When I visited London the last time, 95.8 was the best frequency received on my pocket FM radio. Radio 1 was chaotic and Kiss100, too. I could receive more decently some pirate FM´s than Radio 1.
I was around Paddington Station area then and it was funny listening to Foxy in perfect FM stereo on 95.8 .
LBC are on reduced power too and they said there is work being done on the transmitter. Both stations are broadcast from the Croydon transmitter I think so this may explain it.
If I was being cynical I'd suggest that Capital are checking out their audience, to see if they bother with or even notice that it's in stereo.
Aren't Capital one of the few DAB stations broadcasting at >128Kbs? IIRC they're at 160K; by cutting that in half they could fit in another station, and then sell more ads and boost their profits.
DAB quality? Not when it's costing them money and they think they can get away with it..
The Croydon transmitter only received a fresh coat of paint about a year ago, when all the London FM'ers were on very low power, (apart from Crystal Palace), so I wonder what sort of maintenence is being carried out this time?
Unless Capital are having problems with their stereo incoder, as I think they still have some rather old equipment in-line, from the Euston Tower days?
The Croydon transmitter only received a fresh coat of paint about a year ago, when all the London FM'ers were on very low power, (apart from Crystal Palace), so I wonder what sort of maintenence is being carried out this time?
Any number of things, remember that the transmitter is a grey box in the building underneath the tower, not the tower itself
The structure at Croydon is being painted as part of the ongoing maintenance programme that applies to these structures.
All of Croydon's London ILR services are being transmitted from a temporary antenna array which is some distance beneath the usual broadcast aperture. It is anticipated that this work will take up to 30 days.
For Forum information, Capital requested a switch to mono in order to improve the received s:n ratio, particularly on the extremes of their TSA
Also, for Forum info the structure was not painted last year but was having mandatory upgrades to the Aircraft Warning Lights.
Capital Radio 95.8FM was1 of the 1st obtained back in Oct 1973 in super stereo. I can`t believe a third of a Century later its modern early 70`s stereo would cease?
If you like Capital my advice is listen either on DAB or Broadband which is in excellent stereo mode.
They are in Mono temporarily as has already been said by RadioPro BECAUSE it will improve their reception in fringe areas while there is some work being done to their transmitter. That's It! No conspiracy theories needed!
They will be back in Glorious 70's stereo - or whatever else you want to call it when the TX site is back up and running at full power...end of!
Well living about 1/2 a mile away (no-one likes to admit they live in Hemel!) - no.
I can pick up Capital easily here, and most of us listen to it as our main station in the area. It certainly isn't outside its TSA. Chiltern is more for the Dunstable/Luton area - and isn't on digital (for obvious reasons) due to the Chiltern hills the FM reception is dodgy to say the least.
I see Capital are doing a Party Capital OB from outside the TSA in Hemel Hempstead! Isn't this clashing into sister station Chiltern FM's area?
Hemel Hempstead is within Capital's TSA though.
Can't get any maps to work on the RAB website at the moment but this is from Emap's site for the TSA of Magic 105.4 which is the same for Capital and all the other Londonwide stations that particpate in RAJAR.
Clearly the DAB TSA area for Capital covers Hemel as CE London use the Hemel tx.
I know that the Home Counties listen to Capital and other London based stations more than the lLR's that cover their area, such as Star, Mercury 96.6 and Hertbeat.
Clearly the DAB TSA area for Capital covers Hemel as CE London use the Hemel tx.<snip>
Capital (and all London stations) don't seem to differentiate between FM and DAB TSA, as far as individual stations are concerned there's one Londonwide TSA and it's the one in that link.
I know the mux operators have their own TSAs (also available on the RAB website) but I've yet to see a station refer to it or use it as a basis in RAJAR figures.
Will be interesting to see if the London TSA is adjusted once DAB becomes the dominant platform.
I know that the Home Counties listen to Capital and other London based stations more than the lLR's that cover their area, such as Star, Mercury 96.6 and Hertbeat.
The London wide stations have the funds to have major marketing campaigns, the big names and the big prizes, the smaller stations don't have that luxury.
Can't get any maps to work on the RAB website at the moment but this is from Emap's site for the TSA of Magic 105.4 which is the same for Capital and all the other Londonwide stations that particpate in RAJAR.
radamfi
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I was around Paddington Station area then and it was funny listening to Foxy in perfect FM stereo on 95.8 .
Sometimes....ah sod it never mind....
Aren't Capital one of the few DAB stations broadcasting at >128Kbs? IIRC they're at 160K; by cutting that in half they could fit in another station, and then sell more ads and boost their profits.
DAB quality? Not when it's costing them money and they think they can get away with it..
Unless Capital are having problems with their stereo incoder, as I think they still have some rather old equipment in-line, from the Euston Tower days?
Any number of things, remember that the transmitter is a grey box in the building underneath the tower, not the tower itself
Damn, I always get the two mixed-up!
All of Croydon's London ILR services are being transmitted from a temporary antenna array which is some distance beneath the usual broadcast aperture. It is anticipated that this work will take up to 30 days.
For Forum information, Capital requested a switch to mono in order to improve the received s:n ratio, particularly on the extremes of their TSA
Also, for Forum info the structure was not painted last year but was having mandatory upgrades to the Aircraft Warning Lights.
Cheers
RP
Is CE London from Croydon also on reduced power?
Agreed, apart from LBC 97.3 which sounds much worse on DAB.
If you like Capital my advice is listen either on DAB or Broadband which is in excellent stereo mode.
They are in Mono temporarily as has already been said by RadioPro BECAUSE it will improve their reception in fringe areas while there is some work being done to their transmitter. That's It! No conspiracy theories needed!
They will be back in Glorious 70's stereo - or whatever else you want to call it when the TX site is back up and running at full power...end of!
mmlabbd
I can pick up Capital easily here, and most of us listen to it as our main station in the area. It certainly isn't outside its TSA. Chiltern is more for the Dunstable/Luton area - and isn't on digital (for obvious reasons) due to the Chiltern hills the FM reception is dodgy to say the least.
Hemel Hempstead is within Capital's TSA though.
Can't get any maps to work on the RAB website at the moment but this is from Emap's site for the TSA of Magic 105.4 which is the same for Capital and all the other Londonwide stations that particpate in RAJAR.
http://www.emapadvertising.com/radio/images/maps/london_map_pop.jpg
I know that the Home Counties listen to Capital and other London based stations more than the lLR's that cover their area, such as Star, Mercury 96.6 and Hertbeat.
Capital (and all London stations) don't seem to differentiate between FM and DAB TSA, as far as individual stations are concerned there's one Londonwide TSA and it's the one in that link.
I know the mux operators have their own TSAs (also available on the RAB website) but I've yet to see a station refer to it or use it as a basis in RAJAR figures.
Will be interesting to see if the London TSA is adjusted once DAB becomes the dominant platform.
The London wide stations have the funds to have major marketing campaigns, the big names and the big prizes, the smaller stations don't have that luxury.
what on earth makes you think that will happen? :rolleyes:
Hey, don't put words in my mouth.
Just a musing.
Which proves that the London TSAs are exaggerated compared to the actual FM service areas:
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/radiolicensing/mcamaps/al067.pdf