Radio 3 to lose some FM in Wales

[Reactionary Andrew]

I came across this by chance, though it was posted a few weeks ago:

https://radiotoday.co.uk/2017/06/bbc-radio-cymru-2-set-to-launch-on-digital-radio/

The relevant point for us is buried away where it states that, "BBC Radio Wales is getting more FM transmitters ... using a small number of existing network FM frequencies, currently allocated to BBC Radio 3".

http://www.frequencyfinder.org.uk/updates_fa.html states that "The BBC will be extending FM coverage of Radio Wales to cover most of Wales. This will use a mixture of new transmitters and transmitters transferred from Radio 3. (8/7/17)"

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Sneaky.

[french frank]

"The boost to BBC Radio Wales’s coverage on FM will particularly benefit listeners in North East Wales and Mid Wales. Using a small number of existing network FM frequencies, currently allocated to BBC Radio 3, the development will bring Radio Wales’s FM coverage in line with other national and network radio stations. Radio 3 will continue to be available to 92% of households in Wales on FM, and the station’s availability on DAB, television and online will be unaffected by the changes."

So, when it says will continue to be available, does it mean that the 92% who currently get R3 on FM will continue to get it? Or does it mean FM will be switched off for some Radio 3 listeners in Wales i.e. they will no longer continue to receive it? I wonder …

I came across this by chance, though it was posted a few weeks ago:

https://radiotoday.co.uk/2017/06/bbc-radio-cymru-2-set-to-launch-on-digital-radio/

The relevant point for us is buried away where it states that, "BBC Radio Wales is getting more FM transmitters ... using a small number of existing network FM frequencies, currently allocated to BBC Radio 3".

http://www.frequencyfinder.org.uk/updates_fa.html states that "The BBC will be extending FM coverage of Radio Wales to cover most of Wales. This will use a mixture of new transmitters and transmitters transferred from Radio 3. (8/7/17)"

[Gordon]

"The boost to BBC Radio Wales’s coverage on FM will particularly benefit listeners in North East Wales and Mid Wales. Using a small number of existing network FM frequencies, currently allocated to BBC Radio 3, the development will bring Radio Wales’s FM coverage in line with other national and network radio stations. Radio 3 will continue to be available to 92% of households in Wales on FM, and the station’s availability on DAB, television and online will be unaffected by the changes."

So, when it says will continue to be available, does it mean that the 92% who currently get R3 on FM will continue to get it? Or does it mean FM will be switched off for some Radio 3 listeners in Wales i.e. they will no longer continue to receive it? I wonder …

Funny you didn't get a reply to this one! If you go here:

http://www.frequencyfinder.org.uk/BBC_Radio.pdf

you will see all the transmitters that the BBC uses with their locations and power levels. In the list on pp1 & 2 you'll see about 45 FM transmitters of widely varying power levels [250 KiloWatts mains like Wenvoe to less than 10 Watts relays] carrying R3. On p4 you'll see the Radio Wales [English] and Radio Cymru [Welsh] transmitters listed where you can see the lack of RW service in parts of Wales.

In Central/NE Wales potential for change is at Llanrhaeadr Ym Mochnant a small town NW of Welshpool which has a R3 relay transmission at 92.0 MHz at 50 Watts but where there is NO RC service. A swap here would affect a small number of listeners. Other low power [between 5 and 35 Watts] transmitters in the area that could be swapped to RW are at Welshpool, Newtown, Llanfyllin and Llanidloes, all in the upper Severn valley SW of Shrewsbury. These are larger populations.

This process will remove R3 service from some low power relay transmitters but by retuning receivers the R3 service may be available [to "continue" the 92% cover] from another more powerful R3 station further away perhaps in England rather than Wales. So the areas affected won't necessarily lose their R3 service completely only the local transmitter feed they have been used to. It does mean that perhaps the signal quality will be somewhat more variable [which was why those relays for R3 were put in in the first place!!].

These changes would not be made if there was no alternative service available elsewhere, BBC and/or OfCom service planners will have done their sums on the signal strength consequences. Statistically there will be some listeners whose R3 service will be degraded. Maybe those listeners would prefer RW to R3? I wonder if a survey was done in the affected areas?

On a parallel subject, RAJAR figures show that digital listening is now just fractionally below 50% which is the trigger that the government's Action Plan set to initiate switchover from FM. It is expected to exceed 50% in 2018 so look out for an announcement next year? That is if Br-x-t doesn't slow it down.