Saturday 19 October 2024

RTM can add a gap filler transmitter for radio broadcast to cover areas between Miri and Limbang once if Sabah-Sarawak Link Road (SSLR) is already built to connect Miri to Limbang and Lawas without crossing through Brunei.


In Sarawak, there is no proper road to drive from Miri to Limbang, then Limbang to Lawas without entering Brunei territory, however Sarawak is now developing the rural areas roads to connect from Lawas to Miri, then Limbang to Miri without crossing through Brunei where requires passport and goes thru numerous of immigration checkpoints.


This road is known as "Sabah-Sarawak Link Road" (SSLR).

 

SSLR project covers 2 phases

* Phase 1:  Lawas to Long Lopeng (90km)

* Phase 2: Kampung Pa'Berunut to Long Lama (160km) & spur roads to connect Medamit, Long Pasia, and Bario.


Phase 1 is expected to be completed in Q3 2026, meanwhile Phase 2 is expected to be done in 2030.

 

For radio transmission, there are many large blindspot coverage in SSLR areas.


Although there are having empty FM radio frequencies slots in Miri and Limbang currently, but some of the frequencies can be reserved for gap filler radio transmission to cover SSLR areas. When SSLR project is completed and the people can access from to Limbang and Lawas or from Limbang/Lawas to Miri without passing by Brunei, RTM can launch a gap filler transmitter in these areas, so the people who listen to the radio can tune the broadcast without interruption.


Regarding the transmitter site, Gunung Mulu is the most strategic location to cover SSLR areas as its height is about 2300m above sea level, but there is no road to access this mountain, even SACOFA doesn't build telecommunication tower on the top of Gunung Mulu. 


Gunung Mulu is a protected national park in Sarawak, alongside Mount Murud. Building the radio telecommunication tower on this mountain led partial deforestation. If Gunung Mulu has radio broadcast transmission tower, based on the coverage map with a 250W transmitter and non-directional antenna, the radio stations from Gunung Mulu can overspill signal to Labuan, Limbang town, Lawas town, Brunei, Miri and Kuala Penyu Sabah where are not belonged to its transmission coverage because Gunung Mulu is very high enough, unless RTM or other radio broadcasters use directional antenna to prevent overspill signal beyond the target coverage.




Technically Gunung Mulu can cover SSLR areas where are the blindspot coverage of Bukit Lambir, Bukit Mas and Bukit Sagan Rudang.

 


Other than Gunung Mulu, I'm not sure whether SACOFA has any telecommunication towers in SSLR areas or not. If SACOFA has SSLR strategic towers, RTM can launch gap filler transmitter in SSLR areas by using SACOFA infrastructure.


If RTM can increase its radio stations' transmitter power from 100W to 500W in Bukit Sagan Rudang, so the people can tune to RTM radio stations on Spur Road from Nanga Medamit to Long Adang clearly.


In Marudi, RTM only operates Sarawak FM 97.9MHz from Bukit Dabei, but RTM can launch more radio stations such as Radio Klasik, Nasional FM, Miri FM, Traxx FM, Ai FM, and Red FM in Bukit Dabei by using Miri empty frequencies slots with higher power transmission to cover Marudi, Long Lama and some Baram areas under SSLR vicinity.


The gap filler transmitter site within SSLR area requires international coordination because it is a bordering region near Brunei.


We need to only wait until 2030 or 2031 for Sabah Sarawak Link Road (SSLR) as this construction is not easy and the building cost is RM 5.2 billion.

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