I SEE in the Goulburn Post’s article of February 2, page 9, that testing of the wind farm at Taralga is allegedly affecting television reception quality in the village.
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But there’s an interesting coincidence possibly at work here.
We all know that Australian television has been converting to digital, and now transmissions are in digital only.
Just recently, we were all asked to retune our televisions in an effort to free up some radio frequency spectrum for other services.
Having checked what television service should be available in Taralga using the website developed by the Department of Communication (https://myswitch. digitalready. gov.au), I was surprised to see “There is no predicted terrestrial TV coverage designed to serve this location” and the suggestion to “Consider converting to satellite to view free-to-air digital TV”
It also appears that since the change in frequencies, the television signal strength has dropped from the transmitters that have previously serviced the area.
Does this suggest that even if the wind farm had never existed, the village of Taralga could well be experiencing television reception issues right now?
The story does have a happy ending though, as the wind farm operators have indicated that they will be providing a solution to the problem. Indeed they are obliged by law to do so, presumably because the circumstantial evidence has put them in the frame.
Hmm. So what about other regional areas that are currently experiencing recent television reception problems? Another good reason to acquire a wind farm?
But seriously, the way the system works at the moment, communities get a paltry if any return for hosting power generating windfarms on our behalf in their locality.
If Taralga residents can manage to get their TV reception fixed once and for all in return, then I’m all for it.
The Greens want the system changed to put the local community as primary beneficiary of all renewable energy installations.
That way the community can derive the benefits as it sees fit.
Iain Fyfe, (Greens Candidate)