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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 2:44 pm   #1
Gabe001
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Default Digital switchover delayed until 2032

Source:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...hover-off.html
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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 2:55 pm   #2
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Default Re: Digital switchover delated until 2032

I wouldn’t be surprised if MW commercial stations handed their licenses back earlier.
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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 2:55 pm   #3
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Default Re: Digital switchover delated until 2032

I guess that there's so much else clogging the "In" tray that the long grass beckoned (again).
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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 3:09 pm   #4
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Default Re: Digital switchover delated until 2032

I'm fervently hoping that these repeated deferrals means that they are working towards a position where the whole DAB thing can be quietly forgotten. For me, the death of analogue radio would be the end of meaningful portability - and a step back to the state of things pre 1960s.

Mike
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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 3:31 pm   #5
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Default AM and FM switch-off is off again.

From todays' Daily Mail: Guess what, big radio switch-off is off again.
Looks like the digital changeover is to be put back ten years.
"Radio fans will be able to carry on listening to AM and AM radio stations on older devices in cars and at home until 2032 ministers announced yesterday."
So let's keep on collecting and restoring old radios.

DFWB.
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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 3:50 pm   #6
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Default Re: Digital switchover delated until 2032

My missus sent me a email this morning containing the link below. I hope there is a resurgence of mw/lw staions in the near future, especially ones with some music on them. The ones remaining that I can pick up down here in Cornwall contain programs full of people yapping

I have well in excess of 100 radios here now and probably 3 quarters of them are mw/lw only. Every time I switch on a radio that I haven't listened to for a while I keep thinking there is something wrong with it as I can't seem to pick much up, evenings are a bit better but they are in languages I can't understand.

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https://www.gov.uk/government/news/b..._content=daily
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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 4:00 pm   #7
Gabe001
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Default Re: Digital switchover delated until 2032

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Originally Posted by Boulevardier View Post
I'm fervently hoping that these repeated deferrals means that they are working towards a position where the whole DAB thing can be quietly forgotten. For me, the death of analogue radio would be the end of meaningful portability - and a step back to the state of things pre 1960s.

Mike

I agree with you about DAB, but nowadays almost everyone has a data plan on their phone and apps like tune in which allow streaming of a vast selection of stations do offer portability, so not quite the 50s.

Gabriel
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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 4:56 pm   #8
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Default Re: Digital switchover delated until 2032

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gabe001 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boulevardier View Post
I'm fervently hoping that these repeated deferrals means that they are working towards a position where the whole DAB thing can be quietly forgotten. For me, the death of analogue radio would be the end of meaningful portability - and a step back to the state of things pre 1960s.

Mike

I agree with you about DAB, but nowadays almost everyone has a data plan on their phone and apps like tune in which allow streaming of a vast selection of stations do offer portability, so not quite the 50s.

Gabriel
Agreed. But for me it's about the freedom of a radio that doesn't rely on a mains connection - whether for listening or for regular (probably daily) recharging of batteries. That's something we were liberated from in the 1950s/60s, but are now at risk of returning to. No more packing a radio for your holiday without having to even think about where the power will come from - you will need fresh batteries or a mains connection at very frequent intervals. It's not having to worry about these things that (for me, at any rate) is the huge advantage of analogue portable radios.

Also that old canard about 60% of listening now being by "digital radio". I doubt that most of that is via DAB radio. Almost certainly not by phone either (surely the power demands would flatten a phone's battery in minutes, not even hours).

Mike
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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 5:08 pm   #9
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Default Re: Digital switchover delayed until 2032

Internet use of phones, which is streaming radio will be above 10 hours certainly not minutes but obviously much shorter than an AM transistor radio.
I don’t need the portability, DAB gives me stations not available on FM or AM and luckily for me reception is excellent, in the car as well, appreciate its not the same for everyone.
Virtually 100% of my radio use is DAB or DAB+.
I don’t have a problem with AM and FM continuing but as my first post, if commercial operators don’t get the advertisement on MW they will close them rather than lose money.
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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 5:15 pm   #10
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Default Re: Digital switchover delayed until 2032

I actually personally believe that there's very little point in switching over to DAB completely. I've always found AM/FM to be superior to DAB, and in years to come, there'll be less and less radio listeners as everyone has a phone on them, which has an unlimited access to the music of your personal choice, with very little ads. Most people would prefer to do that.

'77
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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 5:26 pm   #11
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Default Re: Digital switchover delayed until 2032

Brilliant news

Mike
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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 5:31 pm   #12
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Default Re: Digital switchover delayed until 2032

DAB, FM or AM are technologies. The content is media, and it's delivered by whatever is simultaneously convenient to both broadcaster and listener. Broadcasters will follow the listeners, they have no choice.
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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 5:49 pm   #13
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Default Re: Digital switchover delayed until 2032

We listen to R4 and Cricket on DAB and R3 on FM. Car radio is FM/AM only so keeping FM going is a good thing from our point of view. Haven`t listened to MW for years but LW is sometimes handy if a long way from home.

We also listen to various foreign classical stations via the web.

By 2032 most of the transmitters will be worn out, mind you so will I.
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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 6:47 pm   #14
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Default Re: Digital switchover delayed until 2032

Glad to hear this too, I can keep my trusty 1960's Sony transistor radio in my workshop for many years yet!
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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 7:19 pm   #15
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Default Re: Digital switchover delated until 2032

Quote:
Originally Posted by poppydog View Post
I hope there is a resurgence of mw/lw staions in the near future, especially ones with some music on them. The ones remaining that I can pick up down here in Cornwall contain programs full of people yapping
I may have mis-read the announcement, but my understanding is that they are only allowing *renewals* of existing analogue radio licenses, not the issuing of new licenses to new stations.

For example, in Community Radio, I don't believe Ofcom are allowing new AM / FM stations, only DAB:
Quote:
This will be the last round of community radio licensing on analogue (FM or AM) for the foreseeable future as we turn our attention towards the implementation of the licensing framework for small-scale DAB.
source: Community Radio: update on our stated priorities (26 September 2019)

I wonder if, in the light of yesterday's announcement, the rules will be relaxed to allow new commercial and community stations?
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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 7:42 pm   #16
poppydog
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Default Re: Digital switchover delated until 2032

Quote:
Originally Posted by andrewferguson View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by poppydog View Post
I hope there is a resurgence of mw/lw staions in the near future, especially ones with some music on them. The ones remaining that I can pick up down here in Cornwall contain programs full of people yapping
I may have mis-read the announcement, but my understanding is that they are only allowing *renewals* of existing analogue radio licenses, not the issuing of new licenses to new stations.

For example, in Community Radio, I don't believe Ofcom are allowing new AM / FM stations, only DAB:
Quote:
This will be the last round of community radio licensing on analogue (FM or AM) for the foreseeable future as we turn our attention towards the implementation of the licensing framework for small-scale DAB.
source: Community Radio: update on our stated priorities (26 September 2019)

I wonder if, in the light of yesterday's announcement, the rules will be relaxed to allow new commercial and community stations?

Yes, you are right regarding the existing licence renewals, I didn't read the statement properly.
That said then, there will still be nothing for me down here to listen to on mw/lw in 10years time unless I move "up country" where I can receive a couple more stations, no thanks. I'd just as well sell the lot and start collecting train or bus numbers instead..



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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 7:50 pm   #17
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Default Re: Digital switchover delayed until 2032

The thing is do the frequency ranges used by LW/MW/VHF (FM) in the UK actually have any high value use outside radio broadcasting unless they are thinking of moving DAB down to band II and repurposing the current band III DAB frequencies for something else.
Otherwise what's the point in switchover other than getting more people to use digital means of receiving radio broadcasts (internet/DAB), the current stations must bring in a fair amount of cash to the government and it would be stupid to cut off that revenue scheme if you don't have someone who needs the spectrum and is willing to pay more for it.
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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 8:09 pm   #18
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Default Re: Digital switchover delated until 2032

Quote:
Originally Posted by andrewferguson View Post
I may have mis-read the announcement, but my understanding is that they are only allowing *renewals* of existing analogue radio licenses, not the issuing of new licenses to new stations.
Well being as it was the daily fail, whatever you may or may not have read, is not neccesarily accurate or true.
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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 10:18 pm   #19
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Default Re: Digital switchover delayed until 2032

https://www.theregister.com/2020/07/...nded_10_years/

An alternative news source with the same story (and no annoying ads or "turn off your adblocker" messages).
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Old 3rd Jul 2020, 10:44 pm   #20
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Default Re: Digital switchover delayed until 2032

Quote:
Originally Posted by dglcomp View Post
The thing is do the frequency ranges used by LW/MW/VHF (FM) in the UK actually have any high value use outside radio broadcasting unless they are thinking of moving DAB down to band II and repurposing the current band III DAB frequencies for something else.
Otherwise what's the point in switchover other than getting more people to use digital means of receiving radio broadcasts (internet/DAB), the current stations must bring in a fair amount of cash to the government and it would be stupid to cut off that revenue scheme if you don't have someone who needs the spectrum and is willing to pay more for it.
It was always likely that the government of the day would get cold feet about this when it came to the crunch. There are no votes in turfing national broadcasters off FM, and not much revenue in it either. The unthinking obsession with the 'digital economy' of the Blair years seems a very long time ago, and the priorities are very different now.
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