thetron Posted January 22, 2005 Share Posted January 22, 2005 Apprently there was a Ad in Last Tuesday news paper about expreesion of interest. Giving people two months for objections to ABC/Broadcating Australia if they thought they should stay Currently the FM transmittion is broadcasted out of Mt Goo. Only motive to get rid of them would be for 3 1. That take a huge chunk of potential residential land 2. Fears of an Jet would crash into them. When Virgin and Jetstar arrive 3. It was a mistake to put the tower there. In the first place Only thing i'd miss about them being this focial point and icon for Hervey Bay. If you ask me where i live or your a Taxi Driver . I'd say "On long street just past the towers" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datvman Posted January 22, 2005 Share Posted January 22, 2005 Are you able to take some piccies before they go chop. I can't see how housing can go there, as AM radio towers are usually built on swamp. Does anyone even listen to 4QB 855AM? or is everyone tuned to mt goon because its costing the ABC vital funds keeping 4QB if no one listens to it. But its pretty strong, I get it here in Brisbane at times Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raby Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 Are you able to take some piccies before they go chop. I can't see how housing can go there, as AM radio towers are usually built on swamp. Does anyone even listen to 4QB 855AM? or is everyone tuned to mt goon because its costing the ABC vital funds keeping 4QB if no one listens to it. But its pretty strong, I get it here in Brisbane at times <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Most of the Bay is on swamp I live just down the rioad from them and while I would like a little less electromagnitic radition I would be sad to see them go . Bit unsure y they were put there in first place as ther was much better spots they could of went Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datvman Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 I guess that was the only feesable land back in the 40's when it was installed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peace At Last Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 I suppose this is a continuation of the slow demise of AM radio and it's really up to the locals to have their say if they're interested or even aware of what's about to happen. I expect there are many who enjoy the convenience of having music or talk without having to fiddle with antennas and haven't associated the great reception with the local towers. The majority of people do not know the ABC AM programme for Bundaberg, Maryborough, Childers etc emanates from here and that should be no surprise because it's just always been there. No doubt there's others who'd say good riddance because it's a poor quality cousin for the FM services out of Mt Goonaneman. Anyway, at least the Wide Bay locals can have a say now. For many years and it may still be the case for the next little while, Pialba's 4QB was half of a synchronised transmitter pair with it's sister station 4QO at Eidsvold, just a Great Dividing Range away. Before GPS and Digital Tv's single frequency networks we had these two stations "almost" phase, locked on 855 kHz using high stability oscillators, this didn't always work brilliantly, sometimes the difference in phase gave you the sound of distant shortwave reception, but you were always able to catch up on the ABC news without fail, no matter where you were. The contract for the maintenance of ABC services in Queensland passed from Telstra to TVNZ in 1996. These are old transmitters with some idiosyncrasies that can take time to master to keep them in shape, maybe for TVNZ it was a struggle. Alternatively, maybe programmed transmitter replacement has not occurred leaving TVNZ (now called THL) a very difficult task. My advice, for what it's worth, is for the locals to determine if there is a need asap. Remember you have an increasing retired population and more often than not these people are the silent many. If you find it's a case of "who cares" let it go, but if there's a need start the fight and make the ABC understand so. If you made enquiries you'd be surprised how little capital expenditure would be needed for a new AM transmitter to keep Pialba going. The last thing to note. For all of its poor quality and technology that's approaching a ton of years of age, this technology is one of the easiest to get up and running after a natural disaster for mass coverage. I believe there's value in keeping a string of these up the coast, just in case. When you are being advised of a cyclone or some other natural disaster or worse, who cares if it sounds a little scratchy. And yes please, if there's a photo I'd like to see it if someone is able. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetron Posted January 24, 2005 Author Share Posted January 24, 2005 When they build the towers. They in a sort of kit format and each section is mounted ontop of each other I was also told before the invention of OH&S the Telstra workers building them up and down the coast they would have races down the support cables . So i've heard from an ex Telstra employee (Bill Pedler. Some may know him from the VMR in Hervey Bay) They put sat dish and new sign outfront mid last year and a hired truck offloading or onloading. From time to time couple of years back i'd see a Channel 7 news/production car parked out the back. Oh if you touch these things you'd get a nasty shock or tickling feeling. Before the 2003 (Installed big fence/security) I'd heard drunken storyies of people climbing them at night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetron Posted January 24, 2005 Author Share Posted January 24, 2005 I have shots. Too dark and they look like UFO's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanh Posted January 24, 2005 Share Posted January 24, 2005 Peace At Last, There would 2 reasons particularly that they would be interested in. 1. All transmitters they have to maintain are on the same site and tower. 2. All the sound signal being transmitted is used by the receiver. In AM (Double Sideband, Full Carrier) means that 33 % or more of the power is used to keep the volume constant, particularly between stations. So FM transmitters are much more efficient than AM for the power purchased from the electricity supply. AlanH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datvman Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 what even during the day?? heres my foto of the 2NR (ABC North Coast 50kw powerhouse) radio tower at Lawrence (served in the Grafton licence area) http://img180.exs.cx/img180/8614/2nr2jr.jpg And the 2GF tower (taken while on the road) http://img179.exs.cx/img179/6868/2gf6fc.jpg http://img179.exs.cx/img179/5755/2gf24cl.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peace At Last Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 Alan H, I believe your reply was directed to thoughts from thetron, but can I say that I agree with you that its reasonable to expect Broadcast Australia has a strong preference to reduce site numbers/maintenance locations and towers and capitalise any potential sales of this vacated land for residential purposes. I however stuggle a little with your power consumption efficiency comparisons of AM and FM. Firstly there's no doubt the AM Broadcast services are power and bandwidth hungry in comparison to AM (single sideband suppressed carrier SSB) to the point where SSB can deliver two to three times the output RF in comparison to broadcast radio for a given power consumption. This cannot however be stretched to make any power consumption comparison with FM. If you take the two ABC tranmitters in question here with similar coverage, a 10kW AM service at Pialba and 20kW FM service at Mt Goonaneman, the old AM transmitter would be lucky if it was 40% efficient, however the FM could be 75% efficient if they have it going really well. If you do the numbers you'll find the old AM transmitter does quite well. Imagine what a solid state 85% efficient AM transmitter of the same vintage as the FM transmitter could achieve. Finally, the volume of an AM tranmitter is determined by its modulation depth and the consistent loudness is a measure of the audio compression desired by the broadcaster and the "type" of sound they want to create. To make all stations sound similar in volume we hope all broadcasters positive modulate somewhere between 100 and 125%, then as listeners switch between stations they need not reach for the volume control. (unless they hate the programme that is) A quick note for those who consider touching these AM radio masts, please don't. These masts are live and RF burns are nasty and can take a long time to heal, moreover contact can be fatal. These masts do not hold up a transmitting antenna as such, the whole mast in fact is the antenna and is live. Keep well away!!!! Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetron Posted January 26, 2005 Author Share Posted January 26, 2005 There 3 towers in howers on the same site - 2 tall ones - Small pole tower Speaking of power. They have Concreate power poles running besiding streets and then stop where the relay station is. So looks like they get a dedicated power source. The land also has a dual purpose. Sometimes a farmer will leave his cattle onsite to keep the grass from growing too high It seem likely to remove them before Hervey Bay airport expansion is completed. So no Jets accidently fly into them. Current flight path leads directly over Bay central Photo are abit of a pain atm. it's raining Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raby Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 There 3 towers in howers on the same site- 2 tall ones - Small pole tower Speaking of power. They have Concreate power poles running besiding streets and then stop where the relay station is. So looks like they get a dedicated power source. The land also has a dual purpose. Sometimes a farmer will leave his cattle onsite to keep the grass from growing too high It seem likely to remove them before Hervey Bay airport expansion is completed. So no Jets accidently fly into them. Current flight path leads directly over Bay central Photo are abit of a pain atm. it's raining <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The small one is a standby mast I have photos taken from the top of the mast I will see if I can dig them up as a friend worked for BTS onw Tvnz I think used to maintain the site (change the light bulbs , Fix the tx ect) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetron Posted January 27, 2005 Author Share Posted January 27, 2005 Yeh the lightbulb would go unattended. 2003 one of the towers lights were out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkint3 Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 Given that 100.1 ABC Local Radio from Mt Goonaneman appears to adequately cover ALL of the Fraser Coast/Wide Bay region (according to the map on the ABC web site) and transmits the same programs as 855am, there seems to be little point in maintaining AM and FM broadcasts of the same service. Along with the aforementioned issues of reducing electro magnetic radiation and air safety, the main objective of this to me is to reduce costs.. The land currently occupied by the transmitter could be sold, along with no operating costs. There are a number of centres in regional NSW, QLD and VIC which have ABC Local Radio services on both AM and FM... Perhaps this is the start of the 'switching off' of the ABC AM local radio services in all of these areas too ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datvman Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 Maybe they might be only keeping the 50kw transmitters in the sparsly populated areas?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanh Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 datvman, The following are the only 50 kW sites in Australia, all ABC • Perth - Hamersley (Northern Suburbs of Perth) • Sydney - Prestons (South West Sydney) 2 of • Brisbane - Bald Hills (Northern Suburbs) 2 of? • Adelaide. Reynella (South Western Adelaide). • Melbourne - Lower Plenty. (North East Melbourne in the Heidelberg/Eltham area.) 2 of • Country Sites • Cumnock (Orange) NSW • Grafton NSW • Horsham Vic • Brandon (Townsville) Qld • Wagin WA AlanH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datvman Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 ok Cheers alan, but as you can see, the 50kw powerhouse where those are located are in really low density areas (just look at the coverage for 2CR Cumnock, nearly all of central NSW and then some). I think they will just keep these as they cover large areas not achievable via FM. FYI, Brisbane only has one 50kw powerhouse and thats 4QR 612 (i refuse to call it 612 ABC Brisbane, bring back the callsigns). 4RN and 4PB are 25kw and 10kw respectivley. just a note, FWIW, i prefer the 50kw powerhouses, because, if im driving to grafton, i can listen to 4QR all the way up to byron, then tune to 2NR to complete the journey to grafton, but if im on FM, i need to change 4 times, to much mucking about IMHO (but that will all cease should we get digital radio ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetron Posted January 31, 2005 Author Share Posted January 31, 2005 I got a reply from ABC reception They said there was no such public notice or plans to pull the towers down. She said also "However, It maybe decided to relocate our service in the future." I'll drop an email to this lady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datvman Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 Oh ok. What about those pictures. And does anyone have any tips on taking pictures of towers? I use and ISO200 and 1/1000 exposure rate on the digital camera Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetron Posted January 31, 2005 Author Share Posted January 31, 2005 I'll get on my bike and see if i can. Just the towers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetron Posted February 1, 2005 Author Share Posted February 1, 2005 http://www.bmesh.net/tower/ It's an overcasty day and some picture didn't fair so well when retouch them. By lighting the picture up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datvman Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 YOU LITTLE RIPPER hmmm, i thought they had a capacitor cap on the top, like the 2NR one, goes to show you how long its been since ive been to pialba Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datvman Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 http://www.aca.gov.au/pls/radcom/site_sear...?pSITE_ID=16650 Also, theres some station broadcast from there on 1611kHz, what is that? 4TAB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetron Posted February 2, 2005 Author Share Posted February 2, 2005 That would probably explain the Sat dish and Hired truck awhile ago. Btw Cows are on the tooth street side atm Would of got a shot of the radiated cows that "Mow" the grass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raby Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 It looks like it may be true just heard from a friend in the business who told me I am also still trying to get the photos taken from the top of the mast. I will also try to get a approx time frame when this is to happen. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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