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