In Batam, the Indonesia public radio broadcaster Radio Republik Indonesia operates three provincial radio stations, named RRI Batam.
Pro1 is targeting adult and elderly listeners (Information, Culture, Education), Pro2 is hot contemporary music and lifestyle radio station to target younger listeners, Pro3 is Jakarta relay talk, current affairs and news radio station.
RRI Batam PRO-1 is on FM 105.1MHz, and PRO-2 is on FM 105.5MHz, meanwhile there is RRI Batam PRO-3 news radio station in Batam.
RRI Batam PRO-3 was used to change frequency multiple times, from FM 105.1MHz to FM 90.9MHz. Now, RRI Batam Pro-3 operates on FM 88.6MHz since 2019.
No idea what is the reason RRI Batam Pro-3 changes frequency from 90.9 to 88.6 since 2019.... I detected it in Singapore, the reception of RRI Batam Pro-3 FM 88.6MHz is not good as other Batam radio stations, I need to use longer wire antenna to receive the radio station for better reception.
Due to weak reception of RRI Batam Pro-3 FM 88.6MHz in Singapore, I believe RRI Batam Pro-3 FM 88.6MHz operates low power transmission and directional antenna. The transmission of FM 88.6MHz in Batam by using directional antenna is to avoid interference to two Singapore radio stations Jia FM 88.3 and BBC World Service 88.9.
Radio Hang FM 106.0MHz is Batam based Islamic radio station of Indonesia. Generally it carries Islamic programmes 24 hours a day, no music, but only religious speeches and recite of Quran, even no Nasyid (Islamic related contemporary songs) is available on Hang FM 106.0MHz.
Technically, Hang FM 106.0MHz is not only available in Batam of Indonesia, somewhat it transmits to Singapore and Johor Bahru of Malaysia at 10kW transmission power. In addition, some of people claimed that Hang FM 106.0MHz can be received beyond Johor Bahru border such as Kluang, Simpang Renggam and Pontian. From my listening experience, because I was used to tune to CityPlus FM 106.0MHz (Chinese business radio station based in Negeri Sembilan) in Melaka, North Johor and East Negeri Sembilan, when reception of CityPlus FM 106.0MHz from Gunung Telapak Burok turned weak in Melaka, and North Johor, I could hear Hang FM 106.0MHz co-channel interference signal, this also happened in Felda Lui of Negeri Sembilan and Kemayan of Pahang.
I referred to Singapore news portal which reported in 2016 and 2017. Hang FM 106.0MHz was accused by Singapore authority for spreading extremists and terrorism propaganda, there were 4 Singaporeans detained by police under Internal Security Act (ISA) when they attempted to move to Syria and join ISIS terrorist group. According to Singapore police, 4 of them listened to Hang FM 106.0MHz and became radicalized, then they were searching terrorism content.
In respect of accusation on Hang FM by Singapore, the accused radio station denied the allegations by stating that Radio Hang FM 106.0MHz does not spread extremists propaganda, instead the station management told that Hang FM promotes pure Islamic teaching and anti-terrorism propaganda.
On December 2018, co-founder of Hang FM was questioned by Singapore Immigration Checkpoint Authority (ICA) for 6 hours, and he was banned from entering Singapore.
Although Hang FM 106.0MHz denied Singapore's accusation for spreading terrorism propaganda, but Singapore chooses to jam Hang FM in Singapore to prevent Singaporeans from listening to the radio station.
Hang FM 106.0MHz is not fully jammed like what happens in Korea Peninsular. In Singapore, Hang FM 106.0MHz is jammed partially in Singapore, each jamming interval is 5 seconds. When people listen to Hang FM 106.0MHz via radio, they can listen to the content. After 5 seconds, jamming begins, then the content resumes as usual after 5 seconds from the jamming interval. Next, it gets jammed again after the next 5 seconds.
Average of jamming interval is 5-6 seconds. Actually Hang FM signal jamming happens in Fort Canning, Singapore where I was staying at a hotel.
Hang FM is jammed by Singapore, in Fort Canning, Marina Sands, Suntec, Esplanade and Promenade. Before the controversy, Singapore never jammed any radio stations, but Hang FM is first radio station jammed by Singapore after the controversy was happened.
Beside Singapore jamming against Hang FM, seriously the transmission power of Hang FM 106.0MHz is too high, it already interferes Malaysia Ikim FM 106.2MHz Gunung Pulai coverage, some of Johor areas receive interference signal from Hang FM 106.0MHz when listeners tune to IKIM FM 106.2MHz such as Kota Iskandar, Penggerang, Pasir Gudang, Forest City and Masai.
Hang FM must decrease its transmission power from 10kW to 2kW as its service area is only in Batam. In the future, after radio frequency jamming, Singapore may ban Hang FM website, this will cause listeners cannot access Hang FM via online, even mobile app in Singapore.
On last week, I detected FM 102.0MHz silent radio station signal in Pedas Linggi that I mentioned on previous blog post.
During that time, I was going to Bakri Muar to visit my Malay friend in conjunction with Raya celebration, I realized that it was too early to arrive there as my friend was performing morning prayer. So, I chose to delay arrival time. Although it took 2 to 2.25 hours that I drove from Serdang to Muar, but because of FM 102.0MHz unknown radio station when I entered Pedas Linggi, therefore I already planned to stop at Hentian Sebelah Pedas Linggi to take the audio and video.
Surprisingly, I got its RDS text on FM 102.0MHz via Samsung Galaxy V Plus mobile phone. Few second later, detail information of FM 102.0MHz was appeared on the radio. As I mentioned on previous blog post, while FM 102.0MHz showed its program service (PS) name as TEST, it showed its radio text few seconds later after the PS "TEST" appeared. Its radio text showed "SmartGen 6.0 - Dynamic RDS/RBDS Encoder - WWW.DEVABROADCAST.COM".
Wow! This unknown radio station is using DEVA Broadcast product, imported from Bulgaria, but technically radio broadcaster shall not disclose its RDS encoder name via RDS text because it is considered as private and confidential, somehow this shall not be happened. Moreover, I believed the broadcast owner of FM 102.0MHz forgot to erase its radio text information, it is common if Broadcast RDS or STEREO processor information appeared on radio text because it is default setting when newly purchase.
Talking about SmartGen 6.0 RDS encoder, actually it is the latest DEVA Broadcast SmartGen series RDS encoder, meanwhile SmartGen 5.0 and below are considered older model. Beside DEVA Broadcast SmartGen series, the Bulgarian company does have other RDS encoder model such as DB-9000, DB-6000 STC, DB-6400, DB-7000.
Here is the overview of DEVA Broadcast SmartGen 6.0 that FM 102.0MHz is using in Pedas, Negeri Sembilan:
The brochure of DEVA Broadcast SmartGen 6.0 Dynamic RDS/RBDS encoder:
In 2017 and 2018, I detected FM 102.0MHz silent radio station signal around Rembau, Pedas, and Tampin, initially I suspected it was from Bukit Tampin, somehow I also suspected there was military broadcast radio station in Bukit Tampin on 102.0MHz, but low power.
Hmmm... This radio station looks very suspicious, so I choose to analyze and investigate this.
On 5th June 2019, which is Raya Aidilfitri holiday, I was going to Bakri. When I was in Pedas Linggi of Negeri Sembilan, I detected again FM 102.0MHz signal, then I chose to stop my car at Hentian Sebelah Pedas Linggi (southbound) to perform radio reception test of FM 102.0MHz.
FM 102.0MHz in Pedas Linggi, Negeri Sembilan
Compare to Tampin and Alor Gajah, reception of FM 102.0MHz was more stable and clearer in Pedas Linggi, so I investigated FM 102.0MHz was not from Bukit Tampin, but it could be in hidden site within Pedas Linggi. At Hentian Sebelah Pedas Linggi, I used TECSUN PL-380 radio receiver and Samsung Galaxy V Plus to test FM 102.0MHz signal. For TECSUN PL-380, FM 102.0MHz showed higher signal strength and stereo indicator there, meanwhile FM 102.0MHz signal strength is low in Tampin town. In addition, FM 102.0MHz appeared RDS PS text on Samsung Galaxy V Plus with "TEST" program service text, this may mean that FM 102.0MHz is running test transmission, but in silent mode.
FM 102.0MHz does not only appear only "TEST" on its RDS PS text, meanwhile it also showed radio text where most of radio stations use radio text as their station tagline. For FM 102.0MHz case, I caught its radio text showed broadcast equipment information.
FM 102.0MHz RDS text information, caught in Pedas Linggi, Negeri Sembilan.
==FM 102.0MHz station information==
* RDS PS text: TEST
* Radio text: SmartGen 6.0 - Dynamic RDS/RBDS encoder - www.devabroadcast.com
* Location: Hentian Sebelah Pedas Linggi (southbound)
FM 102.0MHz Deva Broadcast SmartGen 6.0 RDS/RBDS encoder
If I claimed 102.0MHz is from Bukit Tampin, I can receive this radio station clearly in Alor Gajah and Tampin, but it is too closed from Melaka FM 102.3MHz Gunung Ledang as frequency separation is 300kHz between Bkt Tampin and Gn Ledang. For Melaka, Bukit Tampin and Gunung Ledang are same coverage, it is perfect to separate at 400kHz.
FM 102.0MHz can be legal or unlicensed radio station (pirate). If it is legal radio station, I may think FM 102.0MHz is belonged to RTM because none of commercial radio stations will launch gap filler transmitter for Pedas Linggi as they will use Gunung Telapak Burok, Gunung Ulu Kali and Gunung Ledang to cover these areas. If I suspect FM 102.0MHz is belonged to RTM, I may believe RTM may add 4th frequency for Negeri FM to cover Pedas as pocket filling transmitter.
It is possible if FM 102.0MHz is belonged to RTM Negeri FM because Negeri FM has no Gunung Ulu Kali frequency, but reception of 3 existing transmitters (92.6 Gunung Telapak Burok, 95.7 Bukit Tampin and 107.7 Gunung Ledang) are not clear and unstable in Pedas and North Rembau. This also defines that RTM Negeri FM can have 4th frequency for Negeri Sembilan state. Generally Pedas is under Bukit Tampin coverage, but RTM Negeri FM 95.7MHz Bukit Tampin reception is not clear because it is clashed by Fly FM 95.8MHz Gunung Ulu Kali, so RTM Negeri FM may launch FM 102.0MHz for Pedas, Negeri Sembilan.
With FM 102.0MHz, I may guess Negeri FM reception will be better in Pedas and Rembau (Chembong).
==Negeri FM frequencies and transmitter sites==
- 92.6MHz Gunung Telapak Burok: Seremban, Kuala Pilah, Jelebu, Jempol, Port Dickson, Bahau, Southern Selangor, Bera, Temerloh, Mentakab and Chenor
- 95.7MHz Bukit Tampin: Rembau, Inas, Kota and Tampin
- 107.7MHz Gunung Ledang: Gemas, Gemencheh, Tampin, Felda Lui, Simpang Pertang, Keratong, Kemayan, North Johor (Segamat and Tangkak) and Melaka
- 102.0MHz Pedas and North Rembau (Chembong)???
Compare with other RTM radio stations, when Gunung Telapak Burok and Gunung Ledang reception are not really clear in Pedas, they can be tuned from Gunung Ulu Kali. For Negeri FM case, it has no Gunung Ulu Kali frequency, but it relies Gunung Telapak Burok, Gunung Ledang and Bukit Tampin, what I suspect is FM 102.0MHz could become alternative frequency of Negeri FM 95.7MHz in Pedas and Rembau. Just an example, if listeners tune to RTM Negeri FM in Pedas, 95.7MHz Bukit Tampin is clashed by Fly FM, meanwhile reception of 107.7 Gunung Ledang and 92.6 Gunung Telapak Burok are not clear there, so they can continue listening to Negeri FM on 102.0MHz from Pedas transmitter site clearly in Pedas and Rembau (Chembong).
Anyway, I had submitted a feedback to MCMC via email by attaching few audio clips and videos as evidence, this allows MCMC to do further investigation whether FM 102.0MHz is legal or unlicensed radio station. For the current moment, I suspect FM 102.0MHz is Negeri FM upcoming 4th frequency for Pedas, but I need to verify with MCMC after the investigation is done.
