Four regional DAB multiplexes to close in 2013 to allow for better local DAB
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV The government's radio switchover strategy incorporates a plan to match the DAB coverage of local radio stations (both BBC and commercial - see Ofcom - Annex B. Local DAB build-out plans) with that currently provided on FM (see Ofcom - Maps).
To do this, the regional multiplexes will be closed and their frequencies used to do a large-scale replanning, incorporating a new one called 5A.
MXR will close the following multiplexes:
- 29 July 2013: 12C/Severn Estuary DAB multiplex
- 29 July 2013: 12C/North East DAB multiplex
- 27 August 2013: 12A/West Midlands DAB multiplex
- 24 September 2013: 12C/North West DAB multiplex
When complete, the new plan looks like:
Diagram from Ofcom - An approach to DAB coverage planning.
Originally published on 26th September 2012 at 16:24
Help with TV/radio stations?
In this section
Tuesday, 20 August 2013
M
Mark8:03 PM
Hi Stuart
Capital, Heart, Smooth & Panjab will move across.
LBC, Choice, Real XS and the UCB stations are closing on DAB in WM (as they have in the other areas).
Kerrang! is on Birmingham, it's not clear if Wolves & Coventry will also have it.
XL - unknown as yet.
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Wednesday, 21 August 2013
Stuart Owens
9:55 PM
Wrexham
9:55 PM
Wrexham
Thanks for that Mark.
I will miss Real XS when it closes in the North West. Presuming it'll still be available on 106.1 FM in Manchester but the reception isn't great from my area. Not to worry too much, I can still listen to it on my WiFi radio anyway. I did wonder about Gold in the North West and the regional Smooth Radios in both regions too, considering there is a national feed on D1 National and regional DAB feeds that simulcast the FM service from 105.7 from Sutton Coldfield and 100.4 from Winter Hill.
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Stuart's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Tuesday, 27 August 2013
Stuart Owens
2:49 PM
Wrexham
2:49 PM
Wrexham
When does Manchester and Liverpool change their current blocks from 11C & 11B respectively to 10B & 10C respectively?
Is it when the North West regional multiplex closes on 24th September?
Or will it be on a date yet to be announced when London 3, Plymouth and Humberside also change their frequencies or will each area change frequency on separate dates to each other by the end of the year or something?
Anyone know this at all?
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Stuart's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
M
Mark8:19 PM
Stuart
It hasn't been announced yet, but it would be logical for Manchester to take over the MXR NW frequency of 12C when MXR closes in September, and the MXR transmitters serving the Manchester area.
That would improve reception on both the Manchester & Sheffield multiplexes, as they are currently both using 11C.
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Stuart Owens
8:33 PM
Wrexham
8:33 PM
Wrexham
Mark,
It already says on the map at the top that Manchester will move from 11C to 10B.
When the North West regional multiplex closes, 12C will no longer be used in the region.
I have to admit though with 10D in North Wales overlapping into 10C and 10C in Liverpool overlapping into 10B in Manchester, it does seem bad planning as there could be less interference if the frequencies between them were further apart by not being on consecutive frequency blocks (10B, 10C and 10D) so near to each other.
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Stuart's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Wednesday, 28 August 2013
Stuart Owens
12:41 AM
Wrexham
12:41 AM
Wrexham
Well, WM went just a few seconds after Midnight.
After a rescan, my Hi-Fi connected to a DAB aerial in the loft was able to find the stations on the Central Lancashire multiplex (12A, same as what WM was on) but there is no sound from them. I wasn't really expecting them to even be found as even though I can receive Winter Hill, with the signal beam pointing towards Lancashire so totally the wrong direction for me and with the power of the signal then it doesn't surprise me I can't hear them.
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Stuart's: mapS's Freeview map terrainS's terrain plot wavesS's frequency data S's Freeview Detailed Coverage
M
Mark6:19 PM
Stuart
The map assumes that MXR NW stays on-air and that Derbyshire mux will use 5A, but that's now not the case.
The Derbyshire mux will use its originally allocated frequency of 10B, so that will not be available for Manchester.
As switch to 12C would be much cheaper for Manchester than a switch to 10B, because the 12C transmitters are already in place (being the MXR ones).
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A
Aerialman10:28 PM
Stuart Owens:Interested to hear your listening/reception results from the closure of MXR West Mids,in your area.
You should have nothing to fear from adjacent channel blocks on DAB,eg10B,10C,10D,though,this should not be a reception issue!
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Thursday, 29 August 2013
B
Brian10:01 AM
Wondered why my DAB stations - Heart, Smooth etc. have disappeared.
Can't receive any local DAB stations in Walsall at present.
is this likely to change (have tried retune - no effect).
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M
Mark5:30 PM
Brian
If you can receive BBC Radio WM on DAB you should also receive Heart & Smooth.
The Sedgley Beacon transmitter will launch shortly and this will cover Walsall (& Wolverhampton).
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