RTM Asyik FM shortwave transmission SW 6050kHz ceased transmission! Is shortwave radio irrelevant for domestic broadcast today?

Before October 2017, I did not have any shortwave radio receiver. Formerly I have a cheap radio receiver with shortwave radio, but it was damaged (due to wear and tear condition). 

I purchased an advanced radio receiver via online, named TECSUN PL-380 DSP receiver which features FM/MW/LW/SW, then I was discovered RTM shortwave radio stations where transmitted from RTM Kajang. RTM Sarawak FM 9835kHz and Wai FM 11665kHz are still active today, but Asyik FM 6050kHz is no longer active. Last active of Asyik FM shortwave transmission was around 2015, but I suspected RTM ceased Asyik FM shortwave broadcast 6050kHz since 2016, even there is nothing on SW 6050kHz today. Asyik FM shortwave 6050kHz could be heard nationwide, even part of the world. Orang Asli in rural areas could access listening to Asyik FM via shortwave before transmission was closed down. Although shortwave transmission can travel far away beyond the country, but the reception of shortwave broadcast is not really stable.

Is shortwave radio broadcast irrelevant nowadays? The answer is YES, but not international broadcast. Shortwave radio is not relevant for domestic radio broadcast as domestic people prefer listening to radio via FM and online, even digitally DAB+. Meanwhile shortwave is still relevant for international broadcast in order to promote a country propaganda and information to the whole world.

Shortwave transmission is cheap actually, 1 transmitter tower can cover nationwide.

Asyik FM ceased shortwave transmission in 2016, but Asyik FM moves digitally nowadays via Astro CH875 and RTM myKlik mobile app streaming, alongside with FM radio.

For FM radio, Asyik FM currently reserves in Selangor, Pahang, Kuala Lumpur, Northeastern Johor and Mualim Perak with these frequencies:

- 91.1MHz Kuala Lumpur Tower covers Klang Valley

- 102.5MHz Gunung Ulu Kali covers Selangor, West Pahang, Southern Perak (Slim River + Tanjung Malim only), and part of Negeri Sembilan/Melaka

- 105.1MHz Gunung Brinchang covers Cameron Highlands

- 95.6MHz Gunung Ledang covers Northeast Johor

- 89.3MHz Ulu Tembeling

- 99.9MHz Bukit Botak covers Damak, Pahang (gap filler)

- 97.3MHz Bukit Ladang Teh covers Lenggong and Sauk of Perak

RTM has good move to launch Asyik FM on Astro/NJOI CH875 as alternative platform to listeners who are not under Asyik FM coverage, but not all Orang Asli have Astro decoder to listen to Asyik FM. Although RTM launches Asyik FM on Astro platform is a good initiative, but RTM shall not expect all Orang Asli to listen to Asyik FM via Astro platform and online, some of them are not rich to afford these gadgets. Together with Astro CH875 platform, RTM shall expand Asyik FM coverage to deeper territories including rural areas to provide information and entertainment to Orang Asli communities.

Asyik FM coverage Pahang is almost completed, but I highly concern regarding Asyik FM coverage in Perak, more than Pahang. What I seriously concern over Asyik FM in Perak areas, mainly in Tapah, Bidor and Chenderiang, following by Gerik and Sungai Siput (U). Tapah is the main Perak area that I concern over Asyik FM the most.

Generally Asyik FM 102.5MHz Gunung Ulu Kali is for Selangor, West Pahang and Southern Perak, but technically due to its transmission antenna with 5kW power is beaming to Pahang direction more in order to serve many Orang Asli areas in Pahang where they stay in Banjaran Titiwangsa, but reception in Perak is not good as other RTM radio stations from Gunung Ulu Kali. 

Bidor, and Tapah cannot receive Asyik FM 102.5MHz clearly, even 105.1MHz also. RTM cannot expect Orang Asli in Batang Padang district of Perak to listen to Asyik FM on 102.5 and 105.1 as reception is very poor. RTM shall launch Asyik FM in Changkat Rembian on proposed 107.7MHz to provide better reception in Tapah and Bidor. From my view, I notice that there are quite many of Orang Asli (although less than Indians and Chinese) in Bidor, Tapah and Chenderiang.

Orang Asli in Tapah (Source: wikimedia)

Tapah Orang Asli village (Source: Google)

In Tapah, the town can receive Gunung Ulu Kali radio stations clearly, but Asyik FM 102.5MHz is poor there, but rural areas of Tapah which consists many Orang Asli cannot receive any radio stations from Gunung Ulu Kali and Gunung Kledang, especially Jalan Pahang (the road from Tapah to Cameron Highlands). RTM also shall not expect Orang Asli who stay along Jalan Pahang Tapah to receive Asyik FM 102.5MHz and 105.1MHz, seriously these areas had no signal while I was on the way going down from Cameron Highlands to Tapah, except Changkat Rembian signal.

In conclusion, Tapah (Changkat Rembian) needs Asyik FM. Moreover, Asyik FM Changkat Rembian frequency 107.7MHz (my suggestion) does not only serve Tapah, but it also serves Bidor, Sungkai, Chenderiang, and Temoh, even Hilir Perak (Teluk Intan, Langkap, Bagan Datoh) and some Perak Tengah areas can access Asyik FM from Tapah.

Following RTM had stopped Asyik FM shortwave transmission, RTM shall add more gap filler transmitters for Asyik FM in Orang Asli majority areas, mainly:

- Changkat Rembian for Tapah + Bidor + Sungkai + Chenderiang + Temoh + Hilir Perak + part of Perak Tengah (Kampung Gajah and Bota) 

- Sungai Siput (U)

- Gerik, Perak

- Jerantut Pahang
- Kuala Rompin

Meanwhile in Kelantan, Gua Musang rural areas and Lojing have many Orang Asli, but existing Bukit Chupak and FELDA Paloh transmitter sites are not able to cover these areas, so it is difficult to search a transmitter site to cover Orang Asli areas in Lojing and Gua Musang deeper areas due to highly covered by terrains.

Astro decoder vs. radio receiver?

Radio receiver is far away cheaper than Astro decoder, Orang Asli can buy cheaper radio receiver to listen to Asyik FM loudly and clearly if RTM launches pocket filling transmitters in their areas where are not covered by main transmitter sites. Cheapest radio units that they can afford are Leotec, Wirata, Meck and JOC radio receiver, and better quality Panasonic RX-M70 cassette player. While there is no much available radio stations in Tapah Orang Asli areas, they can search Asyik FM easily.

In Tapah, currently there is only 3 available radio stations where reception are clear enough, such as Radio Klasik 88.7MHz, Era FM 102.0MHz and Perak FM 97.3. If Asyik FM 107.7MHz is launched, Tapah can have four local repeater stations. So, Orang Asli can search Asyik FM easily.