Radio - The Rock issues in car

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xpd

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#226269 29-Dec-2017 10:56

Put this here since theres no radio forum ;) And its concerning in car :)

In the last few months, the wife and I have noticed that while listening to music The Rock FM (90.2) in the car, the broadcast is basically, crap. Quality seems to drop to 32k MP3ish and the broadcast seems to skip/glitch badly. So much so we have to tune to a different station. Now, it mainly seems to do this from Albany (AKL), northwards (we live in Whangaparaoa). It also only appears to do this during music, not during adverts/DJs talking that we've noticed.

All other stations are fine to listen to. Listening to the Rock at home using the stereo there is fine.

Any ideas why this would be happening ? Anyone else experienced it ?

I'll try to take a recording next time it occurs. Radio is very similar model to this (no BT tho) - http://nz.jvc.com/car/audio_receivers/kw_r920bt/

XPD / Gavin

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#1926524 29-Dec-2017 12:09

Being an older chap, I would suggest that it is your JVC radio objecting to the crap "music" that you are forcing it to play. I have the same problem with the younger guys at work.

On a serious note, radio stations can have black spots in certain places.

Have you asked neighbours if they have the same problem on that stretch of road with The Rock?

What type of aerial does your car have and where is it mounted?

Have you checked that the aerial is not loose, etc?

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#1926525 29-Dec-2017 12:17

in the area where I live (Sth Island) almost all the networked stations music (mediaworks in particular) sounds like low quality mp3s and has for a number of years.

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#1926527 29-Dec-2017 12:39

It could well be a problem with the delivery of the remote broadcast to the local transmitter. Network feeds used to be via Satellite, but I would assume now this may be over the internet (more cost-savvy).

Have you contacted Mediaworks to query it with them?

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#1926548 29-Dec-2017 13:52

One would of thought given the main studios for Mediaworks Radio being in Auckland that the sound qual should be better than the rest of NZ given they just have to beam the signal up to the Sky Tower to be broadcast.

I just had a look at RSM and doesn't appear they are using any booster transmitters for The Rock, they do that in Wellington where some stations are broadcast over several transmitters on the same frequency (my sony headunit hates this as the station goes static when its picking up 2 transmissions on the same frequency).

Can you get anything on 100.1 FM?

xpd

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#1926555 29-Dec-2017 13:59

Have just dropped Mediaworks an email and see what they say.....

@djshadow Dunno, I'll try that on way home tonight. Cheers :)

XPD / Gavin

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#1926575 29-Dec-2017 15:24

DjShadow: I just had a look at RSM and doesn't appear they are using any booster transmitters for The Rock, they do that in Wellington where some stations are broadcast over several transmitters on the same frequency (my sony headunit hates this as the station goes static when its picking up 2 transmissions on the same frequency).

Thanks, that answers a question I have had for ages

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gregmcc

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#1926604 29-Dec-2017 16:47

xpd:

Put this here since theres no radio forum ;) And its concerning in car :)

In the last few months, the wife and I have noticed that while listening to music The Rock FM (90.2) in the car, the broadcast is basically, crap. Quality seems to drop to 32k MP3ish and the broadcast seems to skip/glitch badly. So much so we have to tune to a different station. Now, it mainly seems to do this from Albany (AKL), northwards (we live in Whangaparaoa). It also only appears to do this during music, not during adverts/DJs talking that we've noticed.

All other stations are fine to listen to. Listening to the Rock at home using the stereo there is fine.

Any ideas why this would be happening ? Anyone else experienced it ?

I'll try to take a recording next time it occurs. Radio is very similar model to this (no BT tho) - http://nz.jvc.com/car/audio_receivers/kw_r920bt/

Got the same problem with The Rock in the Waikato (93.0) absolutely rubbish from Bombay hills to Taupri

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#1926607 29-Dec-2017 17:02

I had this problem too (The Rock, Auckland, Falcon) and there was a simple solution but sorry I just can't remember the name of the setting - something about alternative frequencies maybe. Perhaps your radio has something about distant stations or something like that. I seem to recall it wasn't obvious, but the effect was instant. It only impacted The Rock, no other station.

Jim

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#1926609 29-Dec-2017 17:09

gregmcc:

Got the same problem with The Rock in the Waikato (93.0) absolutely rubbish from Bombay hills to Taupri

I get problems with most stations from Bombay to Taupiri

vexxxboy

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#1926612 29-Dec-2017 17:11

i always thought that music is broadcast from the Auckland studios and the local adds come from the local studios, could explain the difference

Common sense is not as common as you think.

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#1926630 29-Dec-2017 18:15

wally22:

gregmcc:

Got the same problem with The Rock in the Waikato (93.0) absolutely rubbish from Bombay hills to Taupri

I get problems with most stations from Bombay to Taupiri

Has it been bad since around 27 September?

All Waikato FM stations broadcast from a JDA site at Ruru Hill about halfway between Hamilton and Matamata, however late september it got hit by a tornado: https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/97300568/nature-canes-waikato-radio-hardware

Exception being The Hits which is off Mt Te Aroha.

I noticed when I drove past it a week or so later the tower was only 1/3 of its size so guessing they just moved the FM antennas down to the lower un-affected part. The site used to broadcast Analogue TV3 and 4 so guessing they didn't need to rebuild the tower back to full height.

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#1926631 29-Dec-2017 18:20

scottjpalmer:
DjShadow: I just had a look at RSM and doesn't appear they are using any booster transmitters for The Rock, they do that in Wellington where some stations are broadcast over several transmitters on the same frequency (my sony headunit hates this as the station goes static when its picking up 2 transmissions on the same frequency).

Thanks, that answers a question I have had for ages

A good example of this is The Hits 90.1 (Wellington)

According to RSM it broadcasts from Mt Kaukau, Towai (Hill top just north of the Wainuiomata Hill Summit) and the Haywards.

coffeebaron

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#1926632 29-Dec-2017 18:24

I've moved to The Hits due to above.

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#1926639 29-Dec-2017 18:52

gregmcc:

xpd:

Put this here since theres no radio forum ;) And its concerning in car :)

In the last few months, the wife and I have noticed that while listening to music The Rock FM (90.2) in the car, the broadcast is basically, crap. Quality seems to drop to 32k MP3ish and the broadcast seems to skip/glitch badly. So much so we have to tune to a different station. Now, it mainly seems to do this from Albany (AKL), northwards (we live in Whangaparaoa). It also only appears to do this during music, not during adverts/DJs talking that we've noticed.

All other stations are fine to listen to. Listening to the Rock at home using the stereo there is fine.

Any ideas why this would be happening ? Anyone else experienced it ?

I'll try to take a recording next time it occurs. Radio is very similar model to this (no BT tho) - http://nz.jvc.com/car/audio_receivers/kw_r920bt/

Got the same problem with The Rock in the Waikato (93.0) absolutely rubbish from Bombay hills to Taupri

All stations that broadcast from Ruru (so most stations in the waikato) are at about 1/8th power due to damage to the tower and antennas

xpd

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#1926756 29-Dec-2017 21:31

Switched to 100.1 as suggested, and was a lot better - now issue is, will the signal be good when I head back to town or will I need two stations tuned ? :-p 1st world problems...

XPD / Gavin

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