AM To FM Conversions

[ozbark]

@Informer

with the exception of local content on 98.1 Geraldton and a local shire operated relay of it, on 105.1 in nearby Dongara.

Good. Noted in ACMA April R&TV book callsign for 105.1 Dongara was 6FMS.
But latest ACMA Radio Register is listed as a relay of 6BAY.
(Perhaps a recent change or correction to ACMA database)

[AustralianAerial]

@Informer

I hope the Morowa locals dont get completley screwed here, not only with loss of coverage, but loss of local programming. 104.7fm is not listed as a ‘retransmission’ service indicating it may be taking the infamous low quality mono Spirit satellite feed, rather than the original 98.1 Geraldton feed, with local breakfast/mornings/afternoons and commercials.

Having a quick look at the ACMA Register brings up this entry for 104.7 FM Morowa. Looks like your suspicions may be correct - the callsign here is listed as 6SAT, which would imply the Spirit satellite service.

ACMA Register of Radiocommunications Licences (RRL)

The original 1512 AM licence is assigned the 6BAY callsign, in line with 98.1 FM Geraldton: https://web.acma.gov.au/rrl/licence_search.licence_lookup?pLICENCE_NO=1980636/1

@ozbark

Noted in ACMA April R&TV book callsign for 105.1 Dongara was 6FMS.
But latest ACMA Radio Register is listed as a relay of 6BAY.

Presumably a correction - 6FMS is the callsign for the Red FM satellite

[dxer2_2000]

thanks for the updated info. Much appreciated

[Informer]

No worries.

I should mention, for the dx fans, with 1512am now clear in WA, RN Newcastle is recieved nightly quite clearly.

[crankymedia]

@Informer

It looks like Spirit Radio have turned off their 1512am power station in Morowa and converted to 104.7fm. 1512 not heard for a few weeks now by night, nor more recently when I travelled through the Mid West region. ACMA have issued the 104.7 licence mid June.

I hope the Morowa locals dont get completley screwed here, not only with loss of coverage, but loss of local programming. 104.7fm is not listed as a ‘retransmission’ service indicating it may be taking the infamous low quality mono Spirit satellite feed, rather than the original 98.1 Geraldton feed, with local breakfast/mornings/afternoons and commercials.

This is extremely sad and frustrating.

Where was the ACMA consultation on this? If any, was it missed here? I do recall some speculation of the change, was there an ACMA weblink?

Geraldton’s original commercial licence converted to FM, leaving the mid west without a ‘local’ station.

The whole idea was for the service to relay the Geraldton program for continuation of service.

The ultimate owners of the twin Geraldton FM licences (remember this was one of the late 80’s messy conversions with a beauty parade for the new FM licence and competing licensees unviable in such a market), Batavia Coast Newspaper was acquired by WAN and hence the cost cutting began and continues with this ridiculous decision.

@Informer

had the opportunity to tune the Exmouth AM-FM conversion of 6FMS, Red FM. Ex 747am now 102.9fm. In town for 5 days… and heard 5 days of dead air! Sister station, Spirit, the station of choice on 99.7fm, uninterrupted when ever I checked. No backup tape or remote monitoring at these remote sites

WAN/Seven West on the cheap again. Typical Perth/regional divide. Poor regional WA, they’ve had bad luck for quality radio outside of Mandurah.

@Informer

with 1512am now clear in WA, RN Newcastle is recieved nightly quite clearly.

Local coverage of AM 1512 in Newcastle is often better than local radio AM 1233. Perhaps they’ve suffered with the freeway close to their earth mat like a certain station that has been awaiting a delivery of Grecian marble for the last 13+ years

Plans submitted for new 2HD and New FM studios - RadioInfo Australia

[crankymedia]

Unfortunately, I can answer my own question:

Regional Radio (non-SCA)

Page 21 at the link below has the section about Spirit Radio being assigned 104.7 in Morawa. http://acma.gov.au/~/media/Broadcast%20Carriage%20Policy/Issue%20for%20comment/27%202016/Consultation%20paper_Draft%20variation%20to%20LAPs_IFC%2027-2016%20docx.docx#_Toc465938383

Sad. More loss of services beyond metro regions.

This FM conversion plan removes highway coverage for so many locations.

[tamago_otoko]

100W for a regional site is pathetic, you won’t get meaningful coverage much more than 10km out of town. Why they can’t simply licence much higher power TXs in these locations is beyond me - it’s not like you’ve got any real concerns about overspill…

[dxer2_2000]

I think 100W will go more than 10km…& reception of 1512khz would be limited up there due to tropical static during summer & co-channel QRM from Newcastle & Asia making 1512 unlistenable.

[crankymedia]

@dxer2_2000

reception of 1512khz would be limited up there due to tropical static during summer & co-channel QRM from Newcastle & Asia making 1512 unlistenable.

Local reception within the Mid West was ample.

The site was well engineered.

It’s a huge shame, no consultation.

[RFBurns]

@crankymedia

Local coverage of AM 1512 in Newcastle is often better than local radio AM 1233. Perhaps they’ve suffered with the freeway close to their earth mat like a certain station that has been awaiting a delivery of Grecian marble for the last 13+ years

Just fell off the chair laughing at that one.

RN 1512 kHz is better in Newcastle (not much though), because the mast height is closer to suiting the 1512 kHz wavelength, the capacitance hat on top, helps extend the electrical length for ABC 1233, but it’s not a perfect match, so 1233 kHz suffers a bit.

Combined signal & shared mast for those who don’t know.

[Bergoine]

@Informer

It looks like Spirit Radio have turned off their 1512am power station in Morowa and converted to 104.7fm. 1512 not heard for a few weeks now by night, nor more recently when I travelled through the Mid West region. ACMA have issued the 104.7 licence mid June.

I hope the Morowa locals dont get completley screwed here, not only with loss of coverage, but loss of local programming. 104.7fm is not listed as a ‘retransmission’ service indicating it may be taking the infamous low quality mono Spirit satellite feed, rather than the original 98.1 Geraldton feed, with local breakfast/mornings/afternoons and commercials.

What a damn shame. Having worked for Spirit and then WAFM in Geraldton about 10 years ago, I can assure you that the service was greatly appreciated out in the North Midlands area. We used to receive regular calls when 1512AM went off air.

Unfortunately this change has been on the cards for a while, although there may have been some political pressure applied that delayed the final outcome.

Former sitting member for Moore Grant Woodhams was a vocal supporter of keeping the AM signal on air whenever WAN proposed to shut it down.

This is going to inconvenience a lot of people and give a free kick to the ABC.

[Bergoine]

WAN/Seven West on the cheap again. Typical Perth/regional divide. Poor regional WA, they’ve had bad luck for quality radio outside of Mandurah.

SCA services are well maintained. Never would we let a signal be off air for that long. Remote monitoring on all sites.

Also Hits Radio run a pretty good operation in the Gascoyne area with their Classic Hits and Hits formats. The latter is in full FM stereo compared to WAN’s low quality mono feed on RED and Spirit.

[Informer]

Unfortunately, The days of the truly independent locally operated regional radio station are numbered. A business that has to provide a great service like every other business in town, to stay afloat.

Carnarvon is a great example. A great sounding top 40 station on 99.7 FM and a great oldies station on 666 AM. 666 AM is eligible for a AM FM conversion, but the right thing has been done by the listener and maintained 666 fantastic coverage, unlike what has just happened in Morowa.

Mandurah has been mentioned as maintaining its radio independence, the only other I can think of in regional WA is Wagin. Great Southern Broadcasters with their 1422AM 6GS. I bet SCA has their eye on this one. Would fit the Triple M AM network nicely.

[Radiohead]

Isn’t 1422 a HPON as opposed to a commercial?

[littlegezzybear]

^ You beat me!

@Informer

the only other I can think of in regional WA is Wagin. Great Southern Broadcasters with their 1422AM 6GS. I bet SCA has their eye on this one. Would fit the Triple M AM network nicely

I checked the ACMA database and that is a narrowcast licence, unfortunately. Most of the programs on the station is racing according to their website.

ACMA Register of Radiocommunications Licences (RRL)

[Informer]

Ah, ok… even less radio independence in WA then!

[dxnerd]

@littlegezzybear

I checked the ACMA database and that is a narrowcast licence, unfortunately. Most of the programs on the station is racing according to their website.

I’m pretty sure 1422 AM in Wagin did have a Classic Hits format at one point. They appear to air Classic Hits on 1611 now; I wouldn’t mind betting that SCA had a quiet word about it.

[ozbark]

Some ACMA data has now appeared in the July R&TV transmitter book for the FM licence of 8HOT licence in Katherine, NT on 98.1 FM, the service that will replace 765kHz MW.
1kW DA from the MW transmitter site. Polarisation still unknown, so doubtful testing has begun yet?

[crankymedia]

@ozbark AM 765 still on air in June, nothing on FM then. Friend toured through there then.

@ozbark

1kW DA from the MW transmitter site

How ironic, they still need the mast, still some maintenance required on the old stick.

[ozbark]

@crankymedia

How ironic, they still need the mast, still some maintenance required on the old stick.

Oddly enough though there is a ‘empty’ ACMA entry for a ‘FM mast’ at the existing site here (nearby):
-14.443648°, 132.274045° Site ID: 10010828
This mast has been at the transmitter hut site for several years according to historical imagery.
Would have thought this might be some kind of mast STL link, but it’s 265km to Darwin. That’s way too great a distance… Unless it’s a MW standby mast, that in future might be temporarily utilised for FM if the old MW mast needs maintenance - who knows??