EDIT: Now it’s backed right off and well off the coast
Could be some interesting tropo next week for S.A if this pink mass goes over Adelaide. Hopefully it influences the UHF signals like 44 Adelaide (564.500) and others. Definitely one to follow
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It was a big selling point. Who wants to watch budget quality regional TV presentation without programs at usual scheduled times for the two commercial channels the local channel couldn’t run simultaneously?
I stopped in for a coffee at the Winchelsea Hotel Tavern in Vic, west of Geelong. It was during the news hour and Melbourne adverts were showing. Their high mast still well utilised.
Great memory @TheHomeOfMusic, I noticed across regional Victoria, many well maintained high masts.
Remember that pre-internet, TV was a main form of entertainment, a huge talking point, so having metro reception was a great idea.
They love their Melb TV in Inverloch, Wonthaggi, Warrgul and Drouin if a drive there this week is any guide. Korumburra, which is mostly in a valley is in an unfortunate location with very few Melb antennae due to the topography.
Extremely reliable in the Riverland @Shaun1997. Again, motels there with Adel reception, some not as good as others, but better than nothing. This was in the 90’s, pre aggregation. Double stacked for greater gain often worked well and still does today .
Couple of these:
And an amp should help up one of those masts @Shaun1997.
Great find @TV.Cynic, they’d need it out there, remote by Vic standards.
Didn’t the old Sun FM or GMV building have a Band II antenna for Melb FM? I remember one of them telling me about it when I went on a tour in the 90’s.
The overspill from the high altitude of Mt Roberts was great on the South Coast with the right setup in the right location.
A fantastic site that should’ve been used for all broadcasters. Commercial self interest thwarted that.
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Brown Mountain could have easily been utilised as a dual site for commercial television. You could have had WIN on Channel 6 with highly directional antennas to the east, ABC on Channel 8 to cover both the Monaro and South Coast areas as it used to do and CTC on Channel 11 with highly directional antennas to the west. The addition of UHF for aggregated services would have required directional antennas again for each respective area. I do know that Channel 11 was originally slated for a commercial service from there in the 1960’s but was later scrapped. It’s unclear if that was going to be a standalone service or a relay of Canberra.
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@Mechsta, wonderful history, thank you again.
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For those interested in the history of television in the SE corner, this is worth a read:
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Probably could easily get Mildura as well with a double stacked antenna like the one in the link
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But since Mildura and Adelaide both share frequencies on VHF, I imagine it would only be possible to get one or the other at any one time?
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The dominant signal would probably cancel out the weaker one. I probably should’ve worded it a little better, only difference with the frequencies is NINE which is on 212.500MHz
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Picture tried to form on NINE Mildura this morning. Signal was only very low, only a few pixels scattered across the screen and screeching audio
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Mo’ TV history for the South Coast of NSW:
https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5527&context=theses
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Dorrigo NSW:
This is from a news article in the local Bellingen newspaper about the sole fuel outlet being closed for a site rebuild. Yes, the prices are expensive when you live in the country with zero competition.
Onto the point: lots of seeking of long distance television.
And some not so distant, the UHF yagi is for Mt Moombil. Interesting that under 30km from the TX site, such elevation and gain is needed.
The VHF antenna, pointing in a very interesting direction. Interested to read where you think they’re aiming for?
Remember, this was for the analogue era.
Horizontal polarity, looks like a Band III antenna, and without looking at Google Street View to determine which direction it’s pointing in, so my guess is Lismore/Brisbane.
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Being a (sort of) local, I can tell you that the Band 3 antennas in question are aimed at Mount Moombil. As to why it is pointing that way is anyone’s guess.
Despite being elevated, a lot of Dorrigo is in a valley, resulting in poor TV and FM reception. Years ago there was a UHF TV translator at Francis Lookout (2BBB translator site) that provided coverage specifically for Dorrigo at 60 watts but only carried the commercial channels. The Coffs Commercial FM stations struggle to be heard in the town centre possibly even having translators there would help. But in the elevated parts of town, Lismore and Brisbane would have been a chance of reception in the old days.
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There is a spot about 6 km west of Dorrigo where Brisbane FM comes in permanently; obviously Lismore/Mount Nardi FM is strong too.
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EDIT: barely even a no service blip this morning.
Fingers crossed this holds up, could be a good morning for tropo in S.A
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Whats the tv model ypur using?
That’s a Panasonic. Probably the best make for getting mux names and viewing signal quality and signal strength. Sadly they are exiting the Australian market soon.
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I’m aware its a Panasonic, but what model?
Though their PVRs thankfully have the same functionality and will continue to be sold here from what I understand.
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