[comradio-l] [cma-l] Digital Broadcasting: Radio Culture Media and Sport

[tlr at gairloch.co.uk]

I just had another look through the Ofcom report on the small scale DAB
experiment as it had been a while since I first read it, and I notice that it
seems to envisage a much more pragmatic can-do approach to handling frequency
allocation and protection than the ultra-cautious approach that it currently
uses with FM.

I noted in particular these two paragraphs:

7.2 Spectrum Availability
While spectrum availability has not yet been extensively studied, it is likely
that frequency blocks could be identified in many areas for transmitters
radiating power levels in the order of 100 watts or so. In some locations it may
be possible to re-use existing DAB frequencies, in coastal regions it may be
possible to re-use the blocks of neighbouring countries and in others areas
there could be options within cleared PMR spectrum. In the majority of cases,
the low power services would need to accept higher than ideal levels of
interference that would limit their coverage areas and outgoing interference
would also need to beconstrained.

7.3 Service Planning
Once a target coverage area and frequency resource has been identified, it is
important to ensure that the opportunity for block re-use is optimised by
constraining unwanted overspill of coverage. One approach could be to draw a
polygon around the served urban areas and to draw a median line between adjacent
polygons. A field strength limit could then be placed on the lines. For example,
it might prove acceptable to place a limit so that the 1% time field strength
does not exceed ~40dBμV/m over a significant area beyond the lines between
co-block areas. There is also the option of planning coverage to overlap between
adjacent multiplex areas where contiguous coverage is desirable and where
different blocks are available to form a ‘lazy MFN’.


> On 26 November 2013 at 11:58 Ian Hickling <transplanfm at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
>  That's interesting phraseology -  written I would suspect by someone who
> isn't particularly familiar with the technology.
>  "......committed to reserving part of the FM spectrum as a platform for local
> and community radio stations......"
>  That isn't what's needed - and what will be the function of the "other
> parts"?
>  "......for as long as it is needed......"
>  Defined by whose judgement - I wonder?
>  "......the potential options for smaller local stations to migrate to digital
> ......"
>  Only by a complete re-working of the present mux system - to which I suspect
> the big boys will continue to furiously object.
>  "......the lead up to and after a future switchover......"
>  Ah - but a switchover to what extent and by whom?
>  ".....software enabling low cost low power DAB transmissions....."
>  Nothing mew here - been around for at least 5 years.
>  ".......which has been successfully trialled in Brighton......."
>  Really? - Are we aware of what happened and the results?
>  Ian
> 
> 
> 
>  ---------------------------------------------
>  From: cma-l at commedia.org.uk
>  Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2013 11:30:52 +0000
>  To: cma-l at commedia.org.uk; comradio-l at commedia.org.uk
>  Subject: [cma-l] Hansard Written Answers & Statements 25/11/13 - Digital
> Broadcasting: Radio Culture Media and Sport
> 
>  ++ Greg Knight (East Yorkshire, Conservative)
> 
>  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support her
> Department is intending to give to small local radio stations in connection
> with the introduction of digital broadcasting.
> 
>  ++ Edward Vaizey (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Culture,
> Communications and Creative Industries), Business, Innovation and Skills;
> Wantage, Conservative)
> 
>  Government recognises the importance of local commercial radio stations to
> the communities they serve and is committed to reserving part of the FM
> spectrum as a platform for local and community radio stations, for as long as
> it is needed. My officials are also working with Ofcom to consider the
> potential options for smaller local stations to migrate to digital in the lead
> up to and after a future switchover. We are very encouraged by the recent
> research Ofcom has carried out on software enabling low cost low power DAB
> transmissions, which has been successfully trialled in Brighton.
> 
>  Hansard
> Source:<http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm131125/text/131125w0006.htm#131125w0006.htm_wqn25>
> 
>  \\
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