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Tropo- Friend or Foe?


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I can confirm that 98.1 is simply NOT acceptable for the Central Coast. It's like a nerdy kid being jabbed from each side by a couple of bullies. On one side we have i 98 atop the mighty Knights Hill, spewing out 20 kW of power. On the other we have an equally potent nemesis, Power FM 98.1 Hunter Valley, which, using its corporate power, spews out another 20?kW signal. In short, the small nerdy kid, NewsRadio, is forced into a little corner (the Gosford area), and can only pray for listership. Pity, as this kid can share its range of opinions on the issues of the world to the whole class if given a bit more power.

The power output towards Gosford for the 98.1 services are as follows:

i98FM Wollongong - 40kW

Power FM Muswellbrook - 20kW

This is compared to ABC Newsradio Gosford's 200 watts.

Like you said, 98.1 in the Central Coast is unacceptable. As dkint3 said, blame it on NBN for not moving off the VHF-3 frequency.

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There is one frequency that has been overlooked in the Central Coast. It is NOT in the NBN red zone, nor close to existing services. It fits the 'Brisbane' channel allocations i.e. 105.3, 106.9, 107.7 that are used up in the CC. It is a mystical, untouched realm of the Central East dial. Some, like Middle East Radio, have dared to venture into its fantasy land. This frequency is...... 100.5 !!!!

I think the reason 100.5 has not been used in either in Wollongong or Central Coast/Newcastle areas is because if the potential to cause 2nd Harmonic i/f to and already weak Channel 9 Sydney. There is much less chance of this being a problem in Sydney as Channel 9 signal is much stronger, thus the low power test broadcasts. I think 100.5 should actually be used by HHHFM Hornsby. This would mean they are adjacent to MCR and WOW instead of MCR and SWR (SWR is much stronger then WOW in this area), there would be little chance of 2nd Harmonic i/f to Channel 9 and it would make 100.1 available on the Central Coast for News Radio. Thats Win Win.

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I have heard of the intermod problem with Channel 9 before, but since VHF 9 is out of license area, it should not require protection on the Central Coast. NBN 3, for example, can be rxed on the Northern Beaches, and yet there are services in the Red Zone, such as Raw FM 88.0 Collaroy and the 2MWM freqs (88.7, 90.3).The Bouddi, Gosford and Wyong translators plus Sugarloaf should make up for most deficiencies. If 100.5 can be used in Sydney itself, then there is no major problem.

I don't think HHH would appreciate switching freqs, but I agree that SWR must wreak havoc in places like Thornleigh and Pennant Hills which have a clear LOS to the west. 100.5 was going to be used by 2RDJ Burwood, but I think the harmonic problem existed as Burwood is close to Artarmon. The ABA wanted 88.1 clear to allow more LPON's in Inner Sydney. I think MER transmitted on 100.5 from Lakemba?

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I have heard of the intermod problem with Channel 9 before, but since VHF 9 is out of license area, it should not require protection on the Central Coast. NBN 3, for example, can be rxed on the Northern Beaches, and yet there are services in the Red Zone, such as Raw FM 88.0 Collaroy and the 2MWM freqs (88.7, 90.3).The Bouddi, Gosford and Wyong translators plus Sugarloaf should make up for most deficiencies. If 100.5 can be used in Sydney itself, then there is no major problem.

I don't think HHH would appreciate switching freqs, but I agree that SWR must wreak havoc in places like Thornleigh and Pennant Hills which have a clear LOS to the west. 100.5 was going to be used by 2RDJ Burwood, but I think the harmonic problem existed as Burwood is close to Artarmon. The ABA wanted 88.1 clear to allow more LPON's in Inner Sydney. I think MER transmitted on 100.5 from Lakemba?

Maybe a lot of people still watch channel nine (VHF 9) on the coast and have not upgraded the aerials since the early 90s. I still see a lot of towers up there and in Newcastle too.

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I have heard of the intermod problem with Channel 9 before, but since VHF 9 is out of license area, it should not require protection on the Central Coast. NBN 3, for example, can be rxed on the Northern Beaches, and yet there are services in the Red Zone, such as Raw FM 88.0 Collaroy and the 2MWM freqs (88.7, 90.3).The Bouddi, Gosford and Wyong translators plus Sugarloaf should make up for most deficiencies. If 100.5 can be used in Sydney itself, then there is no major problem.

Thats true I did have that in mind when I wrote that post actually, Gosford and Wollongong are outside 9 Sydney's area. I think they did prove though that they had many viewers in this area that would be affected.

I don't think HHH would appreciate switching freqs, but I agree that SWR must wreak havoc in places like Thornleigh and Pennant Hills which have a clear LOS to the west.

Yes, there are places along Pennant Hills Road and Castle Hill Road where you can actually see the Horsley Park towers.

100.5 was going to be used by 2RDJ Burwood, but I think the harmonic problem existed as Burwood is close to Artarmon. The ABA wanted 88.1 clear to allow more LPON's in Inner Sydney. I think MER transmitted on 100.5 from Lakemba?

RDJ should have taken this opportunity. I believe they didn't want to have to switch freq. Cool Country presents a bit of a problem for them now (which is believe is TXing way over power) you can't get it past Parramatta. 100kHz spacing is simply not enough, you may as well have them on the same freq.

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Thats true I did have that in mind when I wrote that post actually, Gosford and Wollongong are outside 9 Sydney's area. I think they did prove though that they had many viewers in this area that would be affected.

Gosford is in 9 Sydney's licence area, but Wollongong isn't.

See the Sydney TV licence area map here: http://www.aba.gov.au/licplan/planning/lic...maps/la_305.pdf

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(Slightly off topic but)

Went for a camping trip to Landsborough this weekend. Had a play with the car radio and got some interesting stations.

88.7 - ABC Classic FM Sunshine Coast

88.9 - ??? (probably an iTrip or something)*

89.7 - Triple J Sunshine Coast

90.3 - ABC Local Radio Sunshine Coast

91.1 - Hot FM Sunshine Coast

91.9 - Sea FM Sunshine Coast

92.7 - Mix FM Sunshine Coast

93.3 - SBS FM Brisbane

94.1 - Radio Hope Island

94.5 - ABC Local Radio Lismore**

94.9 - River949 Ipswich

95.3 - ABC Local Radio Gympie

96.1 - Zinc96 Gympie (was Heat FM)

96.5 - 965 Brisbane

96.9 - ABC Radio National Gympie

97.3 - 973FM Brisbane

97.7 - ABC Triple J Sunshine Coast

98.1 - 4EBFM Brisbane

98.9 - 989FM Brisbane

99.3 - Triple J Wide Bay

100.3 - Bay FM Cleveland

100.5 - Zinc96 Translator Eumundi (I think)

101.1 - 101FM Woodridge

101.5 - 4OUR Caboolture

102.1 - Triple Zed Brisbane

102.9 - Hot Tomato Gold Coast **

103.5 - 4MB FM Fraser Coast (very scratchy)

103.7 - 4MBS Brisbane

104.5 - Triple M Brisbane

104.9 - Radio Maleny (pretty much just Woolworths bashing)

105.3 - B105FM Brisbane

105.7 - Radio Metro Gold Coast**

106.1 - ABC Classic FM Brisbane

106.5 - Rheema Radio Sunshine Coast

106.9 - Nova 106.9 Brisbane

107.1 - Classic Hits Translator (4GY) Eumundi

107.7 - Triple J Brisbane

Must of been some minor tropo today as I didn't expect to get the stations that I did, esp the Gold Coast and Brisbane community stations. Zinc96 is another Jack FM format which isn't bad, but its got Jamie Dunn on it unfortunately. I see why Sea FM and Mix FM are arcing up about Zinc and 4GY. There repeaters could be recieved in crystal clear stereo at Landsborough, and so could the Zinc96 main signal :blink:

* - This might of been Richmond Valley Radio

** - reception scratchy - but listenable

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89.7 - Triple J Sunshine Coast

Correction: Triple J in the Sunshine Coast broadcasts on 89.5 MHz.

Zinc96 is another Jack FM format which isn't bad, but its got Jamie Dunn on it unfortunately.

You can also listen to Zinc 96 online.

You can take a listen by looking for the 'listen live' icon on its website: http://www.zinc96.com.au/

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  • 3 months later...

I might have a new record for tropo ducting as far as digital TV is concerned.

Yesterday morning (05/07/06) my boss went out to do an antenna job & he was getting ABN12 & ATN6 on a customers STB in the Sunshine Coast regon in an area that is served by ABQ12 & BTQ7 from Brisbane & he saw ABC Sydney in the channel info instead of the usual ABC Brisbane.

The signals were breaking up as to be expected for this mode of propergation as it was battling with the Brisbane ABC signal & it was edging it out for a time.

Unfortunatly we have no real proof of this & I was only told about after it had happened.

There was a massive high pressure system that covered most of eastern Australia at the time that might account for what had happened.

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Does anyone know the history of why 103.7 and 104.5 were allocated to Nowra? In the slightest tropo, 103.7 would be swamped by 103.5 ABC South East. One can get 105.1, 101.9 quite acceptably in the region from the same tx site. And we all know that STAR from Gosford wreaks havoc with 104.5.

IMHO, 2ST should swap 102.9 for 103.7 for their Southern Highlands' FM translator.

Personally, I'd be happy with the move, in which I'll be able to get KO-FM from Newcastle during tropo more easily than under the current arrangement in my location.

102.9 would then be used for 2KY Nowra (HPON).

104.5 was allocated to 2UUU long before this frequency was being allocated for a new Central Coast commercial station (ie. Star 104.5). 2UUU gained a full-time licence in 1990, while Star 104.5 started in 2004. 2BOB Taree, which gained its full-time licence in 1986, also was broadcasting on 104.5, but a few months before Star 104.5 started, 2BOB was asked to move to 104.7, so that Star 104.5 wouldn't be broadcasting at reduced power towards Newcastle & Taree, which would result on weaker power than Sea FM & 2GO in that direction.

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@billybob: Was just going through your website and just some observations: :blink:

92.5- NewsRadio (Gosford transmitter), 2YAC test broadcast (Moss Vale- low power), Solid Gold FM (Tauranga, NZ) Newsradio weak, Moss Vale only in tropo and Tauranga only in Sporadic E

92.5 is ABC Local Radio, 98.1 is NewsRadio, the ACMA have it listed it the wrong way around.

93.3- 2SNR (Gosford), SBS Radio 2 Brisbane Gosford in tropo, Brisbane in sporadic e

96.3- JJJ (Taree), 2CCC (Toukley) Both services tropo only, maybe received concurrently in strong tropo

I get both permanently here at Hurstville, 2CCC is quite strong, 2SNR fairly weak.

106.1- Classic FM (Newcastle) As with 102.1, can be received in normal conditions north of Manly. But here in Oatley its tropo only

Comes in permanently here in Hurstville, strength isn't too bad.

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No tropo occurring, but I thought I should post the following here.

I was in Collaroy Beach this afternoon, and it was good on the FM/AM radio band, as well as TV reception.

The Central Coast commercial FM stations were about as strong as the Sydney FM stations, if not a little bit stronger. The community stations from the Central Coast (93.3, 94.1, 94.9 & 96.3) came through no worries.

ABC Newsradio took up the 98.1 spot & ABC Local Radio on 92.5 was well received.

I got New FM & NXFM from Newcastle, but KO-FM was a hassle, as it clashed with 2ST from Bowral, which the latter dominated the 102.9 frequency. The ABC FM stations from Newcastle (102.1 & 106.1) boomed in.

I could get the ABC Illawarra FM services through.

On the AM band, around 4pm, I got many stations from NSW, ACT & VIC. 2CA from Canberra boomed in quite well. 2HD Newcastle came through like a local station.

On my portable TV, I could get Prime & SC Ten from Newcastle. I also got NBN from Wyong as well.

It's a good spot for FM, AM & TV DXing. :blink:

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After driving around for a while, I've made the following observations

The Northern NSW high powered ABC services are recievable within Southern Brisbane and within about 15k's of the CBD on the Northern side. I've driven around for a week listening to JJJ Lismore (96.1) just for giggles and found reception was quite good. Patchy in the north as Zinc96 comes booming in from around Caboolture.

Ipswich service River94.9 must of done some tweaking of there transmitter, as I can get it clearly in most parts of Brisbane, even the Sunshine and Gold Coasts :blink:. Darling Downs high powered and Southern Downs high powered ABC services can be recieved in parts of Brisbane. I regualrly trick guests of my place by tuning my radio to 104.1 JJJ Darling Downs. They get a bit of a shock when I tell them the signal has travelled nearly 170k's and still receivable in stereo.

All Gold Coast services are fairly good, depending where you are. I cannot get Hot Tomato in many areas on the north side no matter how hard I try, southside has Gold Coast in stereo most of the time. Sunshine Coast services come booming in the north, which it should, seeing as the licence area comes down to Narangba. Hot 91.1 is as strong as a local station, even recieving it as far south as Loganholme before reception started to cut to Sea FM Gold Coast.

On the AM front, sitting at Mt Gravatt one day, I flicked thru the AM services. Some interesting stations. 4GY, Radio TAB Maryborough, 2NR, 2LM, 4AK all came in scratchy, but listenable. 4GR, ABC Sth QLD, 4WK, ABC Orange 549 and Radio 97 all came in no problems. Of course all the Brisbane stations coming in off the scale.

Thats my observations over the past few months. Thanks for reading

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I second the notion that Collaroy Beach is a great spot for Dxing.

On a school project in 2003, I chose Collaroy as a spot for measuring FM stations available (don't ask). All Newie stations were available, I even got Power FM (Nowra, not Muswellbrook) and c 91.3 there. I have got Power as far north as Avalon (I think this was before Rhema started or was very weak). I'd love to help out with courier work, you seem to be going to diff. spots in Sydney every week!

Another good spot on the Northern Beaches for dxing is Dobroyd Head/Tania Park in Balgowlah Heights. Signals from the Illawarra to Newcastle boom in. Dobroyd Head has a southern view, getting for example VOX over NX, while Tania has a northern aspect, getting NX over VOX. If you are ever delivering to Balgowlah/Seaforth/Manly, check it out.

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  • 2 months later...


  • 1 month later...

A round up of the weekends good tropo:

Sat Afternoon: Newcastle FM's at medium strength, also got 90.9 Flow FM from the Yorke Peninsula but via Sporadic E rather than tropo

Sunday Morning: Manning River nationals at great strength

Sunday Afternoon/Evening: Newcastle FM's booming in like locals, with full colour reception of SC10 from Sugarloaf on my bedroom analogue only TV with rabbit ears. Also got BAY AND BASIN FM for the first time :blink:

Monday Morning: No newie, but BAB FM still there at good levels.

Does anyone know the analogue channel number for Prime TV Sugarloaf? I could not seem to lock on to it last night. I think I got ABC and SBS from there too, but as they are the same programming as Sydney I did not bother to store them. Thanks.

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Where is Yorke Peninsula ? Cape York????

How do you know its Sporadic E rather than Tropo?

A round up of the weekends good tropo:

Sat Afternoon: Newcastle FM's at medium strength, also got 90.9 Flow FM from the Yorke Peninsula but via Sporadic E rather than tropo

Sunday Morning: Manning River nationals at great strength

Sunday Afternoon/Evening: Newcastle FM's booming in like locals, with full colour reception of SC10 from Sugarloaf on my bedroom analogue only TV with rabbit ears. Also got BAY AND BASIN FM for the first time :blink:

Monday Morning: No newie, but BAB FM still there at good levels.

Does anyone know the analogue channel number for Prime TV Sugarloaf? I could not seem to lock on to it last night. I think I got ABC and SBS from there too, but as they are the same programming as Sydney I did not bother to store them. Thanks.

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Does anyone know the analogue channel number for Prime TV Sugarloaf? I could not seem to lock on to it last night.

UHF 54.

I've read your post about tropo going on from Newcastle last night. I missed out on being part of the action, because I didn't check whether there was any TV & FM reception from Newcastle last night! :blink:

Oh well, there's always next time. :D

Besides, KO-FM last night (Sunday) have got "Planet Rock Evolution", which can be heard locally on MMM & "My Generation", which can be heard locally on WS-FM. Therefore, there's not much to be gained on picking up KO-FM last night, which is my favourite Newcastle commercial radio station. I think 2ST would've blocked out KO-FM at my location anyway, but who knows.

Good to hear that you've picked up Bay & Basin FM in Oatley! :P

It must be your favourite community station in the Illawarra/South Coast, and I would tend to agree with you on this as well. If there's nothing special on Wave FM while daytripping in the area on a Sunday afternoon, I would tune to Bay & Basin FM for "80s Retro" (12-4pm Sundays), depending on the reception & what radio I'm using (car radio is the best for picking up FM stations from further away than my walkman/MP3 player; I've got BAB FM preseted on FM2, No.2).

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I happened to be down in Grafton for rememberence day and was playing with the radio and found some interesting stations

91.9 CFM Warwick

93.3 2BBB Dorrigo

94.9 River 949 Ipswich

97.3 973FM Brisbane

Plus most of the stations from the Lismore/Murwillumbah area and Coffs/Kempsey area.

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