RTM Minnal FM frequency in Melaka and North Johor is 103.3MHz from Gunung Ledang, but reception in Central Melaka is unstable, compare to other RTM Gunung Ledang radio stations reception in Melaka because Minnal FM 103.3MHz has co-channel interference (also known as "cross-talk") with Era FM 103.3MHz from Gunung Ulu Kali in part of Melaka.
The interference happens in Pahang (Kemayan, Bandar Bera, Teriang and Temerloh) and Negeri Sembilan is different with Melaka as Era and Minnal FM can be tuned alternatively or proper frequencies in Pahang and Negeri Sembilan.
==Case study in Pahang==
1. In Kemayan, Minnal FM 103.3MHz and Era FM 103.3MHz has co-channel interference, but Era FM 103.6MHz and Minnal FM 90.5MHz Gunung Telapak Burok have no signal there, so Era FM can be tuned on 90.3MHz from Gunung Ledang, meanwhile Minnal FM can be tuned on 96.3MHz from Gunung Ulu Kali.
2. In Teriang, Bera and part of Temerloh, Era FM can be tuned on 103.6MHz from Gunung Telapak Burok, meanwhile Minnal FM can be tuned on 96.3MHz from Gunung Ulu Kali or 90.5MHz from Gunung Telapak Burok.
==Case study in Negeri Sembilan==
1. When Minnal FM 103.3MHz and Era FM 103.3MHz has co-channel interference, Era FM and Minnal FM can be tuned on 103.6MHz and 90.5MHz from Gunung Telapak Burok respectively. For Jempol areas like Felda Lui where Gunung Telapak Burok reception is poor, Era FM can be tuned on 90.3MHz from Gunung Ledang, then Minnal FM can be tuned on 96.3MHz from Gunung Ulu Kali or 103.3MHz Gunung Ledang (subject no interference condition)
==Case study in Melaka==
1. When Minnal FM 103.3MHz and Era FM 103.3MHz has co-channel interference, Era FM can be tuned on 90.3MHz Gunung Ledang or 103.6MHz Gunung Telapak Burok, but Minnal FM can be tuned on 90.5MHz Gunung Telapak Burok, but for Minnal FM, 90.5MHz can be received loudly and clearly in selected Melaka areas only.
The co-channel interference between Minnal FM Gunung Ledang and Era FM Gunung Ulu Kali on 103.3MHz happens in western areas of Melaka including coastal part such as Masjid Tanah, Lubuk Cina, Kuala Sungai Baru, Tanjung Kling, Kem Terendak, Melaka City, Sungai Udang, Klebang, Tanjung Bidara and Batu Berendam, even I can hear the interference around Jonker Street, St Paul's Church, Stadthuys and Famosa, Alternatively, I can tune to 90.5MHz from Gunung Telapak Burok, but reception is not so clear much as interfered by Era 90.3 from Gn Ledang and RRI PRO-1 Bengkalis 90.6MHz from Indonesia.
It is expensive to solve Minnal FM Gunung Ledang interference issue by changing frequency from 103.3 to 103.1 because RTM is using "5+1" combiner system, where RTM 5 radio stations transmitters share with a standby antenna. From my view, if one of RTM radio station is going to be changed frequency, so rest of RTM radio stations will be affected in this exercise. Then, RTM still needs to do spectrum planning and those calculations again when doing Minnal FM Gunung Ledang frequency migration, so this will cause high cost to do such action.
Rather than changing frequency, RTM can buy new transmitter for Minnal FM and install at alternative site which also covers Melaka.
It is expensive to solve Minnal FM Gunung Ledang interference issue by changing frequency from 103.3 to 103.1 because RTM is using "5+1" combiner system, where RTM 5 radio stations transmitters share with a standby antenna. From my view, if one of RTM radio station is going to be changed frequency, so rest of RTM radio stations will be affected in this exercise. Then, RTM still needs to do spectrum planning and those calculations again when doing Minnal FM Gunung Ledang frequency migration, so this will cause high cost to do such action.
Rather than changing frequency, RTM can buy new transmitter for Minnal FM and install at alternative site which also covers Melaka.
In my opinion, to solve Minnal FM 103.3MHz Gunung Ledang co-channel interference issue, RTM shall launch 1 additional transmitter in Bukit Tampin in order to cover Melaka with better and more stable reception. Actually Bukit Tampin is alternative radio transmission site to cover Melaka after Gunung Ledang where covers Melaka, North Johor and Southeast Negeri Sembilan. Regarding Minnal FM Bukit Tampin frequency, I suggest FM 101.1MHz because its existing South Johor frequency from Gunung Pulai is also using 101.1MHz, so RTM can manage Minnal FM self-interference issue on 101.1MHz under SFN (Single Frequency Network).
==My suggestion of Minnal FM alternative Melaka frequency==
* Frequency: FM 101.1MHz
* Power: 0.5kW-0.75kW
* Transmission Site: Bukit Tampin
* Coverage area: Melaka, also available in Tampin and Rembau.
==RF analysis of Minnal FM 101.1MHz Bukit Tampin==
101.1MHz: Minnal FM Bukit Tampin (0.5kW)
101.1MHz: Minnal FM Gunung Pulai (5kW)
<0kHz, OK as both are same station under SFN>
100.9MHz: Selangor FM Gunung Ulu Kali
101.1MHz: Minnal FM Bukit Tampin
<200kHz, OK>
101.1MHz: Minnal FM Bukit Tampin
101.5MHz: Raaga FM Gunung Telapak Burok
<400kHz, OK>
According to the RF analysis above, Selangor FM 100.9MHz coverage will not be interfered as it gaps 200kHz with Minnal FM 101.1MHz Bukit Tampin. Since FM 100.9MHz that I proposed previously for being used in Gunung Ledang is not suitable due to co-channel interference with Selangor FM 100.9MHz in northwest Melaka, so FM 100.9MHz is no longer become my research in Gunung Ledang anymore.
With launching Minnal FM Bukit Tampin transmitter 101.1MHz, I believe listeners in Melaka especially affected areas will receive this radio station loudly and clearly, the reception of Minnal FM will be better and more stable than FM 103.3MHz Gunung Ledang if RTM buys additional transmitter and install at alternative site for Melaka.
101.1MHz: Minnal FM Bukit Tampin
<200kHz, OK>
101.1MHz: Minnal FM Bukit Tampin
101.5MHz: Raaga FM Gunung Telapak Burok
<400kHz, OK>
According to the RF analysis above, Selangor FM 100.9MHz coverage will not be interfered as it gaps 200kHz with Minnal FM 101.1MHz Bukit Tampin. Since FM 100.9MHz that I proposed previously for being used in Gunung Ledang is not suitable due to co-channel interference with Selangor FM 100.9MHz in northwest Melaka, so FM 100.9MHz is no longer become my research in Gunung Ledang anymore.
With launching Minnal FM Bukit Tampin transmitter 101.1MHz, I believe listeners in Melaka especially affected areas will receive this radio station loudly and clearly, the reception of Minnal FM will be better and more stable than FM 103.3MHz Gunung Ledang if RTM buys additional transmitter and install at alternative site for Melaka.
Same with RTM Minnal FM sister radio station, Negeri FM, it does have Bukit Tampin frequency on 95.7MHz, but Negeri FM 95.7MHz Bukit Tampin is targeting Tampin, Rembau and Kota where these areas need Bukit Tampin because these locations are not fully covered by Gunung Telapak Burok FM 92.6MHz and Gunung Ledang FM 107.7MHz. For Minnal FM, my suggestion to launch Bukit Tampin is not to cover Rembau and Tampin like Negeri FM, but to cover Melaka alternatively in order to settle FM 103.3MHz interference issue.
I wish RTM will solve this issue in order to provide Minnal FM's listeners an alternative to listen to the station in Melaka when 103.3MHz is interfered.
==Minnal FM frequencies in southern region with suggested additional frequency==
- FM 90.5MHz Gunung Telapak Burok covers Negeri Sembilan (Jelebu, Seremban, Port Dickson, Rembau, Kuala Pilah, Central Jempol)
- FM 101.1MHz Bukit Tampin covers Melaka (my suggestion)**, available in Tampin and Rembau (although it's not main targeted coverage)
- FM 103.3MHz Gunung Ledang covers Northern Johor (Muar, Ledang, Segamat, Batu Pahat and Kluang), Southern Melaka (Asahan, Jasin, Bemban, Nyalas, Merlimau) and Southeast Negeri Sembilan (Tampin, Gemencheh, Gemas, Rompin, and Palong)
- FM 101.1MHz Gunung Pulai covers Southern Johor
- FM 88.3MHz Bukit Tinggi covers Mersing and East Johor
**Suggestion for alternative frequency to solve 103.3 co-channel interference issue in affected Melaka areas
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