I should have asked earlier;
Do you have the associated SId’s of these DAB+ channels?
Sadly no, i just had my Panasonic radio with me.
1 Like
My understanding is the moratorium was on new commercial radio stations - so AM/FM ones.
I don’t think digital only licenses are comprehended under legislation. So for example, there’s the community radio allocation in Mandurah - but no mechanism to create a station that could utilise it, unless they first allocated an analogue license.
Similarly, if a DAB station breached broadcasting codes, it’s the parent analogue license of the spectrum it broadcasts in that would be liable if the ACMA ever did anything, because the DAB services themselves have no direct broadcast license.
Correct. Unless I’ve missed something, the legislation only allows for ‘Foundational’ multiplex licenses, which are issued to Joint Venture Companies (JVCs) run by the incumbent licensees in a market.
This is an article I wrote ages ago, but most of it is still current: https://www.mediarealm.com.au/articles/digital-radio-australia-dabplustechnical-overview/
1 Like
This is an interesting discussion. And it raises a question for me:
I assume this is why digital stations don’t have ACMA callsigns? AM stations have two-letter calls and FM have three-letter calls, but it has always seemed odd to me that the digitals don’t have anything at all.
I guess probably because you don’t need a licence to run a specific station on DAB… Each operator just gets their spectrum and put as many (or few) stations within that bandwidth as they see fit.
I do often wonder what the legal implications are for leasing part of your DAB+ bandwidth to a third party who doesn’t have their own broadcast service license.
If there was a breach of a codes of practice on one of these services, does ACMA enforce it against the owner of the spectrum? Do these leased services even subscribe to a specific code, or do they automatically fall under the commercial radio codes?
1 Like
I imagine so, a bit like if a TV station airs a movie or show that breaches the code, even though the program wasn’t made by them, it’s still the TV station that gets breached because they aired it.
I’d imagine the company who you’re leasing the bandwidth through would be responsible as they hold the necessary approvals. It could get a bit messy though.
Surely all the regulatory framework remains the same (including codes of practice).
1 Like
The multiplex has a designation but not the streams as they can be transient.
Somewhat analogous to TV where there is a call sign for the multiplex but not each channel that is broadcast AFAIK.
1 Like
I remember reading somewhere that radio station callsigns aren’t legally required so it wouldn’t matter if the multiplex doesn’t have a callsign.
Call signs are required, they just don’t have to be broadcast like in the US where you hear the official call sign (even the HD Radio one) every hour.
3 Likes
I found where I read it: : Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations - Internet edition - September 2024 - Australian Communications and Media Authority © Commonwealth of Australia, as well as earlier editions.
Also they mention that open narrowcast services and digital radio services aren’t allocated a clallsign, but other broadcast band services are allocated one.
Gold Coast DAB+ on 9D seems to be off air.
1 Like
It’s on air, but it seems that the SCA streams aren’t working. Community stations and Grant stations are ok.
4 Likes
Took them until today to be fixed.
4 Likes
Yes was an encoder meltdown. I let the relevant people know and was fixed about 2:00 this arvo
1 Like
U mean ARN these days. Lol
1 Like
I don’t know if it’s because of the colder weather or something but I’ve noticed that the ABC/SBS mux in Sydney seems to have a weaker signal than usual. Getting dropouts where I only would with stations with lower error correction.
Okay, I have a couple of questions about DAB.
- DAB+ signals in tunnels (specifically Melbourne’s Eastlink because that’s where I live). Why is there no DAB+ signal in the tunnels, but there is AM and FM?
Is it because it’s not technically feasible, or is it because noone wants to pay for it? Or something else?
- I get that DAB doesn’t radiate as far as FM, which doesn’t travel as far as AM. So why don’t the broadcasters push out a stronger DAB signal to better match the coverage areas of AM or FM stations?
I’m not in the industry - just a curious citizen trying to understand how these things work. I’m guessing that it’s a mixture of physics, economics and politics…