The future of RTE Radio 1 LW

They didn't do anything to raise the power , it's still 20 db over here in Carlow.

I bet they'll keep announcing "maintenance" then whinge that it's costing too much to maintain and all they'll really do is turn it off for the so called maintenance that probably isn't happening.

Pity no one went to the 252 site to see if they really did any maintenance on the mast.

My guess is they did nothing, why would they if they plan to kill 252 in the shortest time possible and most likely dismantle it , there'd be no reason to keep the mast or transmitter, the Chinese are buying a lot of the old European transmitters and antennas and in some cases take them over at their location, rent them.

RTE should look to at least rent 567 and 252 and make some money. The MW band is still crowded today, and there are quiet a few SW transmitters.

Speaking of SW where used the SW transmitter be ?

Where do you see this info ? I've never seen RTE on Short-wave info.

How did you find it though it's not in their main list ?

That's cool, pity only 30 mins, must admit that I never heard RTE on the 49 Meter band but I'll make the point to listen out for it. Right conditions it might be audible.

Cheers !

SW has much greater potential for RTE. They could easily lease time on another network transmitter.

The 49 Meter band is ideal in the evening or 16,19 and 22 meters during the day. Multiband radios can be got cheap especially 2nd hand.

Chinese stations blast through 24x7 and sometimes 30 Db over. 500 Kw sure but even if RTE leased time on a U.K SW transmitter it could save them money.

burnsey1987 wrote: »

Even if RTE leased capacity on the Radio France or ORF SW transmitters, with the right level of power they could have a decent signal throughout most of Europe

But they wouldn't need to if MW has that good penetration at the full 500 Kw.

If leasing is the cheaper option then that's the way they should go and then lease their own transmitters, better to get something than to demolish them just so they don't have to be operated again.

I guess the old valve 567 site is too old and they already spent money upgrading the 252 to solid state so it would seem mad to destroy it, though they'd probably sell all the equipment for a quick few quid instead of think longer term and try lease.

If I had the money I would love to operate 567 at full power and play music all day long however licensing is so restrictive in ireland that you must have talk, certain Irish music, cater for the young, etc etc it's ridiculous someone can't operate a radio station in Ireland and play what they want whenever they want without the interfering Government in the way !

Deleted User wrote: »

I guess the old valve 567 site is too old and they already spent money upgrading the 252 to solid state so it would seem mad to destroy it, though they'd probably sell all the equipment for a quick few quid instead of think longer term and try lease.

You'd think that but they did major work on the 567 mast just a couple of years before closing it.

At this stage I think RTE were mad to even look at 252 for Radio 1. It was touted that the UK got better reception on 252 but even Atlantic 252 at the full 500kW couldn't reach London. If anything it's worse because of Algeria while 567 was clear. Sounds to me like they should have just upgraded Tullamore to solid state and abandoned LW.

Deleted User wrote: »

Or just change the 252 frequency.

That's not as easy as you think, it could take years.

Yes because just changing the frequency would be akin to piracy. Ireland don't have a right to use 261. You'd need to get approval from the ITU and the red tape involved in that would slow things down significantly.