2GN now running their switch off loop message on AM.
“If you are still listening to us on AM 1368, you’ll need to retune your radio now - to Forever Classic GN FM 107.7. Its easy to do, press the FM button on your receiver and scan to 107.7. If you have any issues please call our hotline on …… it sounds so much better in FM stereo, no matter where you are in Southern Tablelands.”
Closes with a snip of Queen’s “Radio Ga Ga”.
I love hearing those loops via DX - if I switch my radio to 107.7 here in Brisbane I hear something very different!
I felt the same way when I heard the 4BK switch off message on 1296 AM at home in Newcastle in 1989 …. as it wasn’t long after NEW FM started also on 105.3.
I was thinking how it was weird that only months earlier there were no stations on 105.3, and then we had 2 new ones in quick succession.
Though apparently, ‘Running Up That Hill’ by Kate Bush is getting an airing with the yoof’ atm.
I tuned into 1368 AM today when leaving Goulburn.
Goneski!
It’s been switched off, as I think it’s been 4 weeks today since they moved to FM.
So I caught the loop just in time then.
Now with 2GN out of the way, I can try for Village Radio Tauranga and Today FM Napier, both on 1368.
I just googled it ;
Is there history why some locations have two frequencies one AM the other FM in NZ? 1368 AM is the main freq but 106.3 FM just supplement to the west of Hawkes Bay? More FM only has one freq there on 88.7. I am guessing the AM is more legacy and FM was added later. It is the same spec looking at this website ie 3.98kw.
http://radiostationworld.com/locations/new_zealand/north_island/hawkes_bay/radio_stations/
It was early 1990. I hared 4BK when I was in Sydney in December 1989 and was surprised how much they sounded like FOX FM or 2DAY FM even though they were on the AM band, so I assumed that they would convert to FM. I picked them up again when I was in the Gold Coast in early 1990, on AM only. Later that year, when I was back in Melbourne, I picked up their switch-off loop. All I can remember was that they were called B105 and that it ended with the words “Great rock’n’roll.”
Speaking of the Gold Coast, 4GG must have been one of the first, (Was it the first?), commercial stations to convert from AM to FM in Australia.
4BK loopo @ 22:37 4GGG opening @25:10 plus @29:28 and moe
Yes, as far as I know, 4GG was the first commercial AM station to convert to FM.
Yes as far as I know that’s true.
Was 4MK the first commercial AM station to get an FM translator (at Airlie Beach)? I’m not sure of the year but pretty sure it was in the 80s.
Yes, that is correct. The 4MK FM translator at Airlie Beach went to air in October 1985.
Great, thanks. Yeah 4MK was a bit of a powerhouse station during the 80s. It was well-known throughout Queensland. I was in high-school in Maryborough at the time and used to pick it up pretty well at night. It seemed a lot more polished and ahead of its time than my local stations 4MB and (especially) 4BU at the time. Although 4GY was pretty polished too.
It was a bit earlier than that, but not by much. I was there in August 1985 and it was on air then, but i think it had only just gone to air.
As there was an article in the local paper about how it had impacted on MVQ-6 reception for some residents.
Now that 2RE is on 88.9 FM, will it stay on 1557 AM?
I don’t believe so… I think 7SD Scottsdale is the only ‘conversion’ where AM will stay on air alongside the FM simulcast.
Speaking of which, I’ve noticed on their Facebook page that they have now displayed a new logo, as seen below:
I’ve checked on an online AM receiver at Forster this morning & 2RE is still broadcasting on 1557AM. Given that 2RE had been broadcasting on FM for about 6 months now, it’s like the longest AM-FM simulcast, given that it was planned that 2RE would switch off AM within 4 weeks of officially converting to FM.
Also, 7SD is not the only ‘conversion’ where AM stays on air alongside FM. The others include 5RM & 5CC. 5CS is basically an AM relay of 5AU FM.
What all of those stations have in common is that they’re owned by ARN (Grant Broadcasters at the time of each station’s conversions).
About 2RE on 88.9, honestly I’m suprised that I had not logged it yet via Tropo due to last Tropo season being quiet. If we do get a good Tropo opening next summer, maybe I would receive it (assuming I can null out Braidwood)
I have had Max 107.3 clearly down here so 2RE should make it. I think it may occasionally interfere with Braidwood FM in Bungendore.
And are also small markets by population, with that population spread quite thin over a large area that doesn’t lend itself well to FM coverage from a single site. Other markets that could be in the same boat include Broken Hill and Griffith.
In the LAP, it says that the AM frequency can only simulcast for 28 days. This is the legislative document, so should be correct.
However, in the ACMA database there has been no special condition applied to the AM frequency noting this as is usually the case for these conversions. For example 2GN is still showing the AM frequency but with a not saying it’s only valid until 28 days until after conversion.
