2CHY is operating on a legacy frequency, inconsistent with the channel spacing used in the region, so it’s possible the ACMA might ask them to move in order to accomodate a higher powered 2GF.
As it stands, 2GF 103.9 and 2CHY 104.1 are about equal strength around Halfway Creek, which is likely near the border of the Coffs and Grafton commercial radio licence areas. I’m not sure if the 2CHY licence area goes up that far (it may only go to about Woolgoolga).
Its licence area (Coffs Harbour RA2) goes as far north as Arrawarra.
FM1047 (no point I believe).
As for 2RE, I wonder if the TCBL goes and 2RE is given 106.5?
Rhema will be about as amenable as the TAB regarding frequency reassignments even if they do have a TCBL.
After a bit of thinking & research, I would also suggest 91.1 & 91.9 as other possible frequencies for the proposed 2RE converted FM service.
EDIT: Scratch the 91.9 idea, as I’ve just realised it’s been reserved for an ABC service in Port Stephens, which is yet to go to air.
Common sense would dictate that you avoid moving existing services first. The ACMA have to vary the LAPs anyway to accommodate the converted licences so it would be trivial to make variations to proposed services. This has actually been done with the proposed ABC service at Genoa (re. the 2XL conversion).
On Taree, I reckon the proposed Rebel service for Cabbage Tree Mountain (Forster) should move to 93.9 MHz (currently 94.1 MHz) and Rebel Barrington Tops to 92.1 MHz (from 93.7).
Looks like 900 7AD switch off is imminent. When I went to lunch at 11:40ish they were playing Tasmania Talks and since about 12 I reckon they have been playing a constant audio loop saying the time to switch is now to FM, same music, same announcers just a new frequency etc…
And also for a 2WAY repeater at Laurieton
Is that really necessary? 2MC have a repeater down there on 90.3 but coverage on 100.7 is very adequate. Hit do not have a repeater on air in Laurieton (Camden Haven), nor is there one proposed in the Kempsey LAP.
A bit of nitpicky housekeeping with this thread- I think it should be renamed ‘AM to FM Conversions In Solus Markets’. What do the mods think?
As requested I have generated through Nautel some additional coverage maps for the 2GN fm conversion. These are to check for adjacent channel interference from Sky Sports Radio Yass on the west boarder of the Goulburn Licence area, and also if 97.9mhz could be used instead of 107.7 for 2GN.
Looking at the projected coverage of 2GN fm at 17.5kW towards Yass, and the 100w Yass Sky Sports Radio service on 107.9, splatter from SKY Sports radio could occur around Jerrawa and Gundaroo on the western boarder of the LA, but if does not look like it will be severe.
Lastly the media spy alternative frequency of 97.9 for 2GN could be used without causing co-channel interference to 2VLR. The coverage of 2VLR goes a little way south of Cowra, so if 2GN was to use 97.9 it may need to have some restriction in that direction only. However it still could broadcast at 40kw in all other directions to give similar specs to Eagle fm, and avoid potential co-channel interference from 2GO.
Thanks for those.
I thought Sky Sports Radio was using a little more than 100 watts at Yass. Unless the interference spreads as far as, say, Gunning (a sizeable town), the ACMA aren’t going to care all that much. They subtly hint at the issue by referring to possible coverage loss on the western boundary, as posted by TV_Expert a while back.
I still think using first adjacent channels in adjacent licence areas isn’t a good idea and violates the ACMA’s own planning principles.
97.9 remains a better alternative imo. To compensate for the power limitation to the NW to protect Forbes, the 106.1 Crookwell translator could increase power and move to a better site.
I did the calculations, it is 229km from Goulburn to Parkes so there would have to be restrictions in that direction for our proposed 2GN Fm frequency of 97.9.
The proposed 107.7 frequency is at 35Kw in that direction, so if 97.9 was to be used it would have to be around 20kw based on car coverage projections to avoid interference in the Parkes coverage area. So the Crookwell translator would need to be switched on for 2GN.
Though you have the Great Dividing Range to provide some protection in that direction.
That is true about the Great Diving Range. My 40KW car coverage projection for 97.9 put some very weak car coverage near the start of the Parkes licence area. That is why I dropped it down to 20kw. To conservative??
It is already on-air.
Another one of similar distance is Sydney to Taree for 107.3 2SER / Max fm.
2SER is at 25KW in that direction. So probably could get away with a higher ERP of 20kw for 97.9 towards Parkes then.
On paper perhaps, in reality I suspect a lot less. Community stations often broadcast below spec.
2SER reception here in Newcastle is considerably poorer than that of MAX, which is only 10kw and further away (though probably at a higher elevation).
The existing cochannel on 95.5 at Parkes with Wagga wouldn’t be all that much further separated than Parkes and Goulburn either. Both of those are high power. They do cross over somewhere between West Wyalong and Temora.
Yes it’s on air but it has pretty poor coverage. It basically only covers Crookwell town and its immediate surrounds with any strength. It’s 100 w ERP omnidirectional from ‘Hay Street Reservoir’ which is within Crookwell’s town limits.
Crookwell is in a valley with the higher hills of the Great Dividing Range surrounding the town. The 2 watt ABC stations transmit from Wades Hill which is on the western side of town with a good view across the district. 2GN could move to this site with perhaps 500 watts DA to the W/NW to better cover the NW flank of its licence area.
There is also an Eagle FM translator on 103.7, also from Hay Street.
Yes, I have noted co-channel interference on 95.5 north of West Wyalong before too.
