[cma-l] DCMS consultation meetings on amendments to communityradio law

[Roger Thorne]

Please don't speak for me - I'm not fed up with his moaning,  though I'd say
that "ranting" is a better description of Nick's posts at times!  As is
regularly pointed out he can be inaccurate, and certainly often comes out of
left-field.  But usually worth a read even if just for the entertainment.

 

Underneath it all though the man is correct. CR is being badly treated by
the authorities. Why should commercial businesses be protected by law from
the activities of community projects? It's nonsense.

 

I would pay money to be a fly on the wall at a meeting between Nick and the
DCMS.....

 

 

From: cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk
[mailto:cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk] On Behalf Of Ian Hickling
Sent: 18 October 2011 14:18
To: office at ccr-fm.co.uk; Alan Coote; cma-l
Subject: [cma-l] DCMS consultation meetings on amendments to communityradio
law

 

  

Nick
I'm going to do this in public, because we're all fed up with your moaning.
No - actually - we do appreciate what you're saying.
Let's get some facts into this.
 
Firstly - about Key 103 - if it is that causing the problem.
That's on 103,0 at 347 metres AOD and an antenna elevation of 40m with an
aggregate 4kW on Saddleworth Moor and you're on 102,8 with 25W at 153m AOD
and 34m antenna elevation and an aggregate 48W at Bolligton - 27km due south
with a complete geological signal block anywhere to the east of you.
103,0 is second adjacent to you, which providing you're both within
specification, means no part of your transmission envelopes overlap more
than at -60dB.
That is one millionth of full power level.
 
So - any cross-talk you're getting can only be attributed - forgive me for
being blunt - to the use of crap radio receivers.
I'm sure you wouldn't want legislation introduced  to allow for that?
No fault of the rules, the broadcasters or of Ofcom.
There is a possible solution of moving your frequency either one channel
further away from Key 103 or somewhere entirely different - but that's a
much bigger exercise as I'm sure you'll understand.
 
Secondly - the so-called "crackle crackle hiss hiss crackle" is not being
generated by you or by them.
It's your radio picking up other random signals which are of a level higher
than the wanted one.
This may be because of low signal strength - or again the radio itself - or
more likely its aerial aystem.
Again, not the fault of the rules, the broadcasters or of Ofcom.
 
Thirdly - your idea of upping power by 1W at a time. Beside it being
completely outside any concept of engineering planning logic, it would do no
good at all. Power (allied with propagation format) gets you penetration;
height gets you range. So - to increase coverage area you'll need to provide
your antenna with a better view of its target. Therefore more height - or an
entirely new location. That's always assuming that you are actually emitting
your full ERP, which in itself may be part of the problem.
 
Look - buy me a decent lunch and I'll spend a day with you looking at the
problem and I'll do you a Spectrum Audit Scan which will show just how near
or effective other broadcasters are. And I'll analyse your problem
crackle/hiss areas too.
Then we might be able to come up with a good practical sound engineering
solution.

------------------------------------

Ian Hickling
Partner

transplan UK

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