AM and FM DX

I think that’s meant to be 88.9.

Yes, Richmond Valley Radio is on 88.9. I think the station may only also transmit in mono as well.

Yes should be 88.9 with lots of Lismore adverts tonight.

Massive signals from Wide Bay and Bundaberg in Brisbane at the moment (overload levels). Also RDS from hit107.9 Rockhampton, plus good strength from 50 w ABCs at Miriam Vale, Community station 4NAG at Yeppoon and commercial FMs 93.5 and 95.1 Gladstone. For some reason ABC from Rockhampton not present.

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Yes - Also forgot Rebel from Banana 88.9

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Wide Bay still very strong today with Gladstone, Yeppon etc still well received. I imagine all receivable while driving.

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I’m in Cowra NSW tonight. The local translators for Roccy (99.5) and 2LF (100.7) both sound like they’re fed from a low quality web stream.

There’s not much FM DX about due to a strong westerly change passing through late morning. The Cadia Mine transmitters get out fairly well in this direction. JJJ is now on 88.9 (from 96.3) and RN is now on 89.7 (from 98.7). Perhaps the former frequencies were copping IMD from Mount Canobolas? Hit (90.5) and MMM (92.9) are still there. I’m not sure if they are transmitting RDS as I don’t have my Sangean with me.

The only mystery of the day was a community station on 94.5, heard at Woodstock (no, not that one). I suspect it may be the TCBL at West Wyalong (Gold FM), though it seemingly peaked towards the SE which may indicate Braidwood. 106.1 2GN Crookwell does not get in here despite the relatively good takeoff to that direction.

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I just took a trip to Bellevue Hill where the FM translators are located. Illawarra ABCs, Power FM, 2MNO Nimmitabel and Canberra all there at good levels. Sydney FM and Snow FM were also in, at weaker levels. I will try Canberra DAB in the morning.

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2GN 106.1 seems very low powered… When I’ve been down around the Southern Highlands and Goulburn, it has been VERY hard to receive at all… it’s only on the Hume Hwy just east of the northern Goulburn exit that I’ve been able to receive it at all really.

2GN 106.1 is receivable at quite good levels travelling down Governors Hill (the northern Goulburn exit road). The only place where it’s strong outside the Southern Tablelands is atop Shooters Hill- a notable snowy locale 1354 m ASL, 25 km south of Oberon. It’s also strong a little further down the Goulburn- Oberon road just north of where it drops to the Abercrombie River.

100 watts from the town reservoir at over 900 m ASL sounds impressive, but not when peaks over 1000 m surround the town! The (2 w ERP) ABCs on 106.9 and 107.7 transmit from Wades Hill which has a much better LOS in most directions.

I tried 1580 kHz for signs of KBLA; it was trying but no real audio broke through. I was aiming into the opposite ridge of the hill where the FM txs are, though.

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Only some very minor tropo around now despite the fairly intense heat that lingers. Reception of note includes a first time getting the Murwillumbah ‘community’ station on 101.3 here in Brisbane, as well as getting Radio 97 on 104.1 from Elanora (normally JJJ Toowoomba wins out there)

Earlier this evening there was a bit more, especially down the coast. Had Zinc winning the war on 96.1 as far south as Arundel, and a bit of reception from Maryborough way. Managed to nab the 99.3/99.4/99.5 (Wide Bay/Mt Tamborine/Coffs) and 100.5/100.6/100.7 (Noosa/Mt Tamborine/Toowoomba) trifectas in the car heading north too. Though the car radio struggles to decode the RDS when there’s a strong signal only 0.1Mhz away from it

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I’ve noticed Radio 97 on 104.1 tonight as well - very unusual, but unfortunately Noosa community station is dominating 101.3 for me. Was able to drive around Brisbane bayside this afternoon with RDS on Zinc with occasional drop outs to JJJ.

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Yeah I find it’s a good indicator that something is up when Zinc is present around southern Brisbane instead of JJJ. If tropo is around I find I’m getting an RDS lock even south of Beenleigh.

Driving back from the coast tonight I had CCI to the semi-local Lismore ABC stations on both 94.5 and 96.1 even down in Nerang which is highly unusual

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I managed to hear West Wyalong’s community radio station, Gold FM, from the big hill on the north side of Young. The programming was wall-to-wall music with a quick station ID: ‘You’re listening to West Wyalong community radio 94.5 Gold FM.’

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They never popped up on the list on the car radio in January.

Agree the quality of Young translators are shocking. Roccy should be easily receivable off air from the main site at the translator.

In January, I also discovered 99.5/100.7 reach over the ridges to Grenfell. Over powered?

A bit of tropo this evening into NW Sydney from Newcastle with all stations seeking on the scan on the Digitek DAB+ / Fm tuner. KOfm the strongest of the Newies but not displaying RDS.
Central Coast Comnunity stations are being deflected away, and they are very weak.
Central Coast Commercial fm’s at normal local strength. No other enhancements so the duct must be a very short one between Sydney and Newcastle.

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I am getting pretty much the reverse here… Sydney stations are all very strong, even reasonable mono reception of 2WOW 100.7 Penrith / St Marys, which is a hard get here.

SWR FM with RDS received, though no RDS on either WSFM translator, though both seem clear enough to get it if it was there.

Nothing further south than Wollongong, which is also quite strong, not even 2BAB 92.7 St Georges Basin, which often makes an appearance here during these enhancements.

There is a duct from the Mid North Coast as well, as those stations are better than usual, but I am shaded somewhat from the north, so I don’t normally have much to report on from that direction.

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WSFM have dropped RDS on their translators so even if you had a perfect signal you would not get RDS.

Central Coast Community stations now enhanced and i98 and Wave Fm deflected by the duct, as I cannot get RDS where this is possible in normal conditions.

Newcastle Commercial / Community getting stronger but still no RDS on KO and Hit 106.9. Port Stephens translator service very faint so this duct must be a very short one between Wollongong /Sydney / Newcastle.
Any issues with tv reception in Newcastle and Wollongong?

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Newcastle DVB UHF TV was pixellating at times earlier tonight, usually an indication that Knights Hill was making its presence known. Haven’t got the telly on right now though.

Sydney VHF rock solid here tonight.

The Coff Harbour ABCs have been stronger than usual in Brisbane today and Mt Dowe high powers present tonight.

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