I’ve heard it was very difficult to get it changed from 4IP to 4TAB
Changes to Bega, Cooma and Goulburn NSW radio services
Listeners of commercial radio stations 2EC in Bega, 2XL in Cooma and 2GN in Goulburn may soon be retuning their radios if the ACMA accepts proposals by the stations.
The proposals would see 2EC, 2XL and 2GN swap from AM to FM transmission in Bega, Cooma and Goulburn respectively.
‘FM radio provides improved audio quality for listeners in regional areas and can be more cost-effective to operate than AM radio,’ said ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin.
‘A number of regional commercial radio stations are seeking to convert their services to FM under an industry-led conversion program. The ACMA will facilitate a conversion after taking a number of issues into account. These include availability of suitable spectrum and being satisfied that audiences in regional areas do not lose radio services under that proposal,’ Ms O’Loughlin said.
‘We now want to hear from the audiences in Bega, Cooma and Goulburn their views on the conversion proposals,’ Ms O’Loughlin said.
Submissions on the Bega, Cooma and Goulburn proposals are due by 26 April 2019. More information about AM-FM conversion is available here.
If the ACMA decides to approve these conversions, the timing of the transition would be up to the broadcasters.
1 Like
Bega area
| Proposal | If the proposals are implemented, what does it mean? |
|---|---|
| To allow the AM commercial radio service 2EC in Bega to convert from 765 kHz AM to 94.5 MHz FM. | Listeners would no longer be able to access 2EC on 765 AM. Listeners would need to access 2EC by tuning their radios to 94.5 FM. |
| 2EC will turn off the Narooma infill transmitter currently broadcasting on 1584 kHz AM. | Listeners in Narooma are expected to be able to listen to 2EC by tuning to either 94.5 FM (Bega) or 105.9 FM (Batemans Bay/Moruya). |
| There will be no change to the 2EC infill transmitter at Batemans Bay/Moruya broadcasting on 105.9 MHz or the infill transmitter at Eden broadcasting on 105.5 MHz FM. | There is no change for listeners in Eden, Batemans Bay or Moruya. A small number of listeners on the fringe of the current AM coverage may no longer be able to receive 2EC. |
| To provide an infill transmitter for 2EEE in Eden on 103.9 MHz FM. | This will provide 2EEE listeners with similar coverage to 2EC and improve audio quality for 2EEE listeners in the Eden area if they tune to 103.9 FM. |
| To make spectrum available for a long-term community broadcasting service in Merimbula on 97.5 MHz FM. | The ongoing operation of the temporary community broadcast service operating on 97.5 FM indicates the viability of a long-term community licence in Merimbula. |
Cooma area
| Proposal | If the proposals are implemented, what does it mean? |
|---|---|
| To allow the AM commercial radio service 2XL to convert from 918 kHz AM to 96.1 MHz FM. | Listeners would no longer be able to access 2XL on 918 AM. Listeners would need to access 2XL by tuning their radios to 96.1 FM. |
| To change the frequency of the 2XL infill transmitter at Jindabyne from 96.3 MHz FM to 107.3 MHz FM to prevent interference from the above conversion. | Listeners in Jindabyne may continue to access 2XL by tuning their radios to 107.3 FM. There is no change for listeners in Bombala, Charlotte Pass, Perisher and Thredbo. |
| There will be no change to the 2XL infill transmitters at Bombala, Charlotte Pass, Perisher and Thredbo. | A small number of listeners on the fringe of the current AM coverage may no longer be able to receive 2XL. |
| To increase the permitted power of Monaro Community Radio Broadcasting (3MNO) on 90.5 MHz FM. | This should improve coverage of 3MNO within the Cooma area. |
Goulburn area
| Proposal | If the proposals are implemented, what does it mean? |
|---|---|
| To allow the AM commercial radio station 2GN in Goulburn and surrounding areas to convert from 1368 kHz AM to 107.7 MHz FM. | Listeners would no longer be able to access 2GN on 1368 AM. Listeners would need to access 2GN by tuning their radios to 107.7 FM. |
| To change the frequency of ABC RN in Crookwell from 107.7 MHz FM to 104.5 MHz FM to prevent interference from the new 2GN service. | Listeners would no longer be able to access ABC Radio National on 107.7 FM and would need to retune to 104.5 FM. |
| To Change the frequency of Braidwood community radio (2BRW) from 94.5 MHz FM to 88.9 MHz FM to prevent interference from the 2EC conversion. | Listeners would no longer be able to access 2BRW on 94.5 FM. Listeners would need to access 2BRW by tuning their radios to 88.9 FM. |
| To allow 2BRW to increase its broadcast strength to increase broadcast coverage area. | People living in Majors Creek, Manar, Mongarlowe and Reidsdale should now be able to receive 2BRW. More residents of the Braidwood area should be able to receive 2BRW. |
4 Likes
How well does 2GO get into Goulburn?
Not at all I would imagine, even during tropo.
Whilst not in the licence area, the 107.7 frequency would be a battle in the Southern Highlands, where 2GO & the proposed 2GN FM service would be heard. In fact, when driving from Newcastle to Canberra, there would be something on 107.7 continuously for the whole journey, with 2GO from Newcastle to Mittagong, followed by 2GN from Mittagong to Canberra. Handy, eh? 
1 Like
I hope 2GN does not become a WSFM once on FM and will stick to the same forever classic format. Similarly with 2XL. Don’t want them to mess with format 
.
2 Likes
Goulburn is probably far enough away from the Central Coast that interference from 2GO (and visa versa) shouldn’t be a major issue?
Don’t think I’ve ever received Eagle FM here in Sydney so can’t imagine it (let alone the 2GN service on FM) being heard up on the Central Coast.
Don’t 2GN & 2XL already have FM translators? If they didn’t mess with the music format for those, I’m sure it’ll be kept the same (or only slightly tweaked) for the switch from 1368AM to 107.7FM.
Still not sure why 2WS/WSFM always gets cited as a station which had this major shift in music format/programming philosophy for the conversion to FM. Sure the 2WS of old was quite different to the current WSFM in many respects, no argument against that. But their shift in format/programming philosophy was one which happened gradually over the course of several years (if not a decade or so) unlike say, 2UW > Mix 106.5 which would’ve been a fairly dramatic change to the Sydney radio landscape back in 1994.
2 Likes
107.7 seems like a very odd choice for a 2GN conversion, I would not have guessed that in a million years.
At my location, 2GN has the potential to cause interference to 2GO during strong tropo (based on Eagle FM reception), but it would only be 1-2 times a year that would happen, and would be unlikely to affect 2GO reception in its licence area.
94.5 and 96.1 for 2EC and 2XL respectively seem logical choices.
2 Likes
True i98 was similar too, it was pretty gradual. I suppose, if 2uw/2ws/2OO/2GO/2WL were still on the am band, I believe they would still look after an older demographic (assuming there was a modern FM station in the same market). Just like 2ST / 2GN today tend to look after an older demographic and give real choice. Just it would be good to avoid the situation in Wollongong. Although the ownership could make a difference like Power FM/2ST are owned by the same owners.
I could argue WSFM/KIISS/The Edge all have a modern feel to the stations just because they are FM. Where stations like 2LT/2CA/2GN etc do sound different? I guess you can’t stop progress. Smooth FM is only station I think went to an older format and has had success. But still has that FM feel to it. Where for example 2LT feels Lithgow or 2UE Felt like Sydney too, 2KA was katoomba, 2UW was Sydney. For some reason , they seem to want to remove the identity when going FM (it might take a year or two). So the brand is more suited to FM… I don’t like that. 2GO being the only exception holding on to the original name (over the years), but it is only because it is too close to Sydney to be called Triple M.
1 Like
Yes, they do, although 2GN only has 1 FM translator at present in Crookwell.
As for the chance of a music format changing for 2GN & 2XL changing upon conversion to FM, it’s unlikely, considering that the current format is already well suited for FM.
Neither did I. I would’ve gone for 97.9 myself.
Unlike Eagle FM which is 40kW omnidirectional, 2GN’s proposed FM service will be directional, with only 3.5kW towards Sydney/Blue Mountains/Central Coast/Newcastle and 8.75kW towards the Southern Highlands/Wollongong.
Off-Topic, but from the little I heard, as well as looking at their playlist online recently, it appears that Smooth has shifted a bit younger & is sounding more closer to WS lately.
3 Likes
thanks for keeping us updated. Much appreciated!
1 Like
7AD and 7BU did not gain any further lettering to their call signs after the conversion. The existing FM service you are referring to… wouldn’t that be Sea FM (7SEA)?
1 Like
Some odd choices there, frankly. I would have gone 91.3 for 2EC, 97.9 for 2GN and 107.3 for 2XL’s main service. No messing around with Braidwood, Crookwell, or Jindabyne.
91.3 is reserved for JJJ/Classic in Cooma town, but I reckon if the service isn’t on air yet, it doesn’t have a right to that spectrum indefinitely. Better to move proposed services than existing ones.
1 Like
I agree, especially with 2GN being allocated 107.7 for its main service, which pretty much rules out any opportunity to pick up the station in Sydney, as 2GO (the other ‘2G’ station) would most definitely occupy the frequency across the metro area, and as far south as around Mittagong. We would see the situation where 2GO dominates 107.7 in Mittagong, whilst on the other side of ‘The Gib’ in Bowral, 2GN would dominate the frequency.
As for your ‘intended’ choice of 2XL using 107.3 for its main service, it would’ve suffered adjacent-channel interference with 2EAR Moruya on 107.5.
Overall, we were far off from our predictions of the proposed main FM frequencies for the above stations. Imagine how many stations would have to change frequencies if/when 2LM in Lismore is eventually up for consultation for AM-FM conversion. The same would apply for 2LT in Lithgow.
2 Likes
The terrain between Mount Roberts and Mount Wandera is such that any issues would have been minimal. There is a QBN FM translator planned for Williamsdale on 107.5, though, which may have affected ACMA’s thinking.
The choice of 107.7 for 2GN is way out of left field. You could reasonably argue that it will pose more issues for 2EAR than 2XL would have on 107.3 (Eagle FM gets into Batemans Bay quite well).
3 Likes
I remember it was planned for 107.7 at one stage before eventually settling for the aforementioned above frequency.
Here’s the document from 2009, which includes an explanation of changing the proposed frequency for the above service: https://www.acma.gov.au/-/media/Broadcast-Carriage-Policy/Issue-for-comment/pdf/ep_canberra_draft_lap_vari_no1_of_09-pdf.pdf?la=en
3 Likes
AM vs FM might be one factor, but it’s also important to remember that most of these smaller regional markets only have two stations from one commercial broadcaster. It probably makes sense to have a “younger” and “older” station in such places, whether one is on AM and the other FM or both are on FM, etc.
As for Canberra, while they may have quite a decent older skewing music station on AM in 2CA, it’s also important to remember that they’ve only got two commercial FM stations (under the same joint venture ownership too, so not really a competitive market due to that and other unique factors) compared to Sydney which has six + notable overspill from a number of fringe/adjacent markets.
Taking into consideration how packed the FM band is around those regions, there might even be the possibility of 2LM and 2LT remaining on AM indefinitely? Don’t know if changing the AM frequency of one station (as others give up theirs in favour of FM) to reduce any interference on 900AM would be a viable alternative though.
1 Like
Let’s look at the coverage in more detail so we can see how the proposed 2GN fm 107.7 compares to Eagle fm, and the interfering 2G0 signal.
Please note all my coverage maps are omnidirectional only as this is all the Nautel coverage tool allows, and the 2GN fm service is directional so I will advise which directions the power is aimed at. The reader will have to disregard the coverage in other directions.
Firstly here is the 40KW OD Eagle fm coverage map
This is the 35KW 2GN Directional service, directed at bearings 115-145, 190-250 and 290-315. The full 35KW of power is aimed at Braidwood, Canberra and Crookwell only.
this map is the coverage of 2GN fm at 17.5 over sectors 95-115, 145-190, 250-290, 315-360. Over all sectors other then 250-290 which is Goulburn town centre is rural areas.
2GN 8.75KW Directional covers sectors 0-20, 50-95,
over the first sector is rural area. Sector 50-95 is of most interest as it is aimed at the Southern Highlands and Campbelltown into SW Sydney.
Lastly the 20-50 3.5KW sector, which is aimed towards Gosford, The Blue Mountains, and to NW Sydney.
Here is the coverage map for the interfering 2G0 service at 16KW OD, compare this with the 2GN fm 8.75KW coverage map over the Southern Highlands. Co-Chanel interference will be severe over the southern highlands probably similar to the extent of Rhema Central Coast and Power fm reception across most of Sydney. So the proposed 2GN service will probably be only good a little past Marulan.
My thoughts on the proposal for 2GN and 2XL conversions, Sky sports obviously do not wish to give up their frequencies hence why 96.1 was allocated for 2XL, but seriously 107.7 for 2GN!!!. I would have gone 95.1Mhz at 40KW with a restriction towards Bathurst to protect the coverage of 2BS. Secondly why is ACMA allocating lower power specs compared to the existing services. ACMA and CRA have now become so obsessed with preventing overspill, this occurred with 2BS and probably is happening with 2LT and 2ST as well.
2 Likes
Yeah same goes for digital radio, yet all or most stations stream online.
CRA / ACMA will probably fix this to one day by requiring geo blocks to be placed on the live-streams to prevent out of licence listening.
2 Likes