AM and FM DX

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361

I can receive a fair few local ABC AM stations with decent reception at night including 612, 666, 774, 891 and a number of regionals, but don’t really pay much attention to them because it’s probably a nightly/very regular thing.

In this location, 900AM seems to be a mixture of 7AD Devonport, 2LT Lithgow and 2LM Lismore from my observations of this frequency.

I’ve caught Cruise 1323 in Sydney before with reception certainly not anywhere near local strength, but just enough to clearly make out what the station was. I think I managed to get a very weak signal of FIVEaa (sounded like commercial talk programing rather than ABC programing, as far as I could tell) on 1395 a few weeks back, but not really a listenable or useable signal.

I’ve never tried for 1197 5RPH, but I strongly doubt that it’s signal would make it over here. Then again, you guys down in Melbourne probably don’t get any of the AM stations from regional Queensland or Northern NSW that I’ve managed to hear in Sydney at night!

362

very true. I don’t think I’ve ever got anything from Queensland although many years ago I could get 2VM from Moree quite okay but like I said that was a very long time ago.

I did once hear racing on 1008 and thought for a split second I’d managed to get 4TAB from Brisbane but then I realised it was 1008 from Launceston!

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363

FIVEaa did come in once like a local,

I did also get 2HC 639 from Coffs Harbor in last night too.

364

Had a chance to test out the radio in an '07 Mazda3: no RDS, but did manage to get a few pickups on the FM band.

FM Bandscan **FM Bandscan** near-Sydenham, Melbourne, Victoria 2.50pm-3.10pm
87.6 Middle East Radio Essendon Airport Local quality, mono
88.0 LBC Radio Campbellfield Local-to-medium quality, mono
88.3 Southern FM Moorabbin Local quality, stereo
88.6 Plenty Valley FM Yarrambat Local quality, stereo
88.9 WYN FM Hoppers Crossing Local quality, stereo
89.3 KIX Country Geelong Local quality, stereo
89.9 89.9 LightFM Mt. Dandenong, Melbourne Local quality, stereo
90.3 triple j Mt. Alexander, Bendigo Local quality, stereo
91.1 ABC Central Victoria Mt. Alexander, Bendigo Local quality, mono
91.9 Star FM Mt. Alexander, Bendigo Local quality, stereo
92.3 3ZZZ Mt. Dandenong, Melbourne Local quality, stereo
92.7 ABC Classic FM Mt. Alexander, Bendigo Local quality, stereo
93.1 SBS Radio 2 Mt. Dandenong, Melbourne Local quality, stereo
93.5 3BO FM Mt. Alexander, Bendigo Local quality, stereo
93.9 Bay 93.9 Murradoc Hill, Geelong Local quality, stereo
94.1 3WBC Box Hill Local quality, stereo
94.3 ABC NewsRadio Lookout Hill, Ballarat Medium quality, mono
94.7 The Pulse Murradoc Hill, Geelong Local quality, stereo
94.9 JOY 94.9 Melbourne Local quality, stereo
95.1 ABC NewsRadio Mt. Tassie, Latrobe Valley Local quality, mono
95.3 95 3SR FM Mt. Major, Goulburn Valley Local quality, stereo
95.5 K rock 95.5 Murradoc Hill, Geelong Local quality, stereo
95.7 Golden Days Radio Caulfield East Local quality, stereo
96.1 ABC Classic FM Mt. Major, Goulburn Valley Local quality, stereo
96.3 96three FM Murradoc Hill, Geelong Local quality, stereo
96.5 Inner FM Heidelberg Local quality, stereo
96.7 triple j Mt. Tassie, Latrobe Valley Local quality, stereo
96.9 Star FM Mt. Major, Goulburn Valley Local quality, stereo
97.1 3MDR Emerald Local quality, stereo
97.4 Stereo 974 Brooklyn Local quality, stereo
97.7 3SER Narre Warren Medium quality, mono
97.9 979fm Melton Local quality, stereo
98.1 Eastern FM Ringwood East Local quality, stereo
98.5 Apple FM Bacchus Marsh Local quality, stereo
98.9 North West FM Glenroy Local quality, stereo
99.1 Yarra Valley FM Coldstream Local quality, stereo
99.3 Sunbury Radio Sunbury Local quality, stereo
99.5 Vision Australia Radio Geelong Local quality, stereo
100.3 Nova 100 Mt. Dandenong, Melbourne Local quality, stereo
100.7 Highlands FM Mt. Macedon Local quality, stereo
101.1 KIIS 1011 Mt. Dandenong, Melbourne Local quality, stereo
101.5 Fresh FM Mt. Alexander, Bendigo Local quality, stereo
101.9 Fox FM Mt. Dandenong, Melbourne Local quality, stereo
102.3 3BA Lookout Hill, Ballarat Medium quality, stereo
102.7 3RRR Mt. Dandenong, Melbourne Local quality, stereo
103.1 Power FM Lookout Hill, Ballarat Medium quality, stereo
103.5 3MBS Mt. Dandenong, Melbourne Local quality, stereo
104.3 Gold 104.3 Mt. Dandenong, Melbourne Local quality, stereo
105.1 Triple M Mt. Dandenong, Melbourne Local quality, stereo
105.9 ABC Classic FM Mt. Dandenong, Melbourne Local quality, stereo
106.3 flow fm Mt. St. Leonard, Healesville Average quality, mono
106.7 PBS 106.7FM Mt. Dandenong, Melbourne Local quality, stereo
107.1 triple j Lookout Hill, Ballarat Local-to-medium quality, stereo
107.5 triple j Mt. Dandenong, Melbourne Local quality, stereo
107.9 107.9 ABC Ballarat Lookout Hill, Ballarat Medium quality, stereo

Highlights for that location are NewsRadio and triple j from Mount Tassie, as well as the strength of KIX Country and Vision Australia Radio from Geelong.

2 Likes
365

Excellent to get the Shepparton stations so clear as well. I’ve only ever had very faint reception of 3SR and Star from within Melbourne.

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366

I’ve had the Mount Major stations in before, but never at local quality. Can probably thank both the weather and the selectivity in the Mazda for that.

Forgot to put this in the table: 103.3 triple j from Mount Baranduda came in at medium quality for a good couple of minutes before fading back out again - probably snuck through underneath 3MBS’ light classical music, whereas every other station is blocked out by Melbourne frequencies.

367

Another reason for that… the Dividing Range.

It goes the other way too… have noticed in the past that the major Melbourne FM stations usually fade out on the Hume by the time you get near Seymour.

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368

Brisbane has had a couple of days of good troppo. Today, the Wide Bay area is coming in quite strong along with the usual suspects like Hot 89.1, Crow FM on 90.7 Can tune MIX FM and Sea FM wide wide band setting despite proximity to Brisbane stations. Hot FM Rockhampton on 107.9 just managing to light the stereo indicator at the moment along with the ABC’s from Mt Hopeful.

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369

Coverage north from Mt Dandenong is terrible due to the terrain. Do commercial FMs throw 56kW ERP north?

370

Yes they do… The only nulls are

2kw north east (towards the Yarra Ranges to protect Flow’s area)
2kw east (towards Gippsland to protect 3GG/Star).
16kw south west towards Geelong (to protect Bay/K-Rock).

Full specs here

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2013C00383

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371

3FOX was loud and clear in Ocean Grove.

372

The current Voice of Islam TCBL on 107.9 is shockingly overmodulated, splattering all over 2GO on my (good) car radio.

373

My car radio picked up the 91.6 Sydney TCBL via ‘seek’ tuning yesterday just north of Lake Munmorah (which is about 120 kms by road from Sydney).

374

2CR China Radio are on 91.6 now. This broadcast features very low modulation as usual, like a poor quality internet stream. Reception on 91.5 and 91.7 is still possible with some splash.

375

Blue Mountains (Mount Victoria) FM band scan:
Freq - Callsign - Area Served - Signal strength (out of 70)
107.9 - 2ICE - Lithgow - 54
107.7 - 2GGO - Gosford - 26
107.5 - 2OCB - Orange - 7
107.3 - 2SER - Sydney - 35
107.1 - 2WPR - Central Western Slopes - 0
106.9 - 2VOX or 2XXX - Wollongong or Newcastle - 7 (Playing “All You Need Is Love” by The Beatles)
106.7 - Racing HPON - Orange - 18
106.5 - 2WFM - Sydney - 49
106.3 - 2PNN - Central Western Slopes - 2
106.1 - 2ABCFM - Newcastle - 14
105.9 - 2GZF - Orange - 19
105.7 - 2JJJ - Sydney - 50
105.5 - 2ABCFM - Central Western Slopes - 2
105.3 - 2NEW - Newcastle - 9
105.1 - 2OAG - Orange - 19
104.9 - 2MMM - Sydney - 42
104.7 - Nothing
104.5 - 2GOS - Gosford - 23
104.3 - 2ABCRN - Orange - 24
104.1 - 2DAY - Sydney - 45
103.9 - Nothing
103.7 - 2NUR - Newcastle - 0 (but sounded fine)
103.5 - 2CCB - Orange - 11
103.2 - 2CBA - Sydney - 53
102.9 - 2KKO - Newcastle - 9
102.7 - 2ABCFM - Orange - 27
102.5 - 2MBS - Sydney - 50
102.3 - 2JJJ - Central Western Slopes - 0 (listenable)
102.1 - 2JJJ - Newcastle - 16
101.9 - 2JJJ - Orange - 24
101.7 - 2UUS - Sydney - 52
101.5 - Nothing
101.3 - 2CFM - Gosford - 31
101.1 - 2LT - Katoomba - 26
100.9 - HPON - Bathurst - 35
100.7 - 2WOW - Penrith - 13
100.5 - 2RPH - Newcastle or Sydney (both on same freq.) - 32
100.3 - 2MCR - Campbelltown - 14
100.1 - 2BCB - Bathurst - 26
99.9 - 2SWR - Blacktown - 29
99.7 - 2SSR - Sutherland - 15
99.5 - 2ICE - Katoomba - 28
99.3 - 2BXS - Bathurst - 39
99.1 - 2UUS - Richmond - 20
98.9 - 2JJJ - Wollongong - 27
98.7 - Nothing
98.5 - 2OOO - Sydney - 46
98.3 - Nothing
98.1 - 2WIN - Wollongong - 12
97.9 - 2GEE - Kandos - 0 (listenable)
97.7 - 2SBSFM - Sydney - 56
97.5 - 2ABCFM - Bathurst (City) - 0 (listenable)
97.3 - 2ILA - Illawarra - 27
97.1 - Very weak, sounded like pop music
96.9 - 2SYD - Sydney - 56
96.7 - 2ABCRN - Bathurst (City) - 0 (very weak)
96.5 - 2UUL - Wollongong - 13
96.3 - 2CCC - Gosford - 7
96.1 - 2ONE - Katoomba - 38
95.9 - 2JJJ - Bathurst (City) - 0 (listenable)
95.7 - 2ABCFM - Wollongong - 27
95.5 - Nothing
95.3 - 2PTV - Sydney - 56
95.1 - Nothing
94.9 - 2WSK - Nowra - 21
94.7 - 2MCE - Orange - 0 (listenable)
94.5 - 2FBI - Sydney - 49
94.3 - Nothing
94.1 - 2CR - Portland/Wallerawang - 28
93.9 - Nothing
93.7 - 2LND - Sydney - 50
93.5 - Mix of 2DBO and 2SNO - Dubbo/Goulburn - 0
93.3 - 2SNR - Gosford - 5
93.1 - Nothing
92.9 - 2ABCFM - Sydney - 58
92.7 - 2ZOO - Dubbo - 0 (listenable)
92.5 - 2ABCRN - Portland/Wallerawang - 28
92.3 - 2MCE - Bathurst (City) - 4
92.1 - 2MFM - Sydney - 50
91.9 - 2PNN - Orange - 2
91.6 - TCBL - Sydney - 29
91.3 - 2PNN - Lithgow (City) - 24
91.1 - Nothing
90.9 - 2PNN - Wollongong - 28
90.7 - Nothing
90.5 - 2EZY - Lithgow (City) - 29
90.3 - 2MWM - Manly (South) - 2
90.1 - 2NBC or 2BS - Narwee or Sofala - 20
89.9 - 2VTR - Windsor - 29
89.7 - 2RES or HPON? - Waverley or Lithgow - 27
89.5 - Nothing
89.3 - 2GLF - Liverpool - 13
89.1 - 2BLU - Katoomba - 23
88.9 - 2RSR - Sydney (Inner) - 18
88.7 - 2MWM - Manly (North) - 8
88.5 - 2RRR - Ryde - 24
88.3 - 2UUS - Camden - 5
88.1 - 2RDJ - Burwood - 6
88.0 - Nothing
87.8 - Vision FM - 23
87.6 - Arabic LPON - 7

The furthest signals came from the Central Western Slopes (275 km away) and Dubbo (215 km away).

Interestingly, the stations that are supposed to be local (e.g. 101.1 and 99.5) are weaker than the Sydney stations, some 90 km away.

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376

I’d probably say that there’s a 99% chance of it being Vox FM Wollongong. I really couldn’t imagine Newcastle’s SCA “Hits & Old School” station NXFM playing a song from The Beatles, that would freak out their listeners! :stuck_out_tongue:

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377

Great report!
Looks like you had a reasonably unobstructed opening in each direction?

Interesting that 2DAY and 2MMM were the weakest of your Sydney commercial FMers, and even weaker than 2OOO !!

Up here at Charlestown, my typical max signal reading outdoors have 2DAY/2MMM as the strongest at 42db, then Nova/Smooth at 39db and WS/KiIIS at 35db. 92.9 Classic FM also at 39db, 97.7 SBS at 37db, but 105.7 JJJ only 33db. By comparison 2OOO up here is only about 15db. 2SER is even worse at about 7db.

I am a bit surprised you got KOFM instead of 2ST on 102.9, given you got VOX from Wollongong, that you got NEW FM instead of Hot Country.

378

Yes, I was on a dirt track (Victoria Falls Road) on the top of a ridge with the trees cleared away.

102.9 might have been 2ST, actually. I’m not really sure. The song that was playing was “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson.

I can post up a video of the band scan.

2 Likes
379

Some tropo in Sydney this afternoon?

Got these stations driving on the M5 around Liverpool:

106.7 - Racing Radio HPON - Orange
105.9 - 2GZF - Orange
105.5 - 2SBSFM - Canberra
105.1 - 2OAG - Orange
104.3 - 2ABCRN - Orange
103.9 - 2PB - Canberra
103.5 - An ABC station - maybe 2BA Batemans Bay?
102.7 - 2ABCFM - Orange
102.3 - Mix of 2ABCFM - Canberra (dominant) and 2JJJ - Central Western Slopes
101.9 - 2JJJ - Orange
101.5 - 2JJJ - Canberra
98.7 - 2ABCFM - Manning River
97.9 - 2ABCFM - Grafton
97.1 - 2ABCRN - Manning River
92.7 - 1ART - Canberra
92.3 - 2MRR - Grafton
91.5 - 2JJJ - Grafton

I’ll post the video from my recent Blue Mountains band scan shortly.

1 Like
380

Blue Mountains band scan video:

Part 1:

Part 2: