Switch Aberdeen
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Switch Aberdeen is the name of the DAB multiplex operator for the Aberdeen area operated by Switchdigital, a subsidiary of the Wireless Group. The company was one of two applicants for the licence along with Score Digital,[1][2] with Switchdigital being granted the licence to operate in Aberdeen on 6 April 2001.[3] 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 Gàidheal. 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 Gàidheal.
Transmitter sites
Switch Aberdeen currently broadcasts on the following sites:[4]
| Transmitter | kW | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Meldrum | 8.51 | Most of Aberdeenshire |
| Durris | 2 | Stonehaven & Southern Aberdeenshire |
| Mormond Hill | 1 | Peterhead & Fraserburgh |
| Redmoss | 1 | South Aberdeen |
Current line-up of services
The stations currently carried on Switch Aberdeen are:[5]
| Service | Service ID | Bit rate | Audio channels | Description | Analogue availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBC Radio nan Gàidheal | C336 | 128 kbit/s | Joint stereo | BBC regional service | 103.5 - 105.0 MHz 810 kHz |
| BBC Radio Scotland | C635 | 128 kbit/s | Joint stereo | BBC regional service | 92.4 - 94.7 MHz |
| Northsound 1 | C8B1 | 128 kbit/s | Joint stereo | Bauer FM service | 96.9 MHz (Aberdeenshire) 97.6 MHz (Aberdeen) 103.0 MHz (Peterhead) |
| Greatest Hits Radio | C1C9 | 128 kbit/s | Joint stereo | Bauer former AM service | none |
| Original 106 | 112 kbit/s | Joint stereo | Local FM music station | 106.8 MHz (Aberdeenshire) 106.3 MHz (Aberdeen) 106.3 MHz (Peterhead) | |
| Original 106 Gold | 112 kbit/s | Joint stereo | Local non-stop oldies station | none | |
| talkRADIO | C0D8 | 64 kbit/s | Mono | News/discussion | none |
| talkSPORT Scotland | C6CE | 64 kbit/s | Mono | Sport | none |
| talkSPORT 2 | C1D8 | 64 kbit/s | Mono | Sport | none |
| Virgin Radio | C3D8 | 64 kbit/s | Mono | Indie/alternative | none |
| Coast Radio | 64 kbit/s | Mono | Buchan area, FM community station | 101.2 MHz (Peterhead) |
Original line-up
The following is the original line-up on the platform and what happened, if anything.
| Service | Description | Current status |
|---|---|---|
| BBC Radio nan Gàidheal | BBC regional Gaelic service | Still operating |
| BBC Radio Scotland | BBC regional service | Still operating |
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Easy listening and smooth classics | Closed by The Wireless Group in Spring 2002 cost-cutting exercise, replaced with Smash Hits Radio, in turn replaced by Kiss Fresh |
| Ministry of Sound Radio | The "Digital Dancefloor" | Closed in December 2002, replaced by Kiss |
| NECR | Local community radio service | Closed August 2018 |
| Northsound 1 | Local FM service | Still operating, with local breakfast show |
| Northsound 2 | Local AM service | Closed in 2023 |
| Script error: No such module "sort". | Classic soul hits | Service was never launched |
| Ritz Country | Country music | Company went bust, eventually replaced with Kerrang! 105.2 |
| Waves FM | Local service for Peterhead | service withdrawn in 2023 |
Other services
The following list are other services which were available at some point on the platform:[6]
| Service | What 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 Radio | Rebroadcast of central belt DAB station, closed in September 2023 |