Even now 7BU (and 7SD) can be picked up in Melbourne
Although it could soon become a thing of the past, as those aforementioned stations, along with 7AD Devonport, are about to be converted to FM as part of ACMAâs AM-FM conversion for regional solus markets.
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I really wish there were more historic recordings from Australian radio stations available online. Theyâre really difficult to find compared to recordings off of TV. I want to listen to some 1980s-1990s era Sydney ads, but there is such a limited availability of these recordings online, especially compared to TV recordings.
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Although it could soon become a thing of the past, as those aforementioned stations, along with 7AD Devonport, are about to be converted to FM as part of ACMAâs AM-FM conversion for regional solus markets.
Maybe not, when I was in the area in the late 1990s I was able to listen to Fox FM.
That can be true, although it depends on what FM frequencies 7BU, 7AD & 7SD are being allocated, which could potentially be blocked from being received in Melbourne, e.g. due to the same frequencies being used by the sub-metro community stations.
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But they probably wonât be as powerful to the north as what FOX operates at towards Tassie - which is 16kw. Nor have the same elevation.
If what my grandparents have told me is anything to go by, people would be listening to the radio via long wire external antennas mainly at night for entertainment from stations probably in Melbourne and Sydney.
The power of the only Tasmanian stations then was not very high - 7HO was 50w 7LA was 200w with station 7ZR the highest on 3kw. Melbourne stations were between 5kw for 3AR and 3LO and as low as 500w for 3KZ down to just 50w for 3AK.
However, the use of an external long wire antenna with an empty dial in an environment with no electrical interference (because there was no power) would have made distant reception quite good at night.
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Or less electrical interference than what there is nowadays anyway.
Wonderful, thanks @radioengineer. Those were halcyon days for music radio in Brisbane. For the audience, a lovely feeling across the city, life seemed better with Wild on air (even for schoolchildren, no party drugs there).
The other aspirants were the stuff of comedy, a penchant for 80âs and gay anthems on Switch and poor imitation of dance music with Pulse. Groove was worse again, however Moyra now of Hot Tomato was an announcer for a broadcast or so there before her commercial radio career began.
An abundance of on and off air talent from Wild have gone on to paid employment in commercial or national radio plus many other businesses beyond radio.
Long live the memories of Wild FM.
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2SM or 2KY could do however, via DAB+
The 7AD, BU conversions are due to decades of a lack of spending on maintenance, former owners before RG Capital, themselves, SCA and Grants have all neglected the AM sticks that take the full force of Bass Strait weather, lots of corrosion and not much done for it. Theyâve let them run down and now cry for an FM conversion. They will plunge many settlements of Tasmania into silence with no commercial radio receivable.
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One of the principles/concerns underpinning the AM-FM conversions is that listeners on the fringe of the licence area that may be impacted are catered for.
For instance, in WA, translators at Roebourne are being planned for Spirit 1260 (6KA) to compensate for the conversion to 102.5 in Karratha. Roebourne is also getting a RED FM translator as well.
Of course, only time will tell if this works in reality.
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And it doesnât work for mobile (moving) reception.
This has been tried before in WA with negative consequences. The Geraldton AM converted and a second FM licence in competition. Both lost coverage to the hinterland of their region and an AM âtranslatorâ began on 1512.
The coverage was never the same.
BIll Caralis and Alan Bone ditched the idea of 2BH to FM for the same reason and outlying towns loss of reception, however fortuitous ACMA might consider. Received and enjoyed for decades by far flung communities.
Ah thanks, didnât realise that 2BH arenât converting to 93.3 now.
Itâs on the ACMA site in that page of conversions. Months ago, Iâm sure someone else here discussed it then.
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At midnight on the 1 November 1990 7HO converted to the FM band on the frequency of 101.7MHz, with Brett Marley being the first voice heard on HO FM. Brett Marley felt very privileged to be involved in a historic moment and he said âAs far as I am concerned FM is the only way to go⌠The quality is too good to miss out on.â
The Mercury wrote about HO FMâs managing director, Paul Shirley, being extremely happy to be at last on FM. âThis morning he felt a combination of elation and exhaustion at 7HO finally going FM after five years of trying to get a licence. It was a terribly complex, bureaucratic procedure,â he said
The conversion to FM cost the station more than $1 million for the licence and new equipment that included a transmitter on Mt. Wellington.
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Does 7HO stand for Hobartâs Own? If not, they should put that slogan to use!
Hobartâs Own 7HO.
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dxnerd4m
Does 7HO stand for Hobartâs Own? If not, they should put that slogan to use!
Hobartâs Own 7HO.
The call-sign 7HO stands for three different things:
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the first two letters in Hobart,
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âHobartâs Originalâ, and
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the first two letters of its founder Ron Hopeâs surname.
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I found this article from 2003 that details the goings on at 3AK in the late 90s and early 00s. Fascinating read - Iâm amazed the place kept going (although, to be fair, it almost didnât a number of times).
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/06/07/1054700443908.html
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It is a ripper of an article with a great punchline, and 3AK essentially wound up at the end of 2003 when it became SEN.
How SEN has managed to stay largely stable in 13+ years is truly a miracle given the place being in such disarray as 3AK.
Although the ratings were abysmal, I did like 3AK as Talk 1116 but it became a frustrating listening experience as the line-up kept changing at barely a momentâs notice as presenters either resigned in frustration (or because they werenât getting paid) or were marched out at the whim of management whoâd never worked in radio before.
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I stumbled across the following photo albums of the former 3AW/Magic building in South Melbourne.
The photos were taken in April 2016 and show the abandoned state of the building since Fairfax radio moved out in 2010. Of particular note are studio equipment, memorabilia and what appears to be their entire vinyl library left behind. It makes me feel sick that some of this stuff was just left behind to (eventually) go to the tip.
A follow up album was taken in July 2016 and while less interesting, shows a significant amount more damage and vandalism since the first album - probably a result of the Facebook page tellking everyone that the building was vacant and accessible.