The future of RTE Radio 1 LW

Sam Russell

Sam Russell wrote: »

The Raspberry Pi was originally designed to get students going to Cambridge to learn programming - as most student applicants did not have a clue about computers or how to code a program to the horror of the course organiser.

So he designed the Pi. It was incredibly successful, but how many are in the back of drawers?

Probably tonnes at the back of drawers, I mean they are cool devices but in reality most People have a PC, I have 2 of them and don't use them now at all.

I think the pi was developed to allow poorer countries access to cheap computing ?

It's fine to teach students coding and all that but not everyone has the ability, but it's equally important to teach the likes of electronics, engineering but using practical skills, Amateur radio is good to get the brain stimulated, they offer this is other countries and it gets the brain stimulated, building little transmitters, antennas and learning how it all works, even communicating with the internal space station is bound to fascinate a lot of young People and learning how that was possible. Imagine the Kids faces when they all help build an antenna that can send a signal to the international space station ? that's gotta get some of them fascinated more in science.

I really feel they should bring old cars to schools, show them the important stuff, how it works, how to change the oil, strip the engine down etc, I would have loved nothing more in school, but it was mostly just books and all that bull**** because it's all too easy for teachers to ramble off stuff in textbooks.

I do feel our education system is grossly outdated.

Hotblack Desiato

There's any amount of electronics stuff you can do with the Raspberry Pi, it's a lot easier to interface with stuff than the "golden age" 80s home computers, it's ideally suited for monitoring and control. You can't blame the device for the lack of use people put it to

Internal combustion engines will be obsolete in ten years time, I'm not a fan of that either but that is the way it is.

I'm using several Pis as media players, not their intended use perhaps but they're great at it. I have another as an ad-blocking DNS server for my home network (https://pi-hole.net/)

Hotblack Desiato

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

There's any amount of electronics stuff you can do with the Raspberry Pi, it's a lot easier to interface with stuff than the "golden age" 80s home computers, it's ideally suited for monitoring and control. You can't blame the device for the lack of use people put it to

Internal combustion engines will be obsolete in ten years time, I'm not a fan of that either but that is the way it is.

I'm using several Pis as media players, not their intended use perhaps but they're great at it. I have another as an ad-blocking DNS server for my home network (https://pi-hole.net/)

The Internal Combustion Engine age may be drawing to a close, for passenger cars at least but there's no harm if School Children were exposed to it's internals and learned how this device powered the world and still does and I don't mean by textbook.

Yeah sure there's a lot you can do with a pi but there's a lot more interesting stuff out there than raspberry Pis.

Mickey Mike

2rn are looking for etenders for demolition work to be carried out at Tullamore transmission site, must be in for 18/06/21 its sad it won't be used again, RTE say the metal and everything won't go to waste as all will be recycled, sad and an end of an era.

Mickey Mike

Mickey Mike wrote: »

2rn are looking for etenders for demolition work to be carried out at Tullamore transmission site, must be in for 18/06/21 its sad it won't be used again, RTE say the metal and everything won't go to waste as all will be recycled, sad and an end of an era.

Yea they couldn't care less, and the sad thing is it probably wouldn't cost a lot to get the transmitter up and running again, Gold would have been really good on 567 Khz and MW radios are cheap and most homes have one already.

RTE don't want MW to be successful anyway, that is crystal clear, if a MW station was good enough People would listen, no doubt about that, I think there's not that many People who would say " I wouldn't listen to that because it's on MW and I wouldn't listen to MW just because that's old tech" there's still a lot of MW radios in cars too. It's as if there's a whole conspiracy to rid us of this dreadful technology more than a push from people themselves.

Mickey Mike

While the mast is still standing, you'd think a government body or a wealthy music guro or indeed anyone would bring it to life, all it needs is a new TX, there's tremendous wealth in this country, "can we save it" once its down, that's it.

Oscarziggy

Anyone up for it ?
https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/189012/0/0?returnUrl=ctm/Supplier/publictenders&b=ETENDERS_SIMPLE

dulpit

[Deleted User] wrote: »

RTE don't want MW to be successful anyway, that is crystal clear, if a MW station was good enough People would listen, no doubt about that, I think there's not that many People who would say " I wouldn't listen to that because it's on MW and I wouldn't listen to MW just because that's old tech" there's still a lot of MW radios in cars too. It's as if there's a whole conspiracy to rid us of this dreadful technology more than a push from people themselves.

I really doubt this. Most cars, even with MW, make you press a few buttons to switch bands. Why would you do this when there's a decent range of fm stations available, and most people can use Bluetooth in car too for the likes of podcasts, music streaming, etc.

It's old tech, it's not used, why keep it apart from the obvious nostalgia shown in this thread?

Mickey Mike

What is the actual future of Long Wave 252? how long more is it going to keep transmitting, the steam of the Diaspora in the UK is bound to run out, a switch off is going on since 2014 and quite a few attempts have been made to shut it down. Medium Wave 567 got no chance, it was shut down on the first announcement, if anything MW should have been maintained, just that one TX, I feel I'm repeating myself.

dxhound2005

The planning application to remove the Tullamore transmitter also included this:

THE ERECTION OF A 48-METRE-HIGH LATTICEWORK COMMUNICATIONS TOWER WITH ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT ATTACHED AND WITH EQUIPMENT CONTAINERS AT GROUND LEVEL ALL WITHIN A NEW PALISADE FENCE COMPOUND AND THE SUBSEQUENT REMOVAL OF AN EXISTING STAYED MAST

http://www.eplanning.ie/OffalyCC/AppFileRefDetails/2033/0

I don't see any Appeals against the plan.

Hotblack Desiato

RTE Gold on medium wave would be great.

It would have to have ads then, though, and all the usual BAI bullshít

Mickey Mike

Mickey Mike wrote: »

While the mast is still standing, you'd think a government body or a wealthy music guro or indeed anyone would bring it to life, all it needs is a new TX, there's tremendous wealth in this country, "can we save it" once its down, that's it.

I'd say if RTE were offered 10 million for the site and transmitter they would not take it such is their contempt for AM radio.....

dulpit

dulpit wrote: »

I really doubt this. Most cars, even with MW, make you press a few buttons to switch bands. Why would you do this when there's a decent range of fm stations available, and most people can use Bluetooth in car too for the likes of podcasts, music streaming, etc.

It's old tech, it's not used, why keep it apart from the obvious nostalgia shown in this thread?

Most cars have a "band" button, hardly complicated, much easier than using tune in via bluetooth on the good, far more dangerous too.

There's a decent range of FM stations but sadly they're complete and utter junk and play genres of music that make people tune away and DJ's that talk utter shyte thinking their funny or entertaining.

Quality of programming/music is more important than whether it comes from an app, fm or AM, if the quality of programming is there People will listen.

Even RTE R1 on rising time are playing a lot of crap music, the other morning driving to work I heard them play Hello by Adele, it was absolutely cringing listening to it, this type of shyte turns me off of RTE R1, tubridy show is allowing this sort of muck in too and RTE R 1 is not the kind of station to play this crap, this is why they have 2FM.

Hotblack Desiato

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

RTE Gold on medium wave would be great.

It would have to have ads then, though, and all the usual BAI bullshít

Government control of Radio and TV will always have a poor outcome for the Public.

dulpit

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Most cars have a "band" button, hardly complicated, much easier than using tune in via bluetooth on the good, far more dangerous too.

There's a decent range of FM stations but sadly they're complete and utter junk and play genres of music that make people tune away and DJ's that talk utter shyte thinking their funny or entertaining.

Quality of programming/music is more important than whether it comes from an app, fm or AM, if the quality of programming is there People will listen.

Even RTE R1 on rising time are playing a lot of crap music, the other morning driving to work I heard them play Hello by Adele, it was absolutely cringing listening to it, this type of shyte turns me off of RTE R1, tubridy show is allowing this sort of muck in too and RTE R 1 is not the kind of station to play this crap, this is why they have 2FM.

I strongly believe the days of music radio is on the way out. Streaming platforms replacing them. Talk radio, on the other hand, is alive and well. But I still don't see the need for a different band to be used for what? 1 Station?

dulpit

dulpit wrote: »

I strongly believe the days of music radio is on the way out. Streaming platforms replacing them. Talk radio, on the other hand, is alive and well. But I still don't see the need for a different band to be used for what? 1 Station?

it's just another way for media to be delivered and in my opinion rte r1/newstalk etc in general would be better suited to am and keep Fm for something more positive and uplifting but there are a lot of FM stations that are crap and I wish I knew why because it used to be a lot more entertaining, perhaps too much BAI interference restricting the freedom of broadcasters to do what they want ?

most People still have access to Am radio, at least those who still listen to radio.

I agree though, streaming is proving a big challenge to radio broadcasters, was it in Norway or Sweden the national broadcaster switched off FM for DAB and lost almost half of listeners, the moral of that story is if it's not broke, don't fix it.

rathfarnhamlad

Deleted User wrote: »

it's just another way for media to be delivered and in my opinion rte r1/newstalk etc in general would be better suited to am and keep Fm for something more positive and uplifting but there are a lot of FM stations that are crap and I wish I knew why because it used to be a lot more entertaining, perhaps too much BAI interference restricting the freedom of broadcasters to do what they want ?

most People still have access to Am radio, at least those who still listen to radio.

I agree though, streaming is proving a big challenge to radio broadcasters, was it in Norway or Sweden the national broadcaster switched off FM for DAB and lost almost half of listeners, the moral of that story is if it's not broke, don't fix it.

NRK in Norway closed all it's national FM transmitters at the end of 2017. Local & commercial stations are still on FM.

This was on Paul Groves website:

"Norway kindly volunteered to act as a test-bed for in-car DAB installation by switching off its national FM transmitters in 2017. A few months after the FM transmitters were switched off, only a third of drivers of cars without DAB before the switch off had installed DAB receivers with the result that nearly half of Norwegian cars were unable to receive national radio."

Full article can be read here: http://frequencyfinder.org.uk/Opinion_AM.pdf

Although if I'm not mistaken, NRK recently commissioned a brand new MW transmitter for the Svalbard region.

National FM radio is still on air in Sweden. I don't know whether or not there are any plans to switch to DAB-only.

Neighbouring Finland got rid of DAB a while back I think.

Switzerland will be the next country to do away with FM. This has been talked about for a while & I have to say surprised me. Here's the link to a recent article: https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/switzerland-to-pull-plug-on-fm-radio-by-2023/46260292#:~:text=The%20radio%20industry%20has%20reached,follow%20suit%20by%20January%202023.

The article says that: DAB+ offers better sound quality (no, not necessarily) and broader coverage areas (???).

In a country with plenty of mountainous terrain, I can see these plans backfiring big time...

kazoo106

Multipath +FM not good
Multipath +DAB very good

So this may work out very well in Switzerland

doughnut2000

dulpit wrote: »

I really doubt this. Most cars, even with MW, make you press a few buttons to switch bands. Why would you do this when there's a decent range of fm stations available, and most people can use Bluetooth in car too for the likes of podcasts, music streaming, etc.

It's old tech, it's not used, why keep it apart from the obvious nostalgia shown in this thread?

Agree.

Deleted User wrote: »

the other morning driving to work I heard them play Hello by Adele, it was absolutely cringing listening to it, this type of shyte turns me off of RTE R1

Sounds like a case for Joe Duffy.

kazoo106

Has anyone here tried listening to RTE Radio 1 on FM in areas like Swanlinbar, Carlingford, Bawnboy, parts of Drogheda, and Belfast (as its within their GFA obligation) or indeed anywhere outside the M50?

There exists very much a need for AM - and preferebly something better than what we have at present.

The series of very serious DDOS attacks on various Internet providers over the last few days (large enough for the National Cyber crime centre to finally get up off their ass last night at 11pm) demonstrate that the Internet is fickle and should not be relied upon in a national emergency.

Gerry Wicklow

A friend's town lost internet for almost a week recently because someone dug up the fibre. Mobile internet didn't work either because too many were trying to use it. Too many eggs in one basket?

doughnut2000

kazoo106 wrote: »

Has anyone here tried listening to RTE Radio 1 on FM in areas like Swanlinbar, Carlingford, Bawnboy, parts of Drogheda, and Belfast (as its within their GFA obligation) or indeed anywhere outside the M50?

I think the GFA only discusses TG4.

Can't say for sure about Radio 1, but 2FM and Today FM work brilliantly across the north from my experience driving through their regularly. I've made regular trips from Dublin to Letterkenny via Belfast and Omagh and get continuous coverage. I know Radio 1 FM does work in the middle of Belfast, I can remember Joe Duffy had someone giving off that their neighbour was using their bins.

marno21

kazoo106 wrote: »

Has anyone here tried listening to RTE Radio 1 on FM in areas like Swanlinbar, Carlingford, Bawnboy, parts of Drogheda, and Belfast (as its within their GFA obligation) or indeed anywhere outside the M50?

There exists very much a need for AM - and preferebly something better than what we have at present.

The series of very serious DDOS attacks on various Internet providers over the last few days (large enough for the National Cyber crime centre to finally get up off their ass last night at 11pm) demonstrate that the Internet is fickle and should not be relied upon in a national emergency.

RTÉ never took up FM allocations at Dowra, Drumshanbo or Blacklion which would have covered the general north Cavan/Leitrim area. Same with an allocation in Carlingford.

It’s the same nationwide. Many of their smaller relays were never commissioned. There are plenty of FM black spots around the country, several I can name in Cork/Kerry.

Mickey Mike

marno21 wrote: »

RTÉ never took up FM allocations at Dowra, Drumshanbo or Blacklion which would have covered the general north Cavan/Leitrim area. Same with an allocation in Carlingford.

It’s the same nationwide. Many of their smaller relays were never commissioned. There are plenty of FM black spots around the country, several I can name in Cork/Kerry.

With the demise of DAB and Long Wave switch off sometime in 2022, RTE should expand their FM network and upgrade existing lower power txs to higher power to bring 99 or 100% coverage, it will be the only analogue system they have left.
NI can be covered in Mono form if necessary.

doughnut2000

doughnut2000 wrote: »

Sounds like a case for Joe Duffy.

Yeah, could be, but seriously, that type of crap music is not suitable on RTE R1 in my opinion.

Mickey Mike

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Yeah, could be, but seriously, that type of crap music is not suitable on RTE R1 in my opinion.

In some way RTE Radio1 is like the RTE Radio2 when it launched over 40 years ago, so its more our liking. 2FM is gone to hell with the utter sh1te there playing, I'd like to see Gold incorporated in it, its terrible trash.

Johnboy1951

I stopped tuning into LW, MW and SW many many years ago.
Once I lost interest in distance radio and various things like airplane and even some emergency stuff, there was nothing left I wanted to listen to that I could not receive better on FM.

Johnboy1951

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

I stopped tuning into LW, MW and SW many many years ago.
Once I lost interest in distance radio and various things like airplane and even some emergency stuff, there was nothing left I wanted to listen to that I could not receive better on FM.

Ever thought about getting your amateur radio license ? I get some buzz out of getting DX contacts from minimal setups. So much more to do on Shortwave when you have the license.

doughnut2000

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

I stopped tuning into LW, MW and SW many many years ago.
Once I lost interest in distance radio and various things like airplane and even some emergency stuff, there was nothing left I wanted to listen to that I could not receive better on FM.

That's it exactly.

Johnboy1951

Deleted User wrote: »

Ever thought about getting your amateur radio license ? I get some buzz out of getting DX contacts from minimal setups. So much more to do on Shortwave when you have the license.

I thought about it 'way back' for some years after I got my RO ticket, but never bothered.
I moved in a different direction.