82 replies to this topic

[alanh]

Domni,
Tingledale is 78 km from the Mt Barker transmitters at a bearing of 64 degrees with respect to true north. If you have significant hills or trees from your site in that direction it may not be worth using FM. You also may need a masthead amplifier, however try the 8 element FM antenna first.

AlanH

[kendenupian]

You should receive a good signal from Mt Barker abc fm transmitters. They are all 10 Kilowatt . (I just conducted their monthly check  5 minutes ago..)
Most seem good for 120 kms, depending on terrain.
Hot FM has a different antenna which seems to favour  the south. Its license area is smaller i think.
The vast sat decoder has audio out  so you wouldnt need to have the TV on..
Good luck anyway.


Kendenupian

[alanh]

kendenupian,
So when you include antenna gain you are radiating 80 kW_erp each!

The TV would have to be an audio amplifier unless the satellite receiver is connected to an audio amplifier as well.

AlanH

[kendenupian]

alanh, on Feb 18 2011, 03:21 PM, said:

kendenupian,
So when you include antenna gain you are radiating 80 kW_erp each!

The TV would have to be an audio amplifier unless the satellite receiver is connected to an audio amplifier as well.

AlanH

I was going to include the word input but thought better of it...

[domi]

Alanh and Kendenupian,

Thanks for that. My old analogue antenna and masthead amplifier  was pointing at Walpole/Denmark?? and GWN came in rather well and ABC sometimes in black and white. Like my neighbours I gave up and set up a sat dish. FM radio was achieved via FM/TV splitter box.

VAST will not come in, or so I believe, until the end of 2013 in our area. Have a Strong SRT 4653x sat decoder, which has "coaxial S/PDIF digital audio output". My micro stereo system has an MP3 input via a stereo plug or USB, is this of any use?

As both of you seem to have a black belt in electrickery, you may be able to answer this question: If my stereo is no good for connection, what is the cheapest way to connect to this sat decoder and get digital radio via sat?

I want to get rid of my old huge vertical polarization antenna + masthead amp; have left it on the roof so my wife can listen to ABC Classic FM. Although it touches the metal roof with its rods, the thing still works for FM.

Thanks.

[Smacca]

domi, on Feb 19 2011, 04:13 PM, said:

VAST will not come in, or so I believe, until the end of 2013 in our area.

VAST is available to you now, but only the ABC and SBS services. The commercial channels may never be available to you if you're within Albany's terrestrial footprint. Too early to know this for sure, so best sticking with Aurora for now.

domi, on Feb 19 2011, 04:13 PM, said:

Have a Strong SRT 4653x sat decoder, which has "coaxial S/PDIF digital audio output". My micro stereo system has an MP3 input via a stereo plug or USB, is this of any use?

I'd be tapping into the stereo output on the Strong using an adapter (male stereo composite to male stereo headphone) and plug it into your micro system.

domi, on Feb 19 2011, 04:13 PM, said:

As both of you seem to have a black belt in electrickery, you may be able to answer this question: If my stereo is no good for connection, what is the cheapest way to connect to this sat decoder and get digital radio via sat?

There really isn't a stand-alone satellite radio option that would work with Aurora stations. The best way is similar to your micro system, but instead using a set of decent computer speakers (with subwoofer, it's not Classic FM for nothing) plus an adapter (male stereo composite to female headphone socket). Sound during TV or radio is better than the standard TV speakers, and radio can be listened to with the TV off. If you want completely seperate radio maybe in the kitchen or the shed, then you might be able to get away with an AV sender, using another set of computer speakers as the output. This limits the choice of radio stations to 1 for every location, so it's not the best. But I'm sure you're aware of the limitations with cabled radio.

Edited by Smacca, 19 February 2011 - 06:58 PM.

[alanh]

domi,
It is expected that the VAST service will be available to viewers in Western Australia from early 2011.
In a table further down, it says to be confirmed.

As far as VAST is concerned you will get the right to use it because you are already on Aurora. Additionally you are in a very weak signal area.

Does this affect existing Remote Area Broadcast Satellite (RABS) viewers? Yes, between now and the end of 2013 you will need to obtain a new VAST set top box. The analogue RABS service will cease broadcasts to coincide with the switch over to Digital by December 2013.

Will ABC services from other states be available on VAST as they are now on RABS?
Yes, ABC VAST viewers will receive all ABC Digital television services including those from other states. Local ABC Digital television services will be number 2, 21, 22, 23 and 24. ABC services from other states start at channel number 221 and above.


Your existing antenna pointed at Mt Barker is designed for channels 2, 9, 28 and 31. If you wish you can rotate your antenna into the horizontal position for FM because the FM transmitters transmit a horizontal and a vertically polarised signal. This should stop the elements touching your metal roof.

digital_radio/review_of_digital_radio_technologies_for_regional_australia

AlanH

[domi]

Alanh and smacca,

Thanks for replies. I rang the number listed for info on 'digitalready' and spoke to a knowledgable person. The announcement re commercial channels will be made in March 2011.

According to Silicon Chips and my humble opinion it is an insult for us not to get 1080p signals and MPEG4 transmissions as the commercial TV stations just had a $250 mio windfall from reduced licence fees and should we not get the commercial channels via sat, that would be an even greater insult. Most of our TVs are 1080p capable. Politicians seem to know that the media are kingmakers/breakers and are touching their forelock to them. Perhaps we need to lobby our politicians on that issue, Bob Catter might be a good advocate!

Mt Barker is probably sending a digital signal and therefore VAST is available for us as the ruling is that VAST will become available when the analogue signal is switched off. I believe I have always received a bad and analogue signal from the Denmark/Walpole?? repeater.

The chap from 'digitalready' also told me the reason for the UEC monopoly on the VAST sat decoders. Hills have bought the monopoly rights and UEC is manufacturing these $270 boxes. Why a monopoly? The market is just not big enough was the answer.

Thanks for the answer re the radio reception and with the precise description of the cable I can buy the correct item.