DAB radio

[Julia]

Any idea when we will receive a signal in Wick? I bought a DAB radio today and was a bit surprised it wouldn't pick up a signal, I've also checked the BBC DAB coverage website but it does not state when. My mum has a DAB radio which works just fine in Lybster.

[Splish]

Hi Julia, I think you are looking at years and years before the DAB Signal comes this far north. I think if everybody emailed BBC Scotland and asked why we will have to wait, they should inform you:roll:

[bluelady]

She say's her mums works in Lybster, Wicks not that much futher North :confused

[Dynamic Sounds]

In Lybster it is probably picking up signals from Inverness and the Morayshire area. It is not unknown for people in Lybster/Dunbeath area to get radio signals and tv signals from Buckie etc. Infact well before we had Moray Firth Radio on FM in Caithness, you could get it on 97.4 in the Wick area.

[Metalattakk]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/contact/dab_form.shtml

I got in touch with them using this form.

I'll let you all know what they say if and when they respond. I'll not be holding my breath though.

[northener]

I was told not in the near future by an engineer.

If the weather conditions are right I can pick up Shetland radio on the CFM frequency and the odd Norwegian station.

.

[Sapphire2803]

There's a coverage map here (http://www.ukdigitalradio.com/coverage/images/coverage-big.gif).
That's also quite an informative site. They're only ever going for 95% coverage, what are the odds that Caithness will be part of the 5% :(
My children clubbed together and bought me a DAB radio for Xmas, they were ever so disappointed when it wouldn't work on Xmas day. On the bright side though, it does work as a 'normal' radio and picks up better than the old radio I had in the kitchen.

There is also a page listing all the planned transmitters here (http://www.ukdigitalradio.com/coverage/futuretransmitters/default.asp)
So we'll need to wait and see what happens after mid 2009.

[Metalattakk]

There is also a page listing all the planned transmitters here
So we'll need to wait and see what happens after mid 2009.

I also emailed them as well. Just looking for some definitive answers.

[Julia]

Thanks for that everybody, I'll just use it as an FM radio until then :(

[George Brims]

In Lybster it is probably picking up signals from Inverness and the Morayshire area. It is not unknown for people in Lybster/Dunbeath area to get radio signals and tv signals from Buckie etc. Infact well before we had Moray Firth Radio on FM in Caithness, you could get it on 97.4 in the Wick area.
Away back in the dark ages when Caithness only got two TV stations (BBC and Grampian) in B&W, I remember hearing that a mannie in Lybster was getting colour TV the same way, from over the Firth.

[Julia]

Lybster officially gets the signal, I've checked on the coverage website, funny how just 14 miles north we don't get it :(

[stevep]

Not much help I know as you have already purchased a DAB radio but if you have wireless broadband you can buy a broadband radio that can access hundreds of stations. Good prices on ebay.

[Metalattakk]

Well, I got a response from Digital One:


Thank you for your email.

Here at Digital One we broadcast the national commercial digital radio stations, but not local or BBC stations.

We already cover over 85% of the population and are continuing to expand our network, however our current phase of development:
http://www.ukdigitalradio.com/coverage/futuretransmitters/default.asp
does not include any new transmitters in your area. Although we hope to be able to announce a new phase of development once the current one is complete, as a commercial company we do have to focus on areas where individual transmitters can serve large populations. Because of the geography and relatively small populations in Northern Scotland it may not be likely that we can add a transmitter in your area.

For details of the BBC's plans for expansion of their network please contact their digital helpline on 08700 100789.

Kind regards
Hannah Larkin
Digital One


A beacon of enlightenment in comparison to the BBC response:


Thank you for contacting the BBC.

We read every email but, because of the volume of correspondence, we regret that we cannot give a personal reply to every email we receive about digital issues.

The BBC response then listed a plethora of links to information which had nothing at all to do with my simple request. :(

[Skerries]

I was told not in the near future by an engineer.

If the weather conditions are right I can pick up Shetland radio on the CFM frequency and the odd Norwegian station.

.

I've picked up Norwegian radio at Gills on the CFM frequency, I also get BBC Radio Highland in one corner of the house and BBC Radio Orkney in the other. No peerie Shetland stations yet!

[Metalattakk]

Pleasantly surprised to find this in my email inbox short ago:


Dear Metalattakk,

Thank you for your e-mail.

We have plans to build a further twenty transmitters during 2007 and 2008 and although this only achieves a small increase towards the 5% extra population to be served, each new transmitter serves proportionally fewer people than the earlier ones. Of the 2007 programme, only Douglas in the Isle of Man has yet to be commissioned and we hope to do this before the end of the year. The DAB transmitters to be built in 2008 are now in the process of being fully planned, but until this is completed and all necessary approvals have been granted we are unfortunately unable to supply a list.

It is part of our current and long term strategy to deliver all of our digital radio services to as many Licence Fee payers, on as many platforms as possible. Therefore the BBC digital radio stations are also available on Freeview, other digital television platforms and via the internet

Thank you again for taking the time to contact the BBC.

Regards

BBC Digital Information

So OK, they are using an out of date script, but at least there's a chance, however small, that plans for a North Highlands transmitter are being considered.

[JAWS]

You mean they have sent you their one standard reply with your name added at the top like the offers you get through the post starting, "Dear Mr. (Full Name) you have been personally chosen etc,, with your Full Name, always in a different type, mentioned about 20 times to make it personal.

If you asked about Ashby de la Zooch you would probably get the same vague reply.
What a difference to the more helpful and fairly detailed reply you got from Digital One especially in view of the fact that we have little choice but to pay for the BBC to provide us with a service.

[engiebenjy]

Pleasantly surprised to find this in my email inbox short ago:



So OK, they are using an out of date script, but at least there's a chance, however small, that plans for a North Highlands transmitter are being considered.

I got an identical email form them today as well. Have to say I do use the radio on sky and the freeview box, but would prefer to be able to use one that i can move around the house

[Metalattakk]

You mean they have sent you their one standard reply with your name added at the top like the offers you get through the post starting, "Dear Mr. (Full Name) you have been personally chosen etc,, with your Full Name, always in a different type, mentioned about 20 times to make it personal.

If you asked about Ashby de la Zooch you would probably get the same vague reply.
What a difference to the more helpful and fairly detailed reply you got from Digital One especially in view of the fact that we have little choice but to pay for the BBC to provide us with a service.

Aye, fair enough. What sort of service are they purporting to provide, whereby they send out two automated replies to the same query, one 9 days after the other?

I'm swearing out loud at them, right now. Feel free to join in.

[Loch not Lock]

I've complained twice to the BBC in the last year only to get rather vague replies that new transmitters are being set up as best they can.
The people of Caithness should stop paying the licence fee until we get 100% service. They can't stick all of us in jail.

[Loch not Lock]

Let's all get together and stop paying all licences up here until we get proper roads and DAB radio. UNITY!

[Metalattakk]

Let's all get together and stop paying all licences up here until we get proper roads and DAB radio. UNITY!

Massive fines!

[engiebenjy]

Yeah, they could use the fines to pay for building of new transmitters lol!