Radio History

Thanks for saving me the trouble. :wink:

I remember listening to that station when that was on-air back in 1998-99. I used to get it well at my home north of Campbelltown, both on 99.5 & then on 92.5. To me, it provided a good alternative to 94.9 Power FM.

This was not long before 2ST moved its Southern Highlands service from 1215AM to 102.9FM, which occurred at around the middle of 1999. For many years, the audio quality of that FM translator, as well as that for their 106.7 Ulladulla translator, was low-quality, not sounding like a real FM stereo station, and was not much better than listening via the main 999AM service.

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Can you remember if there were any live announcers? I only remember continuous music (as in the aircheck). Reception was poor mono in Oatley on 92.5 and non-existent on 99.5 due to 2SSR splat, so I didn’t really listen extensively.

This was one of the precursors to the current 2WYR ‘Music FM’ on 92.5. Between Southern Star and Youth Radio/Music FM there was also MVH FM, which was run from Moss Vale High School at flea power. The Moss Vale community licence has really struggled for an identity and an audience which makes one question its necessity and value. By contrast Highland FM is a very successful, long running community station and it’s hard to challenge such hegemony. I guess that’s why 92.5 is supposed to target the yoof…but Boomers rule in the Highlands.

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I don’t think I’ve heard any live announcers on the station.

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It makes you wonder whether there are a few fallen stars at the current Music FM then…

That is some nice Southern Highlands radio history right there. These days, you would be lucky to get a weak 2ICE Katoomba in that area on that Frequency.

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Could the station come under ACMA investigation?

It is a 24 hour juke box service with no announcers, no local content. Do they run sponsorships on air?

I can’t remember the last time I heard a presenter on air.

The station could have potential to target the younger markets in the Wingecarribee and southern MacArthur regions as Power / 2ST / C91.3, and Highlands fm all skew older.

There is obviously more going on behind the scenes then what we know about at Music fm.

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3AW the other evening had a tribute to former 3DB announcer John Eden who passed away last week on his 99th birthday. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/tributes/notice/death-notices/eden-john-william/6028234/

Eden was at 3DB from 1949 and hosted the breakfast shift from 1956 until he was dumped in 1975 when the station was revamped as DB Music.

He went on to become one of the chief organisers of the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal but appeared to become somewhat reclusive after that, making very few, if any, public appearances, though was interviewed and paid tribute to in 3DB’s 60th anniversary program in 1987 – which includes his final sign-off from the station on 19 September 1975:

YouTube: THE HEHR ARCHIVE

He was a TV presenter as well in the early days of HSV7 but seemed to stay foremost in radio.

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A random bit of ephemera that has come to mind during this spell of hot dry weather.

There used to be a bushfire safety PSA in the 90s that featured a character called ‘Willie’ and contained the line ‘Oh no Willie it’s a bushfire’ or similar. Does anyone remember this or better yet, has a copy of it?

This one?

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Doesn’t look like the towers themselves are up for sale: mind you, not sure who wants to live at the foot of the 774 and 621 blowtorch.

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Oh yes i remember that one vividly.

At least they’ll have excellent ABC AM radio reception!

Being that close to Melbourne airport may also be a deterrent to buyers too.

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The thousands of houses surrounding the site would suggest otherwise.

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Brilliant! Thanks for that. Didn’t know the exact year but I would have guessed 1994 or 1995. I didn’t know there was a TV ad as well which is why I didn’t search for it.

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Two queries for the true nerds on here, both pertaining to the use of 100.5 MHz north of Sydney prior to 2RPH.

  • For years in the Sydway street directories there was a station called ‘River Radio 100.5’ that was mentioned on the maps covering Brooklyn and Dangar Island. Did this ever exist? I certainly never heard it. I am assuming a possible tourist/narrowcast station (perhaps they used 100.5 due to NBN3?)

  • There were a few listings in the distant past for an ABC Newcastle translator at Dungog on 100.5. Again, did this ever exist?

Thanks in advance.

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I don’t really remember River Radio at all.

I do recall the ABC Dungog 100.5 proposed relay but it never went to air. Don’t know why.

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This is the first time I have heard of the station. I don’t remember receiving anything on this frequency until 2RPH’s Kings Cross / Newcastle translators went to air.

100.5 couldn’t be used in Sydney in the late 80’s due to WIN 4. In the mid nighties there was a community radio station on 100.9 called North Harbour Radio which broadcast from the Bridgepoint Shopping Centre in Mosman.
It was only allowed to broadcast on weekends, a friend of mine had a show on that station on Sunday afternoons.
It’s coverage area was very small, and it was very weak in Oatley.

The ABA did not grant it a licence, and the frequency was given to the old 2BCR who had to vacate 88.7 for Radio Northern Beaches. Radio Northern beaches occupied 92.1 and 93.7 which are now the frequencies for 2MFM and 2LND.

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If it was advertised in the Sydway street directory it probably was a tourist radio station as there were plenty of them of that time in various street directories, my faded memory says that it was.

Being tourist radio & 80’s - early 90’s period I was still a back seat passenger for trips between Newy & Sydney, so while I controlled the radio, via telling mum to change stations & what frequency, I doubt I would’ve ask to be tuned to that, as I had no interest & it would’ve been short reception before needing to change again.

However I kinda think I remember it being mid/late 90’s - early 2000’s when it existed, & I kinda remember tuning in when driving down the freeway just to hear it & see when & how far I could receive it (as you do), & it was probably only once, maybe twice?

If memory serves me correctly, I’m sure the transmit antenna was on the roof of the Hawkesbury River Marina, near the train station.

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There were some LPON’s on weird frequencies back then, Rivet Radio on 100.5 and Raw fm was on 99.1 until they moved it to 88.0.

If the transmitter for River Radio was at Brooklyn at a flea power, the hill would have completely blocked the signal southwards.
That is why I did not know of it’s previous existence.

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Some of that is because 88-92 mhz couldn’t be used in the Newcastle area up to 2011 because of NBN-3.

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