QRAM is committed to providing 24 hour services to all of our communities. This is especially important during the wet season in Northern Australia.

Back up transmitter at NPA
Photo Shane Gibson

During the wet, lightning strike and huge thunderstorms can take out roads and leave people cut off for months at a time. Lightning can also strike the radio tower and fry the transmitter.

When this happens the stations could be off the air until we can get a technician into the community to carry out repairs.

Starting with the remote station in the Northern Peninsula Area at Bamaga, we are working to improve back up facilities in all our stations.  At Bamaga we have installed a back-up transmitter that was recovered from the former RIBS station of Injinoo.  In the event that the existing transmitter goes down, then the backup can be put on line straight away.

Shane Gibson, from QRAM contractor Broadsoft, did the work during a routine maintenance visit to the NPA.  He also installed a larger capacity air conditioner to the rack room.

Together these two installations will ensure that radio services and essential service announcements will keep the people of the NPA informed.