Just noticed that Mix FM has updated their RDS
1 Like
The Mix RDS hasnât been right for months. Every couple of weeks the station changes its name and the RT is missing. Sea FM is unaffected.
2 Likes
99.7: Itâs a start
4 Likes
confirmed today that the Bombala translator for Snow FM (91.7) has RDS.
Bombalaâs LPON - GT-FM 87.6 no longer has it
2 Likes
Does 2XL on 92.5 have RDS?
If youâre talking about the Bombala translator, I understand that 2XL is currently not broadcasting on this frequency.
Off-Topic, but I wouldnât be surprised if 2XLâs Bombala translator gets switched on if/when its 918AM service converts to FM.
1 Like
Yes, looks like youâre right as I just checked the 2XL website and it doesnât list a Bombala frequency as it does for other towns.
Which surprises me as Bombala is one of the larger towns in the Snowys and is about 80km as the crow flies from Cooma.
The problem I getting an feed to the transmitter.
For Snow FM, they can easily run it off air from the main FM frequency.
Not so easy for 2XL as the main frequency is AM so isnât really good enough quality to feed an FM transmitter (although some stations like 4CC make do). Running a point to point, as would normally be done to work around this is also challenging due to the distance from Jinderbyne and a massive hill blocking line of sight - so two links would be required, with the mid-way point not having many, if any, suitable towers to use. So basically it becomes very expensive to serve a small population.
What the difference between the main AM and FM signals like in Bombala? If AM does better that could also be a factor.
1 Like
As someone who lived there most of my life - the 92.5 FM translator for Bombala isnât needed as 918khz is sufficiently strong & people has been listening to it for many decades. Even 94.1 isnât 't really needed as 810 is sufficiently strong.
IMHO - Many radio stations suffer from glut TXers these days. They argue the case that translators are needed, but in reality they arenât. Even the ABC suffers from a glutted infrastructure.
2 Likes
Thanks, thatâs interesting re 2XL into Bombala, I thought night fade would have been an issue, but obviously not then.
Thatâs interesting. Is it just their Agnes Water FM translator?
I know 4AM-AM is (or was) received off air by its Port Douglas translator. Sounded terrible with double bad Innovonics processing by day. And re-broadcast static crashes and monkey chatter from adjacent channels at night. But apparently the locals didnât care.
1 Like
I believe so. As I understand, all the AM translators are ISDN fed.
2 Likes
Though I know that the 2NM FM translator for mines near Hebden south of Muswellbrook is fed off air as you could hear the AM buzz on it. Though itâs unlikely to be operated by 2NM.
2XL has some serious night fade in Jindabyne which is 60km away from Cooma. During the day on the car radio reception is fair but on a less sensitive radio reception is quite weak. That is why it is rebroadcasted on 96.3mhz from Jinderboine Hill. I have never been to Bombala so I cannot comment on the reception of Snow and 2XL.
Now that 2XL and Snow Fm broadcast from their studios in Jindabyne how do they feed their main transmitters?
Is Snow fm feed by STL from studio to the tower on Jinderboine Hill and then a second link to Mt Roberts. After that the Jinderboine Hill tower receives the off air signal from Mt Roberts.
Is the Am signal feed to the transmitter in Cooma by an ISDN?
2 Likes
I believe itâs owned by one of the mining companies.
They have 3 STL links to Jinderboine Hill.
These in turn then go from Jinderboine Hill to:
- Mt Roberts for the main Snow FM transmitter.
- Polo Flat, via Mt Gladstone, for the main 2XL transmitter.
- Thredbo - presumably for the 2XL translator.
2 Likes
4CC 666 Biloela & Rocky 1584 are fed via Tieline using NBN Fixed Wireless
Gladstone 927 via 850MHz STL
Agnes Water via Off-Air of 927 Gladstone
4 Likes
Really? Thereâs no licence listed in the ACMA database. The new studios donât even exist as a site. A delay in getting the database updated maybe?
I assume those changes to using NBN fixed are recent? Part of the studio move?
Lots of APT equinoxâs in the rack⌠not many tielines! (as MJB is pointing out)
⌠and yes that lovely picture again!
Oh look matching 
3 Likes
Would Perisher and Charlotte Pass be fed off Mt Roberts for Snow Fm and 96.3mhz Jindabyne for 2XL?
1 Like