Looks like just DAB? I guess that is the reason ?
I'd be surprised if anything new doesn't support DAB+ but then again there were still lots of MPEG-2 only TVs for a long time.
This week on Radio Memories from ABC 80's (18.00 BST Sunday) is "Cabra’s Choice FM December 21st 2000 - This is a recording of Cabra’s Choice FM, the Dublin hobbyist pirate, from December 2000. Jem Rodney is the ‘presenter’." You can tune in on 93.3 FM North Dublin / Alexa /Tune-in Radio app/Liveradio.ie and https://daniel.torontocast.com:3015/stream with thanks to Radiowaves Ireland
Evening everyone! Good weather is out! I was out in my car driving around this afternoon from Clontarf to Dublin City then to Dublin 6, Here is what I heard.
91.0 A carrier.
94.3 Also carrier for a short time but no audio at any stage. Are these two connected?
105.7 The Beach - non stop music.
AM - no sign of Energy power on 1440. Are they permanently here now? Why the move from 1395?
Anything else happen Dublin? Very quiet altogether. Why so?
Diddly squat on these days to be honest.
93.3 - ABC 80s
98.4 - The 90s Network
Saturday and anything stirring out there fellas.
Getting a few BBC stations here in Clontarf.
Good weather giving a great lift!
Here is what I picked up this evening:
FM:
92.0 - Retro FM
93.3 - ABC 80S
94.3 - Relay of All 80s - Alan Hennessy of Charity Radio, and sometimes combined pirates Fun FM, was presenting.
105.7 - The Beach
AM:
1440 kh (MW) - Energy Power AM
So fellas anybody out and about?
What’s happening out there? Was out earlier this morning and no lift on today. Yesterday was good for uk stations here.
A question….any reports of Irish stations being heard in the uk? Where would that be reported online?
I will give you the "free radio" bandscan around Dublin that I picked up in my travels!
93.3 - ABC 80S - playing recording this evening of Choice FM (from Cabra) from 2000 with presenter Jem Rodney. Now listening online. Not exactly 80s memories! Anybody know anything else about him?
107.1 - RetroNow (from Co. Meath)
Around Wicklow town for years I have heard low power spirit radio (unlicenced?) Rebroadcast not listed on their website around 88.1 but it seems to be off now. They seem to be based out of Bray so maybe it was some staff members home. There is also an FM mast on the hill in Wicklow town, so may have been from there.
I have been meaning to track down exact location, I tracked Christmas FM to a house before (while travelling on a bus!). I have also tracked Church Broadcasts to specific churches (on 27Mhz) and knocked on the door of a Waterford pirate station after locating the transmission..
Spirit Radio is licensed to play Christian-oriented music and is multi-regional. It has both AM and FM transmitters. Christmas FM has been running on temporary FM licenses every year since 2008 and has gradually increased its geographical spread over the years - nearly nationwide at this stage. It is also online, without the 30 day restrictions for the FM broadcasts. As far as I know, it has always broadcast from hotels in Dublin - not somebody's house! Neither are pirates.
I agree Xmas FM is fully legit but one of the transmitters was from a house. I assume for budget reasons. They only broadcast for a short time so I assume someone involved had a house with a good location. To give more details house was on a hill in Bray. Bray is higher than most of Dublin city so coverage would have been decent.
Sprit is indeed "legit" but they had a very low power transmitter near Wicklow town, which now seems to be off. It was so low power it was very patchy within miles. It was very low on dial 87.8 or below 88.5. I don't know if this site had a licence but when I last searched there was no mention of the frequency on their list of sites. Indeed even the comreg website can be slow to update for temporary licences so it's often hard to confirm temporary stations.
What is the pirate situation outside of Dublin these days?
Cork has Cityview on 97.6, KIIS on 87.5 and a Radio Caroline relay on 107.0 on the weekends
Tralee has Beat on 104.8
Bit early this week for Radio Memories (Short Break) But on Sunday 5th at 18.00 BST we have Diamond Radio first "From the October bank holiday in 1986, this is a recording of John Gold on Diamond Radio, the small, hobbyist pirate station based in Ballyfermot. Then This is a recording of Radio Diamond from February 1st 1987. Paul Prenter is on air in the afternoon for the west Dublin-based pirate station." See Alexa / 93.3 FM Stereo North Dublin / liveradio.ie / tune-in app and https://daniel.torontocast.com:3015/stream With thanks to Radiowaves Ireland / John O’Flaherty / Jess Codd
Where Diamond not based in the old star cinema in Crumlin ? , at one stage they were on 106 and 99.1.
Re the Spirit relay in Wicklow mentioned above - was it an UCB relay ? - there was one on for years around 88FM - as recently as 2020 (if not longer).
There was a UCB relay on 87.6 in Wicklow Town for many years - it often made it across the Irish Sea also. Same operator ?
87.6 UCB is still here in Wicklow although has been on and off alot recently.
Haven't heard the spirit relay here but 92.1 comes in well.
Blank carrier in Dublin on 105.2 (8Radio) getting ready for a temporary licence run.
Spirit Radio's 549kHz AM has been off the air for at least a day
As if the 252 interference wasn’t enough, Chaine 2 from Algeria is booming in on 91.8 in Cork, which has the same RDS PI code as 2FM (2202). Radios are currently switching between 2FM and Chaine 2 in areas of poor reception (mine included)
Another station on 105.4 with PI code 2203 (showing as RTELyric) and another with code 2206 showing as a Newstalk
What’s the story out there fella’s?
Join Us this Bank Holiday Monday (6th June) on ABC 80's from 18.00 BST for the "Radio NOVA Top -40 with Lawrence John " Re-live the sound of NOVA only on ABC 80's "Radio you grew up with" see Getmeradio.com/Tune-in Radio app/liveradio.ie /and online at https://daniel.torontocast.com:3015/stream and around Dublin on 93.3 FM in Stereo
Regarding Energy moving to 1440 from 1395, there is a Dutch "LPAM" station on 1395 which can get out surprisingly well at night for officially just 25 watts carrier on 1395.
whilst 1440 is very clear at night since a very high power Saudi station (which could be weakly received here at night) disappeared some months ago. So with the move to 1440 it is now easier to hear Energy at nighttime in places distant from Dublin (They were on last weekend).
Also on the same band - Spirit Radio on 549 remains off air, it being off for the past number of days.
Intense "e" opening on VHF broadcast band .Entire band full of Italian, Spanish etc .
Rai Uno coming in clear on 89.3 in Lucan
In the north east the FreeDAB mix has Kiss106,Storm, Energy, WILD and many other Irish stations. Also can be picked up clearly is FreeDAB Dublin with ClubFM and many more.
This Sunday on ABC 80's Radio Memories from 18.00 BST "ERI January 15th 1983 "This is Stuart Scott on the morning shift for ERI. The recording is dated January 15th 1983 and starts at 8.20am." Join us on liveradio.ie/Tune-in Radio app/Alexa/93.3 FM Stereo in North Dublin and https://daniel.torontocast.com:3015/stream "Radio You Grew Up With"
Quick scan in Windy Arbour (Dublin). UNID dance station on 93.2 with weak but clear signal. Doesn’t seem to be heavily processed.
Just up the way on 93.3 I was getting ABC 80s .. neither station causing major issues to each other here.
90s network on 98.4
Over on MW it was another early Friday start for Energy on 1440 .. maybe firing up for Longitide Festival weekend nearby but not sure if the Marlay crowd would appreciate the Matt Bianco banger currently being played on the great 208
