I’m not really sure I’d agree they’re putting more and more AM/FM signals to air.
Apart from a few new community stations what other totally new stations are there on air? The last totally new commercial FM station I can think of was Vega which was 15 years ago.
For the most part, the FM band in/around Sydney and surrounding regions has been fairly well established for about 15 years now?
Stuff like NewsRadio Illawarra, the 2LT/Move FM translators for Katoomba and whatever’s happening with 89.9FM in the Hawkesbury region have been notable exceptions to the rule during the last decade.
There are new FM services (ie. not including FM services that replaces/d an existing AM service) set to come to air, such as:
2GN/Eagle FM translators in Braidwood
2ST translator in Kiama
ABC Newsradio translators in Braidwood & Captains Flat
Power FM translator in Eden
Rebel/Breeze in the Great Lakes region (near Bulahdelah) & a few other places in NSW’s North Coast hinterland
5MU’s FM translators in Mt Barker & Victor Harbor
5AU, 5CC, 5RM & Magic FM translators in various places in its respective licence areas
I think there has been some community stations in regional locations disappear. The ABC is probably the only network that is growing it’s footprint in the past 10 years of so. Star FM was the last new analog commercial station (2004) to launch in NSW? When was the last AM Commercial Station? 2WS 1224 am in 1978? I don’t think we can count the FM conversion ones in regional areas.
I exclude repeaters from the list too.
why not - its still an increase in transmitters - aka adding more & more broadcast signals to the band even when listening is declining - plus networks like Breeze & Rebel & Flow are adding more all the time. Now we’re set to get more FM signals with a number of AM to FM conversions - so much so that the band is now so full, they are having a hard time finding frequencies they can use!
True! You are correct. I am thinking “new radio station” from scratch rather than repeater.
I’ve had enough of the 'Yap yap yap’,of any station’s breakfast teams in the mornings waffling on about nothing.I listen to Spotify on my Bluetooth speaker for the first 3 hours at work now and listen to the radio from 9am.Maybe I’ll stop listening to the radio at work all day too
Fitzy and Wippa do it Nova sometimes and when you hear it you go “Whaaaaat??? Is something wrong?” 
Mine too but I use it to wake up and listen to it for around 45mins before I leave for work. I then listen to an app my phone on the commute to work.
You can also live stream to your Smart Device these day. If I need to listen to the radio in my lounge room, I use my Google Home Nest. The sound quality is surprisingly good.
Vega 95.3/Classic Rock 95.3/Sydney’s 95.3/Smooth 95.3 launched on 1 August 2005. I’m sure that’s the last completely new station to launch in NSW.
I don’t mind Jonesy and Amanda on WSFM, but the rest of the breakfast shows are either tedious, trashy or boring. I only listen in the car.
From the small number of radio stations I’ve been in communications with in recent times, they’ve all put on-hold their TX expansion or install plans due to COVID19. Also some stations can’t get their techs to some sites for repairs/maintenance due to state based COVID19 restrictions etc. Several stations are really doing it tough at the moment.
I’d suspect many of the AM to FM conversions have been delayed. Others may feel inclined to add their insights.
Agree
Yes, they are the last new commercial FM stations in NSW.
DAB+ has opened up the ability to create new stations on a whim for the commercials, aside from that since 2005 the number of new community stations has increased, along with the departure of a few in recent years.
Posting on behalf of a friend, Would anyone know why there is the VAST TV info channel music being played on a infinite loop on 1611 am in Darwin? My mate and I have both tried to do some digging and all we could find is that the frequency is currently registered to Crocmedia and has a callsign of VKD293. My mate said it’s been there for a few months now that he knows of. The music seems to match the one on this youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCQJlDl7EFY.
Recording below:
https://media.vocaroo.com/mp3/jOFxAgXhkWJ
If anyone has any info or speculation on this my mate and I would like to know. Thanks.
Possibly a domestic VSAT Satellite receiver box feeding the TX that’s reset and stuck on the info page. Seen it mentioned on here before when those Council funded self help transmitters do the same.
If it’s intended to be a SEN outlet soon it’s a wonder no mention of it on SEN’s press releases thus far. SEN could always lease the licence out - who knows?
Was there ever any other broadcaster using 1611 from Darwin in the recent past?
AFAIK 2MM is the only MW broadcaster ‘on air’ up there in the 1611 - 1701kHz frequency band; 1656?
I note @AustralianAerial in Dec 19 made a posting of the SEN AM & FM licences in the Crocmedia forum; Crocmedia Radio
I wonder if any other unpublicized SEN transmitter licences have sprung to life elsewhere?
in regard to community stations, is there a sub-forum on here for that?
Yes there is, here
Re 1611Darwin
Just as a point of interest from that earlier list by @AustralianAerial Crocmedia do lease out the 1611 Badgery’s Creek licence to Vision Christian Radio, so anything is possible re 1611 Darwin I guess, although 1611 Vision has been on air for a while now from Sydney.
Was that licence owned by Gumnut (Rete Italia) previously?
1611 Darwin may be kept on air with the VAST loop to satisfy the grandfathering provisions of an s40? Is that required?