A bit difficult when their radios don’t have AM in them!
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Didn’t they mention streaming as an option?
Exactly
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No mention of streaming. The audio on ABC and SBS stations was cutting out for long periods, so it’s likely many would have given up and changed to another network anyway. However, the message was clear - just change to AM to pick us up “nice and clear”; when I heard the message I don’t think they even mentioned the frequency of 612 
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What a joke, I listen via DAB+ as AM isn’t clear.
The following has been added to http://reception.abc.net.au/
## INTERMITTENT RECEPTION LOSS ON DIGITAL RADIO
The ABC Digital Radio service is currently experiencing intermittent reception loss due to a distribution issue. The ABC is aware and working to resolve the problem as quickly as possible. We apologise for the disruption to your service. As an alternative, ABC Radio is available to stream, and also on the ABC Listen app. You can find these services by following these links: Radio - ABC listen & https://radio.abc.net.au/help/apps. You can also tune into your local FM/AM radio broadcast. To find the available frequencies for your area, please enter your town or suburb into the below search bar.
More faults and outages
## INTERMITTENT RECEPTION LOSS ON DIGITAL RADIO
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The ARN stations in Sydney all seem to be missing scrolling text info at the moment.
Nothing on WS, KIIS, The 80s or 90s.
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Quick question:
What’s the DAB reception like up around Riverstone, Schofields, general Blacktown LGA area? 95% likely to be moving up there for work.
I think DAB+ reception is fine up there, considering that you would be getting them from the Hawkesbury Heights (Lower Blue Mountains) repeater if the reception of the main signals from Artarmon are not good enough.
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I can only speak of the reception I’ve had there on the train going to Richmond but reception on 9A and 9B was quite good at Schofields and Riverstone due to the Hawkesbury Heights DAB+ on channel repeater. 9C the last time I checked didn’t appear to be on air from Hawkesbury Heights and reception was quite spotty at best there.
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I went to The Ponds when I went on the train ride out there. I used my pocket radio. It was good reception. 9C was good. Was listening to the footy. I think @anon71206228 mentioned 9C is now broadcasting at full power from Hawkesbury Heights(correct me if I am wrong). It can be hit or miss out there. From my experience some areas are great whilst other spots are poor. Probably due to the repeaters being low power.
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Does anyone know if either of the Gold Coast commercial operators have formally expressed interest in launching DAB on the GC? I was sure they had but I enquired with the ACMA about the endless delay with roll-out on the GC and they implied neither operator had expressed interest… I think they might be incorrect…
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There’s a specific process for that at this early hour of the morning, I can’t quite remember. @littlegezzybear usually has his fingers on the pulse for such things.
Good on you for enquiring with the ACMA.
Correct about them being incorrect.
SCA will take up their allocation as seen in the metros however due to the conflict of the mutual overspill is not taking the lead.
Hot Tomato are keen.
The stand off is the Brisbane licensees wish for 50 kW ERP OD and the overspill that would create on the Gold Coast.
Of course, reciprocal overspill is not provided into Bris.
ACMA don’t seem to have any gumption for leadership on it, preferring licensees to work it out amongst themselves.
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@crankymedia Expect Mandurah soon, but nothing else anytime soon.
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Digital Radio in Mandurah has been given the “green light” in late May according to this document.
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Thanks @TV-Expert and @littlegezzybear for looking into this.
This gives West Coast Radio certainty to order and commission the DAB+ infrastructure.
The radiation pattern is curious, why the 9dB null towards the scarp over largely unpopulated area? There shouldn’t be any real concern to reduce overspill in that direction.
Here’s the map from ACMA not included in the consultation paper, I emailed them to request it:
Remember, this was February. I really should email asking them for the full map at a better resolution, this has the north and south of their predictions cropped.
I guess it leaves them to make their own decision as with the other regional areas, their choice, same as not opting into the CRA instituted OCRs that we’ve discussed e.g. Hawkesbury coverage difference.
Where was this submission? I don’t think I’ve read it.
ABC’s own DAB+ reception maps are usually conservative. Coverage on them shows signal as far as Coolup on the inland road and Lake Clifton on the coast.
You are right, at the current Mandurah specs, southern Perth will enjoy far better coverage from Turners Hill/Pinjarra.
Indeed, still metro.
Appalling. Industry led incompetence and inertia. ACMA need to step up and take the lead, however I feel they’re under-resourced to encourage this very outcome.
Agree, hence why the ABC every time DAB+ is consulted make the point, along with SBS that they need another multiplex for better planning with less compromise.
West Coast Radio will begin with 256 kbps for their two licences and can expand later to 512 kbps (one would think without an auction as no other licensees).
Will they use their 256 kbps for their stations or lower the bit rate and hike the error correction to improve the coverage?
With 128 kbps at the usual 3A standard of EC, imagine they’d still have a decent bit rate if they went for the highest EC level.
This is what Bris, Syd, Melb, Adel have received for years.
Would be nice to localise the DAB+ output.
Indeed, next to the Gold Coast and urban areas Ipswich and Campbelltown, Mandurah has suffered the most overspill of metro DAB+ for the last 10 years.
Cat 1 gives a licensee 128 kbps per licence, then excess capacity can be bid for at auction to a point of doubling their capacity.
So 6MM + 6CST = 256 kbps on issue then if required, 512 kbps (all assuming 3A EC)
At 3A EC, that gives 1152 kbps (really should be measured in the universal capacity unit but legislated otherwise).
Over half the multiplex will lie idle under the current legislative regime.
I would wind up the EC, cover as far north as possible for car commuters and then see if the WA TAB wishes to lease for their signal (on air in analogue from the 6MM AM site, now the only signal from there).
The Wave (6MM FM conversion) already fills a significant gap in the Perth/Mandurah radio format landscape.
We saw the phone recall survey show only a small increase to local listening with 6MM/The Wave conversion, most shifted from Coast if you believe it.
I doubt West Coast Radio would be willing to risk cannibalising their two stations. Of course, more niche options would be welcome.
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The question I’d have is where it leaves the ABC/SBS? Are they now obligated to expand their DAB service area, at their own cost in a time of frozen budgets, just because a commercial operator moved first?
Their submissions imply they want to, and to do so without the same coverage limitations as the commercial service, so they can use it to help with coverage into southern Perth.
Another factor here is that Mandurah, by being covered as part of the ABC Perth coverage area, doesn’t require someone to actually work out the practical answer for how regional variation of ABC local services will be achieved.
I would say it’s baffling how a planning direction is still not clear on that, but I can’t be shocked anymore with how badly this is being planned.
To beat the dead horse again - Category 2 licenses exist for a reason and should be the only license being allocated in regional areas, so that the ABC/SBS multiplex can run in an SFN carrying a statewide service, supplemented with the local service on local multiplexes.
DAB+ windowing is unproven and planning that would lock the ABC into using it shouldn’t occur.
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The 90’s in Perth had text issues all week. Not unusual for them.
But about an hour ago The 90’s text came back, but in a completely different format. Previously, during a song it would flip between ‘Now playing… Song by Artist’ and ‘The 90’s … Australia’s Favourite 90’s station’ or something like that, and during breaks ‘iHeartRadio Thanks for listening’.
Now during a song we get ‘Now playing… Song by Artist’, ‘Just played… Last Song by Artist’, current weather, a 5 day forecast, and ‘Up Next… Next Song by Artist’. Up Next is also wrong, as (thankfully) Macy Gray didn’t come on.
Interesting, during the one brief break I heard, we got ‘The90s 96FM 90s’. Rebranding I wonder?
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re Mandurah DAB+.
I can only comment on in-car reception, but Mandurah seemed to be well and truly covered by the Perth DAB and FM stations. No idea why the ABC and SBS mux needs to be reproduced in the Mandurah license area.
If there are only two stations on the Mandurah commercial mux, would West Coast Radio get the whole mux to themselves? If the radiation pattern extends well into Perth, like their FM services do, that could be a pretty good opportunity for West Coast Radio to either sell off the space or launch a heap of stations at good bitrates.
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Was it iHeart Radio The 90s before?