Dublin: FM104, 98FM, Q102 and SPIN 1038 broadcasting on other frequencies in the regi

FMFreakGER

Hi.
I'm new here, from germany and I'm a BIG Radio Fan. Last week I was in Dublin and the nearer region. Mostly I listened to the radio stations FM104, SPIN 1038, Q102 and also 98FM. I read that they only have each one single FM frequency in Dublin on the transmitter on the Three Rock Mountain (FM104: 104.4, Q102: 102.2, 98FM: 98.1, SPIN 1038: 103.8). But north of Dublin direction Dundalk they are broadcasted also on other FM frequencies. I noticed FM104 on 103.1 (got really scratchy with Dublin City FM on 103.2), Q102 on 101.5, 98FM on 97.4 and SPIN 1038 on 103.5 all with RDS and stuff.
But I can't find any information about the transmitter where these frequencies are coming from, cause they are not listed in any frequency directory not even on the hompages of these radio station.

So my question is: Are those frequencies transmitted illegal by any person who can't get the original signal from Dublin Three Rock Mountain? On worlds leading website for FM/TV/DAB frequencies fmscan.org I cant find any listings too. That's strange

I hope anyone can help me by identifying the transmitter and its power.

Thanks so much

Beasty

Welcome to Boards FMFreakGER

You posted your request in our "Forum Requests" forum. We have a dedicated "Radio" forum and I've moved your post there where you are more likely to get the information you are looking for

JDxtra

They are licensed relays. The need for them has been questioned in the past.

They come from Balbriggan in North County Dublin and I believe they are all 100 watts.

marno21

You will also find 4FM on 100.1 and Sunshine on 106.6FM.

JDxtra wrote: »

They are licensed relays. The need for them has been questioned in the past.

They come from Balbriggan in North County Dublin and I believe they are all 100 watts.

It's bizarre how there was no need for them in the first 25 years of operation, then suddenly FM104 & 98FM needed them and now there's 6 relays in Balbriggan.

I can understand there may be issues in Balbriggan itself but this shouldn't require any more than 20 watts of an urban relay.

It should not be possible to receive these relays in Dublin City yet it is. No need of it. The Three Rock high powers can be received up the M1 as far as the border.

Losty Dublin

marno21 wrote: »

You will also find 4FM on 100.1 and Sunshine on 106.6FM.



It's bizarre how there was no need for them in the first 25 years of operation, then suddenly FM104 & 98FM needed them and now there's 6 relays in Balbriggan.

I can understand there may be issues in Balbriggan itself but this shouldn't require any more than 20 watts of an urban relay.

It should not be possible to receive these relays in Dublin City yet it is. No need of it. The Three Rock high powers can be received up the M1 as far as the border.

98FM has a few known blindspots in Fingal that required them to look for a relay. Once they got theirs the other stations cried foul and wanted ones as well.

marno21

Losty Dublin wrote: »

98FM has a few known blindspots in Fingal that required them to look for a relay. Once they got theirs the other stations cried foul and wanted ones as well.

Are these 98FM specific black spots (hardly?) or general Three Rock blackspots

Parts of the coast in North County Dublin struggle with Three Rock and rely on Clermont Carn for national services. Skerries even had a planned relay for Saorview which was later dropped

Losty Dublin

marno21 wrote: »

Are these 98FM specific black spots (hardly?) or general Three Rock blackspots

Parts of the coast in North County Dublin struggle with Three Rock and rely on Clermont Carn for national services. Skerries even had a planned relay for Saorview which was later dropped

It was 98FM specific as they seemed to suffer a fair bit in the area over the years, more so as the spectrum has become more crowded. A small part of Howth was a blackspot for some of the city TX for a long time, more so the RTÉ rigs for some reason.

prunudo

Losty Dublin wrote: »

98FM has a few known blindspots in Fingal that required them to look for a relay. Once they got theirs the other stations cried foul and wanted ones as well.

Neither 98 nor 104 are very strong south of the Glen of the Downs either.

Losty Dublin

jvan wrote: »

Neither 98 nor 104 are very strong south of the Glen of the Downs either.

And neither are licensed to cover County Wicklow. Balbriggan however is in both stations area.

prunudo

Losty Dublin wrote: »

And neither are licensed to cover County Wicklow. Balbriggan however is in both stations area.

Are they not licensed for the greater Dublin and commuter belt area?

L1011

Balbriggan is not the issue, the coastal areas of NCD were. Balbriggan happened to be the useful high ground to receive and retransmit.

What you get on your car radio is never indicative of a radio indoors - particularly as car radios are more likely to be built around highly selective chipsets and indoor radios these days are usually FM afterthoughts on an Imagination Tech DAB chipset.

jvan wrote: »

Are they not licensed for the greater Dublin and commuter belt area?

No(t yet)

They have Dublin City & County licences. I can see the growth of Nova (and 4FM to a lesser extent) with their Dublin & Commuter licences leading to them all asking for that in future; though. Once one station gets something off the BAI it becomes hard to refuse to others.

medoc

FMFreakGER wrote: »

........and SPIN 1038 on 103.5 all with RDS and stuff.

Ah that explains why I lost Midlands 103 once I got closer to the M1 when on the M50. Couldn’t make out what station it was due to both interfering. I thought it was a pirate. I remember the days when Radio 3 could be picked up well into Dublin city, Galway and Waterford etc. it had a great signal reach. Before the band got so busy I suppose.