I know, never knew there would be so many people from our area on here, I guess it might be due to our position meaning there are lots of fringe stations out there and not to many local ones, so were always untreated in changes which might make things better or worse, had thought of pitting a dipole up but not really practical to get the cable to the kitchen tidily, we certainly lean towards the west mids then the north west and a simple power increase at pye green or the addition of Alsager bank would surely be about all it would take to serve most the county..
Get yourself a DAB dipole, we have one at work in Stafford and we get MXR WM on 12A and MXR NW on 12C strong and stable,also the CE Birmingham DAB Mux is stable here..!
You can get MXR North West on a portable around some parts of Cannock Chase (I guess from Sutton Common). I was quite suprised to find the NW stations pop up on my DAB radio!
MB21 has pictures of the WM and Stoke local DAB mux aerials http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/gallerypage.php?txid=1366
The wiki says WM is 250w and Stoke is 850W compared to FM at 100w!
There is currently no MXR at the site
I can recieve the Stoke & Stafford DAB service pretty well were I live (I live about 2 miles away from Pye Green) but the West Midlands service is quite hard to get. CE Birmingham is pretty easy to get.
I can't get MXR on any portables other than very weakly upstairs but it's OK on the Hi-Fi downstairs with its wire aerial. That can just about pick up a very bubbly NOW Wolverhampton and CE Birmingham (from Lichfield I imagine) as well depending on aerial positioning!
Is it possible you are getting a weak MXR Yorkshire signal upstairs? I know here in Nottingham I was able to get MXR Yorkshire while someone else a mile down the road was able to get MXR West Midlands on the same frequency block! If I moved my aerial from the sweat spot it died. Alas I can't get either where I live now, although I can sometimes see a tantalising block on 12A every now and again!
BBc muxes are pretty strong here, but it is the others that are not that great, or they was not when i last used DAB.
Getting a FM/DAB radio delivered in the next few days, so may have a look to see if i can pick up DAB, but got it for FM.
Just seen your post - sorry a bit late - I'm a busy man you know !
Depends what end of the county that you are.
DAB mostly OK especially with an outdoor aerial. At the north end we get the Wrekin and the west mids multiplexes. BBC put relays including Malvern a few months ago which allows DAB indoors on a portable. However - the reason that I'm bothering you - are aeroplanes. DAB always has had occasional cut-outs of 20 or 30 seconds up here since day 1. Last summer it hit me what it was. Early in the morning with the window open, DAB cut out and was accompanied by plane noise. It was an intercontinental flight from the US to Europe. There wasn't just one, but a whole series. They fly over Northern Ireland, north Wales, Marches, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, around London and down to Europe. Depending upon where you are in relation to the transmitter may or may not mean that the planes interfere with your reception for a few seconds. So if you get cut-outs regularly, check out the flightradar24 website :
I've just realised.. those improved coverage areas are new transmitters, not power increases (so Wolverhampton's Sedgeley Beacon is in addition to Turners hill and the Wrekin).
I guess these are the extras that some mux operators promised as DAB take-up increased.
Last I heard, the frequency changes and power increases were still subject to some inter-operator discussions.
I've just realised.. those improved coverage areas are new transmitters, not power increases (so Wolverhampton's Sedgeley Beacon is in addition to Turners hill and the Wrekin).
I guess these are the extras that some mux operators promised as DAB take-up increased.
Last I heard, the frequency changes and power increases were still subject to some inter-operator discussions.
I'm probably wrong but I though Sedeley beacon was turner hill, as j thought that's where beacon radio got there name from, according to the old coverage map on now Wolverhampton, the roof of the university building in the centre of the city was to be the additional fx should take up rise enough to meet the need.. It's a great high spot looking over the whole area so I always thought it would make an ideal fill in for Wolverhampton, they'd be better having this and increasing the power of the Wrekin to serve the Shropshire side better, to be honest as things progress they need to include the south west of Shropshire in this muliplex's or the Hereford one as the whole area could easily be served with a TX on the clee hill, this sight would add robustness around the Bridgnorth area too, might be preferable to a power increase to the Wrekin as due to it's height any increase would mean it could travel far outside the area and add to problems on other multiplex's on the same frequency.. Going forward I do think the future of dab is less local multiplexes combining yet to launch and existing ones with higher power tx's to cover the area's better and less frequency reuse so close together, expanding regional multiplex's to fill in many of the gaps between them and creating a second national commercial network if there is demand. Many local mux's are filled with quasi national stations, take Birmingham & wolves almost identical stations on these and could be combined if needed, same as Cheshire with the Stoke stafford multiplex, and Hereford, Worcester & Gloucester, plenty of potential overlap or additional space on many..
Sedgley Beacon is a good choice,high up and looks over Wolverhampton easily,Turners Hill is quite a distance and uses a shorter tower than the other services.
I'm probably wrong but I though Sedeley beacon was turner hill, as j thought that's where beacon radio got there name from, according to the old coverage map on now Wolverhampton, the roof of the university building in the centre of the city was to be the additional fx should take up rise enough to meet the need.. It's a great high spot looking over the whole area so I always thought it would make an ideal fill in for Wolverhampton, they'd be better having this and increasing the power of the Wrekin to serve the Shropshire side better, to be honest as things progress they need to include the south west of Shropshire in this muliplex's or the Hereford one as the whole area could easily be served with a TX on the clee hill, this sight would add robustness around the Bridgnorth area too, might be preferable to a power increase to the Wrekin as due to it's height any increase would mean it could travel far outside the area and add to problems on other multiplex's on the same frequency.. Going forward I do think the future of dab is less local multiplexes combining yet to launch and existing ones with higher power tx's to cover the area's better and less frequency reuse so close together, expanding regional multiplex's to fill in many of the gaps between them and creating a second national commercial network if there is demand. Many local mux's are filled with quasi national stations, take Birmingham & wolves almost identical stations on these and could be combined if needed, same as Cheshire with the Stoke stafford multiplex, and Hereford, Worcester & Gloucester, plenty of potential overlap or additional space on many..
Sedgley Beacon is 3 miles from Wolverhampton,and Turners Hill is near Oldbury,about 10 miles away!
I am still waiting for the Sandy Heath DAB Transmitter to be turned on as we cannot get BBC Radio 3CR (Three Counties Radio) here yet,
just the Cambridge and Peterborough Muxes and Radio Stations that we can get currently
It would be very good if we had the three/four Muxes from Sandy Heath
I would like all Muxes from the same site
Muxes I would like are
BBC
Digital One and Digital Two if possible and it actually launches this time around
Local Mux
When is the Licerpool switch to 10C, and are all radios able to receive it?
Yes - but it might be harder to tune to - on all my sets it's either pressing and holding Auto-Tune or selecting "Full Scan" instead of "UK Scan" in the menus.
Yes - but it might be harder to tune to - on all my sets it's either pressing and holding Auto-Tune or selecting "Full Scan" instead of "UK Scan" in the menus.
Is it possible you are getting a weak MXR Yorkshire signal upstairs? I know here in Nottingham I was able to get MXR Yorkshire while someone else a mile down the road was able to get MXR West Midlands on the same frequency block! If I moved my aerial from the sweat spot it died. Alas I can't get either where I live now, although I can sometimes see a tantalising block on 12A every now and again!
It's definitely MXR West Midlands; was listening to a very bubbly Heart 100.7 earlier. I've discovered how decent my Pure One Mini is since being at home in pulling in that very weak signal.
They really should add MXR WM onto Tick Hill/Alsagers Bank! They'd add a significant potential audience across North and Mid Staffs.
It's definitely MXR West Midlands; was listening to a very bubbly Heart 100.7 earlier. I've discovered how decent my Pure One Mini is since being at home in pulling in that very weak signal.
They really should add MXR WM onto Tick Hill/Alsagers Bank! They'd add a significant potential audience across North and Mid Staffs.
No - I mean is it possible you are getting a weak MXR Yorkshire signal upstairs IN Addition to the wanted MXR West Midlands therefore wrecking the MXR West Midlands one, but downstairs the MXR Yorkshire signal is weaker/non-existent meaning you can get the wanted MXR WM fine.
I used to get a usable signal from EMAP South Yorkshire on 11C when I lived in Nottingham - however this would occasionally fall into a pile of bubbling mud (always during lift conditions), and on ocassion it would actually see itself replaced by Capital Hants on the same frequency which wasn't actually usable, but was coming through strong enough to know Emap SY for six.
No - I mean is it possible you are getting a weak MXR Yorkshire signal upstairs IN Addition to the wanted MXR West Midlands therefore wrecking the MXR West Midlands one, but downstairs the MXR Yorkshire signal is weaker/non-existent meaning you can get the wanted MXR WM fine.
I used to get a usable signal from EMAP South Yorkshire on 11C when I lived in Nottingham - however this would occasionally fall into a pile of bubbling mud (always during lift conditions), and on ocassion it would actually see itself replaced by Capital Hants on the same frequency which wasn't actually usable, but was coming through strong enough to know Emap SY for six.
I'm not sure; I think it's just that the Hi-Fi is very sensitive and gets a relatively error-free signal downstairs. The portable gets a better signal upstairs than downstairs in any case.
We tend to be pretty well shielded from any Yorkshire signals down here by the Peak District.
We tend to be pretty well shielded from any Yorkshire signals down here by the Peak District.
MXR Yorkshire also comes from Belmont Lincs. But the portable being rubbish downstairs does point to it being less sesative than the hi-fi, or your hi-fi aerial happens to be in a sweat spot. Where I was able to get MXR Yorkshire really was a sweat spot just 1 cm away and there was nothing!
Hi, where I work in Leeds, I can clearly see Emley Moor and the local Bauer masts. I receive 100% signal on every station, except MXR Yorkshire. How come I only get 2 bars on this one when I can see the mast from top to bottom! Could anyone answer this question for me please, why has Emley Moor two power outputs 5KW lower and 2kW upper, just curious! Thanks.
Hi, where I work in Leeds, I can clearly see Emley Moor and the local Bauer masts. I receive 100% signal on every station, except MXR Yorkshire. How come I only get 2 bars on this one when I can see the mast from top to bottom! Could anyone answer this question for me please, why has Emley Moor two power outputs 5KW lower and 2kW upper, just curious! Thanks.
You probably get most of the other mux signals from a combination of Morley and Beecroft Hill (and a small bit from Emily Moor) http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/dab-coverage-planning/AnnexB/DSO_12D_Leeds_DAB_V1_0.pdf
MXR is only on Beecroft Hill (and a small bit from Emily Moor) http://www.wohnort.org/DAB/uknat.html#Regional
So until Global pay out for the extra MXR transmitter at Morley that may be why?
The most important Global stations are Classic, Capital and Heart, currently they are trying to buy Real from GMG to turn it into Heart on FM as any radio DSO is several (8-10?) years away, so any boost for MXR is not currently a priority.
Comments
Definitely in Derbyshire, but covered with South Yorkshire for TV and Radio. eg Chesterfield FC are covered by BBC Radio Sheffield not BBC Radio Derby
You can get MXR North West on a portable around some parts of Cannock Chase (I guess from Sutton Common). I was quite suprised to find the NW stations pop up on my DAB radio!
MXR West Midlands doesn't come from the main BT tower at Pye Green - the two yagis in the pictures fire the Stoke & Stafford service northwards towards Stafford. MXR West Midlands comes from the bigger of the two smaller towers (image here: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=pye+green&hl=en&ll=52.726208,-2.00243&spn=0.000052,0.0421&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=35.768112,86.220703&hq=pye+green&radius=15000&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=52.726214,-2.018799&panoid=kUl9MPnT_05IqQOV8VZKQg&cbp=12,234.68,,0,-24.68) with a single yagi pointing sothwards towards Cannock.
I can recieve the Stoke & Stafford DAB service pretty well were I live (I live about 2 miles away from Pye Green) but the West Midlands service is quite hard to get. CE Birmingham is pretty easy to get.
Is it possible you are getting a weak MXR Yorkshire signal upstairs? I know here in Nottingham I was able to get MXR Yorkshire while someone else a mile down the road was able to get MXR West Midlands on the same frequency block! If I moved my aerial from the sweat spot it died. Alas I can't get either where I live now, although I can sometimes see a tantalising block on 12A every now and again!
Just seen your post - sorry a bit late - I'm a busy man you know !
Depends what end of the county that you are.
DAB mostly OK especially with an outdoor aerial. At the north end we get the Wrekin and the west mids multiplexes. BBC put relays including Malvern a few months ago which allows DAB indoors on a portable. However - the reason that I'm bothering you - are aeroplanes. DAB always has had occasional cut-outs of 20 or 30 seconds up here since day 1. Last summer it hit me what it was. Early in the morning with the window open, DAB cut out and was accompanied by plane noise. It was an intercontinental flight from the US to Europe. There wasn't just one, but a whole series. They fly over Northern Ireland, north Wales, Marches, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, around London and down to Europe. Depending upon where you are in relation to the transmitter may or may not mean that the planes interfere with your reception for a few seconds. So if you get cut-outs regularly, check out the flightradar24 website :
www.flightradar24.com
Regards Phil
I guess these are the extras that some mux operators promised as DAB take-up increased.
Last I heard, the frequency changes and power increases were still subject to some inter-operator discussions.
Indeed that is the case as I used to live in Chesterfield.
Although it is classed as South Yorkshire there are some close by places that are in the southern part of Sheffield.
Living in the area so far for nearly 7 years i'm suprised local services i.e. Heart, BBC Northampton, Gold etc aren't available yet.
Northampton is covered in the Ofcom consultation which has now been delayed further till the summer sharing 10C with Gloucestershire, Liverpool, North Devon, North Yorkshire and Surrey, so might not get on air until 2013.
Living in Derby, I share your pain!!
I'm probably wrong but I though Sedeley beacon was turner hill, as j thought that's where beacon radio got there name from, according to the old coverage map on now Wolverhampton, the roof of the university building in the centre of the city was to be the additional fx should take up rise enough to meet the need.. It's a great high spot looking over the whole area so I always thought it would make an ideal fill in for Wolverhampton, they'd be better having this and increasing the power of the Wrekin to serve the Shropshire side better, to be honest as things progress they need to include the south west of Shropshire in this muliplex's or the Hereford one as the whole area could easily be served with a TX on the clee hill, this sight would add robustness around the Bridgnorth area too, might be preferable to a power increase to the Wrekin as due to it's height any increase would mean it could travel far outside the area and add to problems on other multiplex's on the same frequency.. Going forward I do think the future of dab is less local multiplexes combining yet to launch and existing ones with higher power tx's to cover the area's better and less frequency reuse so close together, expanding regional multiplex's to fill in many of the gaps between them and creating a second national commercial network if there is demand. Many local mux's are filled with quasi national stations, take Birmingham & wolves almost identical stations on these and could be combined if needed, same as Cheshire with the Stoke stafford multiplex, and Hereford, Worcester & Gloucester, plenty of potential overlap or additional space on many..
Sedgley Beacon is 3 miles from Wolverhampton,and Turners Hill is near Oldbury,about 10 miles away!
just the Cambridge and Peterborough Muxes and Radio Stations that we can get currently
It would be very good if we had the three/four Muxes from Sandy Heath
I would like all Muxes from the same site
Muxes I would like are
BBC
Digital One and Digital Two if possible and it actually launches this time around
Local Mux
Yes - but it might be harder to tune to - on all my sets it's either pressing and holding Auto-Tune or selecting "Full Scan" instead of "UK Scan" in the menus.
Cheers Kev
It's definitely MXR West Midlands; was listening to a very bubbly Heart 100.7 earlier. I've discovered how decent my Pure One Mini is since being at home in pulling in that very weak signal.
They really should add MXR WM onto Tick Hill/Alsagers Bank! They'd add a significant potential audience across North and Mid Staffs.
No - I mean is it possible you are getting a weak MXR Yorkshire signal upstairs IN Addition to the wanted MXR West Midlands therefore wrecking the MXR West Midlands one, but downstairs the MXR Yorkshire signal is weaker/non-existent meaning you can get the wanted MXR WM fine.
I used to get a usable signal from EMAP South Yorkshire on 11C when I lived in Nottingham - however this would occasionally fall into a pile of bubbling mud (always during lift conditions), and on ocassion it would actually see itself replaced by Capital Hants on the same frequency which wasn't actually usable, but was coming through strong enough to know Emap SY for six.
I'm not sure; I think it's just that the Hi-Fi is very sensitive and gets a relatively error-free signal downstairs. The portable gets a better signal upstairs than downstairs in any case.
We tend to be pretty well shielded from any Yorkshire signals down here by the Peak District.
MXR Yorkshire also comes from Belmont Lincs. But the portable being rubbish downstairs does point to it being less sesative than the hi-fi, or your hi-fi aerial happens to be in a sweat spot. Where I was able to get MXR Yorkshire really was a sweat spot just 1 cm away and there was nothing!
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/dab-coverage-planning/AnnexB/DSO_12D_Leeds_DAB_V1_0.pdf
MXR is only on Beecroft Hill (and a small bit from Emily Moor)
http://www.wohnort.org/DAB/uknat.html#Regional
So until Global pay out for the extra MXR transmitter at Morley that may be why?
The most important Global stations are Classic, Capital and Heart, currently they are trying to buy Real from GMG to turn it into Heart on FM as any radio DSO is several (8-10?) years away, so any boost for MXR is not currently a priority.