Empty FM frequencies in Ipoh, Taiping and North Perak

Since Johor Bahru FM frequencies is officially full there because there has many radio stations there, including Singapore and Batam, Indonesia. The empty frequency 89.3MHz is belonged to Singapore after its Mobile TV was closed down since 2010, meanwhile 107.9MHz is belonged to Batam Indonesia. 105.3MHz was the last frequency that used by one FM, but transmitter site in Taman Sentosa, Johor Bahru, instead of Gunung Pulai to avoid from Johor FM Gunung Ledang.

MCMC said that Taiping frequencies will be full, but there has only 3 empty frequencies in Taiping, there are 88.8MHz, 92.4MHz, 93.2MHz, 97.3MHz and 105.7MHz.

88.2MHz- Hot FM (Gunung Jerai)
88.5MHz- Kedah FM (Bukit Sungai Kechil Hilir; Bandar Baharu only) & Traxx FM (Bukit Genting; Balik Pulau only)
88.7MHz- Radio Klasik (Bukit Palong; Baling, Klian Intan & Pengkalan Hulu only)
88.7MHz- (empty in Ipoh; transmitter is suitable to be set up in Gunung Kledang once Radio Klasik Changkat Rembian, Tapah transmitter is no longer operated)
88.8MHz- (empty; suitable for half power transmission in Bukit Larut)
89.0MHz- IKIM.FM (Gunung Jerai)

92.1MHz- Ai FM (Gunung Kledang; Ipoh and Central Perak)

92.4MHz- (empty; suitable for half power transmission in Bukit Larut)

92.4MHz- hitz.fm (Gunung Raya; for Langkawi and Perlis only)

92.5MHz- Ai FM (Bukit Palong; for Baling, Klian Intan and Pengkalan Hulu)

92.7MHz- hitz fm (Gunung Kledang; Ipoh and Central Perak)

92.8MHz- hitz fm (Gunung Jerai)

93.0MHz- Radio Thailand Betong (Betong, Baling, Gerik and Pengkalan Hulu only)

93.1MHz- Nasional FM (Gunung Brinchang; Cameron Highlands only)
93.1MHz- (empty, but only suitable for Bukit Genting transmitter)

93.2MHz- (empty in Taiping; suitable for half power transmission in Bukit Larut)
93.3MHz- (empty in Ipoh; transmitter is suitable to be set up in Gunung Kledang)

93.3MHz- Minnal FM (Bukit Palong; for Baling, Klian Intan and Pengkalan Hulu)

93.6MHz- hitz.fm (Bukit Larut)

97.1MHz- SINAR FM (Gunung Jerai Penang, Kedah and Perlis)
97.3MHz- (empty; but only suitable for low transmission in Bukit Larut only; min: 0.1kW max: 0.25kW)
97.5MHz- Kedah FM (Gunung Jerai; Penang and Kedah only)

102.7MHz- IKIM.FM (Gunung Kledang; Ipoh)
102.7MHz- IKIM.FM (Bukit Genting; Balik Pulau)
102.9MHz- Perlis FM (Padang Pauh; Perlis)
103.0MHz- <empty; transmitter is suitable to be set up in Bukit Larut unless Radio Klasik Bukit Larut transmitter frequency changed to 103.4MHz>
103.3MHz- Radio Klasik (Bukit Larut)
103.5MHz- Ai FM (Gunung Brinchang; Cameron Highlands)
103.6MHz- ERA FM (Gunung Jerai)

105.3MHz- Traxx FM (Bukit Larut)

105.7MHz- (EMPTY; suitable for full power transmission in Bukit Larut)

105.7MHz- Kedah FM (Gunung Raya; for Langkawi and North Kedah only)

106.1MHz- AI fm (Bukit Larut)

Somehow the frequencies 88.8MHz, 92.4MHz and 93.2MHz may be closed 0.1MHz frequencies band distance with radio station from Baling, Kedah 88.7MHz, 92.5MHz and 93.3MHz, which can cause interference in Penang, South Kedah, Pengkalan Hulu and Klian Intan, but these affected areas has alternative frequency from Gunung Jerai.

The FM frequencies, 88.7MHz and 93.3MHz are empty in Ipoh, but these frequencies' transmitter are suitable to be set up in Gunung Kledang if RTM Radio Klasik Changkat Rembian transmitter 88.7MHz is no longer service and suggested to be replaced with Asyik FM in Ipoh. Therefore, the empty FM frequencies in Taiping remain two only, there are 92.4MHz and 105.7MHz. If one FM and IKIM.FM use 92.4MHz and 105.7MHz in Bukit Larut, Taiping respectively, there has no empty frequencies in Taiping anymore because it is almost full.

Empty FM frequencies in Ipoh: 93.3MHz, 93.9MHz, and 107.3MHz.

97.3MHz is the narrowest frequency in Taiping, but it is only suitable for the low power transmission broadcast, although transmitter site can be placed in Bukit Larut, but only cover certain areas of Northwest Perak such as Taiping, Changkat Jering, Kuala Kurau, Kamunting, Semanggol..

105.7MHz is empty frequency in Taiping, but shared with Kedah FM Langkawi frequency and Lite FM Selangor 105.7MHz. This may not be a big interference since Kedah FM Langkawi 105.7MHz only covers Langkawi and North Kedah, meanwhile Lite FM only covers South Perak, Klang Valley and West Pahang. If any radio stations set up transmitter in Bukit Larut and the frequency is on 105.7MHz, the coverage of Lite FM 105.7MHz from Gunung Ulu Kali in most of Perak areas will be minimized until South Perak, but listeners still can tune to clearer 101.5MHz from Ipoh (Gunung Kledang). Meanwhile the coverage of Kedah FM 105.7MHz from Langkawi which still can be received in South Kedah and parts of Penang will be minimized until North Kedah and Alor Setar only. Just like Langkawi FM 104.8MHz, it can cover up to South Kedah and North Penang before Astro Xfresh (now Melody FM) having 104.9MHz in Bukit Larut.

Currently the reception of IKIM.FM in North Perak and Penang are very weak on 102.7MHz, meanwhile there has no signal on 89.0MHz from Gunung Jerai which can cover these areas. If they set up Bukit Larut transmitter on 105.7MHz, the coverage can cover North Perak, and most of Penang areas rather than 92.4MHz and 93.2MHz. One FM currently doesn't set up frequency in Taiping, perhaps the reception there on 87.8MHz is considered ok than 87.6MHz from Ipoh. They can use either 92.4MHz or 93.2MHz for Taiping and North Perak areas because they have 87.8MHz to cover many areas.

92.4MHz and 93.2MHz from Bukit Larut can cover up to Central Perak, South Penang and Lenggong only, meanwhile 105.7MHz from Bukit Larut can cover up to Penang, South Kedah and North East Perak, even parts of Yala province like Betong, Thailand. The coverage of 105.7MHz from Bukit Larut is wider than 92.4MHz and 93.2MHz.

Another empty frequency, 103.0MHz may be suitable to be set up transmitter in Bukit Larut, but RTM Radio Klasik use 103.3MHz in Bukit Larut. The frequency distance between 103.0MHz and 103.3MHz is 0.3MHz. If 103.0MHz Bukit Larut use 2 kW power, this can cause interference to RTM Radio Klasik because RTM Radio Klasik 103.3MHz use only 0.5 kW power, unless RTM Radio Klasik Bukit Larut frequency is changed to 103.4MHz.

Anyway, the frequency usage is decided by MCMC (Malaysia Communication Multimedia Commission; Malaysia broadcast regulator).