[cma-l] Ofcom announces trials to help small stations join digitalradio

Wed Feb 25 23:10:49 GMT 2015

I think the fair answer is that 100W ERP (vertical only) is a working maximum and is intended to be the equivalent of 25W on FM - but will almost certainly offer much better coverage.The actual distance from the transmitter for a good signal will depend entirely on the terrain - and it would be unwise to try to lay down a figure.
From: office at thethread.org.uk
To: transplanfm at hotmail.com; cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2015 12:33:28 +0000
Subject: Re: [cma-l] Ofcom announces trials to help small stations join	digitalradio

Is the 100w erp / 25 watts fm    ie:- 5km
a RULE or just a GUIDELINE ???    I just want to be sure so that we don’t get
hoodwinked again, it’s a long walk up that garden path………….. if you remove the
100 and replace it with a letter ‘T’     you get the word Twerp        mmm
???      looking at what’s gone on, quite apt really   LOL   J

From:
Ian Hickling [mailto:transplanfm at hotmail.com] 

Sent: 25 February 2015 11:20

To: Associated Broadcast
Consultants; Canalside's The Thread

Cc: The
 Community Media Association Discussion List

Subject: Ofcom announces trials to
help small stations join digitalradio

Ofcom is specific (page 11) as to the likely coverage and
a cap of 100W ERP.

That answers the "localness" question - Ofcom
has said unofficially that it is envisaging coverage that will be on a par with
a conventional well-planned 25W FM RSL

Let's not get too hung up on the "multiplex"
aspect.

Technically there is nothing to prevent a single service
being radiated over a small area in a separate frequency block from the
established local muxes.

Ofcom has now said it won't use 11A but will look for other locally-available
frequencies dependent on existing Band III usage for other purposes - a
sensible move.

The only reason that I can see for specifying a mini-mux
for the trials is to evaluate the multiplexing process - not to look at the
commercial viability of the formula.

But it was said at the meetings that it could provide an
opportunity for an enterprising CR operation to offer coverage to commercial
interests and thereby generate valuable revenue.

I've had six separate messages this morning alone asking
for advice and prices for installation - both for a trial and for a permanent
service from existing CR operators, LPAMs and independent entrepreneurs.

I feel Ofcom is likely to be swamped with Applications and
may need to revise the scale of this trial.

If so - surely a big opportunity for the CMA and its
membership?

Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2015 09:23:57
+0000

From: info at a-bc.co.uk

To: office at thethread.org.uk

CC: cma-l at mailman.commedia.org.uk

Subject: Re: [cma-l] Ofcom announces trials to help small stations join
digitalradio

Yes Nick - it's open to all - not just Community stations
- anyone with an inclination to do it (I wouldn't be surprised if Arqiva threw
their hat in the ring).  Two things to remember:-

 This low cost technology is not "plug and
     play yet".  It takes some expertise.  If you have a Linux
     expert and someone who knows radio engineering then you are most of the
     way there.
 Just like "high cost DAB" remember
     that the technology enables a number of stations on one frequency - this fundamentally
     changes how you think about a trial and an ongoing service.  You'd
     have the Mux operator who holds the Wireless Telegraphy licence, and then
     you'd have stations on that Mux (who all need a Digital Services licence -
     kerr-ching!).  The Mux operator may or may not also be one of the
     stations on the Mux.

Cost - that's part of the reason for the trials to
understand.  For this trial Ofcom are offering to supply all the kit AND
backhaul links for 1 year.  So only cost is incidental stuff like installation,
site rental, electricity etc.  

Going forward after the 1 year trial (if permitted) then a
lot of the Mux encoding and modulation can be done with free software on
average to good spec PC's.  The expensive bit would be the part that
generates the radio waves and the amplifier and filter  that comes after
that.  Finger in the air guess £10k for that. But remember cost could be
shared across a number of services on the Mux.   The backhaul links may or
may not be expensive depending on what is needed - could range form a few
£hundred one-off cost, to thousands of pounds per year link rental depending on
the solution.

It will be interesting to see how local Ofcom want to make
these DAB areas.  In my opinion, if they are too small there are unlikely to
be enough radio services to fill it - making it financially challenging and a
waste of spectrum.  So I feel the Mux areas need to be sufficiently large
(but not as silly-large as current hi-cost DAB areas) to solve those two
issues.  

Glyn

-- 

Glyn Roylance - Principal Consultant

Associated
Broadcast Consultants

On 24 February 2015 at 17:44, Canalside's The Thread <office at thethread.org.uk>
wrote:

Sorry about this chaps …. I did say I
would rest for a week, but I have just seen this. We wouldn’t mind avin’ a
dabble here.

Is this open to Community Radio as in
small Local or does small Local include whoever wishes to call themselves small
local ?   and, is it now a free-for-all for anyone wanting to have a
go ?    ie:- internet Stations who are not on FM ……will they get
preference or will existing Community licence holders get a chance to go digital.

Also, if everyone does end up on DAB, does
that not open the door for the DCMS to flick the FM switch to ‘off’ 
??   or will this never happen ?

I’m not rocking Boats here, I’m just
looking for some clarification.

How much is low cost
?             
come on tecky chaps, we’re in your ball park area now.

I did however fall off my chair laughing
when I read the next bit
                        see
below

 Radio interference

Since the operation of a new system may cause interference to existing
users, you or your supplier may consider it necessary to carry out
compatibility tests before you apply for your licence. Once installed and
operating, your system must not cause undue interference to any other wireless
telegraphy equipment. If it does, you may need to stop operating until the
cause of the interference has been rectified. Ofcom cannot offer any protection
against interference radiated by other authorised services, or by industrial,
scientific and medical equipment; however, if you do experience interference,
please contact the Ofcom Licensing Centre on 0300 123 1000         

the last bit should
read        ‘’However, if you do experience
interference, please contact the Ofcom Licensing Centre on 0300 123 1000 and
they firstly tell you what you already know, not give you a logical explanation
as to why it can’t be tweaked and will do absolutely sod all about
it’’      J       LOL

Tongue in cheek of course ……………funny
though, If we didn’t laugh, we’d go nuts

Please advise … is anyone else having a
DABble ?   pardon the pun

Nick

From:
cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk
[mailto:cma-l-bounces at mailman.commedia.org.uk]
On Behalf Of CMA-L

Sent: 24 February 2015 10:11

To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk

Subject: [cma-l] Ofcom announces
trials to help small stations join digitalradio

Ofcom has today confirmed plans for
trials of a new technology that could provide small radio stations across the UK with an
affordable way to broadcast on DAB digital radio.

Known as ‘small scale DAB’, the new approach is best suited
for broadcasting to small geographic areas, ideal for community and local radio
stations.

Small scale DAB is cheaper than current systems because it
is uses software freely available from opendigitalradio.org, rather than relying on often
expensive hardware equipment.

Ofcom is planning up to ten UK trials which will help inform
Ofcom’s work on identifying suitable frequencies for broadcasting smaller
digital stations and help understand how these services could be licensed.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is funding
Ofcom’s work on how small stations could access DAB digital radio.

Ofcom is today inviting applications
to take part in the trials, which are expected to run for nine months. The
deadline for applications is 3pm on 7 April
2015.

A news release is
available on Ofcom’s website.

\\

Community Media Association

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