Community Radio in Papua New Guinea Highlands

A community radio station was established in January 2001 in the town centre of Paiam in the Porgera Valley. Porgera is in the Enga Province of the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea. Paiam sits on one edge of the valley at an elevation of 2,800 metres above sea level. The Paiam Management Company is responsible for developing a new town to sustain and develop a vibrant community after present gold mining activity in the Porgera valley ceases later in this decade. An important 'tool' in this process is the community radio station (known as Ipili FM), producing and transmitting local programs 15 hours per day, 7 days per week, to inform, educate and entertain the people who live in the valley.

Radio Coverage Extension

Due to rugged and hilly terrain in and around Porgera, the original 50 watt transmitter and associated antenna system was providing a marginal radio service in many areas in the valley. Many of the 25,000 people living in these areas were missing out on Ipili FM radio programs.

In mid-2002, a new 100 watt transmitter and 4-bay dipole, vertically polarised antenna system, mounted on a 30 metre tower, was installed to provide a much improved and extended radio signal coverage for people living in Porgera and in the surrounding communities in the Porgera valley. The new radio service also provided an excellent quality FM signal on the 3,200 metre ridge to the west of Porgera, enabling a repeater station, using this signal, to be installed as part of the radio transmission system development (see below).

Solar Powered Repeater Station

A 3,200 metre mountain ridge separates Porgera and 18,000 people living in the Paiela & Hewa valleys and therefore these people could not receive any radio transmission from Ipili FM. A suitable site for a radio repeater station was selected on the mountain ridge, in line-of-sight between Paiam and Paiela & Hewa. The site was accessed (on foot) through rain forest and a difficult and rugged climb to the top. Equipment and materials were transported on to the site by helicopter. Receive and transmit yagi antennae and Mallard receiver and 40 watt transmitter, powered from 6 solar panels, completed a successful installation. Radio listeners have reported reception of Ipili FM from the new repeater station as far away as 80 kilometres from the site of the repeater.