It is almost 9 years of TEA FM broadcasts in Sarawak and Sabah since August 2015.
TEA FM is a Sabah and Sarawak radio station, broadcasts in Chinese and English. It targets 20-40 years old listeners in Sabah and Sarawak.
TEA FM broadcasts in Kuching on FM 102.7MHz, Kota Kinabalu on FM 102.8MHz and Sibu on FM 100.7MHz. From August 2015 until today, TEA FM does not have coverage expansion to other Sarawak towns such as Bintulu and Miri.
While Astro Radio such as MY FM, Hitz FM, Era FM, Sinar FM and Melody FM have Miri frequency, but I feel very curious of Tea FM doesn't expand coverage in Miri, also Bintulu.
Back to 2021, I was used to drop my proposal to launch TEA FM in Bintulu and Miri, but I did not get any response from the radio station.
Why does TEA FM have no Bintulu and Miri frequencies?
1. No commercial value to TEA FM in Bintulu and Miri as these areas don't meet the radio station branding target.
2. In Bintulu and Miri, the Chinese and English speaking youngsters are lesser than Kuching and Sibu. As TEA FM targets 20-40 years old listeners, Bintulu and Miri are not the target locations to TEA FM.
Recently, I visited Miri and Bintulu, Chinese youngsters there are not much as Kuching.
Inversely, if Bintulu and Miri have the youngsters as much as Kuching and Sibu, but TEA FM is unable to expand coverage there due to MCMC's suspension of new frequency application for FM radio since 2019.
Radio broadcast nowadays consists new technology and on-demand platform such as podcast, online streaming and YouTube LIVE streaming, alongside linear platform like FM radio frequency transmission.
Shortwave radio broadcast is an older radio technology than FM radio and newer DAB+/DRM. Although it is not relevant for urban and developed areas due to growing of online streaming and podcast, but shortwave radio is still an essential for the rural and remote areas where FM radio cannot be accessed.
RTM Wai FM also operates on shortwave frequency SW 11665kHz, transmitted from RTM Kajang and it beams at 93 degree angle, mainly targets Sarawak state.
Wai FM SW 11665kHz is different from Wai FM Iban in Kuching because it is a hybrid radio station to relay different languages programs from Limbang and Miri. From what I observe, from 12pm to 6pm, Wai FM SW 11665kHz does not air Iban program, instead Radio Tau Limbang FM in Lun Bawang language from 12pm to 3pm, then Radio Kayan Miri FM in Kayan language from 3pm to 5pm and Talidio Kenyah in Kenyah language from 5pm to 6pm.
Wai FM SW 11665kHz is still a need actually because it needs to cover Sarawak rural areas where FM radio has no coverage.
There are many Kenyah and Kayan people in Sarawak rural areas like Marudi District of Miri Division and Belaga District of Kapit Division, but Radio Kayan and Talidio Kenyah are not available in Belaga on Sibu FM 103.0MHz, then Marudi District. So, the listeners have to tune on either SW 11665kHz, Astro CH870 or RTM Klik or Facebook LIVE.
For those areas in Belaga and Marudi where have no internet coverage, SW 11665kHz becomes important platform there.
Miri FM currently broadcasts on the frequency FM 95.7MHz/98.0MHz for Miri, and FM 95.1MHz for Niah and Suai, however it does not have gap filler transmitters in Marudi and Long Lama like Sarawak FM. As Miri FM uses transponder in RTM Miri on FM 98.0MHz to send signal from studio to Bukit Lambir transmitter (95.7MHz). Technically, due to the terrains, I don't think Miri FM can send signal feed from RTM Miri and Bukit Lambir to Long Lama via microwave link and transponder. Hence, Miri FM becomes unavailable in Long Lama via frequency platform. So, the listeners in Long Lama have to tune via SW 11665kHz.
RTM gap filler transmitters (Sarawak FM and Nasional FM) in Marudi and Long Lama are linking signal via C-band satellite.
On 11th April 2024, I also did radio signal aircheck of Wai FM SW 11665kHz in Miri town, Sarawak as part of coverage availability in Miri Division. Yes, Wai FM SW 11665kHz is available in Miri town, therefore it means that radio listeners in Long Lama can access this shortwave radio station which consists Radio Kayan and Talidio Kenyah program by tuning on SW 11665kHz.
Miri FM can still be tuned in Marudi via FM 95.7MHz from Bukit Lambir, meanwhile its radio signal is not clear in Long Lama and Miri FM 95.7MHz is having interference noise of Nasional FM 95.5MHz in Long Lama because Nasional FM operates in Long Lama on 95.5MHz, but I'm not sure whether RTM Nasional FM changes its Long Lama frequency or not due to interference to Miri FM 95.7MHz there, despite Nasional FM 95.5MHz operates at low power transmission as much as 0.1kW in Long Lama.
Despite shortwave radio signal propagation and audio quality are not good as FM radio, in order to reach Long Lama, I strongly recommend RTM Miri FM to add gap filler transmitters in Long Lama, so the listeners can tune Miri FM with better audio quality via frequency transmission.
In Batu Niah, Sarawak FM 88.1MHz is the clearest frequency among all.
Sarawak FM does not have its gap filler transmitter in Suai, Sarawak like Miri FM 95.1MHz and Nasional FM 97.1MHz which both are transmitted from Bukit TT844, but the listeners have to tune to Sarawak FM in Suai via FM 88.1MHz Bukit Lambir or FM 93.7MHz Bukti Setiam.
RTM Bintulu FM was established since 2011, it operates with two frequencies in Bintulu Division, such as FM 97.5MHz Bukit Setiam and FM 95.3MHz RTM Bintulu.
FM 97.5MHz Bukit Setiam is the main transmitter of Bintulu FM to cover entire Bintulu Division and it can cover part of Mukah Division (Balingian) as well as Miri Division (Suai & Niah), its transmitter power is 1kW, meanwhile FM 95.3MHz from RTM Bintulu is low power transmitter located in Bintulu old town, output power is 0.1kW.
Actually Bintulu FM frequencies are duplicated, but technically FM 97.5MHz and FM 95.3MHz play different role.
Bintulu FM 95.3MHz acts as a transponder to send studio feed from RTM Bintulu to Bukit Setiam transmitter (97.5MHz), same situation like RTM Langkawi FM where 87.5MHz RTM Kuah acts as transponder to send studio feed from RTM Kuah to Gunung Raya transmitter (104.8MHz).
If Bintulu FM has no 95.3MHz, the main transmitter in Bukit Setiam on FM 97.5MHz will not receive any signal feed from RTM Bintulu, so the listeners will only get silent signal on FM 97.5MHz in Bintulu Division because Bintulu FM 97.5MHz in Bukit Setiam cannot receive feed from FM 95.3MHz RTM Bintulu.
Labuan FM 103.7MHz also acts as a transponder in RTM Labuan to send studio feed to FM 89.4MHz Bukit Timbalai transmitter.
In conclusion, Bintulu FM 95.3MHz is still important because it acts as transponder by sending studio feeds from RTM Bintulu to Bukit Setiam in order to cover entire Bintulu Division via FM 97.5MHz. It is not suitable to abolish FM 95.3MHz, unless RTM uses STL (studio to transmitter link) which sends feeds via microwave link, but there are terrains between RTM Bintulu to Bukit Setiam, so it is likely impossible of STL microwave signal can travel from RTM Bintulu to Bukit Setiam as microwave signal is using ultra high frequency (UHF) at 900MHz or 2GHz.
During Hari Raya Aidilfitri festival, as per plan, I came to Bintulu and Miri, Sarawak for radio DXing and holiday, the trip includes Tatau, Sebauh, Batu Niah and Bekenu.
On 1st day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, I went to Tatau, Bintulu and Sebauh. Tatau was my first destination after arriving the airport for breakfast, but I don't have radio DXing content in Tatau because there has no far radio signal can be tuned.
Then, I proceed to Sebauh.
Sebauh is a rural town in Bintulu Division, Sarawak, the most famous site is a Chinese temple because it is located on the river.
For radio DXing, Sebauh is not an unique location to receive ultra far radio signal as the rural town is covered by terrains, but surprisingly I received RTB Pelangi FM 91.4MHz from Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei there.
Although there has no DX radio signal in Sebauh, but RTB Pelangi FM 91.4MHz from Brunei becomes the furthest radio station tuned in Sebauh, Bintulu Division, Sarawak, Malaysia, meanwhile I could not receive any Brunei radio stations signal in Bintulu, unless tropospheric propagation.
Very mild signal of Brunei radio station RTB Pelangi FM 91.4MHz was received in Sebauh, Sarawak, Malaysia, but Pelangi FM 91.0MHz signal from Andulau was negative there.
* Frequency: FM 91.4MHz
* Power: 5kW
* Transmitter site: Bukit Subok, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
* Receiving site: Sebauh, Bintulu Division, Sarawak, Malaysia
The Sabah's multilingual radio station, RTM Sabah VFM is available in small part of Sarawak such as Lawas and Sundar via FM 102.9MHz from Bukit Tampalagus which covers Sipitang, Sabah and Labuan Island.
I was used to receive Sabah VFM 102.9MHz in Lawas, Sarawak in 8th November 2019. After 4 years 5 months hiatus, during my trip from Bintulu to Miri, I stopped in Batu Niah and Bekenu, surprisingly I could hear a mild signal of this radio station in Bekenu.
Yes, FM 102.9MHz was Sabah VFM tuned in Bekenu, Sarawak as it played Kadazan music when I filmed the signal video there yesterday.
Bekenu is a small town located in Sibuti Subdistrict, Subis District, Miri Division, Sarawak. It is also 45km away from Miri City.
In terms of receiving distance, Sabah VFM 102.9MHz is the furthest radio station tuned in Bekenu, Sarawak. Moreover, Bekenu is my #2 location to tune RTM Sabah VFM 102.9MHz in Sarawak after Lawas.
Bekenu is also my #1 location to tune RTM Sabah VFM 102.9MHz in Miri Division, Sarawak.
Brunei radio stations are available in Miri City, Sarawak because Miri is just located near Kuala Belait, Brunei. The Brunei radio stations in Miri, Sarawak are transmitted from Andulau where is located in Liang, Brunei.
RTB Andulau transmitter site covers Kuala Belait and Seria actually.
Outside Miri, the Brunei tourists who come to Sarawak by car can tune their favorite radio stations in Bekenu and Batu Niah where are far from Miri.
Here are the signal videos of tuning Brunei radio stations in Batu Niah and Bekenu that I filmed on 11th April 2024.
1. RTB Nasional FM 93.8MHz in Batu Niah
I can hear the adjacent channel interference noise of RTM Sarawak FM 93.7MHz from Bukit Setiam in Batu Niah.
2. RTB Pelangi FM 91.0MHz in Batu Niah
3. RTB Pilihan FM 96.9MHz in Batu Niah
4. RTB Harmoni FM 97.7MHz in Batu Niah
5. RTB Nur Islam FM 94.9MHz in Batu Niah
6. Al-Quran Radio FM 99.7MHz in Batu Niah
7. Kristal FM 98.7MHz in Bekenu
Dear all Brunei people who travel to Miri Division, Sarawak, Brunei radio stations are still available in Miri, Marudi, Bekenu and Batu Niah, but signal becomes weak in Niah.
Kelunan di Bintulu, Sarawak deng kelenghi Radio Kayan Miri FM ha' frequency FM 95.7MHz men Bukit Lambir te FM 95.1MHz Bukit TT844 Suai pukun 3:00 Levi ateng 5:00 Levi, program Peji Dahin Kelo'
Frequency FM 95.7MHz men Bukit Lambir di Miri, Sarawak, tapi kelok deng kelenghi Radio Kayan Miri FM hiran tei jileng Bintulu, Sarawak ha' FM 95.7MHz, signal tei lingo ha' ji unang ngavan.
Nusi' signal di Tatau, Kuala Tatau, Balingian ngan Mukah tei' kelenghi Radio Kayan Miri FM ha' FM 95.7MHz.
FM 95.1MHz ha' Bintulu- Takau Estate (43km)
Video signal Radio Miri FM 95.7MHz ha' Bintulu, Sarawak (Shafik1995 DXers).
During Hari Raya Aidilfitri holiday, I came to Bintulu, Sarawak as part of my radio DXing convoy. Alongside Bintulu, I also went to Miri.
From Bintulu to Miri, I spent 2.5 hours on the journey. Originally I planned to come to Mukah, depart from Bintulu, but I made a change by replacing Mukah with Miri because I would like to discover radio DXing there.
DXing, eat, play!
The main purpose to include Miri in my radio convoy this year is to monitor RTM Bintulu FM 97.5MHz signal propagation in Miri Division from Niah to Lutong because Wai FM Iban radio segment Rentak Ngalih Hari from 3pm to 6pm is not available on Miri FM frequencies because Miri FM airs Kayan and Kenyah radio programs from 3pm to 6pm.
Here are my radio reception videos of Bintulu FM 97.5MHz in Miri Division by following locations below:
1. Bekenu (158km)
2. Niah (130km)
Bintulu FM 97.5MHz is only available in small part of Miri Division, listeners can only tune up to Subis District such as Batu Niah and Suai.
Ka' Bintulu, Sarawak, mimang ilu sukat ngeringa TALIDIO KENYAH Miri FM ka frequency FM 95.7MHz cin Bukit Lambir, Miri. Talidio Kenyah mimang me Miri, tapi' ia sukat ngenyeng Bintulu, Sarawak ka frequency FM 95.7MHz & FM 95.1MHz.
Em sukat ngina' ngeringa Talidio Kenyah ka' Bintulu ka' FM 95.7MHz & FM 95.1MHz
Talidio Kenyah Miri FM - Pemung Kejaie, cin jam pukun 5pm-6pm tai taup.
Video "Talidio Kenyah" Miri FM 95.7MHz ka Bintulu, Sarawak ku'un Shafik 1995, upload ka' uman 2021
FM 95.1MHz ka Bintulu- Takau Estate (43km)
==Frequencies==
* FM 95.7MHz Bukit Lambir (Miri, Brunei & part of Bintulu)
* FM 98.0MHz RTM Miri
* FM 95.1MHz Bukit TT844 Suai (Niah)
Note: This article above is written in Kenyah language, it is based on a translation via English-Kenyah dictionary. To all Kenyah people readers, please correct me and drop the feedback here if my translation is not accurate because I never engage with this language before, the aim of this blog article is to raise the awareness of Kenyah people towards the availability of Miri FM's Kenyah language broadcast in Bintulu, Sarawak via 95.7MHz from Bukit Lambir. Thanks.
Here are the compilation videos of tuning Miri FM in Bintulu, Sarawak via FM 95.1MHz from Bukit TT844 Suai.
Ki video ngeringa Talidio Kenyah Miri FM 95.1MHz ka' pat uku kua Bintulu, Sarawak ka' frequency FM 95.1MHz cin Bukit Lambir (Miri), uyan ka' 11 April 2024.
Video signal Radio Miri FM 95.7MHz ngan FM 95.1MHz ha' Bintulu, Sarawak
1. Bintulu- Takau Estate, near Samalaju (43km)
FM 95.7MHz Bukit Lambir tropo signal in Bintulu by Shafik1995 DXer
Sri Aman FM, Sibu FM, Bintulu FM, Miri FM and Limbang FM relay Wai FM Iban from Kuching on most of broadcast hours, except 9am to 12pm slot, however Wai FM Iban broadcast hours on Miri FM and Limbang FM are lesser than Bintulu FM, Sibu FM and Sri Aman FM because both have local languages broadcast.
Miri FM has Kayan language broadcast from 3pm to 5pm, then it broadcasts Kenyah language is from 5pm to 6pm, meanwhile Limbang FM airs in Lun Bawang language from 12pm to 3pm, then Bisaya language is from 3pm to 6pm.
Miri FM relays Wai FM Iban from 12am to 9am, then 12pm to 3pm and 6pm to 12am. In Miri, Iban is the majority ethnic among all, but the Iban listeners are not able to tune Wai FM Iban's Rentak Ngalih Hari (3pm-6pm segment) on Miri FM's frequencies because Miri FM airs Radio Kayan and Talidio Kenyah from 3pm to 6pm.
Alongside online streaming, Wai FM Iban's Rentak Ngalih Hari can be tuned alternatively in part of Miri via Bintulu FM on the frequency 97.5MHz which transmitted from Bukit Setiam.
DXing is not only a hobby of tuning distant radio station, but it is alternative radio listening while certain radio broadcasts are not available, despite weak signal.
Wai FM Iban radio listeners can try tuning Rentak Ngalih Hari via Bintulu FM 97.5MHz from Bukit Setiam in Miri Division by following locations below:
1. Bekenu (158km)
2. Niah (130km)
Note that Bintulu FM 97.5MHz from Bukit Setiam may be not receivable in Miri areas near Brunei such as Lutong and Kuala Baram, the listeners in Lutong and Kuala Baram may hear adjacent channel interference noise of RTB Harmoni FM 97.7MHz from Andalau, Brunei when they tune on FM 97.5MHz.
No signal is heard in Miri, even it is very weak in Bekenu.
Ba Miri, Sarawak, radio Miri FM nadai program "Rentak Ngalih Hari Wai FM Iban, kena pukul 3 ngalih hari nyentuk ke 6 lemai, enggau frequency ba FM 95.7MHz/FM 98.0MHz/FM 95.1MHz, ketegal Miri FM bisi mega program Radio Kayan sereta Talidio Kenyah.
Bintulu FM 97.5MHz ari Bukit Setiam ba frequency bukai ulih meninga Rentak Ngalih Hari Wai FM Iban di Miri, Sarawak, tang signal enda terang ketegal stesen transmitter nyak jauh.
Ditu video aku tau didinga ba Bintulu FM 97.5MHz di Miri, Sarawak enggau alai tu:
1. Bekenu (158km)
2. Niah (130km)
Kuasa transmitter Bintulu FM 97.5MHz iya nyak 1 kilowatt, video signal Bintulu FM di Bekenu ngau Niah dirikut ba 11 April 2024 maya hari besai Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Peninga di Bekenu ngau Batu Niah ulih nguji meninga Rentak Ngalih Hari Wai FM Iban ba frequency Bintulu FM 97.5MHz ari Bukit Setiam.
Video signal Bintulu FM 97.5MHz ba Miri, Sarawak (taun 2022 - Shafik1995 DXer)
Here are the compilation videos of tuning RTM Sarawak FM on SW 9835kHz from Malaysia in Latin America by countries which filmed by Latin America DXers.
1. Mexico
2. Brazil
3. Uruguay
4. Colombia (video courtesy to Arturo Lopez)
Note: Sarawak FM SW 9835kHz transmission is already terminated since 2022.
In Malaysia, there is only 1 shortwave radio station, transmits from RTM Kajang, it is RTM Wai FM, the frequency is SW 11665kHz, operates at 100kW transmitter power.
Wai FM has two radio stations in Kuching, Sarawak, the first channel is 24 hours Iban language radio station, and the second channel is Bidayuh and Kayan languages radio station, meanwhile SW 11665kHz is a hybrid radio station which broadcasts in Iban, Lun Bawang, Kayan and Kenyah languages by relaying different channels of RTM Sarawak radio stations such as Wai FM Iban, Radio Tau Limbang FM, Radio Kayan Miri FM and Talidio Kenyah Miri FM.
Wai FM SW 11665kHz mainly targets Sarawak state, especially for those rural areas where have no coverage of FM radio transmitters, however RTM Wai FM is available in part of Latin America countries on the same frequency. I have watched several videos of receiving Wai FM on SW 11665kHz by Latin America DXers from Mexico, Brazil and Uruguay.
The distance is at least 10000km from RTM Kajang.
Here are the videos of receiving Wai FM SW 11665kHz in Latin America by countries.
1. Brazil
2. Uruguay
3. Mexico
Other than Uruguay, Brazil and Mexico, I believe RTM Wai FM SW 11665kHz from Malaysia can be heard in Peru, Ecuador, Panama, Nicaragua, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Guatemala and Paraguay, but signal reception may vary subject to the location conditions.
RTM Sarawak FM was used to have shortwave broadcast on SW 9835kHz, but it was terminated since 2022.
Malaysia's Chinese Gen Z radio station, GoXUAN broadcasts since 2nd October 2017. It is only available with 2 frequencies, such as FM 88.9MHz in Klang Valley and FM 107.6MHz in Penang.
GoXUAN is also available outside Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Penang such as:
- North Perak and part of Kedah on FM 107.6MHz
- South Perak, West Pahang and part of Negeri Sembilan/Melaka on FM 88.9MHz
However, GoXUAN is still receivable on FM 88.9MHz in small part of Kelantan. From Kuala Lumpur to Kota Bharu, GoXUAN FM 88.9MHz can be listened until Gua Musang. Its signal is totally zero after RnR Gua Musang Selatan when heading to Gua Musang town.
When I was driving from Kuala Lipis to Gua Musang on Central Spine Road (CSR), I could hear GoXUAN on FM 88.9MHz after entering Kelantan border for few kilometers. After Kampung Mentara Lama, the signal became very weak.
Kampung Mentara Lama is the clearest Kelantan area to receive GoXUAN on FM 88.9MHz from Gunung Ulu Kali.
Many years ago, RTM Kelantan FM used the frequency FM 88.9MHz in Taman Wangi for South Gua Musang, but the transmission of Kelantan FM 88.9MHz Taman Wangi transmitter was already terminated for a long time. If Kelantan FM 88.9MHz Taman Wangi transmitter is still in operation, I believe GoXUAN FM 88.9MHz has co-channel interference with Kelantan FM in Merapoh and Mentara Baru because both are using same frequency.
I filmed GoXUAN FM 88.9MHz radio signal videos in Kelantan-Pahang border (Kampung Mentara Lama) and RnR Gua Musang Selatan (Shell petrol station). At RnR Gua Musang Selatan near Taman Wangi, GoXUAN FM 88.9MHz signal is extremely weak.
Gua Musang becomes my very first Kelantan location to receive GoXUAN signal on FM 88.9MHz in my radio DXing history.
