Preston DAB is a bring DAB digital radio to the city of Preston.
So you want to get your station on DAB. Here are some typical questions we are asked
What is the process to get on DAB?
What are the licences I need to go on DAB?
1. If you are a not-for-profit community station you will need a C-DSP licence from Ofcom. It will cost £250 for the application and £100 per year:
2. If you are a commercial station you will need a DSP licence from Ofcom. It also costs £250 for the application and £100 per year:
3. If you plan to play music, you’ll need a licence from PRS/PPL
Community radio licence
Commercial radio licence
What equipment do I need?
You don't need any specialist equipment. You provide the URL of your web stream and we will encode that and broadcast it on the multiplex. Simple as that.
What is the process to get on DAB?
- You complete the enquiry form below
- We contact you and let you know if we have space and what the the monthly carriage fee will be
- You apply for a C-DSP or DSP licence from Ofcom
- You apply for a PRS/PPL licence
- We launch your station
What are the licences I need to go on DAB?
1. If you are a not-for-profit community station you will need a C-DSP licence from Ofcom. It will cost £250 for the application and £100 per year:
2. If you are a commercial station you will need a DSP licence from Ofcom. It also costs £250 for the application and £100 per year:
3. If you plan to play music, you’ll need a licence from PRS/PPL
Community radio licence
Commercial radio licence
What equipment do I need?
You don't need any specialist equipment. You provide the URL of your web stream and we will encode that and broadcast it on the multiplex. Simple as that.
What is DAB?
DAB stands for 'Digital Audio Broadcasting' - the future of radio here in the UK and in many other countries around the world. As well as being interference-free it also opens up new opportunities for broadcasters and a dramatic increase in listener choice.
Here in Preston we’re planning to create a new ‘ecosystem’ of radio formats catering for a wide range of tastes, interests, communities and age groups.
DAB stands for 'Digital Audio Broadcasting' - the future of radio here in the UK and in many other countries around the world. As well as being interference-free it also opens up new opportunities for broadcasters and a dramatic increase in listener choice.
Here in Preston we’re planning to create a new ‘ecosystem’ of radio formats catering for a wide range of tastes, interests, communities and age groups.
How it Works
FM radio is sent out as a transmission on a particular frequency. Each one only has a very narrow frequency, so that the stations don’t overlap and interfere with each other. If you tune away from that frequency, you'll quickly be met by a wave of static. DAB radio works in a very different way. The digital transmission is made up of a string of ones and zeros. Since there are no frequency bands to stick to, that same signal can be sent out multiple times. This means that your radio has more chances to pick up the signal - making DAB far more reliable than FM.
The way DAB signals are sent brings some extra benefits, too. For one thing, stations can send out additional information along with the song. This includes things like the name of the station and the song that's currently playing. DAB signals are also better able to work around obstacles between your radio and the transmitter, like large buildings, and they carry their own protection against transmission errors.
FM radio is sent out as a transmission on a particular frequency. Each one only has a very narrow frequency, so that the stations don’t overlap and interfere with each other. If you tune away from that frequency, you'll quickly be met by a wave of static. DAB radio works in a very different way. The digital transmission is made up of a string of ones and zeros. Since there are no frequency bands to stick to, that same signal can be sent out multiple times. This means that your radio has more chances to pick up the signal - making DAB far more reliable than FM.
The way DAB signals are sent brings some extra benefits, too. For one thing, stations can send out additional information along with the song. This includes things like the name of the station and the song that's currently playing. DAB signals are also better able to work around obstacles between your radio and the transmitter, like large buildings, and they carry their own protection against transmission errors.
Why broadcast on DAB?
- Radio is as popular as ever in the digital age with 89% of the adult population tuning in each week - that's 48.9 million people!
- 67% of the population tune-in to digital radio every week.
- The vast majority of digital listening is via DAB.
- Preston DAB will be focused on the city so you won't be wasting money reaching places outside your immediate catchment area.
- DAB is eco-friendly, sustainable and socially responsible.
- It consumes 80% less electricity; requires 75% less capital investment; reduces operating expenditure and support costs by 65%.
A radio ecosystem is an interdependent community of transmission providers, broadcasters, advertisers and listeners - all connected for mutual gain and to maximise individual outcomes".
Join Us!
We'd love to talk about including your station in our line up of great formats for Preston. For a chat about how we may be able to work together please complete the form below
We'd love to talk about including your station in our line up of great formats for Preston. For a chat about how we may be able to work together please complete the form below