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The ABC must reinstate their local radio short wave services from their three NT sites that were relied upon in remote WA, Qld and SA beyond the reach of AM coverage.
These findings come as no surprise as WA is a large state with plenty of workers driving due to mining or farming employment.
Every commercial AM stick in regional WA is licensed for only 2kW omnidirectional or less. Only Esperance is 5kW DA. The terrible ground propagation found across most of WA and tropical storms along the NW coast severely limit coverage, leaving it to the higher powered ABC services for further reach.
The ABC in WA provides a high quality program with Phil Clark's Nightlife on air from 7/8pm and quality metro programs with Perth early breakfast, mornings 8:30 - 10am and afternoons. That quality is also another drawcard for remote audiences to feel connected as a state rather than pushed to the side on regional only programming.