There are exciting changes on the way for Quay-FM, the Alderney-based radio station.
Meeting at the Braye Beach Cinema, the Quay-FM community got together to talk about major new improvements being planned for the community radio station, and were asked for their support to implement the changes.
New aerial at the transmitter site
Subject to planning permission being granted by the BDCC, Quay-FM will be adding a new aerial for the FM frequency at Fort Albert.
Station Manager Dougal Bohan said: “The new aerial will support the existing FM frequency (101.7) and possible future enhanced services such as DAB.”
Digital and Internet broadcasting
Quay-FM could be broadcasting digitally to Alderney later this year. It was revealed that Alderney Broadcasting – the non-profit organisation behind Quay-FM – has been in talks for some time with Nation Broadcasting (trading as Bailiwick Broadcasting Ltd in the Channel Islands) to bring Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) to Alderney later this year.
Further progress is dependent upon approval by the States of Alderney in respect of amendments to the lease on the transmitter site. Formal confirmation of the States’ written agreement is expected imminently.
DAB is a tried and tested technology which has been in use on the UK mainland and in Europe for a number of years. DAB signals are not subject to the atmospheric variations that FM signals sometimes suffer from, particularly in Summer.
Quay-FM is already available on internet streaming and now plans are in place to increase the sound quality of the Internet stream by transmitting uncompressed in higher bandwidth, using FLAC technology.
The road ahead
At the meeting, volunteers heard about the significant amount of work required to achieve this objective both from a technical, managerial, and marketing perspective.
After an introduction by Nigel Roberts, a member of the Alderney Broadcasting Board, a presentation was given by Brian Chambers, a technical volunteer with Quay-FM, setting out a roadmap describing the major areas of work that will need to be completed in the weeks and months ahead.
Nigel Roberts said: “Quay-FM is such an important part of our Island Community. We need to ensure its secure future”.
Brian Chambers said: “The UK Government determined in 2017 that when 50% of the radio audience received their signal digitally, they would set a date for the closure of the FM network. That level was met before the end of 2017 and the FM network will be closed down. We need to be ready so that Quay-FM continues to do what it has always done: serve the community”.
