How the ABA gave NTL a monoploy
The ABA (Australian Broadcasting Authority) LAP (Local Area Planning) Department  has been going around Australia for the last 7 years evaluating the need for additional licenses and what frequencies and power out put can be allocated without interfering with other license operators. 
To do this the ABA do an engineering spectrum of effective radiating power from a nominated transmission site, you will notice that all sites through out Australia have been earmarked as NTL sites hence why we have this problem. 
You don't have to be Einstein to realise that NTL have been given a monopoly on playing hard ball with applicants who have to come knocking at their door.

What price did NTL offer you or did they give you a price .. that is the question
How many aspiring Community and Commercial broadcasters have approached NTL to get a price for set up and ongoing costs on any of the transmitter sites they now own so they could make an cost effective application to the ABA licensing section.

How many of you have had deputations from Mr F and Mr M from NTL only to be told they have been told they can not put a quote in writing to you... why is this so .
Is it because NTL have been told by the ABA which applicant is to get the nod or is it because NTL overseas owners want to get a double digit return on their outlay and to hold meetings with all applicants so they can see who can pay the most.. you be the judge..

How the ABA can help you
What you don't know and NTL are not going to tell you. Is you can put an application into The ABA and ask to transfer their LAP site to your nominated site and all you have to do is get a broadcasting engineer to draw up an Effective Radiating Pattern that resembles the pattern the ABA engineers came up with on their LAP. The cost saving are enormous if you follow this path

How NTL saves money on exchange rates and why you can do the same
NTL brought the Commonwealth transmission sites for A$ 980 million which at the current exchange rate at the time was PDstg 350 million pounds this effectively knocked out any other bidders unless they had revenue streams of US or PDstg.

Once NTL received ownership they put the actual physical technical servicing of all sites to tender the winner was a a subsidiary of Radio New Zealand (one of the best if not the best in the business) with the NZ$1.26 to A$1 it made perfect sense to outsource from New Zealand 

So how do you save money
The best AM / FM technician in the business is a bloke called Steve White. This bloke coupled 8 AM stations on one mast each station has their own earth mat. So what .. you might say .. well if you ever went to school and attempted (grade 12 or form 6) physics you will get some kind of appreciation of what this man has achieved in radio engineering. 
Anyway contract this man to do your Effective Radiated Power Pattern and get him to design and construct your antenna array and get New Zealand Shipping to ship it for you, as it will be in NZ$ 

To save further monies instead of purchasing second hand Harris or Continental transmitters (both companies are USA based) from Australian operators (who knows how old they are) buy brand new from New Zealand in NZ$ 

Selecting a site
AM transmitter sites require an earth mat preferably in a swamp to give good clear signal to receivers. In major arid areas (desert) of the world a new single diople aerial (like a flag pole) is been used with the copper earth matt sitting in a treakle water trough

FM transmitter sites need extreme height .. we suggest to all aspiring community or narrowcast operators outside metro area you purchase a property and put a kitset home (see our 3 bedroom bushranger series on the products domain) and rent the house out to someone (who can double up as caretaker to reduce theft and kick start generator if power goes off) the said rent will help defray your operating costs particularly getting power to site.

Bottom line
Great minds discuss ideas .... 
Average minds discuss events
Small minds discuss other people
and some are in the foetal stage of development with a brain to match

There is always a solution 

Keep Faith in Troubled Times
And the Lord Spoke to Noah and said:
"  In One year, I am going to make it rain and cover the whole earth with water until everyone is destroyed. 
But I want you to save the righteous people and two of every kind of living thing on the earth "
In a flash God delivered the specifications for an Ark. Noah took the plans and agreed to build the Ark. Exactly one year later, fierce storm clouds covered the earth and all the seas of the earth went into a tumult.

The Lord saw that Noah was sitting in his front yard weeping " Noah, " he shouted. " Where is the Ark ? "

'" Lord please forgive me ? cried Noah. " I did my best, but there were big problems.
First, I had to to get a permit for construction and your plans did not meet specifications. I had to hire an engineering company to redraw them.
" Then I got into a fight with Occupational Safety people over whether or not the Ark needed a fire sprinkler system and floatation devices."
" Then my neighbour objected, claiming I was violating by-laws by building the Ark in my front yard, so I had to get a variance from Town Planning. "
" Then I had problems getting enough wood for the Ark, because there was a ban on cutting trees to protect the Spotted Owl
I finally convinced the Forestry Department that I needed the wood to save the Owls. However, The Department of Environmental Affairs won't let me catch any Owls. "
" The carpenters went out on strike. I had to negotiate a settlement with the builders Federation before anyone would pick up a saw or hammer. "
" Then I got sued by an animal rights group. They objected to me only taking two of each kind aboard.
" When their objections were finally dismissed, the Department of Environment notified me that I could not complete the Ark, without filing an environment impact assessment on your proposed flood "
" They didn't take very kindly to the idea that they had no jurisdiction over the conduct of the Creator of the universe."
" Then the city engineer demanded a map of the proposed new flood plain. I sent them a globe."
" The Australian Tax office has seized my assets, claiming that I'm building the Ark in preparation to flee the country to avoid paying taxes."
" I just got a notice from the Licensing Department that I owe them some kind of tax, having failed to register teh Ark as a recreational watercraft."
And you thought you had it tough ???... Hang in there   Brian Andrews 17 / 10 / 01

From the transcripts of proceedings Brisbane 10.08 am Friday 11th December 1987
Document Reference: publo 11.12.87
Mr W.R Armstrong, Vice Chairman
Mr K Wilson, Member

In attendence representing Radio Logan
Ken Ashbolt - President
John Horrocks - Technical Director
Graham Polkington - Program Director
Bill Davidson - Secretary
Des Anderson - Vice President
Joy Willis - Financial Director
Geoff Fox - Treasurer
" This license shall be granted for a period of 5 years " ( page 46 to 47 second paragraph )
Mr W.R Armstrong:
The height you get and the 1 kilowatt you are on - is that on circular polarisation ?
( page 21 paragraph 4 )
Mr Horrocks:
NO. My discussions with officers of the Department of Communications, and indeed consistent with our original proposal for the service for Logan & Beenleigh, would incorporate a directional polarisation, consistant with the service, to cover South to Beenleigh and to keep as much radiation as possible out of inner Brisbane area.
( page 21 paragraph 5 )

We have received numerous reports, that FM 101.1 can be heard at Caloundra (Sunshine Coast) Bribie Island, Scarborough (Redcliffe / Brisbane North) Redland Bay / Moreton Bay, Lismore (Northern NSW), Toowoomba on the Darling Downs, Esk (Brisbane Valley) Beaudesert / Rathdowny (Queensland / NSW border and Burleigh Heads (Gold Coast) this is contrary to their licence.
If you check out History of FM 88 item 1.C you will see photo of Springwood water tower which indicates a plethora of diapoles and omni directional aerials consistant with an elaborate Radio Station antenna system not in keeping with a directional polarisation to Logan and Beenleigh

So if you can receive Radio Logan broadcasting on FM 101.1 at your home, office or vehicle in areas outside Logan & Beenleigh, see maps 1 & 2 for confirmation.
The area deemed to be Logan and Beenleigh are shown on the two maps.

Then fill in our RECEPTION caller card ( similar to shortwave radio stations reception cards the card that advises stations, that they do have listeners. )
So go ahead fill in the On-Line card, make sure you print a copy for yourself and then click the SUBMIT button so it come direct to us for confirmation.