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Some very useful sites
Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2016 1:42 am
by teckniqs
Here's a few useful websites for the necks. Enjoy....
MB21 The Transmission Gallery
Great for looking at the commercial transmission sites for FM, DAB & TV.
(when searching for a specific station just google name of station & frequency followed by MB21)
http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/
Ofcom Site Finder
Great for looking up cellular communication sites on masts or tower blocks, also gives the height of the highest GSM panels. (Not always accurate)
http://sitefinder.ofcom.org.uk/
Frequency Finder
Great for checking where UK commericial FM stations are broadcasting from and how much power they are using. You can download the list in PDF.
http://www.frequencyfinder.org.uk/
Radio Coverage Prediction
Great for giving you a rough idea of where your signal is going to cover and how strong from your chosen location, TX power, antenna height, gain, direction etc.
http://lrcov.crc.ca/main/index.php
Don't say I never give you nothing!
Re: Some very useful sites
Posted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 9:00 pm
by TechnicalRacoon
The radio corverage prediction one isn't working atm
Re: Some very useful sites
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 12:31 am
by teckniqs
TechnicalRacoon wrote: ↑Wed Apr 14, 2021 9:00 pm
The radio corverage prediction one isn't working atm
At the time of posting this around 5 years ago it was working great, but nothing ever lasts forever!
....However, forum member mpx recently posted up one, let me find it.
http://a-bc.co.uk/mca-measured-coverage-area-maps/
Re: Some very useful sites
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 12:45 am
by teckniqs
Tower Block UK
Great website for looking up tower blocks, many photos taken from back in the 1980s showing how a lot of them used to look like before being refurbished.
Some great photos with about 95% of all the UK's tower blocks on there.
....Some of them even have the old pirate aerials on them, so it's right up my street!
https://www.towerblock.eca.ed.ac.uk/
Re: Some very useful sites
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 11:07 am
by TechnicalRacoon
Yea tried that one b4 as well but yet again nothin never lasts tho. The other ones seem to work just fine atm but there is always copy's apon copy's of the same thing so we shouldn't run out of coverage maps
Re: Some very useful sites
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 11:15 am
by teckniqs
I've always found those coverage-predictions to be very innaccurate at the best of times, so always take them with a little pinch of salt...
Re: Some very useful sites
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 1:45 pm
by TechnicalRacoon
teckniqs wrote: ↑Thu Apr 15, 2021 11:15 am
I've always found those coverage-predictions to be very innaccurate at the best of times, so always take them with a little pinch of salt...
Yea I want to try then out to see how accurate they are but with a car radio
Re: Some very useful sites
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 2:20 pm
by teckniqs
As far as I'm aware a lot of the ones generated for the legal commercial stations are predicted at a high signal level of 54 dB/uV @ 10 metres in height. So quite often you would be able to hear the stations well out of that predicted range.
....But back when I used to waste time using the one I posted up 5 years back there was an option to set it do the different dB/uV level of strength to be shown.
But personally (like you) I think the best and most entertaining way to see what your coverage is like is to just get out there with your FM radio and see for yourself.
Re: Some very useful sites
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 4:40 pm
by TechnicalRacoon
teckniqs wrote: ↑Thu Apr 15, 2021 2:20 pm
As far as I'm aware a lot of the ones generated for the legal commercial stations are predicted at a high signal level of 54 dB/uV @ 10 metres in height. So quite often you would be able to hear the stations well out of that predicted range.
....But back when I used to waste time using the one I posted up 5 years back there was an option to set it do the different dB/uV level of strength to be shown.
But personally (like you) I think the best and most entertaining way to see what your coverage is like is to just get out there with your FM radio and see for yourself.
Yea can't beat getting out your radio - FM or AM- and testing it yourself if you have the right details and hight of course
Re: Some very useful sites
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2023 4:43 am
by 3metrejim
Frequency finder reminds me of the listings in an ancient electronics catalogue (was it Maplins that used to list them in the 80's?).
Also noticed the number of licenced stations at 50mW power - do they get a licence at reduced rates?
With the 50mW rated to go around 300m in all directions (going from Brill radios entry), at least it's easy-ish to guess the power needed for distance. 2x power, approx 1.4x distance or you can do the path loss calculation and use 300m and 50mW (17dBm) as the baseline.