I have, once, very faintly.
I could only tell it wasn’t 92.3 ABC Coffs because they had talk on, when 2UUU has music, but couldn’t tell what song it was.
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A good indicator to check on how well 2ST’s proposed main FM service from Cambewarra Mountain would get into Wollongong is to tune to 101.1 (Kix Country), 103.7 (Sky Sports Radio) & 104.5 (2UUU) whilst down there. Although the last one would be a bit tricky to test on due to Star 104.5 from Central Coast.
All three transmit at an ERP of 1kW towards Wollongong, which is lower than what 2ST would transmit towards in that same direction. Also, they transmit from the lower parts of the transmitter than where 2ST would transmit from.
When I think about it, 2ST would be in a similar position to that of its sister station Zinc 96, in which it provides a fortuitous signal towards the larger Sunshine Coast (Maroochydore, Mooloolaba, Caloundra, Nambour) market through its main 96.1 service from Mt Wolvi (east of Gympie) at an ERP of 4kW in that direction, whilst its Noosa translator on 100.5 transmit at an ERP of 20 watts in that same direction. That’s pretty much what would happen with 2ST’s fortuitous signal towards Wollongong through its main 91.7 service from Cambewarra Mountain & the 5-watt powered 88.5 Kiama translator from Saddleback Mountain.
Oh, and to complete the parallel, Sunshine Coast-based Hot 91 carries the same music log as the Wollongong-based Wave FM!
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Yes, I think 5 kW from Cambewarra Mountain will get into most parts of Wollongong, aside from areas like Albion Park which are right up against the Knights Hill escarpment. But Albion Park should be able to get 88.5 from Saddleback no problemo.
Something I didn’t pick up last night was that 92.3 2UUU will transmit from Coolangatta Mountain, rather than the current (lower) Moyean Hill site which is located to the north of the mountain. 200 watts from Coolangatta Mountain will get out very well indeed, probably better than 2BAB.
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And it will be interesting to see how well a 5kw northwards 91.7 2ST from Cambrewarra will perform during tropo up to Sydney and Newcastle.
It should do significantly better than the current Huskisson service.
Also helps that it’s a clear frequency up here… still… at least if or until Coast FM Gosford can move there.
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I don’t think you’ll even need tropo to get it in some parts of Sydney such as the eastern suburbs. Here in the southern suburbs it will definitely be strong permanent reception on a Yagi (103.7 TAB is 1 bar as it is).
This will be all academic as I’ll probably be down in Bungendore before it starts (where it will also be receivable, I think).
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The proposed 2ST FM conversion raises an interesting question in my mind.
Given that this is a very different approach to covering the same area as Power FM, I wonder theoretically which is likely to give a better “bang for your buck” in terms of having a cost effective approach to covering the area.
Do you go with:
1 x 50 kw TX to try and cover the whole area (ala 94.9 Power)
OR as with the proposed 2ST conversion
1 x 10 kw (91.7)
1 x 2 kw (102.9)
1 x 1.6kw (106.7l
1 x 5 watts (88.5).
All figures max ERP.
For example, does the cost of leasing/maintaining 4 different sites outweigh the higher total output power cost of having 1 main TX?
One advantage of having 4 separate sites allows 2ST to have different ads and morning program as they do now on 102.9, but aside from that…
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an interesting question. I’d like to know too. But I’d imagine it would be easier to maintain one site than multiple ones (ie servicing & engineering)
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Yes; I’d imagine it would be cheaper just to have the 1 tx for this reason.
I think the primary reason for continuing with the ‘bits and pieces’ approach for 2ST is to maintain the opt out service for the Southern Highlands. If 2ST had converted in the 90s, I daresay Knights Hill would have been used to provide a comprehensive wide coverage service.
They could have used 91.7 at Knights Hill, possibly moving the 2UUU repeater from 92.3 to 88.5.
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In article it talked about the interference piece with news radio and 2ST FM 91.7FM, I can confirm back in the 90s, i98 fm/wave FM struggled to tune in on basic radios around the Culburra/Crookhaven heads area. ABC Illawarra really made it tough to tune in. Like in the clock radio you get in the caravan park back in the good old days.
At the time I was confused why, surely being LOS at the power i98 FM / Wave FM were transmitting south you would get an easy clean signal (even though it was transmitting at a lower power). The spacing is also correct too. They really did engineer it well, that the overspill areas of i98/wave fm the reception is pretty ordinary on a “walkman” or “clock radio” back in the 90s (and also today, although not as many old cheap analog tuning radios around in motels). Sure there were patches that are ok with a good radio and in most cars you hear it fine (especially for us radio nerds :)) , but I do admire how they can engineer it that way to limit a clean signal even though there is LOS.
It will be interesting in that same location (Crookhaven Heads) 2ST 91.7 will struggle on those old fashion radios with Newsradio being extremely strong on 90.9 FM.
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I am not a fan of the proposed 2ST Nowra FM Conversion specs proposed by ACMA.
I believe Knights Hill would have been a far better site for the proposed service, and a better use of spectrum. Firstly you would not need the 5w Saddleback Mountain infill for Kiama as what is being proposed.
I am currently away on holidays so I don’t have access to the Nautel coverage map generator, but when I am back I will post up coverage maps for the proposed services, and my option for comparison and discussion.
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Yeah and they can keep the repeaters too except for 91.7 FM. Power FM is not great in Bowral. It is “ok” in Ulladulla but no better than WSFM in Campbelltown and it is on 88.3 FM there.
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I would be proposing keeping 102.9 for the Highlands feed and 106.7 for Ulladulla. 91.7 from Knights Hill would be for Nowra and Kiama only, and provide Suburban 66dbv coverage up to the 106.7 Ulladulla coverage.
I will look at this when I get back to Sydney.
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Maybe some of you/us should put in a submission to ACMA about the 2ST conversion, you’ve got until February 28.
Wasn’t 2ST somewhat relying on the AM TX for emergency or otherwise information during the recent bush fire crisis, maybe that should be noted in a submission too?
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RE the bushfire. I wonder if they converted the existing AM stick to FM, increasing the power output would that be adequate for Nowra and surrounding areas. Its not a conventional way of doing things.
88.5 FM could cover those coastal areas if you push up the power southwards, and push up the power of 106.7 FM if need for the southern areas.
According to this post, the 2ST AM transmitter was under threat of being dropped out, as the bushfires were burning close by, and was advising listeners to try an FM frequency. Oddly though, they suggested 106.7 from Ulladulla, which doesn’t get into Nowra very well.
The 2ST AM transmitter is located 6km SSW of Nowra at Longreach/Bamarang.
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If they used the Ulladulla as the main transmitter wonder how well it would go at high power on 91.7 FM . Perhaps not good enough to get into Nowra.
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Yeah, it’d be too far down south, since it’s pretty much the southern end of it’s licence area when the main population centres are all further north.
Noted that, but not sure why the AM TX would’ve dropped out, maybe audio routing rather than TX site issue?
Had the AM site gone down due to power, etc, it would’ve been far easier & quicker to access & get restored than any of the FM sites, on top of hills in bushland areas.
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A bit of background on Nowra radio planning in the 2000s, re 2ST’s FM coverage in the Shoalhaven.
Back in 2003, 2ST advised the ABA (as it was known back then) that there were signal and reception deficiencies at Shoalhaven Heads and Gerringong/Gerroa, the Bay & Basin area, and Kangaroo Valley. They requested that they plan an FM transmitter at Cambewarra Mountain at a maximum ERP of 2kW, but the ABA rejected the idea, as it would effectively give them an FM conversion, which was considered a no-no at the time. Instead, they proposed to increase the power of its 999AM service, and set up an FM translator at the Vincentia Water Tower on 91.7 with an ERP of 100 watts to serve the Bay & Basin area.
You can read it below.
Nowra_DraftLAPExp_Aug2003.pdf (224.2 KB)
Later, the location of the translator for the Bay & Basin area was changed to Bewong, located approx 5km NW of St Georges Basin, with a maximum ERP of 2kW. An FM translator at Kangaroo Valley was planned for 91.7 at an ERP of 100 watts, but it never went to air.
In 2009, Grant Broadcasters (owner of 2ST & Power FM) requested ACMA to move 2ST’s Bay & Basin FM translator from Bewong to Huskisson. This was due to problems with accessing the site by private road, tower space restrictions, and the requirement, due to electromagnetic radiation (EMR), to turn off transmission every time riggers need to climb past the FM antenna. This in turn causes disruption to the service.
At first, Grant requested a maximum ERP of 2kW, but ACMA instead lowered it to 1kW to compensate for the height increase at the new Huskisson site, which its tower rises to 70m above ground. Whilst not mentioned on the below document, the lower ERP could also be due to needing to protect WIN3 Wollongong (Brokers Nose) (and to a lesser extent, WIN3 Narooma) from interference, which was still on-air at the time.
Nowra_DraftLAPExp_October2009.pdf (105.2 KB)
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In the 2003 document the ACMA mention that 2ST’s 999 kHz service had a null to the NE to protect a service in Taree. Can anyone remember what this service was? I certainly can’t recall anything on that frequency up there- perhaps it was ABCRN?
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