Switch Aberdeen

Last updated

Switch Aberdeen
Licensed area Aberdeenshire
Frequency 11C (220.352 MHz)
Air date3 December 2001 [1]
Owner Wireless Group
Website switchdigital.com

Switch Aberdeen is the name of the DAB multiplex operator for the Aberdeen area. The company was one of two applicants for the licence - the other was from Score Digital. The service is currently carried on four transmitters and as required, has to carry the two BBC regional services, BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio nan Gaidheal.

Contents

Transmitter sites

Switch Aberdeen currently broadcasts on the following sites: [2]

TransmitterkWArea
Meldrum 8.51Most of Aberdeenshire
Durris 2Stonehaven & Southern Aberdeenshire
Mormond Hill1Peterhead & Fraserburgh
Redmoss1South Aberdeen

Current line-up of services

The stations currently carried on Switch Aberdeen are: [3]

ServiceService IDBit rateAudio channelsDescriptionAnalogue availability
BBC Radio nan Gàidheal C336128 kbit/sJoint stereoBBC regional service103.5 - 105.0 MHz
810 kHz
BBC Radio Scotland C635128 kbit/sJoint stereoBBC regional service92.4 - 94.7 MHz
Northsound 1 C8B1128 kbit/sJoint stereoBauer FM service96.9 MHz (Aberdeenshire)
97.6 MHz (Aberdeen)
103.0 MHz (Peterhead)
Greatest Hits Radio C1C9128 kbit/sJoint stereoBauer former AM servicenone
Original 106 112 kbit/sJoint stereoLocal FM music station106.8 MHz (Aberdeenshire)
106.3 MHz (Aberdeen)
106.3 MHz (Peterhead)
Original 106 Gold112 kbit/sJoint stereoLocal non-stop oldies stationnone
talkRADIOC0D864 kbit/sMonoNews/discussionnone
talkSPORT ScotlandC6CE64 kbit/sMonoSportnone
talkSPORT 2C1D864 kbit/sMonoSportnone
Virgin RadioC3D864 kbit/sMonoIndie/alternativenone
Coast Radio64 kbit/sMonoBuchan area, FM community station101.2 MHz (Peterhead)

Original line-up

The following is the original line-up on the platform and what happened, if anything.

ServiceDescriptionCurrent status
BBC Radio nan Gàidheal BBC regional Gaelic serviceStill operating
BBC Radio Scotland BBC regional serviceStill operating
The LoungeEasy listening and smooth classicsClosed by The Wireless Group in Spring 2002 cost-cutting exercise, replaced with Smash Hits Radio, in turn replaced by Kiss Fresh
Ministry of Sound RadioThe "Digital Dancefloor"Closed in December 2002, replaced by Kiss
NECR Local community radio serviceClosed August 2018
Northsound 1 Local FM serviceStill operating, with local breakfast show
Northsound 2 Local AM serviceClosed in 2023
The RhythmClassic soul hitsService was never launched
Ritz CountryCountry musicCompany went bust, eventually replaced with Kerrang! 105.2
Waves FM Local service for Peterheadservice withdrawn in 2023

Other services

The following list are other services which were available at some point on the platform: [4]

ServiceWhat happened
Kiss Replaced by Magic 105.4 in May 2008. Kiss later returned to the multiplex but was removed once again after Kiss started broadcasting nationally on Digital One
Magic 105.4 Replaced by Kiss
Smash Hits Radio Removed by Bauer Radio in February 2006, never replaced
Original 106 Tested briefly in 2013. Original 106 resumed full DAB transmissions 26 June 2019
Mearns FM Stonehaven based community station, withdrew from DAB in 2022
Pure RadioRebroadcast of central belt DAB station, closed in September 2023

References

  1. ↑ Radiocentre Commercial Radio Pocket Booklet 2007
  2. ↑ Radio Listeners Guide 2010
  3. ↑ "DAB Ensembles WorldWide | UK Local & Small-Scale".
  4. ↑ Radio Authority & CRCA Pocket Booklets (2000 - 2007)
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