Kohinurākau or Kōhinerākau (widely known as Mount Erin) is a mountain in the Kohinurākau Range, south-southwest of Havelock North in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand. The mountain is the main television and FM radio transmitter site for Napier, Hastings and the wider Hawke's Bay region.
Etymology The names Kohinurākau and Kōhinerākau were officially gazetted in August 2018 as part of the Treaty of Waitangi settlement with Heretaunga Tamatea. The previous name, Mount Erin, is now unofficial but is still used to refer to the transmitter site.
Transmitter The Mount Erin television transmitter was commissioned in 1966, broadcasting Wellington's WNTV1 channel. Television arrived in the Hawke's Bay in 1963 with a private translator atop Kahurānaki, south-southeast of Kohinurākau. The New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation (NZBC) took over a temporary transmitter atop Te Mata Peak in 1965 prior to the commissioning of the Mount Erin transmitter.
Transmission frequencies The following table contains television and radio frequencies currently operating at Mount Erin: TV ChannelTransmit ChannelTransmit FrequencyBandLicensed power (kW)World TV digital29538.00 MHzUHF10Sky digital31554.00 MHzUHF10Discovery NZ digital33570.00 MHzUHF10TVNZ digital35586.00 MHzUHF10Kordia digital37602.00 MHzUHF10Maori Television digital39618.00 MHzUHF10Radio StationTransmit ChannelTransmit FrequencyBandLicensed power (kW)More FM88.7 MHzVHF4RNZ Concert91.1 MHzVHF4The Sound91.9 MHzVHF4Magic92.7 MHzVHF4The Rock95.1 MHzVHF5ZM95.9 MHzVHF4Radio Hauraki96.7 MHzVHF5The Breeze97.5 MHzVHF2.5The Edge98.3 MHzVHF5RNZ National101.5 MHzVHF2.5Mai FM105.5 MHzVHF4Today FM106.3 MHzVHF4
Former analogue television frequencies The following frequencies were used until 30 September 2012, when Mount Erin switched off analogue broadcasts (see Digital changeover dates in New Zealand). TV ChannelTransmit ChannelTransmit FrequencyBandLicensed power (kW)TV One6189.25 MHzVHF63TV28203.25 MHzVHF63TV310217.25 MHzVHF50Māori Television45663.25 MHzUHF50Prime61791.25 MHzUHF50
References