FáilteDAB: Coverage, Tests and Services

It depends on the bit rates used. The two national commercial UK multiplexes have around 29-30 stations each because they are using 32k for some music stations, and 24k for some talk stations. Newstalk probably doesn't need any more than 32k, so there could be room for another 10.

Last night the channels were operating at 40kbps. Can’t remember what the initial trial was but I think it was higher

You can use 32k with parametric stereo but the optimal bit rate for HE-AAC v2 is 48k.

Not sure about an app, but you can listen online via their web site…

https://www.onic.ie/player/onic-hits

You can also add the direct URLs to any streaming device or player you may have…

https://live.onic.ie/stream-hits
https://live.onic.ie/stream-gold
https://live.onic.ie/stream-80s

etc.

Talksport Ireland is on the Onic site,is it on DAB yet?

Was listening to Nova during the day, the audio was pretty poor at 40 kbps and definitely not the same quality as via FM or streaming.

RTE will probably do their own at some point in the future

Mono......stereo is possible at 40kbps , it looks like quantity is being put ahead of quality, undoubtedly a cost decision,

The use of low bitrates make Today FM carriage questionable , their Dab+ will be vastly inferior to their nationally available FM service.

I was hoping for some imagination, Bay with CH80s,Nova Xtra and Sunshine Soul ,and Onics with their 10 channels are showing what added value Dab+ can bring,unlike relays of Today FM,Spirit and Newstalk.

sound quality seems noticeably better than FM with me anyway atm

My car radio doesn't have DAB. I must look about getting a bit of kit like this, but which has DAB+.

I would disagree as Spin and Nova are not National and cannot be received in some parts of the DAB network. Would be good to hear some Dublin stations outside of the Dublin area like, Classic Hits Radio, Spin 1038, Nova 100, IRadio and Sunshine 1068 rather than spin off stations

Depending on where I am in the gaff, I'm getting signals on 5B, 7C and 10D.

I'm just wondering now which muxes are coming from which TX site. The data below is on the map on their website… Note that the frequency for Mount Oriel is 10B, but I'm getting something on 10D. The other frequencies are for block 11B, not in use.

ST: MtOriel
longitude: -6.5128 latitude: 53.7900 altitude: 244 address: MOUNT ORIEL frequency 211.648000 MHz power: 10000.000000 W azimuth: 0.0 ° antenna: 60.00 m info: networkID: IRLNE model: DAB_6 group: FM

ST: ITU000002
longitude: -6.2578 latitude: 53.5708 altitude: 161 address: BALBRIGGAN005 frequency 218.640000 MHz power: 500.000000 W azimuth: 0.0 ° antenna: 36.00 m info: IRL_DUB1_11B_005 networkID: IRL DAB R DUB AREA 1 model: DAB_6 group

ST: ITU000004
longitude: -6.4747 latitude: 53.2458 altitude: 402 address: SAGGART HILL002 frequency 218.640000 MHz power: 8000.000000 W azimuth: 0.0 ° antenna: 36.00 m info: IRL_DUB_11B_002 networkID: IRL DAB R DUB AREA 1 model: DAB_6 grou

ST: ITU000001
longitude: -6.2364 latitude: 53.2469 altitude: 440 address: THREE ROCK001 frequency 218.640000 MHz power: 20000.000000 W azimuth: 0.0 ° antenna: 40.00 m info: IRL_DUB_11B_001 networkID: IRL DAB R DUB AREA 1 model: DAB_6 group:

ST: ITU000005
longitude: -6.0900 latitude: 53.1728 altitude: 149 address: BRAY HEAD003 frequency 218.640000 MHz power: 8000.000000 W azimuth: 0.0 ° antenna: 30.00 m info: IRL_DUB_11B_003 networkID: IRL DAB R DUB AREA 1 model: DAB_6 group:

ST: ITU000006
longitude: -6.0450 latitude: 52.9690 altitude: 180 address: BALLYGUILE004 frequency 218.640000 MHz power: 8000.000000 W azimuth: 0.0 ° antenna: 61.00 m info: IRL_DUB1_11B_004 networkID: IRL DAB R DUB AREA 1 model: DAB_6 grou

UCB and Ri-Ra added overnight, that’s 21 stations now.

Sound quality is surprisingly good and far better than the initial tests which sounded bad with significant "swirling" effect due to compression.

Some of the Onic stations sounding extremely loud and distorting badly this morning however.