4VL’s 1584 translator in Cunnamulla (far western Queensland) has returned to service after 4 months.
Some background to what has happened there:
With thanks to feedback from Al Kirton, the original installer of this operation in the early eighties. Also, thanks to Garry Bowles, Toowoomba former announcer at 4VL Charleville. Al Kirton & Garry did the digging for this info, and to Geoff Speed, GM of Heartland Radio P/L (Resonate Radio Network) in Kingaroy (RRN Hub).
Geoff Speed informed us that rats had eaten the lining of the shipping container above the ATU and fallen debris had caused the ATU to short out and destroy one of the ceramic capacitors.
As this transmitter is low powered (PA 161.44 watts) the ATU is in the hut with the transmitter and not at the base of the stick.
Sourcing an appropriate ATU took some time.
If anyone is interested in trying to get this signal, the best ‘out back’ Kiwi SDR is located in Hammond, Flinders Ranges of SA.
Here : http://wartli.proxy.kiwisdr.com:8073/
Suggest you try around 2030-2100 UT to allow the ‘terminator’ (Sun) to kill 4CC (t) in Rockhampton (500 watts).
4VL (t) Cunnamulla 1584 kHz is // to 4VL Charleville 918 kHz.
Cheers Chris Martin, Gold Coast Qld. (2026-10-03)