The future of RTE Radio 1 LW

The Cush

Deleted User wrote: »

In Ireland ? no. Only RTE stations in very poor quality mp2 low bitrate and coverage is very very poor.

Obviously I was referring to countries actually rolling out digital radio networks Germany, France, Italy etc. with DAB+, this doesn't include Ireland.

Hotblack Desiato

TAFKAlawhec wrote: »

I'd be reasonably certain that 2RN will be keeping the TX on 252kHz in reasonable running order until the scheduled shut down date even if the transmission power isn't running anywhere near to the maximum possible and again that nothing out of the ordinary e.g. the old RT TV transmission at Maghera on Channel B that used to have a maximum vision ERP of 100kW was by the time of its close down in the late 90's only outputting 1kW. Also a lot of the 405 line TV transmitters in the UK were on reduced power for some time before they closed down.

I suppose with the latter it was a case of trying to keep decrepit infrastructure running on a minimal budget until they could get governmental permission to switch it off. Turning down the wick saves energy obviously, but I wonder was the lack of availability of obsolete power valves a factor too - turn the power down and the lifespan goes up.

BBC Radio 4 will likely be gone within the next handful of years as the contract for electrical timer switching ends and that the money for transmitting could be directed elsewhere like plugging small holes in the Beeb's DAB coverage

What are they going to do for the shipping forecast?

And, if those rumours are to be believed, letting faraway nuclear ballistic missile subs know that the UK has not been vaporised and there's no need to launch yet?

We don't need digital radio in Ireland, even in Dublin there are more empty transmission slots on FM than there are broadcasters able to make enough money to keep going.

stephend2000

Mickey Mike wrote: »

[Deleted User] wrote: »

The transmitter is solid state so I'd imagine it requires a lot less maintenance than one with valves.

It must be the antenna but they only did maintenance on that a few months ago.

A perfectly good transmitter if they ran it at full power, someone should nuy it off RTE but they're so anti analogue radio that they'd probably burn it rather than sell it.

I agree, that's the crack with RTE, They are even losing interest in the FM service with so many of the lower power txs running on lower power than what it should. RTE wants to go all out Digital.

I don’t think you can really say that RTÉ are losing interest in FM, I would even go as far to say that they were losing interest in DAB. They even alluded to this in their latest 5 year plan

I believe DAB is where the waste is, transmitters usually have a very long lifespan so replace the FM transmitters as needed and bam, problem solved.

Quackster

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

We don't need digital radio in Ireland, even in Dublin there are more empty transmission slots on FM than there are broadcasters able to make enough money to keep going.

Exactly this. DAB is a waste of time (and money) here as the demand to provide services doesn't exist, but in countries with higher population densities it obviously has benefits. And once a country rolls out a proper DAB network, it doesn't make economic sense maintaining a parallel FM service (except in DAB blackspots).

Why upgrade to DAB at all ? , ok FM transmitters are getting older, so replace them with FM transmitters and people can continue to use their old radios.

Gerry Wicklow

Deleted User wrote: »

Why upgrade to DAB at all ? , ok FM transmitters are getting older, so replace them with FM transmitters and people can continue to use their old radios.

There you go again. Expecting intelligence from the crowd that insists on re-inventing the wheel every time.

RTÉ/2RN don't do "off the shelf" when "off the wall" is an option

Haha, well my attitude to FM is if it's not broken don't fix it. Simple.

Mickey Mike

I firmly believe LW will be gone next year, but its important to keep one form of analogue transmission and let that be FM, and if needed new txs should be put in place on a case by case basis until such time they are all replaced and with proper power output, on a par with Today FM, they have an excellent signal output

Oscarziggy

Interesting read --- sorry if already posted .
http://savertelongwaveradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/LW252-IP-Jun2-EDIT.pdf

Regards

elperello

Oscarziggy wrote: »

Interesting read --- sorry if already posted .
http://savertelongwaveradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/LW252-IP-Jun2-EDIT.pdf

Regards

Thanks for posting.
Ireland, a cold house for emigrants then and now.

Mickey Mike

RTE Radio1 Long Wave 252, another year left in the service. Any progress made I wonder in the DAB+ (UK)?

Mailcoachinn

Not even a year left now and then it’s lights out for the final time. Does anyone know if there are any plans for the transmitter site? Will it be taken over by another station? Sold off to developers? Any ideas???

If the powers that be in RTE had their way the whole transmitter site would be destroyed such is their content for such an out dated technology as RTE see LW !

There's plans to preserve the site, I believe , luckily.

I would seriously doubt RTE would sell the transmitter or allow anyone to use it, as far as their concerned, LW should be forgotten about !

The tax payer could benefit from leasing Airtime or from the sale of it. There's many years of life in AM yet.

I like RTE Gold and it would be really good if they switched Gold to 252 instead of a crap DAB network, it's as if RTE don't want people listening to Gold but it's their best station in my opinion, Joe Duffy would complain !

Mickey Mike

The future of the LW252 site will be the same as Tullamore MW567, it will be left abandoned and disused, never again will RTE use the AM bands. RTE will not spend a single cent carrying RTE Gold or any other station. You will even see RTE start reducing the power output of the FM transmitters, like they have done with our local low power tx.
The focus is Digital from here on in as far as RTE is concerned.

Oscarziggy

RTE GOLD on 252 would certainly be interesting.
It's my Saorview bath time music station and would be great to receive it when out and about in addition to Manx Radio.
Regards

I just can't abide having to use the internet to receive a station I pay for which I should be able to receive via radio.

RTE need to realise that they need to start giving license payers what they want , not what RTE want or think we want !

I would love RTE Gold on LW or MW.

Mickey Mike

Mickey Mike wrote: »

The future of the LW252 site will be the same as Tullamore MW567, it will be left abandoned and disused, never again will RTE use the AM bands. RTE will not spend a single cent carrying RTE Gold or any other station. You will even see RTE start reducing the power output of the FM transmitters, like they have done with our local low power tx.
The focus is Digital from here on in as far as RTE is concerned.

DAB doesn't provide good coverage.

I was in Germany a few weeks ago and the Local SWR1 in the car on DAB+ broke up so many times it wasn't even funny, this is a country that was hell bent on destroying MW and have plans to Axe FM altogether.

To say my Partners dad was p1ssed was an understatement, until I showed him how to get back on good o'l FM.

My attitude, is this, if it's not broke then don't fix it.

Mailcoachinn

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I would love RTE Gold on LW or MW.

A lot of people would. I can’t see it happening though. Sure it would only make too much sense & this is RTE we are talking about

Mickey Mike

I listen to RTE radio via Saorview, a set top box with leads inserted into my Hifi stereo system, I know its a tall order but the sound quality is fantastic, RTE Gold as you can gather is crystal clear, all of them are.
If like LW power being reduced, what is the point, just listening to hiss, tear and noise.

Mickey Mike

Mickey Mike wrote: »

I listen to RTE radio via Saorview, a set top box with leads inserted into my Hifi stereo system, I know its a tall order but the sound quality is fantastic, RTE Gold as you can gather is crystal clear, all of them are.
If like LW power being reduced, what is the point, just listening to hiss, tear and noise.

LW is far from Hiss , tear and noise, I'm down in Carlow and it comes in clear as a bell . on DAB in Dublin Gold comes in clear as a bell but it's highly compressed in Mp2 format which sounds worse than a good analogue AM station to be honest.

Most of the Country can receive Lw/Mw , not DAB.

Mailcoachinn

Mickey Mike wrote: »

I listen to RTE radio via Saorview, a set top box with leads inserted into my Hifi stereo system, I know its a tall order but the sound quality is fantastic, RTE Gold as you can gather is crystal clear, all of them are.
If like LW power being reduced, what is the point, just listening to hiss, tear and noise.

I agree but that’s all well and good for listening at home. Doesn’t work for listening on the move. To be able to get Gold in the car would be great. That’s where the LW & MW transmitters could be put to good use. I didn’t find much wrong with the sound quality when I used to listen to Atlantic 252 back in the day

Mickey Mike

Mailcoachinn wrote: »

I agree but that’s all well and good for listening at home. Doesn’t work for listening on the move. To be able to get Gold in the car would be great. That’s where the LW & MW transmitters could be put to good use. I didn’t find much wrong with the sound quality when I used to listen to Atlantic 252 back in the day

Atlantic 252 operated at 500kw, it was fantastic and came across loud and clear. I'd love to see RTE Gold either on MW or LW with full power.
Question is who's going to do it? Our TV licence should contribute to it.
By the way I'd prefer MW as LW is not on all radios.

Yeah I'd be more for MW, I'd love gold on MW on the old 567 transmitter.

RTE see no value in what they call outdated technology, unlike most of the world, even in the U.S AM is still hugely popular.

RTE could sack Marian and save a tonne of cash, it's a disgrace the salary that woman is on !!!

I'd rather see the money go into a good AM station that's not full of pop sh1te and a station the whole country can hear and beyond.

This is also another benefit of long range radio, it can give people unfamiliar with Ireland some insight into the culture and perhaps boost tourism particularly on Shortwave.

Johnboy1951

Deleted User wrote: »

Yeah I'd be more for MW, I'd love gold on MW on the old 567 transmitter.

RTE see no value in what they call outdated technology, unlike most of the world, even in the U.S AM is still hugely popular.

RTE could sack Marian and save a tonne of cash, it's a disgrace the salary that woman is on !!!

I'd rather see the money go into a good AM station that's not full of pop sh1te and a station the whole country can hear and beyond.

This is also another benefit of long range radio, it can give people unfamiliar with Ireland some insight into the culture and perhaps boost tourism particularly on Shortwave.

Maybe it is a good thing so

I'm currently on my last night in the U.K on holidays, took the Boys to the Drayton Manor to see Thomas the Tank Engine in Tamworth and RTE 252 blasted clearly all the way from Fishguard, I was very impressed with the quality of the signal all the way, with the exception of the car park at Ash End House Children's Farm which is well worth a visit, anyway there was a hell of a electrical transmission line there, I never say the likes of the amount of cables on one pylon ! that's the only time LW 252 had difficulty, even when local FM stations died in the sticks 252 blasted through clearly even more than some local (ish) MW stations which are most likely running much less power.

Anyway, it's a shame LW 252 will be no more soon, it was a pleasure hearing it all over Wales and even in Birmingham in the middle of the City it was clearly heard in the car.

I'm in the Guest House/Hotel now listening to some MW stations very clearly, it's a pleasure to hear MW signals so plentiful and clear with such choice in music and best of all , you can hear them in the middle of nowhere in the car as you drive along and it's good I had the good sense to download the section of google maps I needed for my trip because the 3G signal is crap in a lot of the sticks and streaming RTE would have been impossible in a lot of places.

I find a good strong MW station a lot more listenable than a highly compressed DAB signal from RTE, perhaps it's due to the fact our ears are Analogue at the end of the day.

I wish we had a lot more MW stations in Ireland , free from the internet, playing enjoyable to listen to music that is not allowed by law at certain times of the day as part of highly restrictive regulator on FM, it's a joke. I don't think MW is as restrictive at all and it's a shame we do not at least have RTE Gold on MW.

I'm glad I got the opportunity to hear LW 252 so far from Home in such clarity before the signal is lost forever until the end of time, this will be a sad day !

Mailcoachinn

I really hope RTE isn’t thinking of going down the same road as Norway has done & that Switzerland & Germany are thinking of doing. DAB is the most overrated nonsense as a broadcasting medium. The sound quality is all compressed & sh1tty. The battery life on the receivers is p15s poor.

Give me a nice warm medium wave sound any day

Funny enough speaking of DAB in Germany, I was in Germany in July and was less than impressed in the signal quality, had to change to FM many times in the car.

FM works, MW works and my motto is , if it's not broke then don't fix it.

Why try reinvent the wheel ? they're trying to do this and it's all buckled !

I fail to see the cost benefits in several DAB transmitters than less MW transmitters or FM transmitters, all for the sake of being modern ? lol give me a break !

It's really sad to see so many radios in Currys as DAB and FM only when we have little to no DAB network so why not include AM ? at least I can listen to several U.K AM stations clearly !!!

Mickey Mike

Mickey Mike wrote: »

The future of the LW252 site will be the same as Tullamore MW567, it will be left abandoned and disused, never again will RTE use the AM bands. RTE will not spend a single cent carrying RTE Gold or any other station. You will even see RTE start reducing the power output of the FM transmitters, like they have done with our local low power tx.
The focus is Digital from here on in as far as RTE is concerned.

Is this actually the case though? Page 41 of RTE's own 5 year plan notes the continuance of FM as the primary means of radio reception into the future.

https://www.rte.ie/strategy/pdf/RTE-Strategy-2018-2022.pdf

RTE recently announced a Digital First agenda, but I think they meant internet services like the RTE player and app, I don't think they meant DAB because FM is their main transmission means. DAB has failed in Ireland, no other station is interested in DAB this is the issue, they know that FM is all people need so why on Earth install a DAB network ? for what ? ok if you want a network independent of FM then I could understand, this is where MW works, it covers large distanced with minimal infrastructure and best of all most radios have AM very few have DAB.