DAB local multiplex in Bedfordshire - Radio

Simonjharrisson · 13-07-2005, 14:00

Not an entirely new thread I know, but does anyone know if or when there will be a local DAB multiplex for the Bedfordshire area?

Kenny at KACL · 13-07-2005, 14:11

Ofcom will publish their plan for the next stage in the rollout of DAB digital radio "this summer". That plan will almost certainly include provision for a local DAB multiplex in Bedfordshire, and I would expect that advertising new local DAB multiplexes could start quite quickly after that (as it is the most uncontroversial part of the plan).

North_Sea FM · 13-07-2005, 14:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simonjharrisson

Not an entirely new thread I know, but does anyone know if or when there will be a local DAB multiplex for the Bedfordshire area?

I guess if this were to be done, would it come from Bow Brickhill, or Sandy Heath?? As i think Zouches Farm nr. Luton is a relay for one of the London mux's?

Rob_Online · 13-07-2005, 14:51

Does anyone know if there are any plans for ofcom to advertise a DAB Mux for Somerset?

Simonjharrisson · 13-07-2005, 16:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by North_Sea FM

I guess if this were to be done, would it come from Bow Brickhill, or Sandy Heath?? As i think Zouches Farm nr. Luton is a relay for one of the London mux's?

Yes Zouches Farm is used by the London MXs. I would guess it would be Sandy Heath for the best coverage.

Kenny at KACL · 13-07-2005, 18:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob_Online

Does anyone know if there are any plans for ofcom to advertise a DAB Mux for Somerset?

As above, the definitive plans will be revealed "this summer" but, yes, the plan is certainly to fill in all the "white areas" like Somerset (those areas without at least one "local" DAB multiplex) with a local multiplex.

From Ofcom's radio-Preparing For The Future document:

Proposed local multiplex plan
The existing frequency allocations would allow multiplexes to be licensed for the
following areas and enable carriage of the identified BBC local station(s) (figure 81).
Figure 81: Additional licence areas using existing VHF Band III frequencies
Local multiplex licence area BBC station(s) with reserved capacity
1 Carlisle BBC Radio Cumbria
2 North Wales Coast BBC Radio Wales & BBC Radio Cymru
3 Dumfries and SW Scotland BBC Radio Scotland & BBC Radio nan
Gaidheal
4 Heads of the South Wales Valleys BBC Radio Wales & BBC Radio Cymru
5 Morecambe Bay BBC Radio Lancashire & BBC Radio
Cumbria
6 Scarborough BBC Radio York
7 Scottish Borders BBC Radio Scotland & BBC Radio nan
Gaidheal
8 West Cumbria BBC Radio Cumbria
9 Weymouth & Dorchester BBC Solent 103.8 or a new BBC Radio
Dorset

The three new frequency blocks could provide services to the following areas (and
enable carriage of the identified BBC local stations) (figure 82):
Figure 82: Additional licence areas using new VHF Band III frequencies
Local multiplex licence area BBC station(s) with reserved capacity
10 Aylesbury BBC Radio Oxford
11 Caernarfon BBC Radio Wales & BBC Radio Cymru
12 Carmarthenshire BBC Radio Wales & BBC Radio Cymru
13 Ceredigion BBC Radio Wales & BBC Radio Cymru
14 Chester / Wrexham BBC Radio Wales & BBC Radio Cymru
(note: Chester is already covered by the
Liverpool multiplex which carries BBC
Radio Merseyside – but there may be a
possible new BBC Radio Cheshire service)
15 Derby BBC Radio Derby
16 Gloucester & Cheltenham BBC Radio Gloucestershire
17 Guildford BBC Southern Counties Radio
18 Harrogate BBC Radio York
19 Hereford & Worcester BBC Hereford and Worcester
20 Ipswich & Bury St Edmunds BBC Radio Suffolk
21 Kent Coast (note: this completes
the existing Kent multiplex
coverage)
BBC Radio Kent
22 Kings Lynn BBC Radio Norfolk
23 Lincoln BBC Radio Lincolnshire
24 Luton / Bedford BBC Three Counties Radio
25 Milton Keynes BBC Three Counties Radio
26 North Devon BBC Radio Devon
27 Northampton BBC Radio Northampton
28 Oxfordshire (Oxford & Banbury) BBC Radio Oxford
29 Pembrokeshire BBC Radio Wales & BBC Radio Cymru
30 Reigate & Crawley BBC Southern Counties Radio
31 Salisbury BBC Wiltshire Sound
32 Somerset (Taunton & Yeovil) BBC Radio Bristol (Somerset Sound optout)
or a new BBC Radio Somerset service
33 Stratford-upon-Avon BBC Coventry & Warwickshire
34 York BBC Radio York
35 Mid-Wales BBC Radio Wales & BBC Radio Cymru
36 Western Scotland BBC Radio Scotland & BBC Radio nan
Gaidheal
37 Orkney and Shetland BBC Radio Scotland & BBC Radio nan
Gaidheal

the_radio_kid · 13-07-2005, 19:01

Somehow I doubt it with Now Cambridge and NOW Peterborough so close. There aren't enough frequencies - Cambridge nearly did not get published as a town where a local DAB TX could be errected.

Spearman · 13-07-2005, 22:53

Lincoln and perhaps Derby sound good to me.

Kenny at KACL · 14-07-2005, 00:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_radio_kid

Somehow I doubt it with Now Cambridge and NOW Peterborough so close. There aren't enough frequencies - Cambridge nearly did not get published as a town where a local DAB TX could be errected.

Can you read??

Ofcom will release three or four new frequency blocks for local multiplexes.

2Bdecided · 14-07-2005, 12:46

Oh dear. There are many things I'd like from DAB near Sandy Heath in Bedfordshire. BBC 3 listener's radio is not one of them. I could get that on FM with the aerial snapped off, if I wanted to.

Now, if they were going to provide some national muxes with high quality (in every sense) content, then that really would bring something new and interesting to DAB around here.

Cheers,
David.

13-07-2005, 14:00	#1
Simonjharrisson Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, 6 UK Services: AOL, SKY Freeview and Top up Tv Posts: 393	DAB local multiplex in Bedfordshire Not an entirely new thread I know, but does anyone know if or when there will be a local DAB multiplex for the Bedfordshire area?

13-07-2005, 14:11	#2
Kenny at KACL Forum Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Nottingham Posts: 1,000	Ofcom will publish their plan for the next stage in the rollout of DAB digital radio "this summer". That plan will almost certainly include provision for a local DAB multiplex in Bedfordshire, and I would expect that advertising new local DAB multiplexes could start quite quickly after that (as it is the most uncontroversial part of the plan).

13-07-2005, 14:51	#4
Rob_Online Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Somerset, UK (Mendip TX) Services: Sky+ HD, Freeview, BT Total BB & Vision, SE C905 Vodafone, Pure Evoke Flow Posts: 2,416	Does anyone know if there are any plans for ofcom to advertise a DAB Mux for Somerset?

13-07-2005, 19:01	#7
the_radio_kid Banned User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Cambridge and Sudbury Services: Sky+, TopUpTV, FM & DAB: D1, BBC, NOW Cambs, NOW Peterborough & Tiscali 1MB Posts: 1,123	Somehow I doubt it with Now Cambridge and NOW Peterborough so close. There aren't enough frequencies - Cambridge nearly did not get published as a town where a local DAB TX could be errected.

13-07-2005, 22:53	#8
Spearman Banned User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Nottinghamshire Services: NTL Base Pack TV, phone, 1Mb Broadband and DAB (NOW Notts, D1, BBC) Posts: 4,450	Lincoln and perhaps Derby sound good to me.

14-07-2005, 12:46	#10
2Bdecided Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Yorkshire Services: Freesat+, Plusnet Posts: 2,100	Oh dear. There are many things I'd like from DAB near Sandy Heath in Bedfordshire. BBC 3 listener's radio is not one of them. I could get that on FM with the aerial snapped off, if I wanted to. Now, if they were going to provide some national muxes with high quality (in every sense) content, then that really would bring something new and interesting to DAB around here. Cheers, David.