Spirit Radio Vs BBC RADIO 2 = 90.1 FM

LordSutch

For thirty years man and boy I have been listening to BBC RADIO 2 in my car (many cars) as I have driven around Dublin & the East coast,
that is until about a week or two ago when BBC RADIO 2 disappeared and was replaced with a little known local station called Spirit Radio :mad:

There website says that they are indeed broadcasting on 90.1 (in Waterford), but surely that is not responsible for wiping out the Beeb on 90.1 FM in the greater Dublin area.

Annoyed is an understatement.

marno21

Spirit is on 89.9 but it has been there for a few years so it shouldn't be a recently developing problem.

The only other option would be Camlough on 88.7 but that's close to RTE Radio 1 on 88.5

Infoanon

Found out this evening that Spirit have a relay now on from Bray on 90.1 which is supposed to be for Bray and Wicklow.

This is causing wide spread interferance to BBC Radio 2 across Dublin City.

This is a crazy frequency to allocate to Spirit and I always thought a .2 gap was observed from BBC radio services

marno21

That sorta went out the window when Today FM was allocated 101.8 from Three Rock (0.1 MHz from Classic on 101.9)

Looks like Spirit are now entering phase II of their rollout. Another big waste of FM frequencies, I don't see what's wrong with them using medium wave. There's enough clutter on the band down here.

Infoanon

marno21 wrote: »

That sorta went out the window when Today FM was allocated 101.8 from Three Rock (0.1 MHz from Classic on 101.9)

But not the BBC's - up until now .2 has been observed - eg RTE on 88.5 is .2 either side from BBC R2 88.3/88.7, same for BBC R1/3/4/Ulster

LordSutch

I wonder if there would be a fuss up North or in Wales if the RTE Radio 1 frequency was taken, and given to some local station?
Admittedly we had a good run of 30+ years receiving BBC Radio2 down here, so maybe it was time to say bye bye.

Still annoyed though.

marno21

Clermont Carn is 62km from Belfast (1.3km from the border)

Divis is ~145km from south Dublin (taking a random point in south Dublin as it's easier received there) (58km from the border)

If 87.8 was allocated in Belfast, it would be a much bigger problem because Clermont Carn is much stronger there, and also any signal wouldn't get too far south before being flattened.

Any transmission on 90.1/92.3/94.5/96.0/99.7 would easily flatten BBC radio stations from Belfast, they're much weaker in DUblin than Clermont Carn in Belfast

Of course, you could also talk about Derry, Holywell Hill is around 30m from the Border with NI, and around 5km from Derry City Centre

Infoanon

LordSutch wrote: »

I wonder if there would be a fuss up North or in Wales if the RTE Radio 1 frequency was taken, and given to some local station?
Admittedly we had a good run of 30+ years receiving BBC Radio2 down here, so maybe it was time to say bye bye.

Still annoyed though.

Try 88.7 - that comes in well in South Dublin/City

Infoanon

marno21 wrote: »

Clermont Carn is 62km from Belfast (1.3km from the border)

Divis is ~145km from south Dublin (taking a random point in south Dublin as it's easier received there) (58km from the border)

Also take into account transmission power - open to correction but Divis is 250kw ERP - BBC is crystal clear until you go past Santry.


Clermont Carn is 40kw ERP ?? - I have picked up 87.8 in Wexford - nice clear frequency helps a lot

LordSutch

Infoanon wrote: »

Try 88.7 - that comes in well in South Dublin/City

Just been trying out 88.7 in the car this morning in S.Dublin (very poor signal), its not a patch on 90.1 FM, which I guess came from Wales?

Infoanon

LordSutch wrote: »

Just been trying out 88.7 in the car this morning in S.Dublin (very poor signal), its not a patch on 90.1 FM, which I guess came from Wales?

90.1 is 250kw from Divis,Belfast, 88.7 is Camlough near Newry.

Wales is 88.1 which should be clear along the east coast - interferance from 'Power FM' in Dublin but past Bray 88.1 should be clear.

marno21

Infoanon wrote: »

Also take into account transmission power - open to correction but Divis is 250kw ERP - BBC is crystal clear until you go past Santry.


Clermont Carn is 40kw ERP ?? - I have picked up 87.8 in Wexford - nice clear frequency helps a lot

Clermont Carn's RTE 1 is on a very free frequency, 87.8. The nearest transmission around here is RTE 1 from Crosshaven on 88.2, and I've regularly recieved Clermont Carn (it's very regular in Tullylease Co. Cork), 280km away.

Antenna

Infoanon wrote: »

88.7 is Camlough near Newry.

There is another 88.7 for BBC R2 near the west Wales coast (Blaenplwyf), depending where in Dublin you are you might be actually getting that instead of the above. Its directional though so not much signal will come across the sea.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaenplwyf_transmitting_station

Infoanon wrote: »

Wales is 88.1 which should be clear along the east coast -.

There is no high-power BBC R2 transmitter on 88.1 in Wales, what this reception is is probably the high power transmitter at Sandale in Cumbria.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandale_transmitting_station