Random Radio

[crankymedia]

@anon71206228

I also can’t find any microwave STL licences to Wentworth Falls, so the translators must be fed via landline, hence why they weren’t affected.

I recall a discussion of them being IP fed, low bitrate to begin, complaints of that.

Nearmap has no coverage of Mt Lambie (none between BMCC and Bathurst), so no higher res aerial images of the site. Really is a task for the Facebook group, ‘I take photos of TX sites’ to add to their group.

@Ant5476

The Edge 96.1 had a similar issue years ago when a severe east coast low dropped 200mn in on Sydney. They suffered from rain fade on their links too.

Was that 2007, the Pasha Bulker east coast low?

@anon71206228

old 96.1 STL was a 900MHz one, but it went from the TXA Artarmon site to Wentworth Falls, so it’s quite a distance.

That’d be over 70km? Quite the hop.

MTN-9 would’ve been proud of that, they used a 4 hop link to relay CBN to Griffith pre WIN days.

[Ant5476]

@crankymedia

Was that 2007, the Pasha Bulker east coast low?

No it was more recent, I think it was the one in Aug 2015.

[TV-Expert]

From Radioinfo:

BBC radio is leaving TuneIn

The BBC is pulling its radio streams from TuneIn at the end of August because the streaming service is unable to furnish the data the broadcaster wants to collect.

Read more here.

[crankymedia]

@Ant5476

more recent, I think it was the one in Aug 2015.

Very interesting. When was the long hop for 96.1’s STL replaced @anon71206228 ?

[crankymedia]

Gladys is touring Europe and the UK on a trade mission . Missed the northern hemisphere summer it seems.

This photo is interesting:
https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.204%2C$multiply_1.06%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_0%2C$y_37/t_crop_custom/w_800/q_86%2Cf_auto/d443c627c21d044f2e54c2783d91b017d30356f4

Mic flags present include GB and Kiis.

Who else is on tour and did the NSW Govt contribute to travel costs this time?

[anon71206228]

@crankymedia

Very interesting. When was the long hop for 96.1’s STL replaced @anon71206228 ?

Not sure when it was replaced as main STL, but it was still in operation until about 4 weeks ago.

[Tejas57]

@TV-Expert

The BBC is pulling its radio streams from TuneIn at the end of August because the streaming service is unable to furnish the data the broadcaster wants to collect.

Hope i can still get it on my amazon alexa speakers

[dxnerd]

@Tejas57

Hope i can still get it on my amazon alexa speakers

“Alexa, please play BBC Radio 2”

[…]

“Unfortunately this radio station cannot be played because the BBC wants to harvest your data. I would never do that… (snicker)”

[AustralianAerial]

@Tejas57

Hope i can still get it on my amazon alexa speakers

From the Radio Today UK article:

Podcasts will remain on TuneIn, as will all live radio services outside the UK.

[Laoma]

@AustralianAerial

Podcasts will remain on TuneIn, as will all live radio services outside the UK.

I wonder how i can tune in using a vpn… I did use tunein radio.

[Radiohead]

All you’d need is a VPN that has a site in England, I’d imagine pretty much every VPN provider can provide this… generally costs around $5 per month.

[matt86]

@anon71206228

@Ant5476

Midwest Radio we’re having more problems with their feeds to transmitters today.

The falling snow over Mt Lambie (snowfade) was causing the STL to drop out between Lithgow and Mt Lambie. Each time a heavy snow shower passed over the mountain the feed would start cutting in and out.

It was not as bad as on other occasions when I have been in the area snow chasing, when the feed had completely failed. The Katoomba translators were unaffected.

That’s all very interesting indeed. If the STL was a GHz link I’d say yes quite possible/probable, but it’s a 900MHz link, so the likelihood of snow-fade is possible, but very low.

Also following the STL links, 900kHz 2LT is fed via the same STL, Studio to Reservoir Hill to Mt Lambie to Wallerawang AM TX site, so if the STL between Studio & Mt Lambie 2ICE was dropping due to snow fade, then 2LT AM should’ve also been affected/off, unless the microwave is a backup link & 2LT AM is still fed via landline?

I also can’t find any microwave STL licences to Wentworth Falls, so the translators must be fed via landline, hence why they weren’t affected.

I can’t see a good enough picture on google maps, but I’m wondering if it’s more a case of the transmit antennas on the tower at Mt Lambie are not covered with Radomes & snow & ice on the antenna is causing some SWR issues. The location it’s in is not unexpected to see snow, so I would’ve thought Radomes on the antennas would be a given, but who knows?

Yep, I think @Ant5476 is right about that rain/snow fade because I caught that happening last weekend with 107.9. Was definitely a “digital” issue with the link. Tuned to 99.5 and it was fine, which we’ve established here before is fed to Wentworth Falls direct by landline.

If its a digital STL (likely if its carrying 2LT over the same link), the processor for Move is most likely at the tx site, which means the stereo pilot would stay on when the audio cuts out. That also explains why they send crappy unprocessed audio to 99.5 with probably a basic limiter at best.

Sometimes you can’t beat an 850MHz analogue STL. Unless the path is marginal to begin with, it’ll work rain, hail and shine.

[dxnerd]

@matt86

Unless the path is marginal to begin with, it’ll work rain, hail and shine.

But I think snow was the issue.

[matt86]

@dxnerd

But I think snow was the issue.

Ofcourse! Bugger me didn’t think of that.

[crankymedia]

Day trip to Maleny today (hinterland of Sunshine Coast).

Ascended the Blackall Range from Landsborough.

The Bald Knob TX towers are easily seen.

Driving west along the ridge to Mary Cairncross Park (MC Park), excellent views to the south and west, virtually all Bris and GC RDS signals showed up in the list, there were pages upon pages.

Radio TAB as well @4TAB-1008kHz.

None of Rebel’s Mt Dunsinane signals.

I’m sure a great spot for DX’ing.

What was interesting that back on the road to Maleny from MC Park, there’s a home at a higher elevation than Bald Knob (perhaps) with very large Ham Radio aerials.

I’m surprised the RF by brute force being so close doesn’t swamp the operator’s gear. Any ideas Hams?

[Aaron_Evans_2005]

I recall listening to Raw FM back in 2016, they used to play stuff like this over and over:

[motosenokia]

@Aaron_Evans_2005

I recall listening to Raw FM back in 2016, they used to play stuff like this over and over…

Are you referring to EDM or just those 3 tracks?

[Aaron_Evans_2005]

@motosenokia

Are you referring to EDM or just those 3 tracks?

Those 3 tracks. They played really often on RAW FM back then

[Karen_Cee]

I had another look at that Stereo 10 page ,it’s interesting to read about the history of the station.Also liked the old photos of former on air personalities,just looking at these photos screamed out 80s.Loretta Ryan was in one photo,she got her start on air in the newsroom back then,now she’s co-presenter of breakfast on ABC Brisbane.Not sure what the rest of them are doing now

[TV-Expert]

Switzerland is set to become the next country to switch off FM radio broadcasts, which will happen at the end of 2024 at the earliest.

An interesting bit from the article:

The latest research by GFK on behalf of OFCOM and the Digital Migration Working Group (DigiMig WG), shows that DAB+ usage is up by 12% and for the first time in on a par with FM at 35%.

Read more here.