RADIO NEW ZEALAND'S
NEW TRANSMITTER

A few months ago, some good news arrived for the folks at Radio New Zealand Pacific (previously known as Radio New Zealand International). In the 2022 budget released in May, the government announced NZ$4.4 million in capital funding for a new shortwave transmitter to be installed at the Rangitaiki site in the center of the North Island. This will ensure the future of the shortwave service across the Pacific.

Currently, RNZ Pacific has two transmitters at its disposal. A 100 kW Thomson Broadcast and Media digital/analog transmitter was pressed into operation in 2005 and is the only sender currently used daily. This unit has a dual-task. It transmits stereo quality DRM broadcasts for relay by 22 local Pacific Islands broadcasters, allowing those smaller stations to carry daily RNZ news and current affairs. Secondly, this transmitter allows RNZ Pacific to offer the standard AM mode service for individual shortwave listeners in the region and beyond. The analog service is regarded as vital for supporting communications across the Pacific during cyclones, tsunamis and earthquakes.

A second 100 kW analog-only transmitter dating back to 1990 was retired in 2016 and is now only used as a backup when the main unit is under repair or routine maintenance.

Radio New Zealand Pacific no longer processes postal reception reports. This e-QSL was received by the author in June and arrived in 12 hours. Reception reports can be submitted by filling out a form on the station’s website.

In a media release, RNZ’s Chief Executive Paul Thompson said, “The value of the RNZ Pacific service can’t be underestimated. Our voice reaches all parts of the Pacific, at times with critical information such as cyclone warnings. During the Tonga eruption, when the undersea cable was cut, RNZ Pacific short wave was a lifeline source of information. This investment secures a productive future for our unique voice. The attraction of the shortwave service is its robustness and the ability to have the signal travel great distances and achieve good audiences,” he said.

Thompson pointed out that since Radio Australia ceased its shortwave broadcasting, the only other shortwave broadcaster in the region is China Radio International (now CTGN Radio, a.k.a. China Plus). He said that RNZ can now start work on its infrastructure development with a new transmitter likely to take approximately 12 months to get in place, subject to further project planning.

RNZ Pacific's Technical Specialist, Adrian Sainsbury, said he is "absolutely delighted" with the significant funding injection for RNZ Pacific's transmission to the Pacific region. "We've been asking for this for many years now to update our transmission system because as time goes by we're still actually relying on a 1980s transmitter as a backup in case our current main one falls over for any technical reasons. It's a major injection for us to ensure our future I reckon, for many years to come."

Until October 29, RNZ Pacific can be heard in many parts of North America. Try the following UTC times and frequencies:

15720 kHz between 2100 and 0600,

5980 kHz between 1300 and 1650 (to 1900 on Sat)

7245 between 0800 and 1100

The complete RNZ Pacific frequency schedule can be found at: https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/listen