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Old 06-07-2016, 12:50
MikeBr
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Ofcom has today invited applications for community radio licences in London (within the M25) on either FM or AM

http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/radio-...m25/invitation

and from anywhere else in the UK on AM.
http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/radio-...ns/am-uk-wide/

The press release says:

Both documents include information for applicants on how Ofcom will assess the applications, and details of the funding restrictions that apply to community radio stations.

Applicants have also been provided with guidance on the challenges and advantages of broadcasting on the AM band.

The closing date for applications is 5pm on Tuesday 25 October 2016.

Be interesting to see who applies for the AM only licences. Their coverage policy is as previously stated

"Ofcom is willing to consider licensing (daytime) coverage areas that are larger than is our usual policy for community services on FM (a usual maximum of a 5km radius), regardless of whether the service wishes to target an urban or rural area. Each applicant needs to consider who their target community is, and where it is, in order to justify the target area they require (as a guide, we are willing to consider licensing services of around a 10km radius or more, in daytime, subject to the availability of suitable frequencies)."
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Old 06-07-2016, 13:23
hanssolo
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Clear FM frequencies which meet Ofcom standards are few in London perhaps OnFMs old frequency
101.4 MHz: formerly used in Hammersmith (west London), but usable for some
locations in west and central London
• 94.0 MHz: formerly used in the West Ham area (east London), and likely to be
usable only in this area
• 96.5MHz: formerly used in Gants Hill, Ilford (east London), and likely to be
usable only in this area
92.2 Mhz
and maybe Times 106.6?
Be interesting to see who applies for the AM only licences. Their coverage policy is as previously stated
Caroline from Ross Revenge to cover part of Essex?
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Old 06-07-2016, 15:56
Hot Hits
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Maybe a silly question. Have all the last round of licences (SOUTH EAST) all been awarded or rejected?
I know some have been awarded but not sure about them all???
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Old 06-07-2016, 16:30
MikeBr
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Maybe a silly question. Have all the last round of licences (SOUTH EAST) all been awarded or rejected?
I know some have been awarded but not sure about them all???
No, they've awarded 16 so far, 6 more today, and rejected three. They had 26 applicants.

Awards and rejections are here
http://media.ofcom.org.uk/news/2016/

List of applicants
http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/radio-...nd-outside-m25
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Old 07-07-2016, 05:23
Tony Richards
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AM radio should already be in the process of being phased out.
How can you promote DAB and AM when most DAB radios don't have AM and AM radios don't usually have DAB. It's illogical.
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Old 07-07-2016, 07:20
hanssolo
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AM radio should already be in the process of being phased out.
How can you promote DAB and AM when most DAB radios don't have AM and AM radios don't usually have DAB. It's illogical.
It might be Ofcom have advertised them just for Caroline's and MP Tracey Crouch's campaign?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/kent/hi/...00/9398087.stm
Tracey Crouch, MP for Chatham & Aylesford, has presented an Early Day Motion calling on OFCOM to give special dispensation to Radio Caroline to broadcast on medium wave in the south east.
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Old 07-07-2016, 08:29
swb1964
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How much power are these AM stations going to be allowed? I'm guessing they are going to be flea powered.
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Old 07-07-2016, 08:53
Inkblot
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How much power are these AM stations going to be allowed? I'm guessing they are going to be flea powered.
My nearest AM community station is Desi Radio on 1602. According to an online search it has 70 watts. It comes in here - just over four miles away - loud and clear and as strong as the Londonwide commercial stations on AM. So to achieve Ofcom's intention of covering a 10km radius (just over six miles) shouldn't require much more power?
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Old 07-07-2016, 13:07
Phil Dodd
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My nearest AM community station is Desi Radio on 1602. According to an online search it has 70 watts. It comes in here - just over four miles away - loud and clear and as strong as the Londonwide commercial stations on AM. So to achieve Ofcom's intention of covering a 10km radius (just over six miles) shouldn't require much more power?
They can get a long way can't they, depending upon transmitter antenna design and site. My old favourite Sunshine 855 can be heard from South Shrewsbury down to Gloucester North, partly because of good antenna siting quite high up on the southern end of Titterstone Clee, and partly because it transmits very much in a north-south corridor. Winter nights are a different matter - come darkness, it used to disappear to be replaced by two variants of Spanish National Radio and an East Anglian BBC local station, and I'm 12 miles away...

The enthusiasm for AM support is to give new outlets for communities wanting to start a station on a budget, faced with the obstacle of few if any FM frequencies, the greater cost of an FM licence when unsure if it will work in the end, and the horrific cost of getting on a DAB multiplex for a small community. There is a need in the UK to revitalise radio by getting as much community involvement as possible, and community local radio albeit on AM is a way to do it. A general statement that surely can be made : Do we want to see radio totally die out and to be replaced completely by social media and streaming services ? If we do, why are we posting on this forum ?
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Old 07-07-2016, 14:25
oliver_olivers
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Interesting that only AM is available - ive been reading up on the pros and cons of AM VS FM over the past 24 hours and exchanged a few emails with OFcom about it.

Aside for the sound quality difference, the main obstacle is the transmission site. It would seem that a large ground mounted ariel is needed for AM rather than the simpler FM height is might stick your TX gear on a rooftop.

For me im tempted to persue it, as a chance to get a community licence on AM vs not being able to get on FM through no round bring opened is better than not being active or just online.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the future of FM comunity licence rounds? Were in Bristol and in theory the next round is due for the southwest. This AM only surgests there may be no space on the FM dial for new comunity radio stations.

It would also seem the technology / support / info on AM broadcasting is very limited, ive been hard pushed to find anything about AM broadcasting or professional help to get a areil site set up. Combined with no RDS - feeling like a outdated option and a uphill struggle right now.
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Old 09-07-2016, 03:16
FM_Bandit
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I would think your best hope would be for local scale DAB to be rolled out to Bristol. If it were to be more widely available, surely Bristol would be at or near the top of the list.

It depends on what demographic and service you're targeting. I'd suggest the vast majority who haven't yet hit middle age wouldn't ever consider listening to music on AM radio. Speech possibly.
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Old 09-07-2016, 08:19
hanssolo
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Interesting that only AM is available - ive been reading up on the pros and cons of AM VS FM over the past 24 hours and exchanged a few emails with OFcom about it.

Aside for the sound quality difference, the main obstacle is the transmission site. It would seem that a large ground mounted ariel is needed for AM rather than the simpler FM height is might stick your TX gear on a rooftop.
Caroline's Ross Revenge has a large AM mast on a good groundplane (water) so the AM licence is attractive to them with their AM heritage past (similar to heritage railways), but they are also progressing small scale DAB.
Some AM sites are wires down existing buildings, or VHF masts like Crystal Palace, but still expensive compared to FM or DAB VHF dipoles.
Susy radio used a tree for AM RSL tests, but is now on a proper FM system. http://www.southgatearc.org/news/september/redhill.htm

A group in Cannock was pressing to get the system changed so they can pay more and get FM licences outside the "round" system, but Ofcom say round 4 will progress (now in 2017? TBC)
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Common...ioApplications

Bristol already has a small scale DAB test so might be worth investigating?

The FM DSO for large stations was planned for 2015 which would have released frequencies for community radio, but is more likely after 2020 (but means FM is restricted for round 4 in many places).
Ofcom and the DCMS will see how Norway does it's national FM DSO in 2017 and if it goes well the UK may follow.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-32380222
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Old 09-07-2016, 13:18
Gerry1
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The FM DSO for large stations was planned for 2015 which would have released frequencies for community radio, but is more likely after 2020
It'll be well after 2020, if it happens at all. Many cars sold without DAB radios won't even have had their first MoT by 2020 !
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Old 09-07-2016, 13:51
hanssolo
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It'll be well after 2020, if it happens at all. Many cars sold without DAB radios won't even have had their first MoT by 2020 !
Doubt it will be long before some local and Absolute AM stations close

It's now very likely the FM DSO criteria of DAB coverage and 50% digital listening to trigger a confirmed date might be reached in 2018, with the first FM national networks (perhaps R1 or R3) closing 2020 (and DAB car adaptors reduced in price) to release more FM frequencies for community radio.
But agree if the political drive in the UK to do it is there?
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Old 09-07-2016, 15:41
Gerry1
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...with the first FM national networks (perhaps R1 or R3) closing 2020 (and DAB car adaptors reduced in price) to release more FM frequencies for community radio.
But agree if the political drive in the UK to do it is there?
They might get away with closing R1 FM, because the Establishment wouldn't care two hoots about which platforms a yoof station uses. R1 users probably wouldn't fret much either, they're savvy enough to have access to other stations and platforms.

But they'd never dare risking it with R3. There would be howls of anguish from the Great And The Good and those with high quality FM tuners; cue letters to The Times and questions in Parliament.

There are also very few DAB+/DAB/FM tuners (as opposed to lash-ups with kitchen radios, telescopic aerials and headphone outputs).

R3 listeners may be few in number, but they and their friends are extremely influential.
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Old 10-07-2016, 11:03
MikeBr
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They might get away with closing R1 FM, because the Establishment wouldn't care two hoots about which platforms a yoof station uses. R1 users probably wouldn't fret much either, they're savvy enough to have access to other stations and platforms.

But they'd never dare risking it with R3. There would be howls of anguish from the Great And The Good and those with high quality FM tuners; cue letters to The Times and questions in Parliament.

There are also very few DAB+/DAB/FM tuners (as opposed to lash-ups with kitchen radios, telescopic aerials and headphone outputs).

R3 listeners may be few in number, but they and their friends are extremely influential.
The 2015 Digital Radio Report shows that 68% of Radio 1 listening is analogue.

This May it was reported that 49.9% of Radio 3 listening was digital.
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Old 10-07-2016, 15:33
Bollard
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Clear FM frequencies which meet Ofcom standards are few in London ... maybe Time 106.6?
ISTR there was talk that 106.6 could be used for another London wide service, maybe with some other stations having to move. Of course I can't see that happening now as we head towards radio DSO.
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Old 10-07-2016, 16:32
Bristol_Foley
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Were in Bristol and in theory the next round is due for the southwest. This AM only surgests there may be no space on the FM dial for new comunity radio stations.
The last I heard about FM community space in Bristol was that there was no space left except for very local things (e.g. Bradley Stoke Radio, which is not quite as local as you'd think as it can be heard well outside the target area).

However, back when they were advertising licenses, I never thought they'd try to put a community station on 98.0 (Ujima) when Radio 1 on 97.9 is pretty strong around here. Ujima does have the weaker signal compared to BCFM, but it works quite well within the city. Based on that, surely there must be other usable spots in that national BBC bands to squeeze a couple more community stations in for Bristol.
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Old 10-07-2016, 16:38
Bristol_Foley
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Bristol already has a small scale DAB test so might be worth investigating?
So small scale that despite the multplex having Bradley Stoke Radio on it, it doesn't cover Bradley Stoke. At least I can't personally receive the multiplex here.
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Old 10-07-2016, 22:52
gwrbristol
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So small scale that despite the multplex having Bradley Stoke Radio on it, it doesn't cover Bradley Stoke. At least I can't personally receive the multiplex here.
Can't get the local mux in Fishponds either so not a hope of it reaching Bradley Stoke! Why is the signal so weak?
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Old 11-07-2016, 07:02
hanssolo
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Can't get the local mux in Fishponds either so not a hope of it reaching Bradley Stoke! Why is the signal so weak?
Currenlty part of the trial
http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/binari...s.pdfCurrently a test,
We will now continue to monitor the trial multiplexes as the trial progresses, with a view to submitting a final report to Government in the autumn
Then a decision will be made if to continue with minimuxes and allow the regulations to become full time, and maybe more power for the existing areas and potential new areas?

For the central London minimux the 2 SFN 100w transmitters seem to be working well, 4 of the 9 stations (Solar, CDNX, NT and Crackers) are not on FM so have had the chance to go terrestrial, will be interesting to see if they apply for FM licences this round 3?
For the London minimux one of the questions might be should they have more power or should there be other new minimuxes in other parts of greater London?
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Old 11-07-2016, 07:13
hanssolo
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The last I heard about FM community space in Bristol was that there was no space left except for very local things (e.g. Bradley Stoke Radio, which is not quite as local as you'd think as it can be heard well outside the target area).

However, back when they were advertising licenses, I never thought they'd try to put a community station on 98.0 (Ujima) when Radio 1 on 97.9 is pretty strong around here. Ujima does have the weaker signal compared to BCFM, but it works quite well within the city. Based on that, surely there must be other usable spots in that national BBC bands to squeeze a couple more community stations in for Bristol.
I notice 2 of the proposed London frequencies are in the R3 and R4 allocations, so does look as if Ofcom are starting to relax the FM rules a bit which might help round 4 applications.

But there are still lots of London FM pirates using frequencies which do not meet the Ofcom rules, like with Rinse and Vibe Ofcom is trying to persuade them to go legit.
However Round 2 in London was a bit of a mess http://radiotoday.co.uk/round2/
Of the 33 applicants only 4 made it on air, and 3 stations allocated AM licences returned their licences due to various problems with AM.
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Old 15-07-2016, 17:40
MikeBr
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No, they've awarded 16 so far, 6 more today, and rejected three. They had 26 applicants.

Awards and rejections are here
http://media.ofcom.org.uk/news/2016/

List of applicants
http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/radio-...nd-outside-m25
Update today on the SE licencing round:

Ofcom awarded six community radio licences in July 2016. The licences are for services in the south east England region (outside the M25). These awards bring the licensing decisions for this region to a close.

One of the licences is for AM transmission.

http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/radio-...ards-july-2016
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Old 23-11-2016, 06:43
hanssolo
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Applicants now published
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/manage-your...-radio-regions
21 in London (only a small handful will get licences) and 11 for AM outside London
Mi Soul, Colourful, Caroline (Suffolk), AM Rock (Kent) a Greek station and several Asian stations in the lists.
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Old 23-11-2016, 09:39
Inkblot
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Not much info about the stations yet, except that there are some applying to target tiny areas and some practically targeting the whole of London. Checked a few of the stations' web sites and some are just placeholders but one stands out from the crowd: ZoneOneRadio (targeting the central London area known as Zone 1 on tube maps), whose stated aims are

1. To be the community radio station for the most diverse and dynamic place to live, work and study on the planet.
2. To help those around us benefit from the social, professional and therapeutic benefits of volunteering - with a focus on helping our out of work volunteers into sustained employment


Interesting claim from their web site:

There is only one place in the UK that you are told not to mention when working for any of the BBC's national radio stations. That place isn't Wales or the Orkney Islands...

it's Central London.


Is this true?
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