Yeah, seems like the dupe that previously had a blank title is now NN.
This continues to be very strange, it’s weird enough Nova got access to Nine’s space just to add Nova Nation, but weirder that there’s two of them and has been since it launched.
1 Like
There are now 3 Nova Nations in Brisbane.
5 Likes
My DAB+ radio (Sony) couldn’t tune into the blank Nova Nation, probably because its name was blank. It just wasn’t anywhere in the list of stations, as if the station didn’t exist. Perhaps some radios just ignore stations with a blank name, while others don’t.
2 Likes
Today on how to waste valuable MPX space
1 Like
It’s obviously a placeholder until something else replaces the second Nova Nation station.
Nova must have done a deal with Nine to lease extra DAB spectrum in Bris, Syd, Melb.
Nova didn’t win any extra DAB spectrum when it was auctioned off in 2009 so this will help them to expand their offering. It will be interesting to see what they launch next.
1 Like
Hopefully Smooth Relax is coming back to Brisbane!
3 Likes
Certainly hope so
1 Like
I should say Nova didn’t win any extra DAB spectrum outside of Brisbane, of course they won 128 kbs to take their allocation to 256 kbs, the same as Syd/Mel/Ade.
NN has also appeared as the placeholder in Sydney, a simulcast of Nova Nation.
1 Like
Last night I had an interesting behaviour on SC-PMX92 DAB hifi system. Ever since I bought this unit I always found that it required time to ‘tune’ to the Perth commercial multiplex (9B) when I switch to it (from the ABC multiplex (9C) or far away Mandurah multiplex (8C)). It will play 2 seconds of audio, then show NO SIGNAL for another 1-2 seconds. But last night the NO SIGNAL want on for almost a minute, tonight it is back to the NO SIGNAL for 1 second blip when I first tune my radio to 9B.
Anybody know what gives?
Other radios don’t seem to have this problem so the SC-PMX92 must be very sensitve to something that 9B is pushing the limits on (too many channels certainly comes to mind!).
2 Likes
That happens on all of my DAB radios too - usually a couple of seconds before the audio kicks in when you land on a station on a different MPX eg. going from a 9A station to a 9B station. But almost instant if you are tuning to a different station on the same MPX.
Oddly it’s not something I’ve really noticed with digital TV (eg. going from LCN 70 to 74 vs going from 70 to 90).
1 Like
Audio delay on changing a DAB station, particularly between multiplexes is due to buffering the audio.
It depends on the receiver for how many seconds buffering it does before playing, this allows you to pause, FF or RWD the audio on some radios, it also covers when the signal drops out or gets data errors. Unless the signal has dropped out for a few seconds the audio will continue on using up the buffer, then it’ll pickup the buffer again when the signal returns, if the signal drops for more than a few seconds the audio will glitch & dropout, & trust me the DAB signals drop out a hell of a lot more than any of you know/notice, if there was no buffering, DAB in a mobile situation would be so glitchy no one would listen for very long.
If you’re streaming a station online the apps buffer the audio too for the same reason, to smooth out short signal drops while on the move.
Also though on DAB when changing multiplexes, the extra delay comes because the receiver has to read a completely different set of data, & that data isn’t all transmitted at the same time, different bits are sent following one another & it takes time for the entire string of data to be sent (transmitted) & received, which also includes a very short period of time where the actual DAB transmitter is turned off in each string of data. (Trying not to be too technical here so everyone understands, hopefully what I’m saying if that does or doesn’t make sense)?
Why @robtog radio went for almost 1 minute but has now gone back to normal is anyone’s guess, maybe the signal was weaker & had more errors in it for some reason, so it took the radio longer to lock on to it & buffer enough audio error free? That maybe also be the reason it normal takes more time than other receivers, there’s probably something in the 9B signal that differs from the other multiplexes that this receiver needs more time to sort out.
DTV also buffers, but not usually as much as DAB, so changing channels on DTV isn’t like the old analogue days of instant change, there is a DTV delay, but it’s very short in most cases & we’re all used to it now so don’t really notice it.
DTV (DVB-T) is also more robust than DAB+, when DVB-T was created, they looked at DAB (yes it’s an older technology), based it on that, but changed everything that is wrong with DAB.
4 Likes
How so? I would have thought the opposite as DAB+ has far more error correction to support mobile/car/portable radios as you explained.
Whereas most DVB-T users have high gain TV antennas on the roof so it chooses efficiency over error correction.
2 Likes
Way too technical to go into here & most wouldn’t understand anyway, both DAB+ & DVB-T use the Reed Solomon Error Correction, so there’s no difference there, but basically as a start point, DVB-T in 8K mode uses almost 5,000 more carriers for the data to travel on over DAB+, so there’s less chance for full data corruption & the need to use or exceed the error correction in DVB-T over DAB+.
4 Likes
Is it possible for someone here to provide a current Canberra SId DAB+ list with current radio stations? I’m not sure if the three Kinderling stations are still present on the ensemble. I want to check I have all data current for our Aust RDS List for relevant SId vs PI codes to help prevent or check for any PI code conflicts that might eventuate should any further FM stations commence RDS in the Canberra region. Thanks.
1 Like
Not the same with my DAB hifi. This only happens when switching to the commercial 9B MPX, and when you do the audio playback is instant but after 1-2 seconds the radio reports losing the signal for another 1-2 seconds (when the audio goes off) before it returns to normal. It is specific to this MPX and this particular DAB radio. I did find a firmware upgrade for this radio from 2022, but that didn’t fix the problem. But why only 9B and not when switching to 9C or 8C? The only difference would be the MPX frequency, maybe this radio has problem with it. Should take the radio interstate to see if it misbehaves with other 9B’s and also 9A’s, but not sure how that will help (if I return to Perth where the problem is).
2 Likes
Still wondering when were going to see that Gold Coast ABC DAB come to life properly, they gave me that teaser and its been dead ever since!
4 Likes
Don’t know if I’m supposed to say anything or not about this, but I’m going to anyway, lol
I can’t find much information about it other than what I’ve been told (rumour) & what evidence I’ve found at a transmitter site, but apparently CBAA are going to be conducting a trial DAB broadcast from Kings Cross site in Sydney for small coverage community stations, in other words, non Sydney wide community stations broadcasting on DAB with a small coverage area (Local, same as their FM transmissions), I think it’s going to be on DAB channel 8D & they will test Vertical, Horizontal & Slant polarization transmissions.
I don’t know what the power level will be, I don’t know what the expected coverage area will be & I don’t know when it will occur, I don’t know what stations or how many will be on it, but I do know a DAB transmitter has been installed for it.
It’ll probably run under a ACMA scientific test licence?
I’m guessing it’s to see how effective it is, how much it costs for setup & operations & how efficient is would be to roll it out wide area, following along the lines of the local community stations FM transmissions & coverage. I think they are trying to do something similar to the UK’s small area DAB coverage network setup?
9 Likes
Interesting! Thanks, my guess is 2RES and 2RSR being the two that are closest? Time will tell.
Will be interesting to see if i can get it at home during tropo too.
4 Likes
I heard something too. It was just talk/rumour at the time, and I wasn’t expecting to hear something again so soon for at least a couple more years. My guess is Sydney first, followed by Melbourne.
5 Likes
From memory there was some info about this in last years CBAA annual report. There’s a holding company and I think yes the intent to use a scientific license.
Edit: Page 19 of this PDF: https://www.cbaa.org.au/sites/default/files/CBAA%20Annual%20Review%202022-2023.pdf
5 Likes