Australia X-Band

Narrowband Area Services 1611-1701 AMJuly 2011

There is continued interest in this area of the Australian AM dial. All these stations use a transmitter power of 400w unless specified and the location shown is usually the larger urban area within which the transmitter site islocated. On some frequencies, combined transmitter powers carrying common programsapproach 1-2kW providing good signal strength with reception confirmed possible as far distant as Scandinavia and Canada.

Freq:LocationStateStationNotes

1611NewcastleNSWFrancis Greenway High School Local low power

GraftonNSWRadio 16 The Goanna Country

GriffithNSWRete ItaliaItalian

SydneyNSW2GWSydney WestLocal

TamworthNSWRadio 16 The GoannaCountry

Wee WaaNSW1611 Gold AM50w

ChilternVICVision Radio NetworkChristian

MelbourneVICVision Radio NetworkChristian

MilduraVICOld GoldLocal

GoondiwindiQLDHot CountryCountry

RomaQLDHot CountryCountry

St.GeorgeQLDHot CountryCountry

EmeraldQLDHot CountryCountry

KarumbaQLD4KZ [300w]relay 4KZ 531AM

CroydonQLDKIK-FM [50w]relay KIK-FM 88.7

AdelaideSAVision Radio NetworkChristian

WillettonWAWilletton State Senior High School Local low power

Margaret RiverWAVision Radio NetworkChristian

WaginWA6GSLocal

AlbanyWAGold MixLocal

EsperanceWARete ItaliaItalian

KalgoorlieWARete ItaliaItalian

Margaret RiverWAVision Radio NetworkChristian

DevonportTASRete ItaliaItalian

HobartTASRete ItaliaItalian

LauncestonTASRete ItaliaItalian

1620CanberraACTRete ItaliaItalian

SydneyNSW2MOROArabic

MelbourneVIC3CW Chineserelay 3CW 1341AM

WangarattaVICRete ItaliaItalian

Gold CoastQLDRete ItaliaItalian

ToowoombaQLDRete ItaliaItalian

SunshineCoastQLDRete ItaliaItalian

GladstoneQLDRete ItaliaItalian

RockhamptonQLDRete ItaliaItalian

Taylors BeachQLD4KZ [500w]relay 4KZ 531AM

PerthWAMonitoredChinese

1629CanberraACTRete ItaliaItalian

DubboNSWRadio 16 The GoannaCountry

NewcastleNSWNewcastleHospital Radio Local 100w

MelbourneVIC3CW Chineserelay 3CW 1341AM

SheppartonVICRete ItaliaItalian

DalbyQLDHot CountryCountry

MackayQLDRete ItaliaItalian

AdelaideSARete ItaliaItalian

Mt.GambierSARete ItaliaItalian

AlbanyWARete ItaliaItalian

BusseltonWA3ABNChristian

PerthWA3ABNChristian

MundaringWARete ItaliaItalian

1638SydneyNSW2MEArabic

ArmidaleNSWRadio 16 The GoannaCountry

MelbourneVIC2MEArabic

DarwinNT2MEArabic

1647CanberraACTChina Radio Internationalrelay Beijing

BrisbaneQLD2MEArabic

MackayQLDVision Radio NetworkChristian

AdelaideSA2MEArabic

1656SydneyNSW2MMGreek

Broken HillNSWThe AxeLocal 50w

BrisbaneQLDThe Voice of the Australian Chinese ChineseAdelaide SA Willunga High School Local low power

PerthWA2MEArabic

1665SydneyNSW2MMGreek

MelbourneVICVision Radio NetworkChristian

1674BrisbaneQLDVision Radio NetworkChristian

1683SydneyNSWClub AMGreek

1692NanangoQLDVision Radio NetworkChristian

1701SydneyNSWVoice of Charity [VOC] Christian-Lebanese

MelbourneVICIslamic Voice RadioIslam-Arabic

BrisbaneQLDRadio BrisvaaniHindi

With the departure of the nationwide Radio 2 network several years ago and with a couple of major exceptions, it’s compelling to argue that the on-air situation on 1611-1701 kHz isrelativelyvery little changed from that nearly 20 years ago when ethnic and niche formats [mainly Arabic, Greek and dance music] predominated.

Rete Italia’s Italian language network continues to gain ground as themain non-English language broadcaster, anchored with a growing number of full power HPON [High Powered Open Narrowcast] outlets in the standard AM and FM bands and online streaming.

In fact, Rete Italia can now be said to clearly dominate the use of this narrowcast spectrum in Australia with programs connecting to a widely scattered and older market group of Italian immigrants and descendents more familiar with AM radio.

Queensland based Vision Radio Network is expanding in 2011 with new stations in Melbourne and Brisbane and others scheduled. They operate many hundreds of low power FM stations plus a growing number of full-power HPON outlets in the standard AM and FM bands.Their use of these AM frequencies tends to be targeted at the state capitals whilst their FM services reach suburban and country locations.

The Sydney based Arabic language network 2ME has services across several state capitals, backed by DRM digital broadcasts and online streaming.

Recently, Chinese programmed 3CW Geelong has expanded coverage into the narrowcast zone, joined by China Radio International in English from Beijing in Canberra.

A common feature of Rete Italia, Vision Radio Network, 2ME and 3CW is their use of considerable talk and news programming rather than a focus just on music.

Country music is fading as a potentially successful niche format with Hot Country in Queensland stalled at just a handful of stations and The Goanna 16AM Country dropping coverage to a few outlets centred in Tamworth and central NSW.

Music, usually of the ‘Gold’ variety targeted at babyboomers still features on local stations in isolated communities. However, a number are merely relays of full power AM or FM stations with which often feature talk program segments.

Moves continue within the fringe radio industry groups to rebuild the 1611-1701 stations as a stronger broadcasting force. This includesencouraging licence holders to cease hoarding unused licences and growth in satellite and on-line program distribution.

This update draws on previous reports, recent monitoring within Australia and analysis of on-line information.

© Radio Heritage Foundation 2011