BANDSCAN THREAD

Antenna

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121544949#Comment_121544949

97.0 I understand returned this evening approaching 6PM

The main towns/population centres in Co.Kerry are covered by other transmitters so they were unaffected. Less populated areas such as the small tourist town of Kenmare and the highly important Kilgarvan area are examples of areas that were blacked out for RK over the past two days unless listeners had/used internet radio.

marno21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121548421#Comment_121548421

Indeed, it was back on this evening. Aside from the Kenmare area, driving around East Kerry (normally covered by 97.0) was perfect with the radio switching between 96.6 and 97.2

Interestingly, as you say, none of the relays lost reception so none of them must rebroadcast 97.0. Even the geographically tricky 96.2 and 97.6 in west Kerry were firing as normal yesterday evening. 96.6 and 97.2 in Killarney/mid Kerry also ok as you say.

More Music

4 of the 6 transmitter sites are fed directly via IP link. The 2 remaing low power sites are off-air relays with dual tuners, so they auto switch to a backup receive frequency if the main is down. They also have backup IP audio to all sites.

No one site is dependant on another to stay on air.

end of the road

just out of interest why not use IP to feed the lot?

Declan A Walsh

Any “free radio” picked up around Ireland today?

dxhound2005

The Dundalk station was on 6300 kHz shortwave from 10 am to 3 pm. Playing tapes of pirate stations closing down on 31 December 1988.

Declan A Walsh

As. regards Dublin, were the usual Sunday suspects on, i.e. the oldies pirates Retro FM (94.3 rather than 92.0), ABC 80s, The 90s Network and Energy Power (on MW)?

JDxtra

The Kildare based relay last used for Christmas FM remains on (88.1) but with no audio.

Driving last night in an area where 88.1 and 105.2 overlap. As all temps use the same RDS PI code, my car radio kept flipping from Classic Hits 80s to the blank carrier on 88.1.

Lord Nelson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121561338#Comment_121561338

Same here. In fact, I can’t get the damn thing to stay on 105.2 as it keeps hopping back to 88.1. Back to Spotify for me!!

TheBMG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121562802#Comment_121562802

Noticed it myself yesterday driving around the hills .. it was going to and fro

Cheddar Bob

Classic Hits 80s in the old Xmas/ Freedom slot is a great station, albeit the schtick of the presenters actually pretending it's 1983 is a bit naff. It would be great if they got a permanent licence.

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121601575#Comment_121601575

This is an online sister station of Classic Hits Ireland, which also plays some '80s music! So, I don't know how it could get a permanent licence.

Here is a thread about the station:

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058277329/classic-hits-80s-on-temporary-fm-licence/p1

Cheddar Bob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121601791#Comment_121601791

Why shouldn't they get a licence?

In Dublin if you're not into current chart music there's litereally two stations to listen to, Nova and CH.

How that religious rock station got a licence, it must have 12 listeners.

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121601871#Comment_121601871

My point is that Classic Hits Ireland has a license so why would you give a license to a station that often plays the same music, namely its sister station Classic Hits 80s. Classic Hits Ireland is licensed for Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Co. Clare, but can be picked up all along the commuter belt. There might be more of an argument for looking for a national license, should there be some competition, rather than its online sister getting a licence. Incidentally, there has to be announced competitions to get permanent licences, which is how Classic Hits (or 4FM as it was originally called) and Radio Nova got their licences. Also, there is another station in Dublin which is not chart specific - Sunshine 106.8.

Cheddar Bob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121602327#Comment_121602327

Classic Hits hasn't been a classics station in a while tbh, I've heard Ed Sheeran on it FFS. This new 80s station is top quality.

Antenna

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121601871#Comment_121601871

regarding the religious station (Spirit), a level of small but vocal support for a licence for such a station was drummed up by the existence of the network of pirate UCB (United Christian Broadcasters) relays which existed in many areas of Ireland for several years , there was lobbying for a licence for such a station for Ireland which is then what happened wether one likes it or not. There also wouldn't have been opposition from existing commercial stations for such a station being licenced, considering the small listenership and small advertising it would be expected to attract.

dxhound2005

The Dundalk station on 6300 kHz shortwave is relaying Weekend Music Radio Saturdays and Sundays. Anyone with a shortwave receiver in Ireland will probably hear it. It is strong on many SDR's in Ireland and England. Usually runs until late afternoons.

Cheddar Bob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121610688#Comment_121610688

It just annoys me no end that if the same 6 or 7 chart hits aren't your thing there is absolutely sod all to listen to on Irish radio.

Classic Hits isn't what it used to be.

Nova is grand but you need to avoid it when that flute Courtney is on.

dxhound2005

Can you get Sunshine 106.8? They played about 30 different songs between 16:00 and 19:00 16 January. That would be typical of their output.

https://www.sunshineradio.ie/on-air/played/?date=2024-01-16&hour=16

If you can't get them, R na G and Lyric would definitely not be doing chart hits. And whatever local stations you can hear should have a good variety.

Infoanon

Despite the storm there are a few stations on air tonight Jan 21st;

93.3 ABC 80s

94.3 Retro FM move from 92

98.4 The 90s network (with scrolling RDS?)

99.5 Non stop oldies - possibly the energy stream , in mono

1224 AM 80s, the same station that was on 1206 ?, no IDS , strong signal though audio not as good as previous

1440 Energy AM was off air when I checked

cor

1224 was on last night also. ID was “More 1224”.

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121650708#Comment_121650708

Has Energy been on 1440 kh this year? Any time that I checked over the last three weekends it certainly wasn't. 94.3 FM seems to work better for Retro FM than 91.9 and especially 92.0, because of BBC Radio 3 coming in on it on occasions. It certainly seems to be a better and stronger signal. Although it has to be said that sometimes there are temporary licensed stations on 94.3 FM. The station that was on 1206kh sporadically was Radio Daniella. I didn't hear the station on 1224 but I would imagine it is the same operator.

Incidentally, I happened to hear Retro FM briefly today at two different times and they had live shows presented by Derek Jones and Paul Wilson. The latter was giving out a number for requests.

StreetLight

All 80s stated on their Facebook page that they were on 1224 AM.

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121651167#Comment_121651167

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121651198#Comment_121651198

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121652888#Comment_121652888

It looks like it might not be related to Radio Daniella after all. I know that All 80s used to be relayed sometimes on 94.3 FM. I did not realize until today that they were a pirate operator themselves.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121625005#Comment_121625005

6 or 7 chart hits and don't forget the SPORT. Irish radio is obsessed with it -especially on a Saturday afternoon.

cor

More 1224 on tonight AM and 99.5FM. Playing mostly 70s.

TheBMG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121682806#Comment_121682806

lovely audio on AM - I suspect they’re doing a ‘Chris Carey’ and using a lot of bandwidth ;-)

Antenna

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121682806#Comment_121682806

If they were one step higher - 1233 it would be a clearer frequency at night. I could hear it in background of Spanish on 1224 on Malin SDR last night. An American station was coming and going in slow fades on nearby 1210 kHz (around midnight) - switching to AMN (AM Narrow) helped with hearing that. Also tried 981 on it today during daytime - and nothing? It should be audible (during daytime) on it if it was on.??

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121682806#Comment_121682806

As 99.5FM is usually connected to Energy Power AM, except for temporary licence frequency from Bray, I wonder is Energy Power AM behind 1224 kh? Maybe they had to move their MW frequency for some reason and are testing on 1224 kh.

Infoanon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121683022#Comment_121683022

Ironically it's Energy 1440 who have that optimod !

The audio on 1224 is excellent, professional transmitter being used by the sounds of it.