Helps too that the 1008 signal on the Gold Coast was very good.
4KQ was the only other Brisbane.commercial station that had a good signal on the GC. 4BC/4BH/4BK all had very average signals down that way.
Both 693 and 1008 were also better than Radio 97s signal from just over the border.
St Helena Island sure put out a great signal.
The other abbreviation that was used for FM and occasionally seen on European-made radios was UKW (Ultra Kurzwellen).
Ah yes. Remember Stereo 10 had a studio in Grundy’s in Surfers Paradise. Yes 4KQ and Stereo 10 signals were local strength on the GC. The others struggled a bit although I remember 4BK was bearable. Radio 97 from the Tweed was very weak even though they did position themselves as a quasi GC station. I seem to remember a lite rock/hits format on Radio 97 in the mid 80s a bit like a cross between 4BK and 4BH.
They were known as Easy Listening 97 for a while. The station would get the occasional mention in the TV Scene paper in Melbourne as one of its columnists was Philip Brady who was a presenter on the station at the time.
That was quite a mouthful as a station ID - “Easy Listening 97 Tweed Coast Radio”, sometimes it was shortened to Easy listening 97. Phillip Brady was 10am-2pm week days.
Some radio history from the 1940s. The government instructed the PMG to construct FM radio transmitters in 1947 for ABC test broadcasts. The frequencies used for the initial three stations as noted in the Australian Broadcasting Control Board 1948 Annual Report.
By 1961 the stations were shutdown as the FM band was needed for VHF television and mobile radio services.
It’s a bit long, but this was the explanation for the FM shutdown from the ABCB 1960/61 Annual Report.
A little bit of radio (and TV) history here. In 1981 Greg Evans at 3XY was also a host of a 7pm magazine program Together Tonight for Channel 10 in Melbourne. This is a story he did on Together Tonight about 3XY:
Very interesting, even though it is from yesterday it give a good incite on how radio stations are run and why stations like WS FM play the same familiar songs.
25 years ago today, 23 September 1991.
YouTube: RIEGS-TV
Never knew that 104.9 in Albury was originally called 2AY FM
I always thought it was originally launched as B104.9
Yes, who owned 2AY at the time of the s.39 beginning? It was a total disaster, I don’t think 2AY has every properly recovered.
As I understand, 2AY was part of Wesgo at the time.
Thanks Rob, I now remember that too!
Why was 8DN’s licence revoked in the early 90’s??
It’s owner was deemed to have been in breach of laws by having an indirect interest in the new Darwin FM station Hot100. Ironically about a year later the law changed allowing licencees to own two stations in one market.
But I never quite understood why the former 8DN licence, after it was suspended, was not re-issued to another operator. The market had obviously been deemed suitable for 2 commercial stations but it was years before a 2nd commercial station was reinstated for Darwin, what is now Mix104.9.
The ABT did call for applications for a new FM licence in 1992 but the applicant was unsuccessful.
ABT Annual Report 1991/92
ABT Report 1992
Great find! I wasn’t aware they’d put the invitation out for new applicants.
What was 8DN like before Hot 100 came along? Was it similar to other single regional commercial stations (like 4MB, 4MK etc.)? I find the whole thing quite interesting and wonder why Hot 100 was a new licence, rather than a supplementary licence to 8DN in the same way 4CA and 4MK launched Hot FM in their markets.
[quote=“Brianc68, post:141, topic:236, full:true”]
What was 8DN like before Hot 100 came along? Was it similar to other single regional commercial stations (like 4MB, 4MK etc.)?[/quote]
No idea of the actual format other than I believe it was a broad music format with a bit of local talkback in the mornings. I seem to recall reading at the time that they also used to have taped highlights of the John Laws show from Sydney.
