Friday, 11 October 2024

RTM Sabah FM (Radio 3 Sabah) and Sabah VFM (Blue Network) could be tuned in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei via Layang-Layang transmitted frequencies FM 97.5MHz and 93.5MHz respectively in 1980s and 1990s



Back to 1980s and 1990s, Sabah radio stations (RTM Sabah FM and VFM) could be tuned clearly in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, compare with current days.


Sabah FM and Sabah VFM were receivable in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei via Layang-Layang (Mount Kinabalu) transmitter with the respective frequencies 97.5MHz and 93.5MHz, both radio stations operated at 10kW transmitter power.


After mid-1990s, Sabah FM and VFM changed their frequencies and reduced the transmission power for Layang-Layang transmission site.


Sabah FM (Radio 3 Sabah)

* Frequency: 97.5MHz>>104.5MHz

* Transmission power: 10kW>>1kW


Sabah VFM (RTM Blue Network Sabah)

* Frequency: 93.5MHz>>107.1MHz

* Transmission power: 10kW>>1kW


During the 1980s, RTM Sabah FM and Sabah VFM in Kota Kinabalu, Beaufort, Sipitang, Tenom, Keningau, Kota Belud, Kudat, Ranau, Kundasang and Tambunan were covered by Layang-Layang transmitter where located near Mount Kinabalu before launching local transmitters.


A 10kW transmitter power in Layang-Layang transmission tower for FM broadcast could cover most of Sabah divisions, even Labuan, Brunei, Limbang and Lawas, meanwhile 1kW power can only cover Interior Division (Ranau, Kundasang, Tambunan etc), and small part of West Coast Division.


Kota Kinabalu was formerly covered by Layang-Layang transmitter before mid-1990s, but currently RTM Sabah radio stations in Kota Kinabalu is covered by local transmitter from Lawa Mandau where is within the vicinity of Bukit Karatong and Bukit Kokol. Due to reduction of transmitter power of RTM Layang-Layang radio stations, so the radio reception of Sabah VFM 107.1 and Sabah FM 104.5 are not so clear in Kota Kinabalu.


As today, Sabah radio stations are no longer receivable in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei via Layang-Layang transmitter as the transmission power was already reduced from 10kW to 1kW, but Sabah VFM can be likely tuned in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei via FM 102.9MHz from Bukit Tampalagus which covers mainly Sipitang, Beaufort, Labuan, Lawas and Menumbok, meanwhile Sabah FM is more difficult to be tuned in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei due to the interference of RTM Nasional FM 98.1MHz from Bukit Mas which covers Limbang and Brunei.


==Sabah FM and Sabah VFM tuning frequencies in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei between 1980s and 2024==

1. Sabah FM

* 1980s: FM 97.5MHz Layang-Layang 10kW

* 2024: FM 97.9MHz Bukit Tampalagus 1kW (interference of RTM Nasional FM 98.1MHz Bukit Mas transmitter can be detected)


2. Sabah VFM

* 1980s: FM 93.5MHz Layang-Layang 10kW

* 2024: FM 102.9MHz Bukit Tampalagus 1kW


RTM Sabah radio frequencies (AM, FM, and SW) list from 1989 WRTH Handbook:



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