AM and FM DX

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7812

I’ve emailed the ARN NSW/ACT Tech manager about 2ST Southern Highlands with all your thoughts & findings, & he’s passed my feedback onto the local tech & the ARN Head of Engineering for their thoughts, so we’ll see what, if anything I get back from ARN or if the signal improves.

Update: ARN have got back to me, apparently 2ST 102.9 is running at half power with a new transmitter to be installed soon, the NSW/ACT Tech manager didn’t realise it had been down so long, he’s only been with ARN a few months, he said it should be back to full 2kW power in the near future.

8 Likes
7813

Seems less than half power (1KW ). My hunch was correct, thank you again @RFBurns for following up.

4 Likes
7814

Not exactly DX, but I can see the 2RSR 88.9 TX from my hotel room (brown building with white turrets on top of the roof next to Town Hall in pic below). So only about 250 metres away.

But the best signal I can get on my Tecsun radio is 52db, good but well short of my personal record, which is 71db.

Perhaps I am too close, or maybe the signal is projected more down than up?

20230413_151259
20230413_1512591920×1080 411 KB

4 Likes
7815

I am assuming you mean the taller building? To the left of that is St. Andrews House which houses St. Andrews Cathedral School. There’s definitely not a transmitter on top of that :wink:

I thought 2RSR transmitted from the Town Hall itself.

If I was still at St Andrews I’d sabotage the tx as a ‘muck up day’ prank…all in the name of getting Braidwood FM crystal clear :smiley:

1 Like
7816

Yes the taller building (apologies if that was not clear).

3 Likes
7817

After a quiet an windy couple of weeks some enhancement today from north up to Rockhampton.

1 Like
7818

I went for a drive to the Upper Hunter today past all the mining TXs - some interesting observations.

Bulga, Glendell, Lidell and Ravensworth mining TXs all on air broadcasting the services as listed by ACMA (as they have been for a while now).

Mt Warkworth NOT on air (yet) - these only appeared in the ACMA listings a few months ago (they are 2VLY Power FM 94.5, 2JJJ 95.3 and 2HVR 96.1 ABC Local Radio)

Mangoola was an interesting one - they appeared to be on different frequencies to that listed by the ACMA - 2HVR was heard on 89.3 (not 90.5), 2NM was 90.1 (not 88.9), 2JJJ was 90.9 (not 89.7)… The car radio coverage was roughly from around Denman to just west of Muswellbrook (roughly where Mangoola is). And as there’s nothing else in the ACMA Excel April 2023 listing matching those frequencies.

2 Likes
7819

Is that rap pirate still on 89.3 in Newy?

Further west around Ulan you have Rebel 107.5 and also a 95.7 that relayed ABC Local Radio. They service the Moolarben and Wilpinjong mines respectively.

When coal mining is eventually phased out there’ll be no need for these TX’ers. I wonder if they’ll shift to wind and solar farms instead?

This is a facetious question. But nevertheless it’s unlikely, since poor reception in the open cut mines is the primary reason for the translators.

7820

Yes, that 89.3 pirate is STILL on air :expressionless:

But in some elevated suburbs such as Cardiff Heights I can get the Power FM mining TX from Bulga instead, as well as 90.1 ABC. 90.9 JJJ blocked by News Radio from the Gong though.

1 Like
7821

Some troppo from last night from south including south to 2PM 93.5 plus some Inverell signals.

1 Like
7822

2nd afternoon in a row of good WA coast FM DX. From Bunbury, all the Perth suburban stations, Jurien Bay, Lancelin, Three Springs, Dongara, Geraldton and Carnarvon (carrier trace level).

Something to get excited about… FM Stereo on 6FMS and 6SAT Jurien Bay! Still a mono programme feed, delayed few more seconds from other 6FMSs and 6SATs. 1 oopsie, during the upgrade 6FMS has been put on 104.7 and 6SAT on 103.1, wrong way around. Wasn’t like that last month.

I’m looking for info on the Perth FM replan and if these 2 station would be required to change frequencies eventually, hence this equipment upgrade. I have a feeling it is Lancelin 102.3 and 103.9 that would.be required to move.

3 Likes
7823

The bushfire smoke looks to have been shocking down there as well, being trapped in that same inversion. Collie’s air quality has been mostly in the unhealthy range for several days.

Looks like the party will be over in the west pretty soon with that front approaching. Perth will be as cold as Canberra on Anzac morning.

1 Like
7824

Yeah this will likely be the last blast for FM DX this season. Already dying off.

Re: The smoke - yes terrible. I’ve been out near Collie all weekend. This morning was bad. And it looks like dawn service in the rain this year. :disappointed:

7825

Here’s the document in question: https://www.acma.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-05/FM%20broadcasting%20services%20band%20in%20Perth%20RA1%20licence%20area_options%20paper.docx

And yes, the Lancelin services would be required to move to 102.9 & 104.5 respectively.

3 Likes
7826

That’s the one. Cheers.

I personally see a problem 100km further north in Leeman ( from a DX propagation perspective). Being able to stay on the same frequency as the proposed Perth high power stations, with only a small power increase for them selves.

7827

Some interesting weather systems promised to be moving across the east coast today. So far only delivering Rockhampton in to Brisbane from the north (without any Wide Bay enhancement).

2 Likes
7828

Now getting Gladstone commercials.

1 Like
7829

After my trip to Canberra, I’ve worked out it’s a drive whereby you can receive a station on all 100 standard FM frequencies (88.1 to 107.9 at every 0.2 mhz intervals) at some point on the Pacific / Hume highways (including DX spots at both ends in normal conditions). Some frequencies have 3 or even 4 stations that can be heard on the trip.

88.1 2RDJ Burwood
88.3 2UUS Camden, 2ABC SW Slopes
88.5 2RRR Ryde, 2PB Captains Flat
88.7 2MWM Bilgola Plateau, HPON Campbelltown, 2JJJ Goulburn, HPON Tuggeranong
88.9 2RE Taree, 2RSR Sydney City, 2BRW Braidwood
89.1 2BLU Katoomba, 2ABCRN SW Slopes
89.3 2GLF Liverpool
89.5 2ABC Goulburn, 1VLY Tuggeranong
89.7 2RES Waverley, 2PNN Bega/Cooma
89.9 2HWK Windsor, 2RVR SW Slopes
90.1 2NBC Narwee
90.3 2ABCRR Goulburn
90.5 2HD Lake Macquarie, 2CCR Parramatta
90.7 2JJJ SW Slopes
90.9 2PNN Wollongong
91.1 1CMS Canberra
91.3 2MAC Campbelltown
91.5 2PNN SW Slopes
91.7 2PNN Tamworth, 2ST Nowra
91.9 1WAY Canberra
92.1 2MFM Sydney
92.3 2YYY Young
92.5 2bL Gosford, 2MVH Moss Vale
92.7 1ART Canberra
92.9 2ABC Sydney
93.1 2WZD Wagga Wagga
93.3 2SNR Gosford, 2RPH Wollongong, 2MNO Nimmitabel
93.5 2SNO Goulburn
93.7 2LND Sydney
93.9 2ABCRN Tamworth, 2LFF Young
94.1 2CCM Gosford, 2LIV Wollongong
94.3 HPON Goulburn, 1WAY Tuggeranong
94.5 2FBI Sydney, 2RC Bega
94.7 2PNN Taree
94.9 2GCB Gosford, 2WSK Nowra
95.1 2PNN Port Stephens, 2BS Bathurst
95.3 2PTV Sydney
95.5 2MRR Taree
95.7 2ABC Wollongong
95.9 2NC Port Stephens, 2JJJ Tuggeranong
96.1 2ONE Katoomba, 2XXL Cooma
96.3 2JJJ Taree, 2CCC Gosford
96.5 2CHR Cessnock, 2UUL Wollongong, 2JJJ Griffith
96.7 TCBL Queanbeyan
96.9 2SYD Sydney, HPON Cooma
97.1 2ABCRN Taree
97.3 2OLD Lake Macquarie. 2ILA Wollongong
97.5 2HD Port Stephens, HPON Queanbeyan
97.7 2SBS Sydney, 2SKI Cooma
97.9 2ABCRN Goulburn
98.1 2VLY Muswellbrook, 2PNN Gosford, 2WIN Wollongong, 2PNN Griffith
98.3 2ABCRN Port Stephens, 2XX Canberra
98.5 2OOO Sydney
98.7 2ABC Taree
98.9 2JJJ Wollongong
99.1 2UUS Windsor, 2ABC Tuggeranong
99.3 2NSB Chatswood, 2BXS Bathurst, 2ABC Bega/Cooma
99.5 2ICE Katoomba
99.7 2RFM Newcastle, 2SSR Sutherland, 2RGF Griffith
99.9 2SSR Blacktown, 2PNN Goulburn and Tuggeranong
100.1 2HHH Hornsby, 2JJJ Bega/Cooma
100.3 2RE Forster, 2MAC Campbelltown, 2YAS Yass
100.5 2RPH Newcastle and Sydney City, 2PNN Batemans Bay, 2RVR Griffith
100.7 2WOW Penrith, HPON Goulburn, 2ROC Tuggeranong
100.9 2PSR Port Stephens, 2BAC Bankstown, HPON Bathurst, 2ABCRN Bega/Cooma
101.1 2LT Katoomba
101.3 2CFM Gosford
101.5 2GLA Forster, 2JJJ Canberra
101.7 2UUS Sydney
101.9 2ABC Batemans Bay, 2JJJ Orange *
102.1 2JJJ Newcastle
102.3 2ABC Canberra
102.5 2MBS Sydney, 2EEE Bega
102.7 2ABC Orange
102.9 2KKO Newcastle, 2ST Bowral
103.1 2ABC Tamworth
103.3 HPON Muswellbrook, 2GCR Goulburn
103.5 2BA Batemans Bay
103.7 2NUR Newcastle
103.9 2PNN Canberra
104.1 2DAY Sydney
104.3 2EEE Batemans Bay, 2ABCRN Orange *
104.5 2GOS Gosford
104.7 2BOB Taree, 2ROC Canberra
104.9 2PNN Muswellbrook, 2MMM Sydney
105,1 2ABCRN Batemans Bay, 2OAG Orange *
105.3 2NEW Newcastle
105.5 2SBS Canberra
105,7 2HVR Muswellbrook, 2JJJ Sydney
105.9 2EC Batemans Bay, 2GZF Orange *
106.1 2ABC Newcastle, 2GBN Goulburn
106.3 1MIX Canberra
106.5 2WFM Sydney
106.7 HPON Orange
106.9 2XXX Newcastle, 2VOX Wollongong
107.1 2WKT Bowral, 1MIX Tuggeranong
107.3 2MVB Taree, 2SER Sydney
107.5 2EAR Moruya.
107.7 2GGO Gosford, 2GBN Goulburn
107.9 TCBL Dungog, 2ICE Lithgow, HPON Yass

  • Can be received on opposite sides of Mt Ainslie
6 Likes
7830

That’s not really saying much. Drive for long enough and you’ll repeat that result (though 88.1’s are sparse). You’d do that easily in southern Victoria though and probably at a shorter distance, courtesy of 88.1 Leongatha. A drive from Shepparton to Phillip Island might be sufficient.

There are a few tricky frequencies that might rely on tropo though, such as 89.7.

7831

Some frequencies that would hard to do that with in southern Victoria

90.5
92.1
97.5
106.1
107.3

I think it’s harder to do than you think. But you would expect Newcastle to Canberra would have the best chance of anywhere to do that given the population in that area.

1 Like