Digital Radio

Radio, Print, and Online General Radio and Digital
2296

Thanks @littlegezzybear

Submissions also display for me now.

So submissions were uploaded in the 9 hr gap between our posts.

Submission by Rob Hurle of the Burra community assoc is very interesting. It appears that the increase to output has already taken place, he writes that as of Nov 2018, digital radio became available.

This is a great result, it appears to be a remote area with bad terrain and the increase is achieving just what it should be.

CBAA submission spends much of it on asking for a minimum ERP limit to be added to the plan as well as expediting infill within Canberra such as Tuggeranong.

Kev Blyton for 2CC/CA writes a simple submission agreeing with increase highlighting the trial output of 3.1kW as insufficient.

SBS highlights the quick utilisation of their allocation away from the trial allocation in Dec 17.

Most interestingly, notes the national broadcasters began an SFN on Tuggeranong Hill in Mar 18. Says it covers more than 50 000 residents in that southern edge of Canberra’s urban area.

Continues with “near immediate” enhanced coverage. So it appears the ACMA used common sense that the proposal would be well received and allowed that increase in Nov 2018 as per Burra Community Assoc submission above.

SBS were ready for the increase, knowing 20kW was more reasonable for Canberra:

From the outset, the national broadcaster transmitter was selected to have the headroom to
closely match an anticipated future increase in ERP. Such futureproofing of the
transmission infrastructure is incremental and efficient compared to complete swap-out
of low-powered equipment.

More detail comes in the final pars, thanks SBS. We know exactly what the ERP is and why:

SBS (and ABC) have the infrastructure in place to be able to increase ERP to 18.5kW—
against a proposed maximum licensed ERP of 20kW 2—without delay.

2
The limit of 18.5 kW ERP is determined by the break-point in chosen base transmitter power for a 0.4dB reduction in signal level, which is not material to the audience—the design decisions represent an optimal commercial outcome.

A higher transmitter power (at the next break-point) would demand materially increased capital and operating costs for no material gain

Will be interested to see if the commercial operators buy a different brand TX that has different break-points closer to 20kW.

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2297

Canberra ERP increase summary:

ABC/SBS have already increased to an ERP of 18.5kW, anecdotally from Burra Community Assoc who have received digital radio for the first time.

0.4dB less than spec due to economics, immaterial to audience the SBS submission assures us.

So the increase is on already, enjoy the wider coverage.

It is a great outcome, shows how those on the licence area periphery are better served and affirms ACMA’s mistake in 5kW for Canberra and the Gold Coast.

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2298

ABC Brisbane local radio returned from AM at 8:30 with very tinny/tunnel like sound audio on digital. AM was fine.

Fill in presenter, Bill McDonald completed his first break (no on air mention), went to a song and at the end of the song, the Sydney program abruptly cut in with no explanation.

8:43am, brief silence and Bill has announced that they’re back after a technical problem

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2299

You can hear how that incident went down on the program audio here. General guess would have been an audio routing problem.
Saturday Morning - ABC listen

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2300

$10 digital radio at Target:

Target have a rectangular single speaker ‘clock radio’ with digital for $10.

This is the only way to increase use of digital radio, reasonable prices that people won’t think of to trial it.

Speaker grille covers the front with small two line LCD display in the top centre.

It’s not their website but it is in store, confirmed today.

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2301

I write that as I express my frustration sitting about 12km from the TVQ site currently with great LoS yet the signal isn’t up to 50kW ERP and therefore, radio can only be sited in certain locations of each room or aerial fully extended.

And yes, this is with the wonderful Sony XDR-P1DBP that is the best I’ve tried in lower signal areas.

Very frustrating that you can be further away from the TX or with more challenging terrain in Adelaide, Melbourne or Sydney and not have the problems Brisbane has.

We know most commercial radio audience is drawn from the further out suburbs, these are the regions that would benefit from better digital coverage in Brisbane. Better results for 4KQ for sure.

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2302

That’s interesting, when I’ve been on the Gold Coast, I could get reliable in car reception down to about Runaway Bay, and no problems with apartment reception in Surfers Paradise.

And I know @Brianc68 has reported drop out free in car reception north to Caloundra.

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2303

I’ve managed to receive Brisbane DAB all the way up the Bruce Hwy to the Sunshine May exit nowadays.

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2304

Yet coverage in the northern part of the lap is rubbish. Stop to a crawl and test your reception and see how you go. The FEC works good when moving but troll through Morayfield shopping centre car park and you’ll get very marginal signal or burpengary, Caboolture, Ningi…etc.
Anyhoo you can thank Sunshine Coast licence owners for that.

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2305

Interesting - will give it a go next time I’m up that way. Thanks @4TAB-1008kHz

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2306

It’s funny, the sunny coast owners don’t complain about their FM overspill into brisbane down to the airport, but Brisbane DAB ask to remove the notch to the north and then suddenly overspill is a problem…
Anyhoo, don’t get me started on DAB… must step away from the phone now… :slight_smile:

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2307

Yes me too except for one minor splutter just south of the Roys Rd exit.

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2308

Yes, it’s fine down there for me, could be better, but useable.

Likely localised RFI near to here that the ERP increase would fix.

Thanks @4TAB-1008kHz, that’s why we pay you the big bikkies! Coverage is terrible at a crawl or fixed within building.

Even at Redcliffe, outdoor coverage suffers despite LoS to TVQ.

Try it among the terrain in the upper parts of the former Pine Rivers and Caboolture shires and signal suffers again.

Yes and they contribute to the delay with ACMA returning a revised draft to public comment.

Indeed, and the Hot 91 antenna is not completely up to the ERP spec toward Brisbane (not least in 2003) yet coverage is great.

They could have it both ways if all licensees agreed to reciprocal overspill.

Thanks, appreciate your passion about this. Most frustrating.

The outside Brisbane licensees have all held up implementation of digital to their markets due to fighting Brisbane on removing notches.

Same.

Looking east of Brisbane where there is no adjacent licensee, all of Redland city suffers, as do suburbs within BCC when over the ridge of Camp Hill/Carina.

Wynnum/Manly below the terrace/escarpment suffers too.

Removing the notch in this direction with no adjacent licensee would demonstrate the need for improvement in all directions.

Time to reframe the argument into considering reciprocal overspill as seen on analogue in Syd, Melb, Adel, Perth and many other areas.

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2309

Especially where it’s expected. There is absolutely no one in the Geelong licence area that doesn’t think the Melbourne stations are ‘local’ to them - yet the attempt to shut them out on DAB has resulted in huge limitations in the coverage in western Melbourne, but plenty of Geelong getting perfectly receivable Melbourne DAB despite the attempt.

While I think there’s slightly more distinguished markets on the Gold and Sunshine Coast from Brisbane in terms of listener expectations - it still holds that having Brisbane stations receivable in Brisbane is far more important than whether someone in the Gold Coast might receive a station they “shouldn’t”.

No doubt, if it ever does exist, a Geelong DAB service would fly back over the bay and be receivable in many parts of Melbourne - and they’ll be perfectly happy for it to do so. And on the Gold Coast, there’s the choice between having an utterly flawed plan to use low powered transmissions to try and limit coverage to a small slither, or actually cover the region properly at the risk of some overspill back into Brisbane.

I can slightly understand the limitation when the capital city is the only one on DAB, though clearly they don’t work effectively in doing their intended job - but it should be planned as part of adding the regional DAB services - they have time to get their broadcast on air, and at a set date the notches get removed and the coverage focus is maximising reception within the license area, not minimising overspill.

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2310

Exactly, so why doesn’t the ACMA show leadership and regulate as it should, without fear or favour and make the decision for them instead of letting CRA’s regional digital technical planning committee fight it out among themselves.

The ACMA approach to overspill as defined by policy and the legislation that overspill is fine if there’s no other feasible way of getting coverage into the licence area.

Exactly, 5kW at Mt Tamborine is insufficient, multi site setups costly and unnecessary.

Brisbane is allowed OD coverage into the Gold Coast on FM, the Gold Coast should be afforded the same, reciprocal overspill.

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2311

Haven’t seen any discussion on here about Triple M Country digital? I’m 47 and the last 6 months have been hooked. I love it and can’t get enough.

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2312

Well I went to Collaroy beach today in Sydney. Down powder works road signal use to drop for the abc but all good now. Might be I have a different car but perhaps it might prove the repeaters are on for the abc too. Did not have time to really check, by driving next to the tower and using my portable radio and disconnect the ear jack and see if i get a signal.

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2313

I don’t mind listening to a bit of it here and there.

Good to see a couple of country stations on digital (ABC has one too, though I haven’t listened to that one much).

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2314

Yes it’s good to see country stations on DAB.

I can only really see two gaps in what is offered on DAB.

Firstly a 60s/70s station. Especially in cities that don’t have 4KQ or Cruise.

Secondly a “soul” station. In the UK Magic has a DAB station called Magic Soul which plays mainstream hits with a soul flavour.

If only Macquarie had kept Magic here they could have probably covered both on DAB.

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2315

At the moment nothing fills my More/Koool/OMG shaped hole in my heart.:sleepy:

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