The Kintyre Forum

I see this has reared its head again after the Government's earlier fudge.

Bottom line is we'd better get used to the fact we will no longer have a radio service in this area if current Government plans for digital radio go ahead. They plan to switch off the FM signal so that will be that - no BBC stations, no commercial stations (including Argyll FM). This means no radio in the house, at your work, in the hairdresser, in the pub in the car etc. No background music, no phone-ins, no football etc, etc. It's unthinkable!

Even if you don't listen to the radio but have a TV licence, you are paying for the BBC services but will only be able to access them except through your digital television or the internet!

Surely this is the final straw with regard to leaving broadcasting as a reserved matter for Westminster?

http://forargyll.com/2009/05/for-argyll-and-alan-reid-uncover-westminster-welshing-on-radio-reception-in-the-highlands/

Does the same apply for analogue switch off on TV ??

Bonnie Lass wrote:Does the same apply for analogue switch off on TV ??

Looks like May 25th 2011 is the final switch off of analogue TV in the Campbeltown area. Check link......

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/when_do_i_switch

Just to clear up a few points for clarity...

Analogue tv at Darvel and its relays, including Ctown, gets turned off in May next year in a process which lasts two weeks. In the first stage, BBC2 is switched off and replaced by all the BBC's channels. At this point a Freeview box or a built-in digital tuner will start to work in Ctown.

Two weeks later BBC1, STV and C4 on analogue get switched off. The main commercial channels - STV, ITV2, C4, five and a few more -then start broadcasting digitally. However the full range of other COMMERCIAL channels on Freeview won't be carried on relays. so, for instance, Dave, shopping channels and Yesterday won't be available through an aerial.

There are two reasons for this: a shortage of frequencies in some areas and the view that it would be inappropriate to use public money extending the coverage of purely commercial services, especially when most of the extra potential audience already has satellite. However there's nothing to stop these commercial channels paying to extend their terrestrial coverage if they want to. Personally I have no problem with TV licence money being used to make sure ITV and C4's coverage on Freeview matches analogue but I would thoroughly resent the money being used for Price Drop TV!

If this disappoints you and you don't want Sky, it's worth considering going for Freesat now instead of waiting for Freeview. Although it's more expensive upfront there's a wider choice. I have Freesat at my place in the town and so does my aunt Anne - total one off cost of dish, installation and box about £150. A guy who lives in Stewarton put up the dish for me. www.freesat.co.uk

The plan to switch off FM radio is only an aspiration at the moment and the view of most people in the industry is that it will never happen in 2014. Although digital radio coverage is still being expanded - and I think Ctown should start to get it in the not too distant future - there are simply too many analogue receivers still in use. However it's my understanding the aspiration to turn off FM only applies to the BBC and major commerical stations from Classic FM to Clyde- community stations like Argyll FM and Oban FM would not be affected.

It's been pointed out to me, quite correctly, that the postcode checker on the Freeview website suggests that a lot of people in Kintyre will not get Freeview in 2011. Well, don't panic. This isn't actually the case. Let me explain...

The postcode checker is based on the OFFICIAL coverage area of the existing transmitters - not their actual coverage areas. The official areas are relatively small and conservative... basically the areas where a good signal is guaranteed rather than the area where reception may be possible with some effort or good fortune. Officially most of Kintyre does not get a terrestrial tv service at all just now - only the triangle between Campbeltown, Machrihanish and Westport, along with Gigha and the area around Carradale.

If you get an acceptable analogue tv signal at the moment - basically a signal that's good enough to decode teletext reliably - you will DEFINITELY be able to get Freeview at switchover, whatever the deliberately cautious checker says. Somewhere on Ceefax (P284??) there's a page to test the signal strength.

One thing worth pointing out though. If you get your tv from Northern Ireland switchover there does not take place until 2012 so you won't be affected by the Darvel switch next year. But if you get a good signal from NI, Freeview will definitely work in 2012 - and may even work already! I was surprised a couple of years back to see a Freeview box working well in the Bellochantuy Hotel.

Just to bring you up to date on this story, some news from the UK Government today confirming that a date for switching off FM radio won't be set until....

*Digital radio coverage matches FM coverage at the moment.

*The bulk of radio listening is digital.

They've also confirmed that small local radio stations - the Argyll FMs and the like - will not be forced off FM. The switch to digital radio is aimed at the BBC and professional commercial radio: ie Clyde, Westsound, Real, Classic FM.

While 2015 remains an aspiration, realistically FM can only be switched off once cheap, efficient battery operated portable digital radios are easily available.

It's worth remembering that 20 years ago when Radio 2 was taken off MW and became FM only, it proved a bit of a challenge. An incredible number of people were still listening on MW in areas with good FM reception.