Just noticed that Queenstown’s new licence has been allocated on 95.3. Anyone know when they plan on testing? Or is it one of those licences that will be allocated for years before broadcasting.
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With 7XS, who knows… given the small population there but a certainty to be SEA FM with programming to be the same as Burnie and Devonport.
I think there was discussion that it was always going to be a relay of some description. Just not sure from what market. Sea FM seems a bit silly down there. Chilli although not a great name would be better suited.
See what happens!
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Queenstown isn’t that far inland, only 40 kms from Strahan which is almost on the coast, and will have a 103.5 FM relay for the new station there too.
Being inland didn’t stop SCA from using the SEA name in some shape or form in Warragul, and heaven forbid, even Toowoomba!
That was under the RG Capital ownership when they used that brand. After MRR acquired RG stations (along with DMG’s regional stations), the station was rebranded to Star FM.
My understanding is that the new Licence on the Tasmanian West Coast will carry Kix Country.
Reasonably easy to just take an Off Air feed of Mt Wellington’s DAB KIX Country at Mt Owen and have the Strahan and Mt Reid services take an off air feed of that.
Experience tells me the demographics out west would appreciate KIX rather than Sea.
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It would need some local Queenstown area content though?
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Exactly, and it would be difficult (though not impossible) to incorporate local advertising into it as well to be able to monetize more effectively.
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Though in Toowoomba (and Dalby/Kingaroy), the official branding was “C FM”.
I think the Warragul licence area takes in places such as Inverloch, Kilcunda, and Phillip Island so no foul there.
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Has anyone thought more about 2LM’s conversion? I don’t think they’ll be able to transmit from Mount Nardi at high power unless the FM band in SEQ/NE NSW undergoes a full restack.
The only other alternative would be to switch on three lower powered translators at Lismore, Byron Bay, and Ballina. I think this will provide adequate coverage, together with the existing translator at Kyogle (104.3).
Lismore: 105.1 MHz; 1 kW ERP
Byron Bay: 93.7 MHz; 500 watts ERP
Ballina: 102.7 MHz; 1 kW ERP (poss. DA to protect Hot Tomato).
This would involve a lot of retuning for the listener but at least it will be somewhat sequential apart from Byron Bay.
Isn’t that for 2MW/Radio 97?
Yes, you’re right. I don’t go up that way that often (and they’re often both on Super Network programming anyway).
So is Mullumbimby also in the 2LM licence area?
It is - the Murwillumbah LAP overlaps from just south of Byron Bay heading north
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OK, here’s my revised plan:
Lismore: 105.1 MHz; 1 kW ERP
Ballina/Byron: 102.7 MHz; 1 kW ERP; poss DA to protect Hot Tomato. Tx location somewhere around Knockrow.
Mullumbimby/Brunswick Heads: 106.7 MHz; 200 watts ERP.
I doubt 1kw would be enough?
105.1 could be 10kw maybe more, unlikely to interfere with 104.9 Southern Downs, Canungra or Sunshine Coast, and is probably far enough away from Kempsey and Glen Innes?
2ZZZ runs 32 kW DA from Mt. Nardi; you’d probably want at least 25 kW, preferably 30 kW, for the 2LM service.
You might get away with a sharply directional tx on 105.1 (or 106.7). Most of the ERP would go eastwards to serve Ballina/Byron and Mullumbimby. A large null in the direction of Glen Innes, and a smaller one in the direction of Kempsey, would be required. How far west does the 2LM licence area go, and can this be served by the existing 2LM/t on 104.3?
A more conservative approach would involve two (or three) lower powered transmitters as expounded above.
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The licence area goes as far west as Tabulam (where it was recently affected by a bushfire that destroyed a number of homes). As for whether it can be served by the existing 2LM’s FM translator from Kyogle, it’s about 60km away as the crow flies, so given its maximum ERP of 1kW DA, I’m not too sure. 
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That’s a fair distance and the Tabulam region probably wouldn’t be covered adequately. That said, 2LM Kyogle is an overachiever and can be heard in the higher parts of Dorrigo.
A novel approach would be to use LPON transmitters to cover small towns at the edge of a licence area (this is done in NZ). This goes against the spirit of the LPON scheme, though, and might open the floodgates (not that it isn’t unsullied now, though).
The 2GN conversion also has issues on its ‘western front’. An interference issue that has been overlooked so far is possible adjacent channel interference from Yass on 107.9. If this map is correct, Goulburn RA1 extends to the Mundoonen Range which is very close to the 107.9 tx site at Mount Manton.
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Yes, the map on the link above matches that of the ACMA licence area for Goulburn RA1. In the direction of Yass, 2GN is proposed to transmit at 17.5kW. The distance from Mt Manton (TX site for 107.9 Sky Sports Radio from Yass) to the boundary of Goulburn RA1 at Mundoonen Range is only 7km.
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A bigger issue than the co-channel interference with 2GO imo and importantly, will occur within the Goulburn licence area.
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