Press release

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has varied the technical specifications of the Gympie commercial radio services 4GY and 4NNN to improve coverage and reception of their translator services in the Noosa/Tewantin area of Queensland.

The changes are included in the revised licence area plan for Gympie radio released today, which also makes channel capacity available for the existing national radio service, 4PNN, on 94.5 MHz at Gympie.

‘ACMA believes these decisions will allow the national and commercial radio broadcasters to provide better services to their listeners in the Gympie area,' said Giles Tanner, General Manager, Inputs to Industry Division.

The variation to the licence area plan provides for 4NNN to increase the antenna height and power of its main transmitter and change the antenna radiation pattern.

The variation also provides an FM frequency at Noosa/Tewantin for 4GY. The licensee has been unable to find a suitable site for the planned AM translator service and ACMA believes that the identified frequency of 107.1 MHz is a suitable alternative. 4GY has been testing the use of this frequency for some time.

The variation to the licence area plan for Gympie radio is available on ACMA's website, or by calling Freecall 1800 810 241.

Media contact: Donald Robertson, ACMA Media Manager, (02) 9334 7980.


Backgrounder


Licence area plans 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.

ACMA prepares licence area plans under section 26(1) of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and may vary licence area plans under section 26(2) of the Act.

The Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) determined the Gympie licence area plan in 2000. The licence area plan provided for two commercial radio services in Gympie, 4GY and 4NNN.

The ABA varied the Gympie licence area plan in November 2001 to provide an AM translator in Noosa/Tewantin for 4GY and an FM translator in Noosa/Tewantin for 4NNN.

The variation to the Gympie licence area plan proposes that the 4GY translator service in Noosa/Tewantin convert from AM to FM on 107.1 MHz with a maximum effective radiated power (ERP) of 200W and the 4NNN main transmitter at Gympie operate with maximum ERP of 3kW.

The variation also proposes to remove channel capacity for a 4NNN translator at Noosa/Tewantin.