I’m flabbergasted. A QSL for ABC Newsradio via 6PB 1152 kHz Busselton, West-Australia. A record 14113 kms with a 10 kW signal. Mr. Graham Himmelhoch-Mutton was so kind to confirm my report (and yes in the excitement I forgot to provide info on my receiver and antenna).
I received this station thanks to a tip from Guido Schotmans on the Benelux DX Club Facebook page. So credits to him. Funny detail: in Belgium he heard them strongest just past the hour, while at my location (200 kms NNE) reception was best 20 minutes later around 21:27 h UTC. Not as good as Guido’s recording, but on 25 secs you can clearly hear ABC Sportnews.
With only a provisional antenna up and running and still much to improve, it seems that my new QTH is quite promising in terms of DX potential.
History and future of ABC NewsRadio
ABC NewsRadio in Australia originated from the legal obligation introduced in 1946 to broadcast parliamentary sittings live. Those broadcasts initially went out over the existing national ABC networks. In 1988 a dedicated Parliamentary Broadcast Network (PBN) was established for this purpose, using AM transmitters in the capital cities. On 15 August 1994 the Parliamentary and News Network (PNN) was launched on those same medium-wave frequencies: when parliament was not sitting, continuous news programming was provided. That service developed into ABC NewsRadio and reached a large part of the population via AM transmitters such as 630 kHz in Sydney, 1026 kHz in Melbourne and 585 kHz in Perth. Medium wave remained the backbone of the network for decades because AM offered wide coverage, including in cars and in rural areas.
The future of ABC NewsRadio on medium wave is mixed. The ABC is shifting resources towards digital platforms (DAB+, streaming and the ABC Listen app) and is moving some AM services to FM because of better sound quality and lower costs. In Perth, for example, ABC Radio Perth and Radio National switched from AM to FM in 2026, but NewsRadio is required to continue broadcasting on 585 kHz AM there because of the 1946 parliamentary legislation, in addition to a new FM frequency. Analogue radio will remain for the time being nationwide, particularly where legal requirements or coverage needs demand it, but investment in AM transmitters is declining. As a result, NewsRadio is likely to stay on medium wave longer than other ABC networks, while audiences increasingly listen via digital channels.
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