I didn’t realise they had moved from Southport.
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Have been for well over a decade
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In the Oracle development behind the Oasis
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Some very good tech’s have passed through RG Capital/Macquarie Radio Works/SCA Gold Coast over the years - sadly most have now left broadcasting for greener pastures.
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Forgot to mention, Thursday evening, close to Friday morning when the Gold Coast digital was off, the humid conditions had improved the Brisbane signal towards the coast.
About 77/78km SE of the site, signal improved to medium strength on my handheld Sony digital radio.
By morning, the weather had changed ahead of lunch/afternoon storms and was back to cliff edge levels at the only place inside on a windowsill facing NW to the site.
Demonstrates that whilst the new Brisbane array is installed, the new TX to best capitalise on the new array hasn’t arrived/been commissioned. Project seems to be taking longer than expected sadly.
Indeed @dutymainttech, was a great place for techs, sadly a shadow of itself.
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What’s the expected coverage outcome once the new equipment is put to air?
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Enough to upset Camerons’ and EON before being sold.
Have a look at ACMA consultation replies, detailed reports, especially from Sunshine Coast. Maps probably there.
So definitely better theoretical coverage into both licence areas. Practical often better I find.
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Install is currently underway & progressing as fast as possibly, aim is to have the new Brisbane DAB commercial transmitters on air before Christmas.
It was delayed due to the Brisbane TXA team having to build a complete new DTV translator site urgently over the last couple of months, I can’t remember the site of the top of my head, but IIRC, the land owners wanted the land it was on back (with a deadline date).
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Yeah seen the new TX during the week when I was at Mount Cootha, should be hopefully a lot more reliable then the older model
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Are they still running on those original Rhodes and Schwartz units?
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Probably Wolfdene/Luscombe, off Peachey Road. Indara relocated 150 metres further down the road due to a quarry expanding their extraction area.
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Yes, still the original R&S DAB transmitters, well past end of life.
The new Sydney ones went on air during the survey break, early morning of the 18th September, Brisbane is hoping to be on air before Christmas, but most likely during the ratings break first/second week of January next year, & Melbourne will be next, late Q1 or Q2 next year, then Adelaide & Perth will follow.
As for when the ABC old transmitters will be replaced, who knows?
Yeah that’s the site.
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Just had the PA rebuilt in TX A so should be good for awhile 
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Is that why there is a new tower near the existing one? Saw it the other day when I was around Beenleigh.
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Yeah noticed that went up when up there last
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Yes. Old tower was pulled down last week.
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Brisbane must be in a better condition than Sydney then.
Sydney burns through PA’s like there’s no tomorrow, it gets literally a box load of PA’s refurbished & replaced every few months, there’s a box load at Artarmon as spares it needs them so often, TX A can’t make full power anymore, TX B almost does, run either at normal full power & you’ll be back soon replacing PA’s. They’ve been in palliative care for about 4+ years now, life support should’ve been turned off at least 2 yeas ago, they could drop dead any time.
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Why doesn’t the ABC invest more in their digital transmitters? or is it the same conglomerate as the commercial ones?
Wonder what the Gold Coast uses transmitter wise?
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Rohde & Schwarz is the standard in Aus. From memory, the TMV9evo is the new standard for CRA DAB installs.
Latest ABC/SBS installs I’ve seen have a THV9evo (same as ABC/SBS DTV).
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Sounds like the original R&S DAB+possibly runs a bit hot like their FM transmitters do if it’s cooking up PA modules all the time. The 4CX tubes out of the R&S FM look like they have been on fire when you replace them.
Water cooling made a comeback when solid state high power DTV appeared years ago because the PA modules were too hard to air cool.
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