They could look at 0.4 spacing for the sub metro community stations. It seems to work in places like Los Angeles where they slot in lower powered sub metro stations at a 0.4 spacing (eg Long Beach) between the Greater LA stations. Seems to work fine in my experience and the stations based in Long Beach, Pasadena and even further afield like the Inland Empire still get right into downtown LA and across big swathes of the metro area.
4 Likes
Plus speaking of converting stations (since the space for Suburban Community Stations would be available under your plan) I had thought of suggestions.
Newcastle:
88.5- 2NC (ABC Newcastle) replaces 1233
89.3- 2PNN (ABC NewsRadio) replaces 1458
91.7 (Not sure if it would interfere with 2ST Nowra)- 2ABCRN (Radio National) replaces 1512
92.5 (92.5 Gosford would be switched off under this plan) - 2KY replaces 1341
Wollongong:
90.1 - 2ABCRN (Radio National) replaces 1431 and 603
103.7 - Move 2KY to Knights Hill replacing 1314
Bega/Cooma:
101.7 - ABC South East replaces both 810 and 1602
Bowral:
102.1 (2JJJ is receivable across most of the Southern Highlands) - KIX Country replaces 1215
Edit: Since ANT decided to in his plan to switch off 100.3 Campbelltown, that Frequency can be moved to Batesman Bay to establish a Triple J service down there.
4 Likes
I don’t know how this would work with the medium to high powered stations from Wollongong / Central Coast being on the same frequency the cochannel would be horrendous? Would Newcastle / Gosford / Wollongong be restacked to 200khs from the Sydney stations?
Anyone game to try a Brisbane / Gold Coast Sunshine Coast restack to convert all Am to Fm?
2 Likes
Surely most radio listeners in the Southern Highlands who want Triple J would tune into (depending on their geographical location of course) 88.7 Goulburn, 98.9 Wollongong or at a stretch 105.7 Sydney? Aside from DXers like yourself, I’d be surprised if anyone there tried to listen via 102.1 Newcastle!
Given that ACMA already co-channels Newcastle & Wollongong Digital TV, I honestly wouldn’t put it past them to do something similar with FM - especially the national ABC/SBS stations which are pretty much content identical wherever you go. It’d probably be horrendous in Summer and perhaps certain locations year-round though.
1 Like
These new topic headings are great. Thanks @bort and @Squee for setting them up.
Does take time to scan through previous posts and work out which ones to put where. All voluntary time. Readers appreciate this.
10 Likes
I agree if that’s the way they go in Perth there will likely be pressure to do the same in the other capitals. Adelaide would likely be next as it’s less congested.
Potentially they could then try Brisbane but SEQ is a complete mess and they’d have to look at doing the whole region. It would have to involve moving or even reducing community stations and looking at spacing so it might be unlikely. Although having said that ACMA were contemplating it until they recently removed it from their forward plan. Also worth considering Brisbane has 4 commercial AM stations to convert rather than the 2 in Adelaide and Perth.
If I had to guess if Perth is a success they’ll do Adelaide and then perhaps tackle SEQ. Not sure about Sydney/Melbourne but I’d say they would be after Brisbane.
5 Likes
There are only 2 available FM frequencies in Brisbane for high-powered services: 101.3 and 99.7, but only if 3 suburban community stations move frequencies: 99.7 Redcliffe, 101.5 Caboolture and 101.1 Logan.
99.7 FM would also need to have less power directed towards the Gold Coast so as to not interfere with 99.4 Rebel FM at Mount Tamborine.
I like the idea of 0.4 MHz spacing of the suburban community stations. Brisbane could have a few spots available if there was an FM restack: 93.7, 101.7, 102.5, 103.3.
1 Like
I could see Adelaide doing an AM-FM conversion for 5AA and Cruise but the 3 eastern capital cities would require all suburban FM community stations to change frequencies for it to proceed.
1 Like
Agree. I think Brisbane might be more likely than Sydney and Melbourne too. They might do it as a cleanup of the band from Noosa down to Lismore. I know the greater Sydney area has issues too but SEQ is a mess and probably has more significant overlap issues. I don’t think they’d find room to convert all AMs though. Perhaps 1 for the ABC and 1 commercial, potentially with an auction. I also wouldn’t rule out them doing something with River 94.9. It could even be asked to move to a 0.4 spacing to free up another frequency for Brisbane.
I think for Perth it might be option 1 although I wouldn’t rule out ABC only getting 1. That might set the scene for what happens in Adelaide and possibly Brisbane.
2 Likes
101.5 4CRB to move to 89.1 & Logan Radio to 89.9 leaving 101.3 Available for 4KQ to move to FM.
Did Channels 4 & 5A were used for TV in South East Queensland before Analogue Switchoft?
Yes, both were. SDQ4 (WIN) in Warwick, Southern Downs, and DDQ5A (WIN) the local relay translator in Toowoomba but both converted to UHF in the 1990s.
2 Likes
DDQ was 10, 4, 5 … SEQ was 8, 1, 5, 10 …
2 Likes
What Happens to the FM Spectrum now? Local Frequencies Available are 89.1, 89.9 & 95.9 all for Suburban Community Radio.
89.1 might be too close to 89.3 Gold Coast and 89.9 might be too close to 90.1 Gold Coast.
93.7, 101.7, 102.5, 103.3 would be more suitable.
93.7 has ABC FM Gympie, 101.7 and 103,3 are ABC Southern Downs both easily receivable in Brisbane. 102.5 is only 0.4 from 4ZZZ.
2 Likes
Don’t forget they would be on low power and they are only suburban Brisbane stations. They wouldn’t cause interference in Gympie or Toowoomba.
1 Like
The Southern Downs stations would wipe out low power stations on 101.7 and 103.3. Both are receivable in a car in Brisbane. Gympie would also interfere with any other station in SEQ.
My quick solution to free up a frequency is to move 4DDB and Hot Tomato to 102.5 and that frees up 102.9 for a high power Brisbane station - it should be a Brisbane frequency anyway. Putting the Toowoomba and Gold Coast stations on the same frequency would match the situation with high power stations on 105.7 and 107.3. 102.5 would be 0.4 from Brisbane stations.
3 Likes
My second potential solution is to move community radio Bridge FM to another frequency like 88.3. 99.7 would then be a full power licence for Brisbane. 100.3 Bay FM is only 0.6 away. If there a thought it might be too close it could swap with the Zinc FM Noosa on 100.5.
4 Likes