Sunday, January 26, 2020

Vanuatu (YJ8) - Port Vila - FM broadcast stations list


I was visiting Port Vila, could not find a squeak of any amateur activity on 2m/70cm in Port Vila,  but did a scan of the FM broadcast band  to see what I might find, surprisingly there are quite a few  stations available.  I also did a scan when I was down at Mystery Island, I could detect two FM stations but they were too weak to make out what they were.   They were something around 100 MHz.   Unfortunately, I forgot to do a scan from Tanna Island.    Being back at Port Vila again, reminded me of old friend from back in Packet Radio days, Ron Graham, was YJ8RG for when he worked in Vanuatu, he had worked for our Dept of Communications and did a stint working  in YJ8, I rember he was VK4BRG when back in Australia. He has since become silent key.

Anyway, here is the list for FM stations in Port Vila as of 2nd Jan 2020, this is for the benefit of weak  signal DXers in Oceania region, ie. VK and ZL to look for distant FM stations as indicators of E and tropo propagation :

90.0  music, modern
96.3  music, 80s pop
98.0 modern music
99.0 classics
100.0 local Vanuatu language station
102.0  China Plus Radio, an english broadcast originated from Beijing, lots of news and talk
103.0  ABC broadcast originating from Australia.
104. 0  BBC broadcast originating from BBC England
107.0  music, modern

Unfortunately, I didnt think to check for FM broadcast stations from New Caledonia, or Lifou Island, or Isle of Pines.

Also, Vanuatu, serviced by two  mobile phone companies, good coverage across island, even Mystery Island  has 4G.   New Caledonia only has one mobile phone provider, but they do a good job even on the islands.



Noumea 2metre FM repeater FK8ZHA 146.800 MHz off air

when I visited Noumea at end of December 2019, I took 2m/70cm handheld with me to work the local FK8's but found 146.800 repeater not responding, had it monitoring all day but nothing. Checked the other frequencies, I heard the FK1ZBR 439.950 digital node being used.
Anyway, the 146.800 repeater may have been damaged along with the FK8SIX 6metre beacon last year.   Looks like FK5ZBY operating a Echolink node on 145.300 MHz


But I did find there are stations active based on the APRS.fi map.
APRS near Noumea