FM radio signal declined since TV digital switchover - coincidence?

[clumsymum]

Hi,

I'm a serious daytime radio listener, BBC radio 4 and Radio 2 mainly, some digital channels when I'm in front of the computer.

Now, we have a couple of DAB receivers in the house, but the tuner attached to the stereo in the living room is 'old fashioned analogue FM' as is my son's radio. In the mornings, when we are all dodging around the house gewtting ready for work/school, we all listen to radio 2 on FM, otherwise you get the dreaded 'time lag problem'.

Now the analogue TV signal was turned off here a few weeks back. Since then we have been getting more problems listening to FM radio - specifically Radio 2 !! We constantly get shushing noises, and find we're having to retune between about 3 frequencies thru the morning. Annoying to say the least.

My husband is convinced that the BBC has lowered the signal strength/power of output on the FM signals, basically to force us into spending money we don't currently have available on DAB receivers

Anyone else experiencing the same? Is there any other scientific explanation?

[Hom3r]

My understanding is that the radio signal was not touched.

[Peter_]

I only listen to the radio in the car and find no issue with signal at all.

[Jon T]

I'm thinking that the aerials on the transmitter could have been re-arranged/re-aligned slightly during the switchover, the transmitter's FM output could be on reduced power while work is carried out on the mast, or there's been some structure/obstruction put inbetween you and the transmitter site.

There's a BBC radio reception site somewhere which may help with this.

EDIT: The point to remember with all this, is that a given FM radio station will be transmitted from potentially hundreds of tranmitters countrywide, so one person being affected by problems whilst an other isn't is not really an indicator of anything.

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by Jon T

I'm thinking that the aerials on the transmitter could have been re-arranged/re-aligned slightly during the switchover, the transmitter's FM output could be on reduced power while work is carried out on the mast, or there's been some structure/obstruction put inbetween you and the transmitter site.

There's a BBC radio reception site somewhere which may help with this.

This one https://faq.external.bbc.co.uk/templ...terferencePage

[Jon T]

Originally Posted by Masque

This one https://faq.external.bbc.co.uk/templ...terferencePage

Maybe, can't remember, this is what i've just found: http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/transmitters/today.shtml

...and looking at the links, it seems my link links to your link.

[heero_yuy]

I've been getting the impression that the R4 signal has dropped in strength as there's a lot more sideband splatter (in stereo) from an adjacient station than there used to be. Doesn't seem to have affected commercial transmitters.

[foil hat] BBC "pushing" DAB by degrading normal analog? [/foil hat]

[Uncle Peter]

Originally Posted by heero_yuy

I've been getting the impression that the R4 signal has dropped in strength as there's a lot more sideband splatter (in stereo) from an adjacient station than there used to be. Doesn't seem to have affected commercial transmitters.

[foil hat] BBC "pushing" DAB by degrading normal analog? [/foil hat]

It's possible that you're experiencing TrE (tropospheric enhancement) where the signal from a more distant VHF transmitter is enhanced to some extent and encroaching on the carrier frequency of the station you're listening to. Could even be tropo ducting. Both phenomena (moreso the former) are common during periods where there are high pressure systems hanging over us. Ducting is generally linked with temperature inversion conditions and there was a big one the other day when we had those smog warnings.

[toonlight]

Originally Posted by clumsymum

Now, we have a couple of DAB receivers in the house, but the tuner attached to the stereo in the living room is 'old fashioned analogue FM' as is my son's radio. In the mornings, when we are all dodging around the house gewtting ready for work/school, we all listen to radio 2 on FM, otherwise you get the dreaded 'time lag problem'.
Anyone else experiencing the same? Is there any other scientific explanation?

One thing can I point out is that DAB radio isn't nowhere near as good a old style tune in out radio, the wireless radio is king (analogue). Yet as Dab is over 31yrs older would you think taking intercom tech/internel radio tech & trying stretch that out only to get radio broadcastig on the cheap - for one I got one DAB radio, tell you want place a baby monitor, wireless base station, cordless phone or even place a item near it you get no signal under 4 bars otherwise known as lag.(on DAB a station can broadcast on one channel with differnt outputs a/b/c etc within the same bandwith)

Simply put, FM/MW/LW/SW will be here for the future - it's good for third world countries, in stereo or plain FM. Why cause problems with something that's not broke.

Satellite radio, is the future, not dab as it's too local based - you can still pick up the great 208 (Radio Luxembourg) on a sat radio even on there internet stream only thing is the sat radios are pricey to buy still.

Even some French radio station still use SW+ FM even today, in the 21st century - if it's not broke don't fix it.....but this UK government seams to forget, if all of these fm broadcasts go & we buy just DAB only. What will happen if there a country wide emergency - in the past the systems set where broadcast on a broad spectrum to inform the left over public, using simple "analogue devices" uninfected by most conditions.
Goggle "RSG" - (regional seat of government) look at the systems they would use, yes analogue systems - simple radio sets, not microchip managed. One EMP pulse & all the microchip +circuit boards are paper weights another words useless, there such types weapons as "Non-nuclear electromagnetic pulse" so we should all careful, it will only take one in the right place, 21st living will come to an end. Just saying that is

I Don't even go near the cheap & tacky upgrade to the tv signal (digital from analogue)known as freeview a real man poor effort in that, watch HD on that, you must be joking- but they are still trying. Either internet TV (IPTV) or Satellite is the way forward, better all around no hassle, with channel bandwidth space for HD+3D channels.

There my take on the whole 21st upgrade on the UK's broadcast network.

Toonlight

[heero_yuy]

Originally Posted by toonlight

<big snip>

Toonlight

My take too, any electronics engineer worth his salt can knock up an am radio out of the junk box in a couple of hours and fm in a day or so even after an EMP. DAB radio: Not a hope.

The DAB standard is completely obsolete even when it was launched, so why try to force it on people? As a consumer it gives me nothing more than an ordinary radio does, unlike digital TV, and falls down in several important ways particularly when the signal is poor.

It seems to me that it's only the BBC signals that have become poorer, commercial radio signals are strong as the proverbial ox.