Tapah is a very subjective area in South Perak to tune a radio.

Tapah is a town in South Perak, and it is a capital district of Batang Padang. When you drive from Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh, you will definitely pass through this town.

However, Tapah is a very subjective area when tune to any radio stations because most of the radio stations have poor radio reception, compare to nearer locations such as Bidor and Temoh.

In Tapah, most of Ipoh's Gunung Kledang radio stations are having poor reception because the town is blocked by a hill named Hutan Simpan Sungai Salu where located between Tapah and Kampar, so the listeners have to switch to Gunung Ulu Kali transmitted radio stations (Selangor frequency)?

Yes, Tapah can receive radio stations from Gunung Ulu Kali with moderate signal quality. I tuned to Traxx FM in Tapah on 100.1MHz (Gunung Ulu Kali) when 90.1MHz (Gunung Kledang) is very weak there, but actually it is not fully correct because not all radio stations from Gunung Ulu Kali can be tuned in Tapah, Perak. 

Fly FM 95.8MHz and Suria FM 105.3MHz are completely zero in Tapah. When I was in Tapah, I tuned to Fly FM on 87.9MHz from Gunung Kledang Ipoh, meanwhile Suria FM is on 96.0MHz which is also from Gunung Kledang Ipoh. Although Suria FM 96.0MHz and Fly FM 87.9MHz signal are weak in Tapah, but at least I feel it is better than nothing because I still can listen to these radio stations weakly there.

Inversely, although Ipoh transmitted radio stations are weak in Tapah, but some of Ipoh radio stations are still ok there. Lite FM is the example, its Ipoh frequency 101.5MHz reception is moderate in Tapah, and slightly better than Klang Valley frequency 105.7MHz. 

 

Astro Chinese hot contemporary radio station MY FM in Tapah has to be tuned on FM 100.6MHz from Gunung Kledang because FM 101.8MHz from Gunung Ulu Kali has interference with Era FM 102.0MHz from Changkat Rembian. In Tapah, MY FM 100.6MHz signal is improved, compare to 2012.

Some radio stations have Tapah frequency to cover the town, such as Radio Klasik FM 88.7MHz, Perak FM 97.3MHz and Era FM 102.0MHz, they are transmitted from Changkat Rembian at low transmitter power (250W-500W).

 

==RTM radio stations in Tapah==

RTM Radio Klasik FM 88.7MHz was launched in Tapah during Radio 1 (Rangkaian Nasional) era as the gap filler transmitter to cover the blind spot of FM 88.3MHz (Gunung Kledang) and FM 98.3MHz (Gunung Ulu Kali). Perak FM 97.3MHz was launched in Tapah because its Ipoh frequency 95.6MHz signal is weak there, this radio station also serves Bidor and Chenderiang too. Unlike other radio station, as it serves only Perak state, RTM Perak FM has no Gunung Ulu Kali transmitter. 

 

Rest of RTM radio stations such as Nasional FM, Asyik FM, Traxx FM, Ai FM and Minnal FM have no Tapah frequencies (Changkat Rembian), but they can be tuned there from Gunung Ulu Kali by frequencies below:

 

1. Nasional FM 95.3MHz

2. Traxx FM 100.1MHz

3. Ai FM 106.7MHz

4. Minnal FM 96.3MHz

5. Asyik FM 102.5MHz

 

Asyik FM 102.5MHz signal is moderate to weak in Tapah. As Tapah has many Orang Asli people, I strongly suggest RTM to launch Asyik FM in Changkat Rembian to cover Tapah.

 

Other than these 5 radio stations, there are another 2 state radio stations from Gunung Ulu Kali can be tuned in Tapah such as:

 

1. Pahang FM 107.5MHz

2. Selangor FM 100.9MHz

==Commercial radio stations in Tapah==

The Malay radio station Era is the only commercial radio station to have Tapah frequency on FM 102.0MHz, however it was launched in 2009 by taking over Raaga slot. FM 102.0MHz in Tapah was originally Time Highway Radio (THR FM) in 1995, then when THR FM joined Astro, THR in West Coast region carried Raaga programme.

988 and Red FM were used to have Tapah frequencies like Time Highway Radio actually, but both were closed down in Tapah. 988 was on FM 94.1MHz, meanwhile Red FM was on FM 101.2MHz. For current status, 988 could be tuned on FM 98.8MHz in Tapah from Gunung Ulu Kali, but listeners have to switch to 99.8MHz from Gunung Kledang when 98.8MHz is interfered by Minnal FM 98.9MHz from Gunung Kledang. 

Red FM was rebranded as Zayan after it was purchased by Astro from Star Radio Group. In Tapah, Zayan is tuned on FM 104.9MHz from Gunung Ulu Kali.

 

Hence, Tapah is neither under radio coverage of Gunung Kledang nor Gunung Ulu Kali transmitter, the listeners have to tune vice-versa.

 

Note: All the radio reception videos were taken in Tapah town, Perak.