NOXDAB has been awarded a licence by Ofcom to bring a range of exciting new radio stations to digital radio listeners in Banbury, Brackley and Bicester.
Using the latest DAB broadcast technology we will give local broadcasters a chance to be heard on digital radio in a cost effective manner.
We’ll also introduce a number of additional radio stations to our area to enhance the depth and variety of radio listening available.
NOXDAB is a not-for-profit consortium of local broadcasters and industry experts.
Our plans will bring the Banbury, Bicester and Brackley area a new digital radio service – known as a multiplex.
For service providers, as a not-for-profit organisation are able to ensure our carriage costs offer an affordable path to broadcast on digital radio.
For listeners we will bring truly local radio and additional listening choice to our area, supporting its growth and development.
Banbury FM plays your favourite music with local news, essential information, promotion of events, local music, business and local charity support.
Puritans Radio broadcasts from the Banbury United’s ground with exclusive commentaries of their games, and opportunities for local broadcasters.
3BS Radio is the community station serving Brackley, Buckingham and Bicester from studios at the University of Buckingham.
Radio Horton is the health and wellbeing station which first broadcast to the Horton General Hospital in1964 and now also caters for local care homes.
Small-scale DAB is a new way of transmitting digital radio using software and low-cost computer technology to provide a flexible and inexpensive approach to the terrestrial broadcast of digital radio services.
The system enables services to broadcast to a relatively small geographic area.
Unlike analogue FM radio where only one station can use a frequency, with digital broadcasts a number of stations can be transmitted together on the same frequency. This is called a multiplex. A multiplex can carry between 20 and 30 stations.
The regulator Ofcom is licencing Small Scale DAB services across the UK. The country has been split into areas or “polygons”. A licence to operate the multiplex is being advertised in each polygon.
Our polygon is called “Banbury and Bicester”.
The assumed coverage area for our polygon is shown here. Ofcom estimate the polygon covers 121,661 people.
Our plans will bring a Small Scale DAB area to cover Banbury, Brackley and Bicester, together with as many of the surrounding villages as is technically possible, within our polygon.
NOxDAB was awarded awarded a multiplex licence by Ofcom on May 15, 2023.
We have now begun the process of building our infrastructure, which is expected to take some months.
Further updates will be given here in due course.
Carriage costs on the NOXDAB multiplex will be realistic, but affordable.
Our aim is to ensure small broadcasters are not burdened with transmission fees which jeopardise their ability to succeed.
Those taking a slot will be responsible for their own DSP or C-DSP licence from Ofcom, other licences (such as music royalties) and other standard business costs.
If you would like to know more please get in touch for a chat.
The NOXDAB digital radio multiplex will broadcast to a multiplex area covering an estimated 121,000 people in Banbury, Brackley, Bicester and the surrounding parts of North Oxfordshire and South Northamptonshire.
This fast growing area sits on the edge of the Cotswolds, the Thames Valley, the Midlands and the South-East and has its own unique identity.
if you are a broadcaster who would like to find out more about being part of our line-up of stations please get in touch using this form.
You can also use this form if you wish to talk to us about any other part of our plans.
Alternatively you can leave a message for one of our team by calling the Banbury FM office on 01295 297888.
