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The official Christmas FM thread

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Comments

  • #1772
    DvB
    Registered Users Posts: 10,108 ✭✭✭✭DvB


    Loughc wrote: »
    ChristmasFM on Friday was amazing, it really got me in the Christmas mood.

    Bizarre, but I agree, as I had said last week I wasnt really feeling it yet, but the official launch over the weekend has helped massively shift my mood. Having the decorations up with it in the background has done the job nicely. Shame work is doing its best to mess it up mind!
    "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year" - Charles Dickens




  • #1773
    SarahLil
    Registered Users Posts: 1,971 ✭✭✭SarahLil


    I have an appointment early in the morning looking forward to the drive in listening to Christmas fm, I wonder will the hospital have it on :)


  • #1774
    Posy
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 27,517 Mod ✭✭✭✭Posy


    Good luck with it, SarahLil! :)


  • #1775
    SarahLil
    Registered Users Posts: 1,971 ✭✭✭SarahLil


    Posy wrote: »
    Good luck with it, SarahLil! :)

    Thank you x


  • #1776
    DvB
    Registered Users Posts: 10,108 ✭✭✭✭DvB


    SarahLil wrote: »
    I have an appointment early in the morning looking forward to the drive in listening to Christmas fm, I wonder will the hospital have it on :)

    Depending on the hospital they may have their own in house radio.
    Best of luck btw!
    "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year" - Charles Dickens




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  • #1777
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,341 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    bmorrissey wrote: »
    Hmm, im in the mid/north tipp area and cant get much signal, maybe its just my radio so, its not exactly the most up to date car stereo system

    If you are south of Nenagh terrain starts becoming an issue there blocking the Clare/Limerick frequencies.

    Perhaps they may look at Keeper Hill for 2021 and it would let them get rid of their Limerick outlet and cover Limerick and Tipp (and indeed most of the midlands) from one site. :)


  • #1778
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,341 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    Declan A Walsh wrote: »
    What parts of Ireland are still unable to pick up the station on FM?

    In regional terms:

    North/West Donegal
    Mayo/parts of County Galway
    Coastal Kerry/West Cork
    Central and South Tipperary
    West Waterford

    are the main areas. If you are in a car, the signal is very well distributed this year. The main areas that would be next on the list are Mayo (Castlebar transmitter), South Tipp (Clonmel transmitter), West Waterford (Dungarvan transmitter) and West Cork (Nowen Hill). There are other areas with little/no coverage but don't have the population levels of the above

    The issue would be towns and villages that have their own fill in where indoor and urban reception might be a challenge, however these areas all have quality broadband and most people these days may use Alexa/streaming rather than FM radios where reception is an issue.

    One of the important things I noticed is that with the addition of 87.7 in North Cork, the N20 (Cork-Limerick) and M8 (Dublin-Cork) routes now have end to end coverage. In the context of Christmas travel, that's a massive plus.


  • #1779
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 24,714 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    marno21 wrote: »
    In regional terms:

    North/West Donegal
    Mayo/parts of County Galway
    Coastal Kerry/West Cork
    Central and South Tipperary
    West Waterford

    are the main areas. If you are in a car, the signal is very well distributed this year. The main areas that would be next on the list are Mayo (Castlebar transmitter), South Tipp (Clonmel transmitter), West Waterford (Dungarvan transmitter) and West Cork (Nowen Hill). There are other areas with little/no coverage but don't have the population levels of the above

    The issue would be towns and villages that have their own fill in where indoor and urban reception might be a challenge, however these areas all have quality broadband and most people these days may use Alexa/streaming rather than FM radios where reception is an issue.

    One of the important things I noticed is that with the addition of 87.7 in North Cork, the N20 (Cork-Limerick) and M8 (Dublin-Cork) routes now have end to end coverage. In the context of Christmas travel, that's a massive plus.

    So what’s the best frequency to use for M8 if I’m coming from Dublin?


  • #1780
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,341 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    Loughc wrote: »
    So what’s the best frequency to use for M8 if I’m coming from Dublin?

    All new cars will switch automatically between frequencies as you travel from one area to another so pop 105.2 on and it will switch as you leave Dublin.

    For the journey, it will switch to 88.1 as you approach Kildare county on the N7, then to 104.3 in South West Laois, 87.7 in mid Tipperary and 106.7 as you approach Cork City.

    There may be other minor switches e.g. the 103.8 signal from the Carlow/Wexford border may be stronger in certain places or the 101.6 from Cairn Hill but the radio will do the work for you.


  • #1781
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 24,714 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    marno21 wrote: »
    All new cars will switch automatically between frequencies as you travel from one area to another so pop 105.2 on and it will switch as you leave Dublin.

    For the journey, it will switch to 88.1 as you approach Kildare county on the N7, then to 104.3 in South West Laois, 87.7 in mid Tipperary and 106.7 as you approach Cork City.

    There may be other minor switches e.g. the 103.8 signal from the Carlow/Wexford border may be stronger in certain places or the 101.6 from Cairn Hill but the radio will do the work for you.

    I have a 191 car but it didn't auto-switch last year for me :(


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  • #1782
    marno21
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 14,341 Mod ✭✭✭✭marno21


    Loughc wrote: »
    I have a 191 car but it didn't auto-switch last year for me :(

    I’ll pop you a PM there. :)


  • #1783
    TRS30
    Registered Users Posts: 6,865 ✭✭✭TRS30


    Loughc wrote: »
    I have a 191 car but it didn't auto-switch last year for me :(

    But it is nice and shinny :D


  • #1784
    Posy
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 27,517 Mod ✭✭✭✭Posy


    Loughc with a thinly veiled "I have a fancy car" post. :p


  • #1785
    TRS30
    Registered Users Posts: 6,865 ✭✭✭TRS30


    Posy wrote: »
    Loughc with a thinly veiled "I have a fancy car" post. :p

    I was trying to be more subtle in my dig! :pac:


  • #1786
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 24,714 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    Posy wrote: »
    Loughc with a thinly veiled "I have a fancy car" post. :p

    Clearly not fancy if it can’t keep up with ChristmasFM frequencies :pac:


  • #1787
    Declan A Walsh
    Registered Users Posts: 5,983 ✭✭✭Declan A Walsh


    When are Christmas FM giving out car stickers? :) It would be a good promotional tool.
    https://forumofgames.com/




  • #1788
    Declan A Walsh
    Registered Users Posts: 5,983 ✭✭✭Declan A Walsh


    I have heard Walk Out to Winter by Aztec Camera a couple of times in my local supermarket over the last few days. That's a song that I have never heard played on Christmas FM. I would love to hear it as I think it's a really nice, but slightly different, Christmas oriented tune. Nothing cheesy about it anyway.
    https://forumofgames.com/




  • #1789
    Lord Nelson
    Registered Users Posts: 108 ✭✭Lord Nelson


    I gather this year the majority of presenters are doing their shows remotely hence the odd glitch. Ironically this has probably made it easier to broadcast almost 24/7. I'd imagine it's difficult at the best of times to get someone out of bed at 4.00am to drive in cold and rain to a studio for a 5.00am start? Now they just toddle into the spare bedroom five minutes before kick off! Will be interesting to see if this becomes the new norm, particularly for presenters who have to travel to and fro during what would be peak commuting hours?


  • #1790
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 24,714 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    Lord Nelson wrote: »
    I gather this year the majority of presenters are doing their shows remotely hence the odd glitch. Ironically this has probably made it easier to broadcast almost 24/7. I'd imagine it's difficult at the best of times to get someone out of bed at 4.00am to drive in cold and rain to a studio for a 5.00am start? Now they just toddle into the spare bedroom five minutes before kick off! Will be interesting to see if this becomes the new norm, particularly for presenters who have to travel to and fro during what would be peak commuting hours?

    It certainly opens a world Of possibilities of who now can volunteer their time to do a remote slot for ChristmasFM.


  • #1791
    TRS30
    Registered Users Posts: 6,865 ✭✭✭TRS30


    Loughc wrote: »
    It certainly opens a world Of possibilities of who now can volunteer their time to do a remote slot for ChristmasFM.

    I’ll nominate you and maybe Declan can put in a word, he seems to be in the know :)


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  • #1792
    DvB
    Registered Users Posts: 10,108 ✭✭✭✭DvB


    TRS30 wrote: »
    I’ll nominate you and maybe Declan can put in a word, he seems to be in the know :)

    I second this motion.
    "I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year" - Charles Dickens




  • #1793
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 24,714 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    TRS30 wrote: »
    I’ll nominate you and maybe Declan can put in a word, he seems to be in the know :)

    I was thinking someone more mainstream haha


  • #1794
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,523 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Generally anyone already working for a commercial broadcaster full-time is not going to be allowed by their employer to appear on a rival; charitable or not; so don't expect voicetracking to suddenly turn up big name broadcasters

    It makes it a lot easier for a celeb who has never done broadcast work to knock out an hour or two, though.


  • #1795
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 24,714 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    L1011 wrote: »
    Generally anyone already working for a commercial broadcaster full-time is not going to be allowed by their employer to appear on a rival; charitable or not; so don't expect voicetracking to suddenly turn up big name broadcasters

    It makes it a lot easier for a celeb who has never done broadcast work to knock out an hour or two, though.

    Ruth Scott is on ChristmasFM and Radio Nova. So even some former mainstream DJs.


  • #1796
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,523 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Ruth Scott is not fulltime with Nova; she's weekend part-time. Its not an option for full-time staff; never will be. It being for charity might be an out if it was a once-off but not when its an established decade long operation!


  • #1797
    Loughc
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 24,714 Mod ✭✭✭✭Loughc


    L1011 wrote: »
    Ruth Scott is not fulltime with Nova; she's weekend part-time. Its not an option for full-time staff; never will be. It being for charity might be an out if it was a once-off but not when its an established decade long operation!

    Karl Dawson is full time on 98fm, 10pm-Midnights weekdays and 4-7pm Saturdays and he is doing the 5am breakfast show on ChristmasFM (which is serious commitment in itself!)


  • #1798
    TRS30
    Registered Users Posts: 6,865 ✭✭✭TRS30


    I feel my knowledge of Irish FM radio is seriously lacking :(


  • #1799
    Declan A Walsh
    Registered Users Posts: 5,983 ✭✭✭Declan A Walsh


    So far this year, I have heard a lot of presenters that I had not heard before (had seen their names on the website alright!). The ones who come to mind are: Aine O'Neill, Emily Brew, Lar Flynn, Alan Young and Mark Fennell. EDIT: I had already heard Craig McCormish but only because of a pirate relay of Spanish station Real FM!

    I just had a look at "Our Team" on the website. There's a lot of names on it! I see Mark Manning has been added to it this time- he must be back on it this year.
    https://forumofgames.com/




  • #1800
    radiotrickster
    Registered Users Posts: 858 ✭✭✭radiotrickster


    Declan A Walsh wrote: »
    So far this year, I have heard a lot of presenters that I had not heard before (had seen their names on the website alright!). The ones who come to mind are: Aine O'Neill, Emily Brew, Lar Flynn, Alan Young and Mark Fennell. EDIT: I had already heard Craig McCormish but only because of a pirate relay of Spanish station Real FM!

    Some of them were on the halloween station this year too I think!

    Edit: I wonder if they trained people up on the halloween station and it was easier to keep the same people on the Christmas one?


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  • #1801
    Jude13
    Registered Users Posts: 3,794 ✭✭✭Jude13


    The amount of times I have heard Christmas Shoes, who the hell in requesting that thing.


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