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Looking for a good DAB radio

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  • 05-05-2005 9:14pm
    #1
    westportman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 36 ✭


    hi all
    which is the best DAB radio to go for in ireland to get the BBC radio from NI, can anyone help me??


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    #2
    DMC
    Registered Users Posts: 10,726 ✭✭✭✭DMC


    Hi,
    Firstly, whats your budget, and second... as discussed here before, can you get it? I'm doubting Westport can get it. Do you have a report that it works in the area?

    Check the DAB in Ireland thread here for more info.


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    #3
    Antenna
    Registered Users Posts: 2,313 ✭✭✭Antenna


    waste of time thinking about DAB in Westport, better off get a FTA satellite system and use it for radio, your local LIDL might still have the 'camping' ones that came this week!


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    #4
    westportman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 36 ✭westportman


    Antenna wrote:
    waste of time thinking about DAB in Westport, better off get a FTA satellite system and use it for radio, your local LIDL might still have the 'camping' ones that came this week!

    Would there be any chance with a good airel at all??


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    #5
    DMC
    Registered Users Posts: 10,726 ✭✭✭✭DMC


    Nope. It's very low power, (don't have a power rating for Brougher, but DAB from Divis is less than a 10th of the power of FM)

    If I venture west in the next month or so (most likely) I'll give you a report here.


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    #6
    westportman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 36 ✭westportman


    DMC wrote:
    Nope. It's very low power, (don't have a power rating for Brougher, but DAB from Divis is less than a 10th of the power of FM)

    If I venture west in the next month or so (most likely) I'll give you a report here.

    ok so thnak for that.


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    #7
    lawhec
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,757 ✭✭✭lawhec


    The Score NI DAB Multiplex has a Max ERP of 5kW (12D)

    With my reception of the BBC Multiplex off the same site on 12B, the Max ERP seems to be at least the same.


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    #8
    westportman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 36 ✭westportman


    Northern Correspondent wrote:
    The Score NI DAB Multiplex has a Max ERP of 5kW (12D)

    With my reception of the BBC Multiplex off the same site on 12B, the Max ERP seems to be at least the same.[/QUO

    What dose that all mean? i am lost


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    #9
    DMC
    Registered Users Posts: 10,726 ✭✭✭✭DMC


    Firstly, with DAB there are two services (multiplex/mux) being broadcast; Score NI (commercial) and the BBC National mux. 12B and 12D actually refer to where they are on the Band III waveband there are tranmitting on.

    What NC is saying is that the maximum power rating for the signal of Score is 5kW, which is exactly the same power as Mid West Radio broadcast on 96.1, their Kiltimagh transmitter. So, think how far that signal goes, add in hills and mountains, and see how far that takes you. Not very, I hasten to add.

    RTÉ's Radio's main transmitter for Dublin, Kippure, transmits at 40Kw.


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    #10
    lawhec
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,757 ✭✭✭lawhec


    ERP is Effective Radiated Power - it is the power of the transmission(s) being broadcast from a transmitter site. It is not always the same value as the transmitter power itself, as aerial stacking can be used to increase the ERP and in some cases make the transmissions directional. As an example, on RTÉ's Achill site there's no point broadcasting to a load of fish in the Atlantic Ocean therefore its transmissions would be beamed mostly east and southeastwards with little going out westwards.

    If a transmission is given as Max ERP 5kW Vertical, 1.5 kW Horizontal, this means that the maximum ERP of the vertical plane of the signal is 5 kilowatts and is 1.5 kilowatts on the horizontal plane. Maximum is quoted because the ERP is depended on the modulation of the transmission (don't worry about this) - it rarely stays at the maximum for long on an analogue transmission but it is more or less constant on DTT and DAB transmissions.

    Transmitting and receiving aerials can be polarised, either Vertical or Horizontal, there is also a mode called mixed or circular, which uses both Vertical and Horizontal polarisation, usually equally but not always. Most FM broadcast transmissions in Ireland are vertical only, however the received signal (especially if you're over the horizon of the transmitter, or reciving close to ground) is not always perfectly vertical, it may be slightly off axis.

    I remember you asking this question on D****** S** (I use the name Redcoat) and I suggested trying to receive FM transmissions from Brougher Mountain. The one that is usually received the easiest is Q101 West on 101.2 - I've received it's transmissions (weak but steady) from as far away as Coleraine, Belfast Harbour and the Dublin suburbs. If you cannot receive a signal from it outdoors on a radio consistently then forget about DAB from NI.


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