using NTL for FM radio . If you are upgrading TV to digital and want to keep FM radio you may need to keep an eye on how they do the new wiring.

dub45

Jimmy444 wrote: »

I did a scan of the stations I can receive a while back and here's the list I came up with (Dublin):

RTE 1 89.40
2FM 91.70
Lyric FM 98.70
Raidio Na Gealtachta 93.50
98FM 99.00
TodayFM 100.90
FM104 104.60
Q102 102.20
BBC R1 99.7
BBC R2 90.10
BBC R3 92.30
BBC R4 96.35
BBC Ulster 94.50
BBC World Service 97.10
Classic FM 101.60
Five Live 95.10
LMFM 95.50
CKR 97.60
WRN 102.70
4FM 94.90
Newstalk 104 101.10
Spin1038 103.80
Phantom 105.20
Sunshine 105.70
Try Mix 106.80

Some of the Irish stations may be just incidentally picked up by the cable rather than being amplified/rebroadcast like the UK stations.

When I was upgrading to digital the new aerial sockets did not have a radio outlet, but I insisted that I keep FM radio and they found a way to adapt the new socket. The installer said he had never heard of anyone using NTL for FM radio . If you are upgrading TV to digital and want to keep FM radio you may need to keep an eye on how they do the new wiring.

In general upc staff do not seem to know of this service:( I had an issue with it sometime ago and it was agony trying to get the idea across to them that the service existed.

It seems incredible now that a few years ago you could ring up the guys directly who operated the fm service and talk to them if there were problems.
I remember them telling me there was a hardcore minority who were devoted to fm and if the slightest thing went wrong the phones would be hopping. I presume there is someone somewhere who still looks after the service.

It was a great boon over the years for those like me who had no other way to get an fm signal from the bbc. I am in a low lying area so no possibility of putting an aerial on the roof.

Storm 10

Thanks guys for all the replies I still cannot get 5 Live on my radio but everything else is there and 5 Live is on the TV totally confused, its a great station.

Antenna

Sounds like you are in Galway, OP, if your location is 'The West'

Read DMC's post here, it seems BBC Radio 5Live was not available on FM cable in Galway on the copied TV radio cable frequency (MHz) lists:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055044544

dub45

dub45 wrote: »

It seems incredible now that a few years ago you could ring up the guys directly who operated the fm service and talk to them if there were problems.

Was this during the Cablelink days? I don't think the FM service has changed at all since Cablelink but have heard that it's considered a "legacy service" by UPC.

dub45

I think I managed to get trhough to them during NTL days tooo.

NTL used to list the frequencies on the website. I think at one stage I had a direcly line no to the radio guys!

paddylonglegs

Hi all,

Put a coax cable into the left input of the upc coax box on the wall and connected it to the coax in the back of my stereo. doesn't seem to be making any difference and can still only pick up national radio stations. when getting broadband about a year ago, they replaced the cover on the wall box. anyone know if they might have disconnected the fm facility?or if is still even available? would love to be able to get fm connected to my stereo as my normal fm antenna isn't great here in kildare.

Any thoughts

coylemj

I have one of the new wall boxes with digital TV and broadband but I also have the FM service.

If you live in Kildare you may not have the same service as Dublin city, you won't get far with UPC as the FM service isn't even mentioned anymore on their website.

Can you receive any UK stations?

gertechhaha

Storm 10 wrote: »

Hi all

I have UPC and as you know it also comes with radio channels, I have connected the radio cable to my FM Radio and tuned in a good few channels but I can find BBC Radio 5 Live despite it being on my TV.

Does anyone have the frequency listing for these radio channels please or where could I find them.

can you tell me how to connect my upc radio cable to FM radio?

thanks

dub45

paddylonglegs wrote: »

Hi all,

Put a coax cable into the left input of the upc coax box on the wall and connected it to the coax in the back of my stereo. doesn't seem to be making any difference and can still only pick up national radio stations. when getting broadband about a year ago, they replaced the cover on the wall box. anyone know if they might have disconnected the fm facility?or if is still even available? would love to be able to get fm connected to my stereo as my normal fm antenna isn't great here in kildare.

Any thoughts

Do you know if you were previously with Chorus or NTL? As far as I know Chorus didnt supply FM (at least a couple of peopel I knew who had chorus were never able to get a signal anyway).

Previously the boxes supplied (this is going back a good few years) had a dedicated output for FM I am not sure if this is the case anymore. Peats and similar shops should sell boxes with fm and tv outputs and if you are brave you could always try replacing the UPC box if it doesnt have a dedicated fm output.

It is a pity that UPC ignore the fm service as it is really a great bonus if you are into radio.

However dont forget that it is very easy now to turn an iphone or itouch into an internet radio and presumably an android phone too with one of the many apps that are available. For example Tune in Radio pro only costs 80c and you can even record with it. Also there are lots of stations including the BBC available in itunes. (http://itunes.apple.com/ie/app/tunein-radio-pro/id319295332?mt=8)

I should also mention of course that there are many Radio stations available on Freesat and you can also add the bbc ones to your sky box.

Tarquin1970

dub45 wrote: »

However dont forget that it is very easy now to turn an iphone or itouch into an internet radio and presumably an android phone too with one of the many apps that are available. For example Tune in Radio pro only costs 80c and you can even record with it. Also there are lots of stations including the BBC available in itunes. (http://itunes.apple.com/ie/app/tunein-radio-pro/id319295332?mt=8)

+1 for Tune in Radio, but the only problem I find with the BBC 5live channel on it is that you can't listen to live football as it's region blocked. UPC's radio service is excellent though.

dub45

gertechhaha wrote: »

can you tell me how to connect my upc radio cable to FM radio?

thanks

First of all you need to check if there is an fm signal as I mention above if you were previously a Chorus customer there may not be an FM signal there.

Secondly you may need to replace the box so as to get a dedicated fm signal.

If you get past those two hurdles then it should simply be a matter of running a coax cable from the socket to your stereo system or fm tuner.

I used to have several radios around the house connected (which did not have a dedicated coaxinput) by cutting off the coax plug at the radio end and attaching the inner wire to the aerial with a crocodile cliip.

I was getting excellent reception using this method upto a couple of months ago. (When I finally divorced myself from them:) )

Bits and pieces of informaton here might help you:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/altisuk/fm/

(Bear in mind it refers to the UK)

Also to bring back lots of memories:

http://www.iolfree.ie/~icdg/tuning_ntl_dublin.htm

dub45

Tarquin1970 wrote: »

+1 for Tune in Radio, but the only problem I find with the BBC 5live channel on it is that you can't listen to live football as it's region blocked. UPC's radio service is excellent though.

Thats a curse I agree but it should be "gettable" on Medium Wave.

Tarquin1970

Yup, MW for the car, UPC FM when at home...

Vunderground

I've got an analogue tuner as part of my hi-fi set up and I really enjoy the UPC analogue radio service. The sound is much better than in digital as the tuner is way superior to the UPC box. Anybody got any idea when, or if, it will get turned off as part of the move to digital?
It will be a sad day when I put the tuner in the bin.

coylemj

Vunderground wrote: »

I've got an analogue tuner as part of my hi-fi set up and I really enjoy the UPC analogue radio service. The sound is much better than in digital as the tuner is way superior to the UPC box. Anybody got any idea when, or if, it will get turned off as part of the move to digital?
It will be a sad day when I put the tuner in the bin.

Being audio only it can't use much bandwidth so it may never disappear or at least it should survive for another few years. The main commercial reason for turning off the analog TV channels would be to force people on to digital boxes at which point they are prospective customers for Sky Sports and the other subscription channels. They wouldn't achieve anything by removing the FM signal apart from annoying the few people like us still using it.

I was using the analog TV signal in the bedroom for about two years and found that the picture quality was rapidly going downhill so I finally caved in and got a decoder, I still have the FM signal plugged into my amp. downstairs so I have digital and analog radio.

Vunderground

I can run the signal from the UPC box through the amps as well, so I get the digital for stations not on FM like Radio Four Extra...nice to hear that it's likely the analogue will be with for the foreseeable future

dub45

Vunderground wrote: »

I can run the signal from the UPC box through the amps as well, so I get the digital for stations not on FM like Radio Four Extra...nice to hear that it's likely the analogue will be with for the foreseeable future

Unfortunately that is only one person's opinion. Much as I would like to see it continue for all those who enjoy it I suspect that one day it will just vanish.

Given UPC's total indifference towards it I cannot imagine them being too concerned about the listeners they would upset if it is discontinued. They do not appear to even regard it as part of their service anymore.

(By the way was FM ever available to Chorus customers?)

Vunderground

I just hope, very naively granted, that they forget its there and leave it alone forever.

coylemj

Well they're still installing wall boxes with two outputs, one of them carries TV and/or broadband (in my case both) and the other is for the FM signal. As recently as today I got a new wall box with the two sockets and the FM signal is loud and clear with RDS (station name) for most of the Irish stations.