Yeah not that strong here too. My view northside wins followed by SWR , then Alive FM for the best coverage across Sydney for Suburban community stations. I think HHH fm is probably the “worse”.
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That explains why 2SSR signal went from very weak to one of the strongest community stations at my location.
2SSR is actually received better at my location in Stanhope Gardens through the Fm Omni then 2SWR which is local.
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I am surprised! How about with a “normal” radio? Seems like your view to the south is blocked a bit, but the south east is good.
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I think 2MWM on 90.3 at Manly is probably worse.
I can recall staying at a Sydney CBD hotel with a view of the heads and still not being able to get that.
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2SWR is not very strong around the northern boundaries of their licence area around where I live, probably rural grade 54db coverage or slightly better. The Acacia Gardens ridgeline and Water tower blocks the signal. On my hifi with the outdoor fm Omni antenna directed towards the north east I get quite severe Multipath on 2SWR. On my Pure Move portable fm / Dab+ radio it is about the same strength as i98.
But as soon as you get on the other side of the Acacia Gardens ridge you can see the tower at Horsley Park and the signal booms in.
South west is heavily shielded that’s why Eagle Fm is hard to receive, and 2ST and Vox can be nulled out to allow permanent reception of Triple M Newcastle and Hit 106.9. As Knights Hill is SSE it is not obstructed as much
My strongest community radio station is Alive 90.5, it booms in.
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I guess you would struggle with c91.3. Hows ws on 99.1 , The Edge 96.1 fm also hawkesbury fm? Do they boom in stronger than SWR?
I wonder if this could be a good alternative transmitter location for SWR fm?
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The weakest community station for me in southern Sydney would be Radio Northern Beaches. 90.3 MHz is receivable, but quite weak. 88.7 MHz is generally dominated by the Picton LPON Vintage FM even though it’s supposedly only 1W and further away. Second and third weakest would probably be Penrith and Hornsby.
Alive 90.5 is one of the weaker stations where I am.
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I have just done the models on both sites and can give you the pros and cons on each.
Horsley Park is a high site it is approximately 160m ASL which allows 2SWR signal to get out across Sydney well. However it’s licence specs has its broadcast antenna height at only 15m.
Going by the Nautel coverage generator signal strength is excellent Urban level 66db in Horsley Park, Huntingwood, Eastern Creek, but it is only rural grade in Blacktown, Parklea, Stanhope Gardens, and Kellyville Ridge. It is below rural grade in Marayong.
Even if you moved the antenna height to 25m it still does not increase signal strength to urban grade in the north but increases overspill quite dramatically into other areas of Sydney.
If the tx site was moved to the Water tower at Acacia Gardens 95m ASL at 200w erp, and an antenna height of 25m Blacktown, Marayong, Parklea, Stanhope Gardens, Kellyville Ridge would all have Urban grade coverage. It would then drop down to rural grade in the south for Huntingwood, Eastern Creek, and Horsley Park. Also you would need a 50w restriction towards Baulkham Hills to protect Alive 90.5 licence area.So You gain better reception in the north, loose reception in the south around Horsley Park, and dx reception across Sydney.
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2SWR current signal strength at my location in Stanhope Gardens is equivalent to Triple J Illawarra from Knights Hill on my Pure Move with headphones as the antenna.
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I think SWR was originally meant to be a Blacktown radio station but was extended to cover Fairfield area have to read the history blog on the website again. Alive 90.5 seems covers into most areas of Blacktown better than SWR. I know liverpool has its own community station, if SWR increase its power south it could cover a lot of areas to the south and west better than Blacktown.
Better still have a Sydney West community station. We have too many high power Sydney community stations all in the East. Beam at 10kw or so from the same site as SWR. But this may mean one of the high power Sydney community stations to move.
With all the major areas being represented by at least one station (as far as I’m aware), Western Sydney has it pretty good when it comes to community radio.
Not really sure whether we need a Western Sydney-wide community station. Providing incentives for the commercial broadcasters (particularly ARN) to focus more on Western Sydney would be better, I think.
If 2SWR was to broadcast from the Acacia Gardens water tower they would loose their coverage into the Fairfield area. So Horsley Park is the best location for coverage of Blacktown and Fairfield.
If they were to raise the coverage above rural grade in Blacktown and along the northern boundaries of the LA, they would need a combination of approval for increases in antenna height and ERP, and installation of highly directional antennas to focus the signal to the north while restricting it towards Liverpool in the east, and Campbelltown in the south.
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Zetta in a community station? Nicely done!
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So I noticed that Koori Radio 93.7 is feeding their on-air broadcast from their digital radio broadcast, because yesterday I was listening to them and the feeder digital radio was dropping out also it sounds like an AAC audio stream on-air.
Video: https://vimeo.com/340129133
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On the subject of 91.3 SportFM Perth:
Their original temporary licence, between 2003 and 2008, was indeed on 90.5FM, timeshared with Capital Community Radio. In 2008, Capital was awarded a permanent community licence on the 90.5FM, while Western Sport Media (the SportFM licencee) missed out on the second licence - this went to Noongar Radio on 100.9FM.
Their second TCBL was on 101.7FM, which today is used by Capital. I’m not sure when Capital moved to 101.7FM - one of our Perthians may be able to shed a light. 90.5FM is now used for a Chinese language HPON.
Edit - answered my own question here:
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2BACR 100.9 FM off air at the moment. Sky Racing Bathurst heard.
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2 Triple O 98.5 Sydney off air at the moment.
There’s nothing on the website as to why.
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Yes noted that earlier, but forgot to report it here.
It’s back on now.
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