Transmission status of Radio Republik Indonesia RRI Batam PRO-3 FM 90.9MHz

Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) operates 3 radio stations in Batam region, PRO-1 on FM 105.1MHz, PRO-2 on FM 105.5MHz and PRO-3 on FM 90.9MHz.

In the past, three radio stations were transmitted from TVRI Batam in Sekpuang, Indonesia, but RRI Batam PRO-3 FM 90.9MHz operated low power transmitter at 0.03kW, meanwhile PRO-1 FM 105.1MHz and PRO-2 FM 105.5MHz operate at 5kW transmitter power.

Q: Why does it happen?

A: Radio Republik Indonesia RRI Batam PRO-3 uses same frequency with Malaysia's RTM Nasional FM 90.9MHz Bukit Tinggi transmitter. Although RTM Nasional FM 90.9MHz Bukit Tinggi transmitter covers East Johor (Mersing), but the transmission of RRI Batam PRO-3 FM 90.9MHz from TVRI Batam tower can overspill and cause co-channel interference against Nasional FM's coverage in Jemaluang and Mersing if RRI Batam PRO-3 FM 90.9MHz operates at high power transmission from TVRI Batam tower like PRO-1 FM 105.1MHz. Hence, RRI Batam PRO-3 FM 90.9MHz only ran 0.03kW transmitter power, the coverage of RRI Batam PRO-3 FM 90.9MHz is smaller in Batam Island.

In 2019, RRI Batam PRO-3 FM 90.9MHz transmission was temporarily switched off. 

I may suspect that RRI Batam PRO-3 FM 90.9MHz moved its transmission site from TVRI Batam Sekupang to RRI Batam Center was likely done in somewhere 2019 because there was no transmission on FM 90.9MHz from Batam when I came to Singapore in June 2019.

In order to reach coverage of PRO-3 FM 90.9MHz in entire Batam Island like PRO-1 FM 105.1MHz, Radio Republik Indonesia RRI Batam PRO-3 FM 90.9MHz moved to RRI Batam Center where located at Abuyaltama Road, but transmitter power was increased from 30W to 2kW.

As RRI Batam Center transmitter tower height is lower than TVRI Batam, with a 2kW transmitter, so the transmission of RRI Batam PRO-3 FM 90.9MHz will not cause interference to Nasional FM 90.9MHz coverage in East Johor by overspilling signal to East Johor.

Although RRI Batam PRO-3 FM 90.9MHz is no longer located at same transmitter site as PRO-1 FM 105.1MHz and PRO-2 FM 105.5MHz, but the coverage for 3 radio stations are same nowadays because RRI PRO-3 FM 90.9MHz uses 2kW transmitter power.