Explanatory paper – Part B: North East Zone
july2013
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acma | 1
Contents (Continued)
Background
Preliminary Views – North East Zone
Bocoble, New South Wales.
Clermont and Yungaburra, Queensland.
Coolah, New South Wales.
Karumba, Queensland.
Kilcoy, Queensland.
Stanthorpe, Queensland.
Tara, Queensland.
Thursday Island, Queensland.
Warrumbungle, New South Wales.
Minor amendments
Submissions
acma | 1Background
This explanatory paper accompanies the proposed Draft Variation to Licence Area Plan – Remote Central and Eastern Australia Radio - No.1 of 2013.
The broadcast planning functions of the ACMA are set out in Part 3 of the
Broadcasting Services Act 1992(BSA). In performing its planning functions, the BSA requires the ACMA to promote the objects of the BSA,[1] including the economic and efficient use of radiofrequency spectrum, and to have regard to the planning criteria set out in section 23.
The ACMA refers to the Australian Broadcasting Authority’s General Approach to Analog Planning when it considers the planning of broadcasting services. This document sets out the legislative framework and planning criteria, as well as the general approach to the planning of broadcasting services. It also contains a record of advice and assumptions about matters relevant to the ACMA’s broadcast planning functions and powers.
Under section 26 (Preparation of licence area plans) of the BSA, the ACMA[2] must, by legislative instrument, prepare licence area plans (LAPs) that determine the number and characteristics, including technical specifications, of broadcasting services that are to be available in particular areas of Australia with the use of the broadcasting services bands (BSB), and those plans must be consistent with the relevant frequency allotment plan (FAP).
The ACMA may vary LAPs under subsection 26(2) of the BSA and generally considers variations in response to submissions received or on becoming aware of technical issues that need addressing.
The Licence Area Plan – Remote Central and Eastern Australia Radio (Remote LAP), determined in October 1996 and as subsequently varied, currently provides for one commercial radio broadcasting service in the Remote Commercial Radio Service Central Zone RA1 (Central Zone) and two commercial radio broadcasting services in the Remote Commercial Radio Service North East Zone RA1 (North East Zone) licence areas.
The North East Zone licence area extends across Queensland and New South Wales from remote areas to the periphery of major regional and metropolitan population centres, including Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Rebel Radio Network Pty Ltd (Rebel) holds the two commercial radio broadcasting licences, SL10216 (4RBL) and SL1150711 (4BRZ), in this licence area. A map of the North East Zone licence area is shown at Map 1 on page 3.
Rebel has requested that the ACMA consider varying the Remote LAP to either make new FM channel capacity available for additional transmitters, or that existing technical specifications for transmitters be amended, in the North East Zone for 4RBL and 4BRZ at Canungra, Clermont, Karumba, Kilcoy, Mid-west NSW (Mudgee), Stanthorpe, Tara, Thursday Island, Warrumbungles and Yungaburra.
The ACMA has considered the above proposals and formed the preliminary view that proposed new and amended operations will potentially promote the objects of the BSA, including the economic and efficient use of radiofrequency spectrum, by improving the coverage and reception of those services. The ACMA is seeking public comment on the proposed LAP variation.
The proposed changes are discussed in the preliminary views that follow.
Map 1Preliminary Views – North East Zone
Bocoble, New South Wales.
The ACMA proposes to make channel capacity available for the commercial radio broadcasting services 4RBL and 4BRZ at Bocoble, New South Wales.It is proposed that these services operate from the site known as “Communal Site, Mt Bocoble” with a maximum ERP of 150 W DA, on FM frequencies 91.5 MHz and 95.1 MHz, respectively.
Bocoble is a community in the mid-west of New South Wales. It is situated approximately 25 km west-north-west of Kandos and 25 km south-east of Mudgee. The wider Bocoble area had a population of 441 at the 2011 Australian census.[3]
Map 2 below shows the location of Bocoble (circled red) in relation to the North East Zone licence area (shaded yellow).
Map 2It should be noted that the communities of Kandos and Rylstone are contained solely within the Mudgee RA1 licence area but are entirely surrounded by the North East Zone licence area.
Rebel has proposed that FM spectrum be made available for the establishment of its 4RBL and 4BRZ commercial radio broadcasting services at Bocoble, NSW, to provide coverage to the communities of Bocoble, Ilford and the areas surrounding Kandos and Rylstone, including the Castlereagh Highway.
Rebel has proposed that its services operate on FM frequencies identified by the ACMA but which are separated by spacing between 2 and 10 MHz with a maximum power level of 250 W with OD antenna patterns.
Assessment of this proposal has found that the proposed power level and radiation pattern would result in unacceptable and excessive overspill into the communities of Mudgee and Rylstone. This overspill is shown at Map 3.
Map 3If, however, the proposed maximum power level (250 W) was reduced to 150 W with a further restriction on power in the 310°T - 340°T sector, that excessive overspill could be minimised while still providing adequate coverage and reception in the North East Zone licence area. This coverage is shown at Map 4.
The level of overspill is further reduced if the communities of Kandos and Rylstone, which are entirely surrounded by the North East Zone licence area, are removed from analysis. It would not be possible to service the areas surrounding Kandos and Rylstone without allowing some overspill into those communities.
Map 4Table 1 compares the population covered (to a rural grade of service) by the proposed Rebel services and the ACMA’s proposed alternative.
Table 1Licence Area / Licence
area population / Population covered by 250 W OD / % of
licence
area population / Population covered by 150 W DA / % of
licence
area population
North East Zone / 194354 / 3518 / 1.81 / 1734 / 0.89
Mudgee RA1 / 18323 / 12190 / 66.52 / 2451 / 13.37
Mudgee RA1
excluding Kandos and Rylstone
(1693 persons) / 16630 / 10497 / 63.12 / 758 / 4.55
Engineering assessment has found that the FM frequencies 91.5 MHz and 95.1MHz are available, free from interference and suitable for use by additional transmitters if operated at 150 W DA.
In considering requests that would result in significant overspill, the ACMA takes account of whether the population that would be covered fortuitously with a usable radio signal outside a licence area is wholly disproportionate to the population that is being served within the licence area. In such situations, there may be a commercial incentive created to serve the interests and needs of the fortuitous audience in preference to the audience in the ‘planned’ licence area.
In this instance, the ACMA believes that, at the revised power level of 150 W DA, the level of overspill into the Mudgee RA1 licence area is a an acceptable consequence of the provision of the service within the North East Zone licence area and the reduction in overspill (that would otherwise arise from the implementation of a 250 W OD service) is considerable.
The ACMA proposes to make channel capacity available for the commercial radio broadcasting services 4RBL and 4BRZ at Bocoble, New South Wales. It is proposed that these services operate from the site known as “Communal Site, Mt Bocoble” with a maximum ERP of 150 W DA, on FM frequencies 91.5 MHz and 95.1 MHz, respectively.
The new 4RBL and 4BRZ Bocoble technical specifications are detailed at Attachments 2.8 and 2.55 of the Draft Variation to Licence Area Plan – Remote Central and Eastern Australia Radio - No.1 of 2013.
Clermont and Yungaburra, Queensland.
(This preliminary view was first proposed in the Explanatory Paper to Draft Variation to Licence Area Plan – Remote Central and Eastern Australia Radio - No.1 of 2011 and has now been revised.)
The ACMA proposes to amend the definition of the North East Zone licence area to remove Qld collection districts 031502 and 030701 and include Qld collection district 031501.On 22 September 2011, the ACMA proposed to vary the Remote LAP and commenced public consultation on a proposal to amend the definition of the North East Zone licence area to remove the collection districts (CD) 031502 and 030701, which contain parts of the communities of Clermont and Yungaburra in Queensland.
Detailed information regarding the proposed variation was made publicly available at Preliminary View 9 in the Explanatory Paper to Draft Variation to Licence Area Plan – Remote Central and Eastern Australia – No.1 of 2011.
In its submission, Rebel opposed the proposal described above and proposed that CD 050501 (now 2006 Qld CD 031501) be returned to the North East Zone licence area definition.
On 8 March 2012, the ACMA delayed the decision on whether to amend the definition of the North East Zone licence area to review the issue.
The ACMA has now concluded its review and considers that:
in relation to Clermont:
according to 2006 census data, Qld CD 031502 has a population of 291 and Qld CD 031501 has a population of 141 and is currently described in the Emerald RA1 and North East Zone licence areas.
Qld CD 031501 was unintentionally omitted from the North East Zone licence area (possibly in place of Qld CD 031502 in Clermont), and was unintentionally included in the Emerald RA1 licence area, in 1996, and that Qld CD 031501 should be returned to the North East Zone licence area.
in relation to Yungaburra:
according to 2006 census data, Qld CD 030701 has a population of 524 and is currently described in the Atherton RA1 and North East Zone licence areas.
Qld CD 030701 was inadvertently added to the North East Zone licence area and that it should be removed from that licence area.
Removing Qld CDs 031502 and 030701 from the North East Zone licence area and inserting Qld CD 031501 will result in the North East Zone licence area population being reduced by 674 persons or 0.3% of the total population. The North East Zone currently has a population of 194,354 persons[4].
Therefore, on the basis that the inclusion of Qld CD’s 031502 and 030701 and the exclusion of Qld CD 031501 were administrative oversightsand rectifying those oversights will not adversely affect either community, the ACMA proposes to amend the definition of the North East Zone licence area to remove Qld CDs 031502 and 030701, which contain parts of the communities of Clermont and Yungaburra, and include Qld CD 031501, which contains part of the community of Clermont.
The amended licence area is described at Attachment 2.1 of the Draft Variation to Licence Area Plan – Remote Central and Eastern Australia Radio - No.1 of 2013.
Coolah, New South Wales.
The ACMA proposes to increase the maximum power level of commercial radio broadcasting service 4RBL and to make channel capacity available for the commercial radio broadcasting service 4BRZ at Coolah, New South Wales.It is proposed that these services operate from the site known as “Bcast Tower, Prime TV Site Adj Queensborough Trig off Mullaley-Coolah Rd 5 km NNE of Coolah NSW” with a maximum ERP of 2 kW OD, on FM frequencies 100.3 MHz and 97.9 MHz, respectively.
Coolah is a town in the in Warrumbungle Shire in the central northern part of New South Wales. It is approximately 370 km north-west of Sydney, 136 km north-east of Dubbo and 80 north-west of Merriwa. At the 2011 Australian census, Coolah had a population of 794. [5]
Map 5 below shows the location of Coolah (circled red) in relation to the North East Zone licence area (shaded yellow).
Map 5The Remote LAP currently authorises the 4RBL commercial radio broadcasting service to operate up to a maximum power level of 100 W. Rebel has proposed that the 4RBL service be allowed to change its transmitter site and increase its maximum power level to 2 kW, to improve coverage to the Coolah area. Rebel has further proposed that the ACMA make available an FM frequency at Coolah for its 4BRZ service and that it operate with the same technical specifications as those proposed to be planned for its 4RBL service.
Assessment of the proposal has found that, due to the proposed site height (an elevation above 1110 m) and spectrum congestion, there are no available frequencies for the 4BRZ service. If, however, the current nominal location for 4RBL (with its lower elevation of 840 m) were maintained, then the frequencies 97.9 MHz and 100.3 MHz could be used at the proposed power level.
Assessment of the proposed power level (2 kW) has found that if the 4RBL service were operated at this level, then there would be an improvement to both coverage and reception on the existing planned coverage. Due to the likelihood of mutual co-channel interference from 2GEE Mudgee, 2lVR Parkes/Forbes and a narrowcasting service at Walgett, the proposed 4RBL and 4BRZ Coolah services can only be protected to 66dBuV/m (suburban) contour.
At this power and protection level, there is no signal overspill into any urban centres in adjacent commercial radio licence areas. This coverage is highlighted in Map 6 below:
Map 6Black = Remote licence area boundary
Based on this assessment, the ACMA proposes to increase the maximum power level of commercial radio broadcasting service 4RBL and to make channel capacity available for the commercial radio broadcasting service 4BRZ at Coolah, New South Wales. It is proposed that these services now operate from the site known as “Bcast Tower, Prime TV Site Adj Queensborough Trig off Mullaley-Coolah Rd 5 km NNE of Coolah NSW” with a maximum ERP of 2 kW OD, on FM frequencies 100.3 MHz and 97.9 MHz, respectively.
The updated 4RBL and new 4BRZ Coolah technical specifications are detailed at Attachments 2.17 and 2.62 of the Draft Variation to Licence Area Plan – Remote Central and Eastern Australia Radio - No.1 of 2013.
Karumba, Queensland.
The ACMA proposes to increase the maximum power level of commercial radio broadcasting services 4RBL and 4BRZ at Karumba, Queensland from 50 W to 100W.Karumba is a town in the Gulf Country region of Queensland 71km north-west by road from Normanton and 2159km north-west from Brisbane. At the 2011 Australian census, Karumba had a population of 586. [6]
Map 7 below shows the location of Karumba (circled red) in relation to the North East Zone licence area (shaded yellow).
Map 7The Remote LAP currently authorises the 4RBL and 4BRZ Karumba commercial radio broadcasting services to operate up to a maximum power level of 50 W. Rebel has proposed that its service be allowed to increase their maximum power level to 100 W to improve coverage to the Karumba area.
Assessment of this proposal has found increasing the maximum power to 100 W will likely improve coverage and reception in the Karumba area and will not cause interference to other broadcasting services. Due to the location of Karumba in relation to the wider North East Zone licence area, there are no signal overspill issues.
The ACMA therefore proposes to increase the maximum power level of commercial radio broadcasting services 4RBL and 4BRZ at Karumba, Qld from 50 W to 100 W.
The updated 4RBL and 4BRZ Karumba technical specifications are detailed at Attachments 2.27 and 2.70 of the Draft Variation to Licence Area Plan – Remote Central and Eastern Australia Radio - No.1 of 2013, respectively.
Kilcoy, Queensland.
The ACMA proposes to change the frequencies and nominal locations and increase the maximum power levels of commercial radio broadcasting services 4RBL and 4BRZ at Kilcoy, Queensland.It is proposed that these services operate from the site known as “Telstra Site Trig Point 600 North West Point via Kilcoy” with a maximum ERP of 200 W OD, on FM frequencies 99.3 MHz and 98.5MHz, respectively.
Kilcoy is a town in south east Queensland. The town is on the D'Aguilar Highway, 94km north-west of Brisbane, and just to the north of Lake Somerset. At the 2011 census, Karumba had a population of 1,714. [7]
Map 8 below shows the location of Kilcoy (circled red) in relation to the North East Zone licence area (shaded yellow).
Map 8The Remote LAP currently authorises the 4RBL and 4BRZ Kilcoy commercial radio broadcasting services to operate from the site known as “Council Reservoir, Saleyard Road, Kilcoy” with a maximum ERP of 100 W OD on FM frequencies, 100.5 MHz and 102.9 MHz, respectively.
Due to spectrum congestion in the Kilcoy area, the 4RBL and 4BRZ services are planned only to be protected from interference from other broadcasting services at levels at or above a suburban grade of service (66 dBuV/m) as opposed to the standard rural grade (54 dBuV/m) for a location such as Kilcoy.
Rebel has proposed that its services be allowed to change their nominal location to a site known as “Telstra Site Trig Point 600 North West Point via Kilcoy” and increase their maximum power level to either 200 W (if protected to 54 dBuV/m) or 1 kW (if protected to 66 dBuV/m), to extend coverage to serve more of the Kilcoy area of the North East Zone licence area.
In considering Rebel’s proposal, the ACMA has considered spectrum availability in the Kilcoy area, the current level of suburban grade signal overspill from adjacent licensees into the Kilcoy area of the North East Zone licence area, and what would be an appropriate maximum power level for the Rebel services.
Due to congestion in the Kilcoy area, spectrum availability is limited. The ACMA has found that operation from Rebel’s proposed nominal location (Trig Point) – which is approximately 387 m higher than the existing nominal location (Council Reservoir) – on the existing planned frequencies (100.5 MHz and 102.9 MHz) would cause co-channel and adjacent channel interference to the reception of 4NNN Noosa/Tewantin and 4DDB Toowoomba. If, however, the frequencies 98.5 MHz and 99.3 MHz, protected to a suburban grade of service, were used, no interference would be caused to, or received from, any other broadcasting services.