DS Forums

 
 

Local DAB Build Out


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 19-09-2015, 07:26
kev
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: South Notts (Waltham TV TX)
Posts: 20,200
It does seem to be reaching a fairly wide area beyond its editorial region. Yes, most probably Belmont. I wouldn't have expected the lower powered Lincoln & Grantham transmitters to have that sort of coverage.

It will be interesting to see how the audio holds out when they switch from test announcements to actual broadcasts.
Looking at the coverage maps I'm just covered (as in the corner shop 2 mins away isn't!) - Belmont basically being directly down the Trent valley between here and Newark helps... (I.e. no hills West of Lincoln)
kev is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 18-10-2015, 08:04
hanssolo
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 13,572
W Wiltshire retune is on the 22nd
http://www.a516digital.com/2015/10/d...-for-west.html
Looking at the Berks and N Hants MUX looks like Membury will be added soon which is good for M4 drivers, but for E Berks the Windsor transmitter has been dropped from the plans, so some R Berks listeners in East Berks will only have FM coverage till step 3 (DSO)?
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/bin...port_Jan15.pdf
M4 drivers with service linking on sets near Windsor and Slough will be able to get continous service of Heart, Capital, Gold etc from the DAB London muxes.
hanssolo is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 18-10-2015, 10:25
Mark C
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 8,079
W Wiltshire retune is on the 22nd
http://www.a516digital.com/2015/10/d...-for-west.html
Looking at the Berks and N Hants MUX looks like Membury will be added soon which is good for M4 drivers,.
My car radio has no problems with the mux on the M4, until I pass Membury and come down the hill towards Swindon, ( at which point you're outside the mux's official service area anyway) I do get glitches in Newbury town centre though, so hopefully along with Membury, the proposed use of the Newbury FM site will clear up those problems. (Actually all three muxes could do with being on Newbury)
Mark C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2015, 08:51
Orangy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: West Sussex / Surrey, UK.
Posts: 861
Is anyone aware of any changes to Kent? I'm just about getting indoor reception on the Sussex border which has not happened before. It seems a bit weak to be from Wrotham (if that has been switched on). Not sure if atmospherics (or a lot less leaves on trees!) are the reason.

Only St Marks and Wrotham would be remotely likely to make a difference locally.
Orangy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2015, 09:19
Robert Williams
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1,023
Is anyone aware of any changes to Kent? I'm just about getting indoor reception on the Sussex border which has not happened before. It seems a bit weak to be from Wrotham (if that has been switched on). Not sure if atmospherics (or a lot less leaves on trees!) are the reason.

Only St Marks and Wrotham would be remotely likely to make a difference locally.
I've been able to get marginal reception of Kent indoors in Reigate ever since Tunbridge Wells came on at the end of 2007. There's no change in signal strength today; I'm not sure whether I should expect any improvement when Wrotham comes on?
Robert Williams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2015, 09:31
Orangy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: West Sussex / Surrey, UK.
Posts: 861
I've been able to get marginal reception of Kent indoors in Reigate ever since Tunbridge Wells came on at the end of 2007. There's no change in signal strength today; I'm not sure whether I should expect any improvement when Wrotham comes on?
Indeed, I used to get marginal indoors that way too. I'd have thought even with a big null, Wrotham at 2kW would probably help a bit!

Perhaps just local conditions here then.
Orangy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2015, 10:42
Gerry1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,436
Yes, Wrotham is finally on the air !

Wonders never cease: I can now receive my local BBC station...
Gerry1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2015, 10:54
fmradiotuner1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: TheEssexSunshineCoast Clacton
Posts: 15,212
Not any change for Kent DAB here still around 8 bars and Essex best I can get is about 3 unless move the aerial in loft.
fmradiotuner1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2015, 11:53
Orangy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: West Sussex / Surrey, UK.
Posts: 861
That's good news, although slightly disappointed as I was hoping it'd offer slightly better indoor reception where I am. Shame as I think that's my only hope for better Kent reception. Anyway, the buildout continues!
Orangy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2015, 12:20
nick_bex
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Bexley, Kent
Posts: 7
Finally getting full signal strength on Kent DAB in Sevenoaks thanks to Wrotham. Will be interesting to see just how directional Wrotham has been configured; the predicted coverage maps of Kent DAB showed a healthy overspill into Bexley and Bromley (and quite right too given that London DAB is broadcast out as far away as Bluebell Hill).

I'm guessing that Heathfield is also switched on as I'm getting fairly stable reception of 'Sussex Coast' when driving around Hildenborough near Tonbridge. Interestingly still labelled as 'Sussex Coast' rather than just 'Sussex'.
nick_bex is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2015, 12:40
Mark C
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 8,079
Finally getting full signal strength on Kent DAB in Sevenoaks thanks to Wrotham. Will be interesting to see just how directional Wrotham has been configured; the predicted coverage maps of Kent DAB showed a healthy overspill into Bexley and Bromley (and quite right too given that London DAB is broadcast out as far away as Bluebell Hill).

I'm guessing that Heathfield is also switched on as I'm getting fairly stable reception of 'Sussex Coast' when driving around Hildenborough near Tonbridge. Interestingly still labelled as 'Sussex Coast' rather than just 'Sussex'.
Heathfield isn't on, and a friend drove past Midhurst yesterday, and reported a very weak signal, so it looks as if Truleigh Hill is the only Tx on at present on 10B, and it has a massive range !
Mark C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2015, 12:56
Orangy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: West Sussex / Surrey, UK.
Posts: 861
Heathfield isn't on, and a friend drove past Midhurst yesterday, and reported a very weak signal, so it looks as if Truleigh Hill is the only Tx on at present on 10B, and it has a massive range !
Interesting. The first few days that Truleigh was on was markedly weaker than now which is why I had assumed at least another TX was on.
Orangy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2015, 13:07
Robert Williams
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1,023
Wrotham has made no difference whatsoever to reception of Kent in Reigate, if anything it's slightly worse than usual at the moment; however I'm seeing a bit of an improvement on Sussex this afternoon - previously signal strength varied between 30 and 50 per cent, now it's consistently hitting 50 per cent or just above.
Robert Williams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2015, 13:53
fmradiotuner1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: TheEssexSunshineCoast Clacton
Posts: 15,212
Not sure what wrong but not anything on D1 mux can only pick up about 2 bars.
fmradiotuner1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-11-2015, 15:37
Orangy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: West Sussex / Surrey, UK.
Posts: 861
Wonder if the power of Kent from Wrotham is final or if it's 'half power' for a few days - it seemed like Truleigh was lower for its first few days. Whilst I doubt it, I hope so for my benefit
Orangy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-11-2015, 22:18
airwaves
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Kent, UK
Posts: 2,711
It may be unrelated, but I'm getting some blips occasionally on the Kent DAB mux tonight.

Does anyone know if D1 has been increased to 9kw from Bluebell Hill? There was a significant improvement from my portable the other day.
airwaves is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2015, 07:38
Mark C
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 8,079
I'm led to beleive Ventnor is now carrying the South Hants mux on 11C ?
Mark C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-12-2015, 22:09
Bollard
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: South Dorset
Posts: 946
I'm led to beleive Ventnor is now carrying the South Hants mux on 11C ?
On Frequency Finder, it shows Chillerton Down going from 1.6KW to 280watts, which (hopefully) must be wrong as the final plan has it at 5KW. http://frequencyfinder.org.uk/DAB_Multiplexes.pdf
Bollard is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-12-2015, 10:19
fmradiotuner1
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: TheEssexSunshineCoast Clacton
Posts: 15,212
It may be unrelated, but I'm getting some blips occasionally on the Kent DAB mux tonight.

Does anyone know if D1 has been increased to 9kw from Bluebell Hill? There was a significant improvement from my portable the other day.
For me D1 is well down to just about 3 or 4 bars.
Even on Essex mux I am now getting about 7 bars which is quite good on my loft aerial.
fmradiotuner1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2015, 08:54
Orangy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: West Sussex / Surrey, UK.
Posts: 861
BBC Sussex are telling people to retune their DAB radios from next Wednesday.

Looks like the migration from 11B to 10B is happening overnight on the 8th Dec as planned.

I wonder which of the planned extra sites will go live next week?
Orangy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2015, 12:10
Orangy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: West Sussex / Surrey, UK.
Posts: 861
Sussex 10B will not be coming from the Sandman hotel at Hazlewick Crawley as originally planned, but Little Prestwood Farm just north of the town.

http://www.a516digital.com/2015/12/s...-coverage.html
Orangy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2015, 12:19
hanssolo
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 13,572
Notice Wohnort has an update on other new site
Four new transmitters will be brought into service at Newhaven, Heathfield, Little Prestwood Farm (Crawley), Truleigh Hill (Shoreham). Three further transmitters will be added next year - Midhurst (January 2016), Rye (March 2016) and Horsham (August 2016).
hanssolo is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2015, 12:28
Mark C
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 8,079
Notice Wohnort has an update on other new site
You beat me to it, though that's give the excellent site a plug

http://www.wohnort.org/DAB/
Mark C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2015, 12:30
Mark C
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 8,079
Sussex 10B will not be coming from the Sandman hotel at Hazlewick Crawley as originally planned, but Little Prestwood Farm just north of the town.
Very close to the end of Gatwick's runway !
Mark C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2015, 12:34
Orangy
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: West Sussex / Surrey, UK.
Posts: 861
Very close to the end of Gatwick's runway !
But might be more powerful possibly.
Orangy is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 23:45.