Digital Radio

Thanks @RFBurns. You can tell I am not broadcast engineer. :smile:

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There is no doubt about it dab+ reception problems in western Sydney.
Just got home and turned on the Digitech Dab+ radio connected to outside Dab+ vertical dipole through the masthead amp at Stanhope Gardens.

Signal level bouncing from the digital cliff to below on 9b signal errors 30
9C on the digital cliff signal errors 4
9A signal below the cliff signal errors 30
Normally 100% signal / quality and no errors.

Driving home along Old Windsor Road Rouse Hill at 1:30pm, no to garbled Dab+ reception received on all Muxes on work truck. Signal is normally rock solid with no dropouts. You only get a couple of dropouts in the gullies in Rouse Hill.

The reception problems have been all over western Sydney today with poor signal even in Seven Hills with LOS to Artarmon.

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Btw Digital tv reception from Artarmon / Gore Hill is perfect 100% signal and Quality C/N 40 on all channels on the Sony TV.

So the problem to me seems to be is the Dab+ array and not the TV array.

Already the case in Perth for SCA’s digital (except 92.9 and 94.5 at 48kbps).

All ARN stations run at 32kbps, so there’s precedent for SCA to reduce 92.9 and 94.5 to 32kbps to free up another 32kbps for one of the new stations.

Could SCA lease or buy space from someone else? Macquarie run 48kbps for 6PR and MSR, and 32kbps for NTS. If 6PR and MSR dropped to 32kbps, they could carry SCA’s other new station, if so desired.

SCA already don’t carry MMM Greatest Hits in Perth though, so they’ll probably be fine not carrying all stations into Perth.

The other thing is the ratings for MMM Aussie and MMM Country aren’t great; could they get the axe for these new stations?

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I have no doubts either. I’m in the Blacktown area and neither of the 2 radios I leave on to babysit the house (aka burglar deterrents) a Pure One Flow and Sangean WFR-1d had any reception. Switched to FM instead.

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I fired up the QIRX SDR software program which I occasionally use with the SDR dongle.
If I read all this correctly, re TII readings (I interpret this as DAB+ transmitters (transmitter sites) received per multiplex & transmitter signal levels relative to the strongest of them & the number of them detected by the program)
With the 9A SYD multiplex I see up to 5 or 6
With the 9B SYD multiplex I only see the Artarmon transmitter
With the 9C SYD multiplex (ABC/SBS stations) I see 3, 4 or 5 at various times

I’ve never recorded the number of transmitters I normally see with the 9B multiplex.
It could be that all the repeaters are out for the 9B multiplex - maybe?

Question is guys; What are the DAB+ stations you’re having issues with, all or just some?
The ARN stations are carried on 9B along with 2GB, 2CH, triple M Country, Nova & some community stations etc

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All muxes are affected
9A,9B,9C

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I only checked with 9B.

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I have a Sangean DPR34 and have had no reception all day in the Silverwater Lidcombe Merrylands areas. Thought it must have have been the radio itself and was about to go and buy another one, better hold off

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I am near Hornsby now… I think not much difference here… I might be more “north” and in a good location for reception. As per Radiohead, Newcastle seems normal. Going to Cherrybrook might shift it towards the “west”.

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I don’t know for sure because BA look after DAB+, but it sounds like some of the crucial info in the data may be missing or corrupt, & the timing of all the different transmitters (main & translators) are out of whack, & they are all interfering with or canceling out each other depending on location?

The joys of SFN’s.

@Radiohead wouldn’t have an issue in Newcastle, as he’d only pick up the main Artarmon signal, so that’s why everything appears to be working normally for him.

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My guess with the two new DAB+ stations that SCA are planning to introduce might be a classic 70s and 80s pop skewed DAB+ station. That might be the hit network one and for the Triple M one it might be. A general rock variety skewed DAB+ station so what i mean by that is. They may program a broad rock skewing music log for that one just my guess there

I decided just to send an email on the BA website, see what they say. It doesn’t really impact me. But just to see if they respond.

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Just tried on the Sangean Dpr-35 and reception is better on all Muxes then on the Digitech Dab+ tuner, connected to the VHF antenna on the roof, pointing at Artarmon. I can get close to full signal strength and quality with the headphones as an antenna.
Reception is still weaker then usual though.
It could be SFN’s cancelling each other out as RFBurns has suggested.

I have read about these issues.
I wonder if something like a giant construction crane say out Parramatta way might cause multipath / timing issues out west, but seams unlikely where problems exists over a large part of western Sydney I guess.

I have downloaded the latest QIRX DAB+ SDR program & can now see the other 9B mux transmitters.
Just need to stop all the new & annoying program start up errors.

{Late Edit} Just tried the earlier QIRX program (that didn’t show the other 9B transmitters earlier) & it’s now showing them. Something odd happening somewhere

BTW the current QIRX program now displays slideshow images.

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Understand Blacktown and west, there were always issues there and they exist today. However, I think this is interesting (whilst in Western Sydney) as these areas should in the main have a great reception. Unless the repeaters on top of Centerpoint/Redfern are causing the issues.

I have been using this radio for at least a year now , daily use in this area while i am working and never had an issue

Dab+ reception getting worse on main tuner connected to roof top antenna. Most stations are now below the cliff with massive signal error count.

yeah should not impact Silverwater/Lidcombe but like the theory. I wonder if Northern beaches have issues/ CBD area.

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I just went for a drive to Beecroft no issues although there is no meter in the car, who knows it might be just above the digital cliff.

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