Norway to switch off FM broadcasts

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raytaylor

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#1699983 7-Jan-2017 18:47

I have been known to listen to newstalk zb on the AM radio in my car, but it only lasts a few minutes then i realise I dont have adblock running on it so i switch back to the music app.

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sbiddle

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#1699989 7-Jan-2017 19:11

jarledb:

sbiddle:

If you're in such a poor area for FM then DAB+ would be a nightmare to deploy in band III. The cost of building a DAB+ network that would even get slightly close to mirroring FM coverage is the reason it'll never occur.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that because its a higher frequency, it will have significantly worse coverage. The new national DAB+ networks in Norway gives the broadcasters better coverage than they had with FM.

DAB/DAB+ allows for single frequency networks where interference from things like valley echoes etc. are a thing of the past. And you don't have to cover areas with multiple frequencies and transmitters to avoid frequency overlap.

In addition, with one single frequency DAB+ network allows for around 18 channels, depending on their bitrates. So the cost would be a lot lower than building 18 national FM networks (which, in addition to the cost, probably wouldn't be possible because of a lack of frequencies).

I spent some time looking at http://finnsenderen.no/finnsender which is a nationwide map of FM and DAB sites. What I found interesting is how many local transmitters exist - in markets like NZ and Australia you have the vast majority radio stations transmitting from a small number of co-sited locations.

Using an example of Melbourne (which I'd looked at before and knew somebody involved there) there is pretty much a single site on Mt Dandenong which broadcasts 99% of Melbourne radio stations from a single site. Deploying DAB+ in Melbourne took 12 sites to deliver coverage, and the coverage is not as extensive as FM. Yes digital can do wonders, but it suffers from the cliff effect, and like mobile phones when you hit a deadspot you lose signal. With FM you might get some fade.

Delivering nationwide DAB+ in NZ would never be cost effective, and even delivering a DAB+ network that's overbuilt enough to deliver good in building coverage in cities such as Wellington and Auckland would be very challenging with quite a number of sites required just to mirror the coverage of FM. Somebody has to pay for that network and upkeep, and neither Media Works or NZME have expressed any interest at all in wanting DAB+. The lack of interest from them however isn't that surprising - they've paid huge amounts of money for frequencies in some regions so the last thing they want is more stations.

NZME a few years ago put their weight behind HD Radio, which while it only exists in the US market would have meant no additional licence requirements as it could be broadcast from existing frequencies and sites, and it also offers the ability to fall back to FM assuming a station is broadcasting in digital and analogue.

Geektastic

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#1700011 7-Jan-2017 20:17

alasta:
Geektastic:
Linuxluver:

FM's limited range is a pain. The only radio station I regularly listen to is Radio NZ. In a car, the frequencies keep moving around and there doesn't seem to be any directory for finding out what frequency covers what area. You have to pull over and play with the radio......at the same time aware it may not be on FM at all where you currently are.

I thought RDS was meant to solve that by automatically switching frequency S you drive?

It does. A couple of days ago I drove from Wellington to New Plymouth and had coverage on RNZ National for almost the entire distance. My radio automatically handed over between the Kaukau, Manuwatu, Wanganui and Taranaki frequencies with no intervention needed.

Unfortunately this doesn't necessarily work with the Mediaworks stations as they don't use RDS consistently in all regions and stations.

Odd. Never works in my car as far as I can tell.

richms

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#1700013 7-Jan-2017 20:26

The RDS problem could be quickly solved by spectrum management making it not optional as part of the license. Should have done that last renewal IMO.

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#1700019 7-Jan-2017 20:44

Geektastic:
alasta:

Geektastic:
Linuxluver:

FM's limited range is a pain. The only radio station I regularly listen to is Radio NZ. In a car, the frequencies keep moving around and there doesn't seem to be any directory for finding out what frequency covers what area. You have to pull over and play with the radio......at the same time aware it may not be on FM at all where you currently are.

I thought RDS was meant to solve that by automatically switching frequency S you drive?

It does. A couple of days ago I drove from Wellington to New Plymouth and had coverage on RNZ National for almost the entire distance. My radio automatically handed over between the Kaukau, Manuwatu, Wanganui and Taranaki frequencies with no intervention needed.

Unfortunately this doesn't necessarily work with the Mediaworks stations as they don't use RDS consistently in all regions and stations.

Odd. Never works in my car as far as I can tell.

I've had no issues with RNZ National either. Works fine around Wellington as well switching between the 2 frequencies - I don't know how people who have a car without RDS cope.

richms

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#1700021 7-Jan-2017 20:53

sbiddle:

I've had no issues with RNZ National either. Works fine around Wellington as well switching between the 2 frequencies - I don't know how people who have a car without RDS cope.

Spotify.

Anyway, RNZ national is all around 101 so easy to find it. The other stations that are all over the show are the ones that are a pain to find without RDS. I guess adding an RDS carrier would limit the modulation available for audio while still staying in the allowable spectrum profile, and since so many people are still driving around in beater jap imports with band expanders and other trash radios there is few who would benefit.

Richard rich.ms

alasta

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#1700220 8-Jan-2017 14:59

sbiddle:

Delivering nationwide DAB+ in NZ would never be cost effective, and even delivering a DAB+ network that's overbuilt enough to deliver good in building coverage in cities such as Wellington and Auckland would be very challenging with quite a number of sites required just to mirror the coverage of FM. Somebody has to pay for that network and upkeep, and neither Media Works or NZME have expressed any interest at all in wanting DAB+. The lack of interest from them however isn't that surprising - they've paid huge amounts of money for frequencies in some regions so the last thing they want is more stations.

NZME a few years ago put their weight behind HD Radio, which while it only exists in the US market would have meant no additional licence requirements as it could be broadcast from existing frequencies and sites, and it also offers the ability to fall back to FM assuming a station is broadcasting in digital and analogue.

You also have to wonder how much money is available to invest in new delivery technologies. Radio NZ have had a funding freeze since 2008, NZME are experiencing declining ratings due to their poor quality content, and Mediaworks is in corporate turmoil. None of them are likely to have big capex budgets.

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nzkiwiman

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#1700420 9-Jan-2017 09:01

Until I got a new car last year I didn't have a working radio. Now that I have a new car, the radio is on The Edge all the time *(although I mute for some songs/segments)

Driving between Dunedin and Christchurch, I guess RDS is turned on for The Edge in Christchurch as I get the name of the songs and more information - in Dunedin nothing and it is a real PITA to have to scan for the Oamaru and Timaru frequencies when needed.

trig42

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#1700426 9-Jan-2017 09:24

I've all but given up on FM radio in the car.

I will listen to ZB sometimes (I used to listen to Radio Sport all the time, but when they gave up their FM frequency in Auckland - or moved it to another music station - I gave up on that). On out of town trip, I will stream, either Spotify or IHeartRadio or The Sound. For the times when I know I will be driving through a cellular dead area, I use Spotify saved playlists, or the music off my phone.

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