Narrowcast and AM Narrowband Radio

Discussion relating to

  • High-powered open narrowcast (HPON) stations on FM
  • Low-powered open narrowcast (LPON) stations on FM
  • Narrowband stations (1611-1710 kHz) on AM

Noticed an Arabic language station booming into Melbourne’s north-west the other week on 88.0FM. Looks like it’s LBC Radio from Campbellfield - that makes at least two Arabic LPONs in the area, with Middle East Radio broadcasting from studios in Reservoir.

Indigo FM, in North East Victoria, will expand to Chiltern on 87.6FM toward the end of the month, following the securing of a license in the town. The station have also launched a new website.

Three stations currently operate under the brand, each with local programming, on 88.0FM Beechworth, 87.6FM Rutherglen and 87.6FM Yackandandah [via Facebook]

Local Programming on each?

Do you mean as in some shows will only air in say Beechworth when say Yackandandah gets a different program?

I had a look at the website, which doesn’t appear to suggest so, I get the impression that the content is the same on all 3-4 frequencies.

Yep - there’s individual program guides for Beechworth, Yack and Rutherglen.

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Announcements are being made on Raw FM advising the Central Coast frequency is changing from 99.1 to 88.0. They mentioned a dated which I’ve now forgotten.

Thanks for that!

The RAW FM website is already suggesting that Central Coast has already moved to 88.0.

That will make life interesting where I am, whereby I already have RAW on both 88.0 and 99.1

I presume that the reason for the move might be due to interference from the North West Sydney WSFM repeater on the same frequency?

I would have thought that the other 88.0s from northern Sydney and Lake Macquarie would be a bigger issue than 99.1 WS.

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Well, I had a listen tonight…

RAW is still on 99.1 for northern Central Coast (Chapmans Hill Wyong anyhow).

And 88.0 has now become a bit of a mess here (Charlestown near Newcastle)… It has me wondering if Central Coast is transmitting on both 88.0 simulcasting with 99.1 with a view to switching off the latter if all goes well?

All the narrowcast stations that are in the Broadcast Band are being moved out of it, that’ll be the reason for the move.

No narrowcast (LPON) stations above 88.0MHz.

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I think I can confirm that RAW FM has now vacated 99.1 on the Central Coast…

As all I have been getting lately on that frequency is a weak WS FM repeater signal from Winmalee.

88.0 here still not as clear as it used to be.

A few complaints on the Raw FM Facebook page from listeners regarding it as well.

When in Canberra yesterday noticed that 87.6 Raw Fm is now in Stereo and also has RDS active. Will they convert all licences to Stereo and activate RDS?

I noticed that too last time I was in Canberra (Tuggeranong to be precise).

Somehow I would be surprised if ALL transmitters elsewhere went stereo and/or RDS.

Yes this was a first as the last time I was there they were broadcasting in mono.

How many transmitters do they have to cover Canberra? I could pick them up all the way to Lake George in Stereo but very distorted along Lake George like the other Canberra fm stations.

I noticed an new station in Sydney on 1674 AM. It seem to be a rebroadcast of Radio Haanji in Melbourne. (I’m picking it up in Blacktown so I’m not sure if it through out Sydney)

87.8 UCFM, the University of Canberra’s low power narrowcast station http://www.ucfm.com.au which has a sole transmitter at the campus near Bruce on the North side, has since April been suffering interference from a start-up network Canberra Tourist Radio who are also on 87.8 on the South side. While UCFM reception is clear around the Uni, as you move south towards Black Mountain the other station comes over the top and makes it unlistenable. I don’t think UCFM can do anything about it as the other station is within its ACMA allocated area.

Could they switch to 87.6 or 88.0 (RAW is on 88.0 too though I think).

Was this received at night? If so, you’re probably receiving the actual Radio Haanji direct from Melbourne. It gets into Sydney most nights along with 1665 which is Vision from Melbourne East.