AREC FM rebroadcasting BBC World Service in Kapiti and Mana

Forums › Off topic › AREC FM rebroadcasting BBC World Service in Kapiti and Mana

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quickymart

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#2712586 24-May-2021 19:28

Actually, it was 50,000 watts back in the day - certainly in the 1990s (I remember the figure because I visited it in 1994 and the tech at the site told me).

Personally I've received the 567AM signal as far south as Dunedin, and as far north as Auckland (both with a Sony Walkman!), so I don't imagine covering all of Taranaki would have been much of a stretch for it.

The old tower (220m tall - not far off the Sky Tower's original height) was demolished in 2016 due to age and spare parts becoming scarce, and all transmission services moved to a newer, existing transmitter at the same location.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/76930461/titahi-bay-radio-new-zealand-transmission-mast-demolished

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JY

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#2712658 24-May-2021 21:26

RNZ 567 kHz is licensed for 160 kW effective radiated power but the transmitter is only capable of 50 kW at the output connector. Still that's roughly $100k a year for electricity. The station is regularly heard on the east coast of Australia.

alasta

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#2712732 25-May-2021 08:36

I live a couple of km from the Titahi Bay transmitter, within line of sight, so I'm pleased to hear it's not 300kw!

JY

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#2756638 8-Aug-2021 06:02

We have added Wellington CBD coverage on 107.0 MHz.

Bananabob

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#2756656 8-Aug-2021 10:59

@jy I did try in may car and can receive the signal in my garage. Also when around Waikanae, fades as I travel into Paraparaumu.

Did try to pick it po in Porirua but no luck there.

Next time I am in Wellington will have a go on 107

Did you know your station announcement before the hour is hard to hear because it goes out over the top of the BBC announcements?

JY

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#2756688 8-Aug-2021 11:54

The announcement for Wellington has been boosted so that the compressor and limiter ducks the BBC feed level. You should find that a lot better. This will be rolled out to the other sites shortly. On SH1 with RDS working, my car radio automatically changes from 87.6 to 107.0 MHz about halfway down the Gorge. The RDS encoders all transmit AF with the various site frequencies.

Be interested to know where in Porirua you were having issues. The coverage along SH1 is fine there.

Bananabob

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#2756709 8-Aug-2021 12:53

JY: Be interested to know where in Porirua you were having issues. The coverage along SH1 is fine there.

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quickymart

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#2756878 8-Aug-2021 19:36

Any idea of listenership yet?

JY

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#2758236 10-Aug-2021 21:57

We have great feedback from listeners but it's really hard to estimate. The RBA commissions Gfk to look at audience numbers but I think they ignore LPFM. Plenty of website hits from Geekzone though :)

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