From David’s Desk: Issue 22
5 April 2011
Borderless Radio is Here!
What do ABC Radio, Radio NZ, RFO Radio, Communications Fiji, KCCN-FM and KUAM have in common?
Each features in our new Borderless Radio Rankings as being the top radio websites from their countries when we’ve ranked them against hundreds of others from across the Pacific.
This is a fresh way of looking at local radio stations and brands in a ‘borderless’ global digital marketplace.
Local market boundaries, AM/FM/DAB/HD digital licence areas and frequency allocations are becoming increasingly irrelevant to building communities of listeners. > read more

© Radio Heritage Foundation Collection.
Supporters now get instant savings for donations
Annual and Lifetime supporters of the Radio Heritage Foundation now get instant savings on merchandise, research services and other new benefits in return for donations to help the non profit expand its operations.
Corporate supporters can also make big savings with branding campaigns on the hundreds of pages of high ranking and high quality content at the global website.

©Keith Robinson Collection, Radio Heritage Foundation
‘Non-profits like ours have to work harder and smarter to fund our operations’ says David Ricquish, Board Chairman. ‘We’ve put together a great value package for various supporter levels starting as low as US$10 a year. We want to build long term relationships with the thousands of visitors to our website each week.’
‘Our core content will always be available free, whilst some of our new research reports and other premium radio guide content will be of more interest to specialist users. All supporters will get special rates whilst Lifetime supporters will get this premium content included in their relationship with us.’
He adds ‘We frequently get one-off donations of small amounts and haven’t been able to offer anything in return except our thanks. Now, we can offer more tangible rewards and encourage those supporters to stay in touch with us through the year, and longterm.’
For full details of the new Annual and Lifetime supporter packages click here and start enjoying the benefits.
Book Review
Changing Stations
The Story of Australian Commercial Radio
by Bridget Griffen-Foley
Let’s get straight to the point with this book. If you have even the faintest interest in Australian radio heritage, from any angle, you must buy this book. It’s big [530 pages], it’s a bold traverse of the subject and it’s worth every penny.
The author says ‘material recording the development of Australian commercial radio, held in multiple forms and formats, is scattered across Australia and beyond’ and recollects turning up to a radio research roundtable in 2006 with a paper entitled ‘Writing a history of commercial radio in Australia: The Kiss of Death?’. > read more

Book Review
Cold War Radio
The Dangerous History of American Broadcasting in Europe 1950-1989
by Richard H Cummings
Although intended for listeners in Eastern Europe, programs from Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty were regularly heard from their powerful shortwave transmitters across Asia and the Pacific.
Listeners in this region regularly wrote to both stations, most to obtain confirmation cards and promotional materials, but some wanting to hear familiar radio voices from their homelands and in their own language.
Through public fund raising and advertising campaigns in the USA, the general public probably believed comments like those from presidential candidate Dwight D Eisenhower that these stations were engaged in a ‘Crusade for Freedom’.
> read more

Australian AM Radio 1611-1701
Italian, Country, Arabic, Greek and Gold
Almost 70 low power stations are now broadcasting in Australia’s expanded AM radio dial almost two decades after the new channels became available.
Originally populated by ethnic broadcasters and niche formats, the situation remains little unchanged in 2009 as attempts to bring the low cost extra frequencies into mainstream media have largely failed to materialize.

© Jo Del Monaco, Radio Heritage Foundation
2LM Lismore The Feature Station
2LM is owned and operated by Richmond River Broadcasters Pty. Ltd. The Studios are situated in Molesworth Street, Lismore, and the transmitter in Ballina Road, Goonellabah. The licensed and operating power is 500 watts, wavelength 330 metres (900 kilocycles). The Station commenced operations September 21, 1936. Daily transmission hours, 16; transmitter, A.W.A. type J2221; studio equipment, A.W.A. > read more

3BA Ballarat Sunshine Singers
Australian radio station 3BA Ballarat supported the Sunshine Singers. Here they are pictured at Lorne in Victoria on January 24, 1938. > read more
2AD Armidale The Voice of New England
A decade has passed since Station 2AD took the air to serve the New England Tableland, which technical experts will tell you, is one of the most difficult areas in the State to serve day and night the whole year round.

© Cleve Costello Collection, Radio Heritage Foundation
2AD is located at Armidale, the University centre of the provincial districts of Australia. Armidale is 3,300ft. above sea level. The station situated at North Armidale, is 160ft. above town and the masts are 120ft. high, so that 2AD is “on top of radio” in Australia. It is the highest-located station in the Commonwealth. > read more
3XY Melbourne, Efftee Broadcasters Pty Ltd
For Live Artist Productions
3XY operated by Efftee Broadcasters Pty. Ltd., was founded by the late F. W. Thring, well known in Australian theatrical and film circles. It began operations on September 8th, 1935. > read more

© Radio Heritage Foundation Collection
2LF Young “The Voice of the South West”
Ideally situated in the heart of one of the Commonwealth’s wealthiest districts, Station 2LF, from Young, dominates an area of over 11,000,000 acres containing a population of nearly 106,000.
Young, apart from being the centre of a vast agricultural, pastoral, fruit growing and poultry raising district, possesses one of the largest cherry orchards in the world. This progressive and flourishing district is favoured with an unsurpassable climate.

4MK Mackay, Queensland ‘We Strive to Excel’
Mackay Broadcasting Service Pty. Ltd., is a 100 per cent. Mackay organisation established firmly in a very prosperous district which boasts seven sugar mills, a butter factory and two wharf sheds wherein 38,000 tons of sugar has been stacked at one time.
> read more

© John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.
The Queensland Network – Five Great Voices in One
4BC Brisbane 4SB Kingaroy 4GR Toowoomba
4RO Rockhampton 4MB Maryborough
The normal population of Queensland, according to the most recent official figures is just over 1,000,000.
Most of that population is concentrated in the south-east of the State, and more than 700,000 of that total live within easy listening range of the five stations of the Queensland Network. They are:
- 4BC Brisbane
- 4SB Kingaroy
- 4GR Toowoomba
- 4RO Rockhampton
- 4MB Maryborough

© Keith Robinson Collection, Radio Heritage Foundation.
7DY Derby, North-East Tasmania
Playing an important part in Tasmanian country broadcasting since February, 1938, Station 7DY, situated near Derby, operates on 1450 kc/s. (107 metres) , with a power of 200 watts. Hours of transmission are: Mon. Sat., 4.30 – 10.5 p.m., Sun., 5.30 – 10.5 p.m. The North-Eastern unit of the Tasmanian Coastal Network, 7DY is associated with Stations 7BU, 7AD and 7QT, and is a co-operating station of the Macquarie Broadcasting Network.
> read more

© Keith RobinsonCollection, Radio Heritage Foundation.
Japan AM Radio Dial 1941
During 1941, Japanese radio audiences had almost 50 local AM radio stations they could listen to for a large part of each broadcasting day.
Since broadcasting officially began in 1925, the original Tokyo Broadcasting Station [JOAK] had been renamed Nippon Hoso Kyokai and by the end of that decade, had created a sophisticated network of landline connected stations across the main islands.

© Radio Heritage Foundation Collection
Book Review – Treason on the Airwaves
Judith Keene from the University of Sydney recently released an excellent book about three Allied broadcasters on Axis Radio during World War II.
We strongly recommend this book for everyone interested in understanding how AFRS radio developed in the Pacific as a counterpoint to the successful propaganda broadcasts coming from Radio Tokyo.

by Judith Keene
9PA Port Moresby: WWII ABC-AFRS Radio
By Adrian Peterson
For a period of around two years during the Pacific War, there was no radio broadcasting station on the air in Port Moresby. However, when the American forces flooded into the South Pacific in support of the war effort, there was a need for a radio broadcasting station in Port Moresby. In actual fact, they did establish their own temporary and unofficial station in Port Moresby under the callsign WHMS, and there was also an unofficial Australian operation known as RAAF Radio on the air over at Milne Bay. > read more

© Australian War Memorial
Photo by Clifford Bottomley.
New Heritage Friend The Happy Station Show
Returning to the Asia Pacific region is the famous ‘Happy Station’ that began in 1927 with Eddie Startz broadcasting from PCJ in Holland to the Dutch East Indies.
Now, international broadcaster Keith Perron resurrects the heritage ‘Happy Station Show’ from Taipei as an independent program using the Radio Nederland Archives for listeners worldwide.
> read more

© Johannes Zaadstra Collection, Radio Heritage Foundation
Book Review: Aunt Gwen of 2YA, by Margaret Willis
“Putting together this story about my mother has taken a long time, all my life in fact.”
With these words, Margaret Willis introduces us to New Zealand’s most loved Radio Aunt, ‘Aunt Gwen of 2YA’.
In the 1920’s when radio was new, it was common for stations to run popular childrens sessions. The personalities of the day were usually given a friendly ‘Aunt’ or ‘Uncle’ title, so that listeners could be drawn around the fireplace to listen to a trusted ‘family member’ tell stories, share poems, jokes and music and tips for growing up ‘healthy, wealthy and wise’. > read more

by Margaret Willis
Book Review: Never A Dull Moment, by Keith Richardson
Keith Richardson is known to Kiwi babyboomers for his top rating radio shows on 1XN Whangarei, 2ZC Napier, 2ZB Wellington and to even more recent listeners on Radio Pacific, Greater Wellington FM, Radio Fifeshire and others.
‘Never A Dull Moment – My Life in Broadcasting and other Diversions’ is a little gem, as Keith lays, no holds barred, ‘A Colourful Career’ in front of the reader.
‘Top 40’ at 2ZC, ‘NZ Hit Parade’ and ‘NZ Top 20’ are the record spinning shows for which Keith is often best remembered, and these programs with their crazy sound effects, double entendres and more pushed the limit of acceptability on notoriously fuddy duddy state radio in the 1950’s and 60’s. > read more

© Keith Richardson.
New Heritage Friends WVUV-FM and KKHJ-FM


KKHJ and WVUV logos.
Welcome to South Seas Broadcasting, Inc stations V103 and 93KHJ in American Samoa, latest Heritage Friends of the Radio Heritage Foundation. > read more
The KYOI Story
By Calvin Melen
In the Beginning
The idea for a pop / rock station on Shortwave first appeared in early 1980. At the time there was an upsurge of popularity in shortwave listening amongst teenage Japanese, brought about partly by the availability of inexpensive, good quality portable receivers. It was hoped that a station specifically targeting their interest in Western Rock music would be able to find a niche. > read more

© Calvin Melen Collection, Radio Heritage Foundation
SuperRock KYOI Saipan
The Concept
KYOI, located on Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands was a commercial shortwave station, on air 24 hours a day, broadcasting “Contemporary Hits” rock music directed at the Japanese market.
Superock KYOI was first heard testing on December 17 1982. Initial frequencies were 11900, 15190, 15405, and 9670kHz. The station was very well received in New Zealand, despite being off the ‘back of the beam’ and I for one enjoyed their music and frequently had KYOI playing in the back-ground. > read more

© Paul Ormandy Collection, Radio Heritage Foundation.
Samoan Radio Journey
by David Ricquish
We turned a corner on the Cross Island Road, and there sat a stumpy little radio tower, almost hidden in the misty rain. High in the hills behind Apia, the Afiamalu Pass is the location used by 2AP for many years. As Alan Roycroft, even today still remembered in Samoa as the founder of radio in the islands, once said “the engineers were fed with kava before deciding to put the transmitter at Afiamalu . The signal was lacking in lift outside Apia. No longer used, the mast looms lonely, surrounded by sodden fields of high grass and tropical ferns and approached along a muddy track.
In the distance is another tower, this one used to beam Magik 98 FM across northern Upolu. From the FM Building in Savalalo, a block back from the waterfront in downtown Apia, “The Real Music Station” is “Voted Number 1 in Town” . We took the 4WD Toyota through copra plantations and along the beautiful East Coast Road listening to American country music. At night, programs originate from a second studio up at Afiamalu. The owner can broadcast from home, it’s less stressful. > read more

Logo used by 2AP Apia, Samoa.
© Radio Heritage Foundation Collection.
Starting Radio Sangley – US Naval Station Sangley Point
By Louis McClure Snr
I was sent TDY to the Naval Air Station, at Sangley Point, across the bay from Manila.
I was teaching technicians in communications, radar, and sonar equipment. There were many families living on or near the Sangley Point station, and they had no radio except Philippine stations. So, in conversation with the Special Services Officer, we decided to build a “carrier current” transmitter and broadcast music and news on the station. We used salvage parts from the electroncis lab, and built a carrier-current transmitter. > read more

KTLG Radio – US Naval Station Sangley
By Matt McGuigan
Before enlisting in the Army in 1952 I had done some commercial broadcasting at a local radio station here at home, so, naturally, I was drawn to the AFRS station there at Sangley.
After Basic training and Army Clerk school training I was sent to the 29th Engineer Base Topographic Battalion stationed at Camp Cavite across town from Sangley PT NAS. > read more

© Matt McGuigan Collection, Radio Heritage Foundation
WASA Radio, AFRS McMurdo Antarctica
“The Most Wonderful Antarctic Station Anywhere”
By Bob Flint
ASA “Det A” Deep Freeze 72
In 1971 I had the privilege of being deployed to the Antarctic for one year and three days. The following are excerpts from my diary in regards to my involvement with the WASA radio station at McMurdo.

[L] ET1 Bob Flint [R] HM1 Chuck Yarnell.
© Bob Flint Collection, Radio Heritage Foundation.
2ZA Radio Golden Years Reinvented on Stage
2ZA ‘The Voice of the Manawatu’ began broadcasting from Palmerston North in 1938.
An ambitious social history exhibition was mounted by the regional museum Te Manawa to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the local radio station that had such an impact on community life.
Running for over six months, the exhibition has proved a magnet for memories and a catalyst for events such as The Great New Zealand Radio Show. > read more

© David Lascelles Collection, Radio Heritage Foundation.
Kiwi Amateurs 12-92 On Air
Hello? Is it me you’re looking for?
Interviewed by Geoff Taylor – Waikato Times
Cecil James and Brendan Farrell share something unique: they are the oldest and youngest ham radio operators in New Zealand and they belong to the Hamilton Radio Electronics Group.
> read more

© Waikato Times