08/02/2025
Let's put a theoretical on the table, just for fun, it could lead to something useful in the future in terms of AM and FM radio usage in Victoria
Beware, long post coming up
A few months ago up in Queensland, the local ABC station on 612 was simulcasting on 106.1 FM, which is where ABC Classic FM resides, they did this during the tropical cyclone which lasted for days
The news quickly spread throughout Australia about the cyclone and what the ABC were doing, but did anyone take a deeper dive into why?
James Cridland did, and made a suggestion to make this arrangement permanent, therefore ABC Brisbane would be on two frequencies at the expense of ABC Classic FM, which would still be on Digital Radio, online and through the TV
The only issue with this would be the simulcasting rules that the ACMA currently enforce, that is 30 days being the limit, it can't be permanent
This got us thinking, with ABC Melbourne's current transmitter issues, where both 774 and 621 are shut down overnight for "essential maintenance" with no other reason given to what exactly the issue is, why hasn't the Brisbane model been looked at in Melbourne?
Let's look at it, ABC Classic FM rates around the 1 to 2% mark in every survey, being one of three low rating ABC stations (others being RN and News Radio) so it stands to reason that it's using valuable FM spectrum, and surely an emergency broadcaster like ABC Melbourne has more merit in being on FM, plus they are the ABC's highest rating station
The implications of moving ABC Melbourne from 774 to 105.9 would cause a ripple effect, some might say bad, others will say it's good, but this is how we see it, if it were possible (and we know it is, they just don't want to)
James suggested every metro city, from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide and Perth, all have their local ABC station convert to FM under this plan of using ABC Classic FM's frequencies. ABC Classic FM would still be heard online, and digital radio plus the TV channel and regionally
For Melbourne, moving ABC Melbourne to 105.9 means 774 would be made available for a lower powered ABC station to move into that frequency. This just happens to be News Radio on 1026 AM. We'd move them to 774 AM, giving them a much greater coverage area of Victoria, and that's where the fun starts
There's no Radio National relays in Ballarat, Bendigo, Swan Hill and Latrobe Valley because 621 does the job sufficiently from Melbourne, therefore there'd be no need for relays of News Radio in those areas if it were to move to the stronger frequency of 774
Ballarat's 94.3 would be made available for a local AM station to convert to FM, we'd suggest the horse racing station currently heard on 1314 AM
Bendigo's 89.5 would also be made available for a station to convert from AM, we'd suggest the Maryborough service of Gold 1071, which means their main transmitter would be officially covering Bendigo (and putting 98.3 as a relay in Maryborough next door to Goldfields FM on 99.1)
Swan Hill's 95.9 would be made available for a station to convert from AM to FM, we'd suggest 3SH, which might need a relay in Kerang
Then, we reckon Colac's News Radio relay might not need 104.7 FM anymore, which paves the way for 3CS to convert to FM, but would need relays in Apollo Bay and Lorne
And in the Latrobe Valley, 95.1 would become available for a new service, if 3GG haven't moved to 95.9, they'll have a choice and another company can come to town, maybe another HPON?
Meanwhile, back in Melbourne, the 1026 AM frequency would be converted to HPON for another company to use it, and maybe in other cities alike
But, as mentioned, this is totally theoretical, an idea that came to mind, it might fix a few issues in Victoria, but hey, it'll probably never happen, but we tried 😉
Got an idea? Let's hear how you'd shuffle the frequencies around if you had the means to do so in the future, just for fun
