8Radio

KingOfFairview

So, I'm just starting to try this station recently. Like it so far. Maybe not as left-field as I had been led to believe, but it's very enjoyable nonetheless. Any other listeners out there?

Declan A Walsh

KingOfFairview wrote: »

So, I'm just starting to try this station recently. Like it so far. Maybe not as left-field as I had been led to believe, but it's very enjoyable nonetheless. Any other listeners out there?

In case you don't know, this has been around as an on-line station since last year. It also had a 30-day temporary license on FM radio in the middle of spring last year and covered a number of cities (bit like Christmas FM does every year).

Will there be another license run this year?

As regards its music-policy, it is all about the deejays' taste in music with some input by the listeners. This gives it a peculiar eclectic mix of music: Phantom + 4FM + Radio Nova + a few guys' record collections! I remember the catchphrase "The Music We Like"!

soc160

Simon Maher is the founder. Same guy who founded Phantom. Good to see he wasn't detered by the what happened to Phantom and it's admirable that he's stuck by the same format and idea as before... This kind of station is an example of why the BAI should start looking into some alternative (not alternative music styled but different requirment based) contracts... What harm would it do to have them on FM?

Declan A Walsh

soc160 wrote: »

Simon Maher is the founder. Same guy who founded Phantom. Good to see he wasn't detered by the what happened to Phantom and it's admirable that he's stuck by the same format and idea as before... This kind of station is an example of why the BAI should start looking into some alternative (not alternative music styled but different requirment based) contracts... What harm would it do to have them on FM?

And there could be a number of people available soon to fill the schedule if you know what I mean!

omahaid

A small bit late to this thread but I'm another big fan. I found it when it was on FM, listen at work and when I'm studying so most of the week.

CamillaRhodes

Now that Phantom is no more *sob*, I'll only be listening to 8radio from now on. Until now, they were my start to the day - the only place where you can actually listen to MUSIC rather than inane drivel from presenters in the morning!

Arne_Saknussem

I'm another who's late to this thread and 8Radio.

Has Pearl left the station already?? It just lists 8Radio.com Sunday Selection for her time slot?

Declan A Walsh

CamillaRhodes wrote: »

Now that Phantom is no more *sob*, I'll only be listening to 8radio from now on. Until now, they were my start to the day - the only place where you can actually listen to MUSIC rather than inane drivel from presenters in the morning!

The brand Phantom is gone but the station is not gone. It was officially re-launched as 1052 TXFM yesterday. It does not have any inane drivel in the morning either. Breakfast is now presented by the very capable Cathal Funge.

Any sign of another temporary license run on FM for 8Radio.com?

Infoanon

Declan A Walsh wrote: »

The brand Phantom is gone but the station is not gone. It was officially re-launched as 1052 TXFM yesterday. It does not have any inane drivel in the morning either. Breakfast is now presented by the very capable Cathal Funge.

Any sign of another temporary license run on FM for 8Radio.com?

Reported in a few papers that a temporary run of 15 weeks is coming soon.

SimonMaher

Thanks for the interest and the queries!

Yep, the plan is to do FM in Dublin, Cork and Limerick again this year with two blocks of weekends in early Summer (May/June) and Autumn (September and October).

In the interim, we're introducing new live Weeknight programmes from 8pm each evening available via the Smartphone apps or listening via the 8Radio.com site. We celebrated our first birthday last weekend (March 30th). Time flies when you're having fun

Simon Maher
8Radio.com

Declan A Walsh

SimonMaher wrote: »

Thanks for the interest and the queries!

Yep, the plan is to do FM in Dublin, Cork and Limerick again this year with two blocks of weekends in early Summer (May/June) and Autumn (September and October).

In the interim, we're introducing new live Weeknight programmes from 8pm each evening available via the Smartphone apps or listening via the 8Radio.com site. We celebrated our first birthday last weekend (March 30th). Time flies when you're having fun

Simon Maher
8Radio.com

Thank you Simon for all that. I just had a quick look at your on-line schedule and I see some names that were involved with last year's temporary run (including at least three who go back a long way!). I also see some other names that I don't know.

Do you use a lot of new talent - people who have never presented before? I can see 8Radio.com being a good platform for giving new talent their first big break.

I look forward to the next license runs on FM .... I am a bit of an old-fashioned Luddite at times!

Lovely Bloke

Hi Simon, just want to say something regarding "reception" via TuneIn

I use TuneIn a LOT, usually for BBC Radio 6 Music or BBC R4, which I listen to in the mornings in the car, lunch time at my desk and for my drive home again in my car - this would be via my data plan (Vodafone). I also listen at home via my WiFi - (UPC 120meg cable broadband) usually in my kitchen when I'm cooking the family meals (tea time, or breakfast/lunch at the weekends). I love Radio, always have and always will

I have wanted to listen to, and would normally support an Irish venture, which is pretty similar in outlook to BBCR6Music, and also what Phantom used to be - however, I have found that more often than not, after a song or two, 8Radio just gives up - I find myself having to re-start the app - this only ever happens with 8Radio.

I can listen to the BBCs or All 80s (another Irish venture, and also pretty good it must be said), or the Xmas station in December all uninterrupted and buffer-free.

It is too much of a co-incidence for this to be down to bad signal. I know exactly the portion of the M50 where I lose signal from Vodafone for example, every day, without fail no matter what I have on, I lose it for about 30 seconds, same place all the time, but the signal in from my domestic broadband is not changeable.

Is there a reason for this? It is very frustrating.

KingOfFairview

Glad to hear that Simon!

One thing I would say is that 8Radio could do with a higher proportion of new music. Don;t get me wrong, I love the station, but I'd like a few less classics and a few more new tracks.

Trick of the Tail

SimonMaher wrote: »

Thanks for the interest and the queries!

Yep, the plan is to do FM in Dublin, Cork and Limerick again this year with two blocks of weekends in early Summer (May/June) and Autumn (September and October).

In the interim, we're introducing new live Weeknight programmes from 8pm each evening available via the Smartphone apps or listening via the 8Radio.com site. We celebrated our first birthday last weekend (March 30th). Time flies when you're having fun

Simon Maher
8Radio.com

Ah go on, put it on in the south east too!

SimonMaher

Hello all,

Thanks as always for the comments and questions!

First off, Trick of the Tail - we would love to be on in the South East too, absolutely. It's all about the budget though unfortunately, unless someone was able to do the decent on a site in the area

Baldy Conscience - I'll have the eggheads look into that reception issue. I listen quite a bit on the move on TuneIn and don't get any more than the usual amount of buffering problems but if there is something funny going on with the streaming, we'll get to the bottom of it.

King of Fairview - Glad you're enjoying the station. Interested in your view regarding new v classic. Being a nerd, I spend a lot of time tinkering with the mix so it's always good to get other perspectives!

Declan Walsh - Nothing wrong with being a luddite, there is a certain ease to being accessible on FM! Yep, we have a lot of new talent on 8Radio.com. Most have been working in radio at some level before they come to us whether thats Student radio, community radio or other digital outlets. I think the new voices thing is particularly important in a station like 8Radio.com. Any backrounds you need for the files just shout!

Think that's it for now. Listen by the way, that's important too

Simon Maher
8Radio.com

MoeJay

There is a blank preset left in my car from last year for the FM return...

Trick of the Tail

I'm sure a very good deal would be done!

KingOfFairview

Back on FM as of now!

SimonMaher

8Radio testing on 94.3FM in Dublin now with 105.5FM in Limerick and 106.7FM in Cork to follow later on as the engineering team work their way down the Motorways

Live on FM from Midnight tonight and then every Saturday and Sunday until July 6th and every weekend in September and October. Live online of course every day of the week!

Great fun this radio lark. Sometimes that gets forgotten!

Simon
www.8Radio.com

Trick of the Tail

Pity not in the south-east!

SimonMaher

Hello all,

Weekend 3 off and running for 8Radio.com in Dublin, Cork and Limerick. All proceeding (sort of vaugely!) to plan with the first run of 7 weekends (until July 6) then we go Online only until September when we return to FM for each weekend in September and October. Got reports of decent coverage on the 106.7FM Transmitter (Cork) being heard in an arc from Cahir to Macroom and the Dublin Transmitter (94.3FM) getting some distance in good conditions too despite the very strong BBC Wales on 94.2.

Let us know if you pick any of the three transmissions up (94.3 Dublin, 105.5 Limerick, 106.7 Cork). Promise to play you a request!

Simon
8Radio.com

Declan A Walsh

SimonMaher wrote: »

Hello all,

Weekend 3 off and running for 8Radio.com in Dublin, Cork and Limerick. All proceeding (sort of vaugely!) to plan with the first run of 7 weekends (until July 6) then we go Online only until September when we return to FM for each weekend in September and October. Got reports of decent coverage on the 106.7FM Transmitter (Cork) being heard in an arc from Cahir to Macroom and the Dublin Transmitter (94.3FM) getting some distance in good conditions too despite the very strong BBC Wales on 94.2.

Let us know if you pick any of the three transmissions up (94.3 Dublin, 105.5 Limerick, 106.7 Cork). Promise to play you a request!

Simon
8Radio.com

8Radio.com is coming in loud and clear (as you would expect!) on 94.3 in south Dublin. I have listened when I can over the last couple of weekends - not always possible.

I heard a great selection from the experienced Steve Conway this morning, doing his "A to Z" thing. He is stuck on the letter "B"!

It was also nice to hear a bit of Rachel Breslin this morning - I had not heard her dulcet Donegal tones since last year's run!

Keep up the good work.

Any plans to expand your FM coverage around the country in the future, in the way that Christmas FM did?

SimonMaher

Thanks Declan,

It's great to be doing 8Radio.com in general, and better still to be doing it on FM for a bit!

We thought about extra areas for FM coverage this time around but we made the decision to stick with the three sites on a number of grounds:

1. Cost - Each site is Satellite linked and obviously needs all the relevant TX gear as well as the time required to install/de-rig. The transmission costs per site are quite high!

2. Concept - 8Radio.com is very much a proof of concept operation at this stage of its development. While obviously we think its amazing and will eventually take over the world of broadcasting, it is great to be able to use the FM to test out various aspects of the stations operation and policies before extending it further.

Who knows what the future holds though? For now it's just exciting to be involved and having the freedom to allow a radio station to develop organically rather than being at the beck and call of some cloth eared consultant telling you what is within the realms of possibility! Jaysus, that last sentence even looks ranty.

Simon
8Radio.com

byte

Presumably, whilst each site is satellite linked, you're not uplinking to a typical DTH satellite, like Astra 2 or Hotbird, etc?

SimonMaher

byte wrote: »

Presumably, whilst each site is satellite linked, you're not uplinking to a typical DTH satellite, like Astra 2 or Hotbird, etc?

Imagine the cost! No, thankfully not - something a bit more modest and less bandwidth consuming.

Simon
8Radio.com

Declan A Walsh

I heard another former voice from Phantom presenting yesterday evening - Brian Daly. He was also the Marketing Director.

byte

SimonMaher wrote: »

Imagine the cost! No, thankfully not - something a bit more modest and less bandwidth consuming.

Simon
8Radio.com

Hah, just when you mentioned satellite, I wondered if you were using a standard orbital Clarke Belt satellite to link to the 3 sites.

Just keep the 128kbps online stream, and I'll be happy! Something even RTE can't seem to afford or care for

WoollyRedHat

Loving itt so far guys.. Abbey Road being streamed at the mo with some nice music trivia thrown in

SimonMaher

Thanks WoollyRedhat and others for the messages,

Glad you're enjoying it and it's great to be back on FM for the next 8 weekends (94.3FM Dublin, 105.5FM Limerick and 106.7FM Cork). Good reception reports coming in from all over today and the Cork transmitter went live earlier with the Limerick one hopefully all linked into the network by now. Wonders of modern technology at work again.

Think I mentioned it earlier in the thread but just in case I didn't: 8Radio.com always welcomes musical submissions (good ones!). Send tracks as MP3 (minimum 192k) to music AT 8Radio DOT com along with some biog info.

Cheers,
Simon
8Radio.com

Fuzzy Clam

SimonMaher wrote: »

Thanks WoollyRedhat and others for the messages,

Glad you're enjoying it and it's great to be back on FM for the next 8 weekends (94.3FM Dublin, 105.5FM Limerick and 106.7FM Cork). Good reception reports coming in from all over today and the Cork transmitter went live earlier with the Limerick one hopefully all linked into the network by now. Wonders of modern technology at work again.

Think I mentioned it earlier in the thread but just in case I didn't: 8Radio.com always welcomes musical submissions (good ones!). Send tracks as MP3 (minimum 192k) to music AT 8Radio DOT com along with some biog info.

Cheers,
Simon
8Radio.com

Hi Simon
Have you considered trying to get a relay in the midlands?
Xmas FM had one from Cairn Hill I believe.

SimonMaher

Fuzzy Clam wrote: »

Hi Simon
Have you considered trying to get a relay in the midlands?
Xmas FM had one from Cairn Hill I believe.

Thanks Fuzzy,

Really just a matter of finances. We have 3 or 4 more sites on offer to us but the expense of the equipment, installation, linking etc just isn't an option at the moment. That's not to say it won't be in the future though!

Cheers,
Simon
8Radio.com