AM and FM DX

My pleasure. Thankfully you caught us in the first hour as the UPS at the transmitter failed, knocking us off air from about 1600-1730.

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Out of interest, here are the non DX out of area stations I receive (excluding Locals) from Bendigo, using a Dipole (vertical) about 5 meters in height above roof level, I get 89.9 Light Melbourne, 91.5 Smooth Melbourne, 92.3 ZZZ Melbourne, 93.1 ethnic not sure where from, 93.7 Hit Tanslator (possibly Alpine region) 94.3 News Radio (not sure where from), 94.5 JJJ Geelong,95.3 MMM Shepparton, 95.9 News Radio (not sure where from), 96.1 ABC Classic Shepparton, 96.9 Hit Shepparton, 97.7 ABC RR Shepparton, 98.5 One FM Shepparton, 98.7 Swan Hill not sure of service, 99.1 Goldfields FM Maryborough (vic), 99.7 Hit (not sure where from), 99.9 not sure of service or location, 100.1 RPH not sure where from, 100.7 Highlands Fm Kyneton, 101.3 Edge FM Translator not sure where from, 102.1 ABC RR Swan Hill, 102.3 3BA FM Ballarat, 102.5 Edge FM Deniliquin, 103.1 Power FM Ballarat, 103.7 ABC Classsic not sure where from, 103.9 Ballarat Gospel Radio, 104.1 ABC Classic FM Albury, 104.7 not sure of service or location, 105.3 JJJ (terrible audio) not sure where from , 105.5 ABC Classic Ballarat, 106.3 KLFM Translator Castlemaine, 107.1 JJJ Ballarat and 107.9 ABC RR Ballarat.
Unfortunately did not have the time to look up the frequency list for the services I could not identify or location. Hope to do that soon. These seem to be receivable without ducting or enhancement, just under general conditions. On AM using long wire and concentrating on the out of band signals. 1611 Ethnic not sure of location, 1629 gospel music not sure of location, 1638 Arabic not sure where from, 1665 Vision Melbourne, 1701 Ethnic not sure where from. These signals very weak but listenable during daylight hours, quite strong as you would expect during night hours. Hope some find this interesting.

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I’ll help you out on the following.

SBS Radio Melbourne

Yes, Mt Buller.

Ballarat.

It’s actually from Shepparton.

Murray Valley (Swan Hill).

Mixx FM Kerang translator.

Griffith.

Possibly Voice FM Ballarat.

Shepparton.

Horsham.

Murray Valley (Swan Hill).

Possibly EMFM Echuca.

Murray Valley (Swan Hill).

It is quite interesting, thanks for sharing. :slight_smile:

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Thank you very much for the info. Nice to know.

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Griffith to Bendigo is impressive, around 300km!

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KLFM in Bendigo share the frequency of 96.5 with JJJ Griffith. During periods of ducting, and at times without ducting, the JJJ service has at times wiped the KLFM signal out in Bendgio. Even as you say 300 Kms away. This has been raised with ACMA several times, but in there eyes, “the computer says no” and they don’t seem to think it can happen. Recordings and signal measurements prove that the JJJ Griffith signal has a clear path to Bendigo and causes KLFM all sorts of reception problems. Then again, JJJ at 250 Kw compared to KLFM at 1.6 Kw, even so, way to much power (more than needed) for JJJ Griffith.

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Great report. Thanks.

What type of receiver are you using?

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JJJ Griffith is 100kw, but still, that’s pretty impressive!

What about a frequency change for KLFM. 95.7 was allocated to SBS Bendigo but wasn’t on air when i was there in June. That would be free from Griffith interference, far enough away from Nhill as well?

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The SBS 95.7 licence was held by the City of Greater Bendigo under the self help option. They let the licence lapse in 2015. We have suggested (on numerous) occasions, a change of frequency. In fact, our file at ACMA regarding interference from JJJ MIA dates back to 1998, full of listener reception complaints, field strength measurements, ACMA (former ABA) even got us to turn off our TX for 60 minutes and take signal readings from JJJ MIA around Bendigo . They were shocked at how strong the signal was in Bendigo. Their answer, more power. They upped our specs from 500 w Vertical to 1.6 Kw mixed, (which we did) but more power is never the solution to such a problem and we still suffer the same problem. 24 years on, continued complaints from listeners and the station and no doubt a filing cabinet full of documentation, even as recent as 2020 and still not a word from ACMA to solve the problem. We give up (tongue in cheek) as we have given them plenty of options (including a frequency change) and plenty of time (24 years) and we still wait for an answer. One of the most frustrating problem we (KLFM) have ever faced, but we live in hope, that maybe in another 24 years they might make a decision to help and do something about it.

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The radio I use is the Gospell GR-216 MW, SW and FM. The GR-216 is a bit more expensive but also does digital DRM in all modes and of course RDS on FM. It has excellent sensitivity and selectivity, along with very detailed reception stats, see pics x 2. Also separate antennae inputs for MW, SW and FM along with the telescopic for FM and internal for MW and SW. Stereo Line Outs as well (RCA) with excellent audio quality. Has inbuilt transformer for 230 volt power or 12 volt input. It is a wonderful receiver to use.

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They can be really unhelpful at times at the ACMA. I know other members have posted similar experiences of reception issues at their community stations with very little in the way of outcomes. Good luck.

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This is Edge FM Wangaratta.

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Edge FM Wangaratta is on 102.1. The station on 101.3 there is community station Oak FM.

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If 101.3 was mirroring Edge Deniliquin, it’s more likely to be Mixx FM Horsham - Ace share music logs across its FMs.

Would say this is Mildura. As of at least earlier this year this used to be oldies station Old Gold but appears the website and stream is no longer. Ashley Thorburn holds this licence along with 1359 AM (leased to RSN): wonder if it has been leased to Rete Italia/Niche Radio?

2ME Melbourne

Islamic Voice Radio Melbourne

Would be curious to know if you had any success with any of the other Melbourne-wide FMs (SYN 90.7, Nova 100.3, KIIS 101.1, Fox 101.9, 3RRR 102.7, 3MBS 103.5, Gold 104.3, ABC Classic 105.9, Triple J 107.5): I’ve been able to pick up some of these with the car radio when in/around Bendigo.

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The allocation of 105.1 to Life Fm in Bendigo has always been a weird one as well being so close to Melbourne

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Where did you buy that from?

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I was only ever able to get Melbourne stations in the higher parts of Bendigo.

Reception from Melbourne into Ballarat is better, and naturally better again into Geelong.

In Traralgon, I could only get the ABC stations, and in Shepparton, pretty much nothing at all.

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I have received Melbourne DAB from the western (Bendigo) side of Lake Eppalock, but yes reception in Bendigo city is poor to non-existent. There’s also Phoenix FM 106.7, co-channelled with PBS FM.

The problem with western Victoria is that it is almost dead flat once you get west of Bendigo, and northwards is no better due to the Riverina and Hay plains. This allows signals (and weather systems) to reach Bendigo unimpeded. I am wondering if you’d fair much better with 95.7; I have received 3ABCRN Nhill as far east as The Rock NSW on the car radio. Tropo enhanced to be sure, but Bendigo is a lot closer to Nhill than that.

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They are available from Tescun Radios in Sydney. www.tescunradios.com.au as mentioned, the GR-216 is a bit pricey but plenty of bang for buck. It would have to the best receiver I have ever encountered especially for selectivity. I have Gold C.V. on 98.3 with 250 watts and I’m about 7 Kms from the site, and still able to receive 98.5 One FM from shepparton with no splatter from 98.3. I have quite a few decent radios, but none can achieve this. Ohh, and I love being able to receive DRM. Very impressive especially when the ABC were running DRM on 747 KHz from Wangarratta, very high quality Audio, I also listen to the BBC World Service DRM on Shortwave 17720 Khz from 18:00 to 19:00 daily Local Eastern time from their Singapore Transmitter.

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Also strange they gave 3PFM (phoenix FM) on 106.7, Melbourne’s 3PBS frequency.

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