For anyone wanting a new DAB radio, JB HiFi have 30% off these radios until Wed 3rd March
And 40% off Sony DAB radios too…
1 Like
According to ACMA’s FYSO 2020-24 6-month progress report that was released earlier this week, the consultation paper for the replanning of the Perth FM band is set to be released within the next month (ie. Q1 2021). It was originally meant to be released at the end of last year (Q4 2020), but was moved due to reprioritisation.
4 Likes
Something for all us geeks:
7 Likes
That is so interesting.
The need to adhere to official signs used to be a lot more stricter until the the mid 80s. Someone correct me if I am wrong but when 2UW launched as Magic 11 in 1984 the McNair Anderson ratings books could not refer to the magic call sign and referred to the station as 2UW - giving station management a major headache. Thus within months the station was referred to on air as Magic 11 - 2UW.
The important link was the callsign being used on air being used in the ratings book - crucial.
By 1988 the call sign regime had relaxed somewhat as 2SM was able to identify on air and in the ratings book as Lite’N’Easy 1269.
In 2001 no one flinched when the new 969FM station was named Nova - using four letters instead of the usual three for an FM station callsign.
4 Likes
There was also i98 fm in the early 90s, zero association with 2OO.
2 Likes
How about 96 FM Perth? They never used the official callsign (6NOW) on air as far as I’m aware. They probably did have to say ‘this is 6NOW 96 FM’ at the top of the hour though.
2 Likes
This is very geeky of me, but I would like to see it mandated that stations have to play an announcement once per hour identifying their callsign, TX site and power… such as “This is 6NOW FM, broadcasting as 96FM. Our studios are in East Perth and our transmitter is at Bickley and runs at 40,000 watts”
4 Likes
And then they could end the identifier with where the broadcast emanates from:
“And this is 2DayFM’s Morning Crew broadcasting from South Melbourne”
I would love it. It would sum up radio in the 2020’s so perfectly
6 Likes
Now you’re getting my juices flowing… 
I want a full station announcement with callsign, studio location, transmitter location, power output, licensee details, station ownership details, contact details, mention of ACMA, mention of CRA, adherence to all legislation and codes of practice, EEO details, hours of operation, heck, the national anthem, let’s go! 
Let’s get that going!
7 Likes
Not even the US mandates power.
These were very commonly announced once per day at station close while some 24 hour stations like 4KQ would make the announcement at midnight.
I wouldn’t mind call sign and licence area announcements.
3 Likes
I don’t think it was that strict in the mid-80s. In 1985, Stereo 10 never referred to 4IP or later 4I0 at all. I don’t even recall Radio 10 referring to the callsign in '83 or '84.
Also I never heard Radio 97 use 2MW in the mid-80s.
FM104 occasionally referenced “the home of 4MMM/Triple M” but it was only occasionally around 1985/86.
4 Likes
Yes for AM stations, particularly the rural stations, usually around midnight or 1am.
Question: Did any Australian FM broadcast station ever have a closing down announcement where they would mention callsign, transmitter power & location & broadcast hours etc prior to going off air each evening?
Also did anyone ever keep a catalogue or recording repository of these closing down radio announcements?
4 Likes
I believe that 4IP changed its call sign to 4IO so it could call itself Radio 10 and still appear in the survey books. This is because on air they were Radio 10 but their logo in the survey books looked like Radio IO. Clever.
A radio great, Ron Saywell, told me this - he worked at 2UE, 4BK as well as 4IP in the 80s. He was one of the last DJs on 1008AM before it was switched over to become 4TAB. A great guy and you can see him in this clip:
4 Likes
Here are a few on this collection that I made to highlight the even frequencies before the change to 9 kHz spacing.
1:52 - the 4KQ midnight annoucement as it was a 24 hr station; 690 435m 5,000w St Helena Island
4:46 2VM 1530 2,000w close down
5:25 2RE 1560 2,000w close down
5:50 2LG 1100 273m 2,000 close down
6:31 VL2UV 1750 close down
7:26 2MW 970 309m 2,500w close down
8:35 4NA 830 close down
12:25 5RM 800 2,000w close down
5 Likes
Yes, Radio / Stereo 10 never used 4IO on air.
Interesting to read about the ratings book
3 Likes
I think the 4IP call sign was used in 1989/90, this was after the failed Lite n Easy 1008 experiment, it was pop music and via night skip reception, I remember they used the tagline “Boogie Over Brisbane”.
2 Likes
4IO switched back to 4IP and unsuccessfully rebranded. Molly Meldrum was flown in for the launch.
5 Likes
I do a full sign off for Braidwood FM at the end of my Tuesday night show. Gordon is also using an edited version just before midnight each evening.
3 Likes
That’s correct ,the callsign 4IP was used again from November 1989 up until they became 4TAB in late 1991
4 Likes
Highland FM Bowral still makes an annoucement prior to switching over to the BBC WS every night around 10pm-Midnight depending on the day of the week. That announcement includes the studio location (In a small shopping strip on the corner of Boolwey and Station Street in Bowral) and the station’s phone number. Nothing about its call sign or transmitter location (Mt Gibraltar) or transmitter power (350 watts)
3 Likes