IKIM.FM reception in Pulau Pinang and North Perak (Taiping)

Currently IKIM.FM reception in Penang and North Perak are very weak, 102.7MHz from Bukit Genting, Balik Pulau is not clear there, meanwhile 89.0MHz has no reception. Kedah frequency 89.0MHz is getting weaker. IKIM.FM has planned to set-up a new frequency in Bukit Larut to cover Taiping and North Perak, I also have suggested some empty frequencies to IKIM.FM for Bukit Larut, but they told me that their application request was rejected by SKMM (MCMC) due to no empty frequencies for Taiping area.

In Taiping, there has 4 empty FM frequencies, there are 88.8MHz, 92.4MHz, 93.2MHz and 105.7MHz. I guess that these 4 frequencies may be booked by other radio stations or not suitable for these area due to interference with other radio station from Baling. If IKIM.FM cannot set-up frequency for Taiping area, they should upgrade their Kedah transmitter.

"Aduan masalah di KEDAH-PULAU PINANG-PERAK UTARA sudah dibuat sejak IR Ahmad Jais Alias menjadi Jurutera IKIM.fm lagi dan Jurutera IKIM selepas beliau. Tapi malang sekali jawapan yg saya terima dari EMAIL jurutera ketika itu tidak mencerminkan keperibadian seorang JURUTERA di radio Islam. Dan masalah itu tidak diselesaikan sehinggalah sekarang. (email bertarikh 29 Dis 2006)" by AZwan MuHammad (commented on 13 June 2013).

Basically Taiping, Penang and North Perak could receive this radio station on 89.0MHz clearly before its weaker signal Balik Pulau frequency 102.7MHz launched, same with other radio station. Red FM can be received in Taiping on 98.1 MHz clearly without having its Taiping/Bukit Larut freqeuncy, even the transmitter site of IKIM.FM 89.0MHz and Red FM 98.1MHz are located in Gunung Jerai, Kedah.

Actually there had 3 empty frequencies in Taiping and North Perak that there is suitable to be build transmitter in Bukit Larut, but 92.4MHz and 93.2MHz may get radio interference with RTM Baling in Central Penang and Gerik like HOT FM 90.5MHz Bukit Larut and Kedah FM 90.5MHz Baling before, but the impact of interference is not so obvious because the RTM radio stations in Baling just only cover Baling, Thailand: Betong and Pengkalan Hulu only. Meanwhile 105.7MHz is the last frequency that is more suitable to be used in Bukit Larut than 92.4MHz and 93.2MHz. Lite FM and Kedah FM are using 105.7MHz, but they are covering Klang Valley/South Perak and Langkawi only. Since Lenggong and Gerik popularity majority are Malays, IKIM.FM Bukit Larut frequency can cover there too if their frequency is on 105.7MHz.

105.7MHz from Bukit Larut can transmit up to:
1. Klian Intan, Pengkalan Hulu, Perak
2. Thailand Betong, and some parts of Yala province...

than 92.4MHz and 93.2MHz because there has no any radio stations in Baling use the frequency close to 105.7MHz.

With Bukit Larut FM frequency, it can cover greater areas of North Perak such as Gerik, Pengkalan Hulu, Kuala Kangsar, Taiping, Changkat Jering, Selama, Batu Kurau, Parit Buntar, even Penang and South Kedah area. Back to old era, 1 AM frequency from Bukit Larut can cover up to South Perak and Thailand: Betong and parts of Yala province, but FM frequency from Bukit Larut is limited, only cover up to Gerik, and Sungai Petani.

Recently the reception of IKIM.FM on 89.0MHz from Gunung Jerai is very weak, even no signal in Penang and North Kedah. I received Thailand radio station on 89.0MHz in Batu Feringgi, I may believe that "89.0MHz Thai station" is transmitted from Yala province.

Currently IKIM.FM 102.7MHz from Bukit Genting transmission coverage is limited, covers south west Penang Island only such as Balik Pulau, meanwhile the reception of 102.7MHz for the rest of Penang areas are very weak.

Solution 1: IKIM.FM should change its Balik Pulau frequency to 102.9MHz and shift its transmitter area to Bukit Penara with 5kW transmitter power to cover whole Penang and North Perak. If IKIM.FM would like to cover North Perak from Bukit Penara, they should change its frequency to 102.9MHz to prevent crash with IKIM.FM 102.7MHz from Gunung Kledang, Ipoh in Taiping and Kuala Kangsar.

   

Currently, IKIM.FM Penang frequency is 102.7MHz, but its transmitter site is in Bukit Genting, it only cover Balik Pulau only, the other area outside Balik Pulau is not clear. Bukit Penara transmitter can cover whole area of Penang (including Balik Pulau), North Perak, even South Kedah.

Solution 2: IKIM.FM should increase its Kedah frequency 89.0MHz transmitter power to 10kW. So it can cover North Perak, like Red FM 98.1MHz and one FM 87.8MHz.

Conclusion: Listeners in North Perak and Penang can listen to IKIM.FM on 89.0MHz from Gunung Jerai or 102.9MHz from Bukit Penara. Measnwhile in Kuala Kangsar can receive on 102.7MHz from Ipoh without crashes.

With Bukit Larut transmitter, Penang and North Perak can receive Ikim.FM clearly, meanwhile 102.7MHz Balik Pulau transmitter is no needed if 89.0MHz from Gunung Jerai can cover whole Penang enough.

In my opinion, the transmission coverage of Bukit Larut transmitter is wider than Bukit Penara.

                             FM transmitter coverage map in Perak, Kedah and Penang.
Green: Bukit Larut (105.7MHz; suggestion only)
Purple: Bukit Penara (102.9MHz; suggestion only)
Pink: Gunung Kledang (102.7MHz)
Yellow: Gunung Jerai (89.0MHz)
Black shadded region: Bukit Genting (102.7MHz; current IKIM.FM Balik Pulau frequency)

Suggestion of IKIM.FM Bukit Larut transmitter map