I might today , I’ll be here another night ,will go for a drive,see where I used to live with my family back in the 70s ,where I went to school,etc,
2 Likes
So do I. Driving up the Qld coast used to be so much fun with so many different sounding stations. Back in the 80s I used to love 4SS, 4GY, 4CC, 4RR. All great stations.
2 Likes
I think 4RR is now HIT 103.5 ;was HOT FM
1 Like
I think you meant 103.1, as 103.5 is in Cairns.
Also 4RR was known as 4AY before then.
2 Likes
Correct, what is now Hit Townsville was Hot, then on AM 4RR when it moved to Townsville, originally beginning life as 4AY Ayr.
That’s a great reminder for a topic within the radio history thread, licences which began elsewhere and moved over the years.
Yes that’s true. 4AM really positioned themselves as a Cairns station prior to FM.
Most of these stations were also great into the 90’s.
There was innovation, competition and a genuine connection to their community that is not often seen today.
2 Likes
Following BrianC68 ’s views that Brisbane needed another FM station, I thought it would be an interesting exercise to review the licence areas to determine which commercial radio markets are under or over serviced. The rules of thumb, which I am applying (after adjusting for overlap) are:
<100k population : 1AM, 1FM
100k – 250k population: 1AM, 2FM
250k – 500k population: 1AM, 3FM
500k + population: Case by case
I realise that Govt policy is for AM stations in solus markets to convert to FM, however my personal view is that solus market AM stations should be permitted up to 3 FM town supplementary transmitters. This is because I think one of the most important aspects of commercial radio is its emergency communications during bushfires, floods etc and therefore every market should have one AM service (as AM and FM transmitters are rarely co-located). For instance, during Black Saturday, the various FM stations transmitting from Mt Tassie (in Gippsland) were all taken off air leaving AM (esp 828 3GI and 1242 3GV) as a major communication medium.
Anyway here is my first “state of the states” assessment starting with state number 8, coz like countdowns seem to be all the rage on radio 
ALICE SPRINGS :
The demographics for Alice Springs would suggest it would be a difficult market in which to make a quid, especially given the diminishing population over the last 15 years. The town of Tennant Creek with over 2,000 people has no commercial radio services. With the ABC providing retransmission of 8AL into Tennant Creek, retransmissions should also be permitted for both 8HA and 8SUN allowing thereby slightly increasing the overall audience size for these stations with the town added to the LAP.
In response to concerns about the closure of Radio Australia transmissions in NT, the power of 8HA, 8AL and 8SUN should be doubled (possibly with day-night switching for AM), thereby increasing radio services.
DARWIN:
Over the last fifteen years, the population growth in Darwin is close to the Australian average. As a capital city, government centre and a population level of over 100,000 the market should be able to support a third station. Accordingly the former 1242 8DN licence should be re-auctioned (with the HPON racing service reallocated to a different frequency). As with other Darwin licences and ABC Darwin, 8DN should receive DAB and Katherine re-transmission frequency allocations.
Similar to Alice Springs, in response to the closure of Radio Australia, ABC Darwin and ABC Radio National should switch frequencies and the 8DR transmission strength boosted during the day to 10kw, similar to other major ABC local radio transmitters throughout Australia. The commercial stations transmission power should also be doubled (similar to Alice Springs).
6 Likes
That’s correct ,this station (Hit 103.1)was known as 4AY in the mid 70s until late 80s (not sure exactly)
Completely agree about Darwin. There are smaller centres like Bundaberg supporting 2 FM and 1AM. I also suspect the advertising spend might be slightly higher per capita in Darwin given it’s a “capital”, with perhaps more government advertising than a place like Bundaberg.
2 Likes
Definitely more govt advertising. Being a cap city, appears in Territory and C’th spend much more.
1 Like
Driving around Townsville today I listened to Power 100 for a while and 4TO Fm ,swapping every now and then.Power is a great rock music station,they have an hour commercial free 12-1pm weekdays.
Most songs I heard today are what I’d hear on Triple M Brisbane .4TO FM have a voiceover stating they are ‘Part of the Triple M network ‘ but as yet they have not started using the Triple M name
3 Likes
And I think 4AY’s move to Townsville and name change to 4RR also saw a frequency change?
From 936 to 891?
Though I don’t see why that was needed.
2 Likes
I think you’re correct there,I remember the frequency being 940 AM in the mid 70s
Not sure - I think it came with a change from 2kw to 5kw directional. Perhaps it was to stop potential interference with the new 4HI on 945 and 4CC Gladstone on 927 or the soon to open 4PB on 936 (as it was then) in Brisbane that the higher power might have casued.
3 Likes
Today’s radio stations were 4MK and Star 101.9 FM from Mackay.4MK have a classic hits format,I was able to receive this station just past Home Hill.They had the’ 20-20 retro countdown from 1-3pm some great tunes
3 Likes
Is 4MK still on FM on the Whitsunday coast? Think it used to be around 96FM?
It’s always been on 91.5 FM to my knowledge, even in the mid 1980s.
1 Like
Not sure I was listening to them on AM
Ah ok I wasn’t sure