I think it’s also a smaller population than Katherine too, so less incentive to spend $$$ and this is a Caralis station too we are talking about - not known for their spending.
And that I don’t think Hit 93.5 Dubbo have ever put their 102.1 Cobar translator to air either.
And yet, pretty much all of Caralis’ AM stations in solus markets, except 2MG in Mudgee, are earmarked to convert to FM.
Good old 4AK, with the processing sounding good it ain’t so bad 
2BH works well as AM in my view due to the long flat areas out that way that AM just works so well with.
Also of note is the fact that in my last trip out to Broken Hill the transmitter was restricted quite a lot… only doing 250w @ 60% mod… It is now doing 500w @ 125% Mod… The feedback about the extra coverage has been crazy
972 Cobar is 300w
Not just Cobar but right across that area of the state I dare say, that thing has crazy coverage. I think they would be crazy to ever covert to FM only… The coverage they get on the AM band is far to good to limit it by moving to FM.
Slightly off topic but would 2WEB have the biggest coverage out of any community station in Australia?
Really? 2MG desperately needs a conversion, terrible night and day coverage, click onto street view to see the antiquated TX masts.
Agree, the refusal of going to FM was a great decision, coverage would’ve been significantly reduced.
Not surprised when you showed up to give the site overdue TLC.
The callers to Laws’ are as I’ve documented a very long way out in albeit very low noise environments.
Reception even at Pooncarie is good. 190km SE.
AM coverage should be fine in those towns, they’re not that far from Bourke.
7AD and 7BU FM conversion planned for March 1.
Will be interesting to see how the coverage is verses their old AM services.
Both the 7AD and 7BU websites have countdown clocks to the changeover with new FM logos, which are a very mild tweak of the current AM logos.
Just missed it. I’m down in the Prom where reception would have been possible. It would have been nice to catch the test broadcasts.
I can confirm that neither 7AD nor 7BU have started test broadcasts; Tasmanian tropo was rather good this morning from Sandy Point.
Unless they were testing at lower levels, but you wouldn’t expect that to be the case.
I’ll almost be a bit sad to see 7BU and 7AD go - they are like semi-locals across a lot of coastal Victoria and sparked my interest in AM DX. But I guess it’s good progress for these towns to have two FM stations locally
I take it there are no plans to reuse the AM frequencies once they’ve switched?
Nah, I went testing today when I was around both Burnie and Devonport and got nothing.
Unless Jacqui Lambie wishes to start her own radio network, probably not. Consider that 711 kHz (ex 7NT) has been vacant for years now and it’s a prime AM channel.
Or Clive Palmer… “We’re Not Gonna Cop It” on those freqs 24/7.
The Mad Horndog Network.
Why can’t 558 or 900 be used for Reuse as an Narrowcast Service?
No reason, other than the likely cost of maintaining the broadcast infrastructure
From previous comments here, the old 7BU and 7AD masts aren’t in great condition so any potential future user would likely have to invest significant funds into their repair, or a new transmitter and site. I suspect neither would be a particular cheap option on AM
What about the Old 7NT Transmitter?
That came down last year, ABC Northern Tasmania had a video of it on their Facebook page.
