NewstalkZB Christchurch now on FM 100.1...but

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wilt64

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#83083 10-May-2011 11:16

NewstalkZB from this morning is now on 100.1Mhz FM (also on 1098 and 1017Khz) AM
One thing that does surprise me the FM transmitter is not in Stereo, I would have thought for the advertisers Stereo would be a good option. I know it is only a talkback station but would have thought they would have gone all the way and have all the bells and whistles.
Radio live is in stereo....

Thoughts anyone?

wreck90

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#467459 10-May-2011 11:19

Who cares, its just talkback.

Even if the cost of stereo is minimal , they shouldn't bother.

Nikoftime

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#467499 10-May-2011 12:22

I wouldn't even describe it as talkback..
Ads ads ads ads and more ads with a little news and whingeing in between!

old3eyes

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#467511 10-May-2011 12:38

The Auckland FM station has been in stereo since it started many years ago. Give them a call..

Regards,

Old3eyes

wilt64

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#467519 10-May-2011 12:51

old3eyes: The Auckland FM station has been in stereo since it started many years ago. Give them a call..

Yes I think it should be in stereo, when NewstalkZB in Christchurch was on a temp frequency after the Feb 22nd earth Quake using Radio Hauraki transmitter on 106.5Mhz it was in full stereo (adverts the lot) but now it is not........a bit strange!!

bnapi

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#467758 10-May-2011 22:07

i think there was another aftershock in christchurch so maybe this broke the stereo.

Dunnersfella

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#467762 10-May-2011 22:17

It's pretty simple really, the station is talk based, so there's no need for stereo presentation. Besides, get 30k's from the transmitter and it's going to be coming out in mono anyway.
It's taken a long time for ZB to make it onto a fulltime FM frequency in Christchurch - so they've done well to get the frequency, heck, they don't have permanent offices for their staff right now (some broadcast from a motels, some work from home, some are working in Tandem studio's) - making FM transmission for a talk brand a very low priority I'd think...

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kiwitrc

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#467765 10-May-2011 22:31

Besides, get 30k's from the transmitter and it's going to be coming out in mono anyway.

What???

Dunnersfella

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#467769 10-May-2011 22:43

Take a listen as you drive along, as the signal degrades, a lot of car stereos will actually display the stereo light, but will be broadcasting in mono in order to maintain a decent sound.
The 30k's is a figure I was always told, but vigorous processing does improve the range of the signal... so if it's 100% accurate in most areas, who knows?

grant_k

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#467770 10-May-2011 22:52

Dunnersfella: Take a listen as you drive along, as the signal degrades, a lot of car stereos will actually display the stereo light, but will be broadcasting in mono in order to maintain a decent sound.
The 30k's is a figure I was always told, but vigorous processing does improve the range of the signal... so if it's 100% accurate in most areas, who knows?

There isn't any hard and fast limit like 30km. It depends on a whole lot of variables such as:

- Transmitter power
- Radiation pattern of the aerial panels
- Location of the receiver
- Obstructions along the signal path
- etc, etc...

When driving over the top of the Brynderwyn ranges in Northland, I can receive many Auckland stations in stereo at good quality, even though the distance is about 150km. But when descending from the the ranges and dropping down into the valleys, the signal degrades to mono if I'm lucky.

Nothing so simple as a 30km limit I'm afraid

grant_k

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#467771 10-May-2011 22:59

wilt64:
old3eyes: The Auckland FM station has been in stereo since it started many years ago. Give them a call..

Yes I think it should be in stereo, when NewstalkZB in Christchurch was on a temp frequency after the Feb 22nd earth Quake using Radio Hauraki transmitter on 106.5Mhz it was in full stereo (adverts the lot) but now it is not........a bit strange!!

I agree that as a general rule, stations broadcasting on the FM band should utilise a stereo signal. I can't imagine that it uses significantly more power at the transmitter, although it does obviously use more bandwidth, so maybe that is why they only use Mono on selected frequencies -- National Radio being a notable example.

naggyman

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#467785 11-May-2011 06:50

Here in Masterton, Radio Live isn't in stereo and Newstalk ZB isn't on FM.
I have seen Radio Live's transmitter in Masterton and it is very old. The other transmitters for the music stations are flash and probably very expensive.

As it is talk, having stereo is not so important.

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DjShadow

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#467790 11-May-2011 08:03

Far as I know the old Radio Pacific and Radio Live have never been in Stereo, but again since its just Talk radio I can see why they don't do it

wilt64

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#467809 11-May-2011 09:16

Radio Live (NewstalkZB's opposition radio station on 99.3Mhz) is in full stereo here in Christchurch, Yes you guys are correct NewstalkZB is a talkback radio station so being in stereo is probably not high on the priority list but for the advertisers sake being in stereo does have the advantage of the “adverts being more dynamic” which is a plus. National radio is in mono as well and yes you guys are right when running stereo it does use a larger bandwidth which includes a 19khz and 38khz subcarrier which from memory is 10db down from the main carrier so more power is required. Just checked the MED website and looked at the radio spectrum register licence search and Radio Network’s transmitter is on Sugarloaf and is running 10kw ERP and is fully licenced for stereo broadcasting (the stereo bandwidth is included in the licence)