101.9 FM Broadcast coverage

Chai FM is broadcasting on 101.9 FM in Gauteng from our transmitter on Brixton/Sentech tower. Our service provider, Sentech handles most of the signal distribution for commercial radio stations in South Africa.

Community radio licences are issued by ICASA, the broadcast governing body in South Africa, to a smaller transmitter than commercial stations. The Chai FM footprint as you can see below is not a continuous coverage. A rule of thumb is that most locations that have a line of sight position to Brixton/Sentech tower will receive Chai FM clearly, and if the location is in a big dip, or behind a mountain, you may pick up interference. Buildings with heavy steal structures might also present an issue.

Chai FM is licensed for one of the most powerful transmitters allowed for community radio, and is only half the power of many commercial stations. We are constantly tweeking its transmission, and like a good wine its getting better and better all the time.

If you are not recieving Chai FM as well as you would like, the options are: a) To use the internet audio streaming facility (Click here); b) To purchase an external aerial for your reciever.

NOTE: Sentech suggests that the older radio's with a dial are not ideal (Digital is best), and also radio recievers bought overseas can be made to a different manufacture specification. The result with both of these is that you may pick up high power transmitters, but will not even find lower powered transmitters.

Current areas that may experience issues are:

  • Linkfield (There is a part on Club Street that is shielded by the mountain)
  • Lindhurst (mild signal loss)
  • Rivonia (mild signal loss)

 

Broudcast map