EARLY AUSTRALIAN SHORTWAVE BROADCAST STATIONS
The era of experimental shortwave broadcasting in Australia extended from 1924 to 1939. In September 1939 the Australian Government cancelled 4CM-TV and all experimental radio licences, including shortwave, due to security concerns with WWII.
* Australia’s first fully licensed broadcast station, 2CM Sydney (1-12-1922) moved to shortwave on 21-2-1924.
* When commercial station 2KY in Sydney was opened on 31-10-1925, the original press release included the planning of a shortwave transmitter to cover all of Australia and overseas. The P.M.G. never approved this idea.
* Another attempt at obtaining a shortwave license was implemented by commercial station 5CL in Adelaide in 1928. They sought a license allowing them to cover all of South Australia, but the P.M.G. also refused this application.
* In 1925 Walter Coxon, the Chief Engineer of then commercial station 6WF in Perth, relayed their programs through his own shortwave station 6AG. The purpose was to allow 6WF to be heard throughout all of Western Australia. 6AG started with 50 watts; later increasing to 200 watts.
* In 1926 Ray Allsop, the Chief Engineer of then commercial station 2BL in Sydney, relayed their programs through his own shortwave station 2YG. The purpose was to allow 2BL to be heard throughout all of Eastern Australia and New Zealand.
* In 1928 2GB decided to test shortwave transmissions with the idea of relaying their programs to other stations around Australia, instead of paying for landlines. These tests were never approved by the P.M.G.
* Also in 1928, L.G. Glew, the Chief Engineer of commercial station 3UZ in Melbourne, relayed their programs through his own shortwave station 3LG. The purpose was to allow 3UZ to be heard throughout Victoria and Tasmania. The 3LG transmitter started with 150 watts and soon increased to 500 watts, operating on 9,725 KHz.
* In these early years, A.W.A. operated three shortwave stations:
* The first A.W.A. shortwave broadcast station was 2ME in Sydney. On 5-9-1927, with a 20,000 watt transmitter, they relayed the first Empire Broadcast from 2FC in Sydney. This program was received and then relayed on mediumwave stations throughout India, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the U.S.A. Also in 1927 they were the first Australian station to experiment with F.M. (mono only, using shortwave 9 MHz.)
* Also in 1927, 2UW in Sydney used 2ME to relay their programs to their temporary Wagga Wagga station 2UX one day each week.
* The second A.W.A. shortwave station was 3ME in Melbourne, which actually started on mediumwave. From 1927 they relayed the then commercial station 3LO until A.W.A. established their own studio and programming. Their target audience was international. Centenary celebrations in 1934 from Ballarat were broadcast by 3DB in Melbourne and also relayed on shortwave through 3ME. 3ME was also the forerunner of ‘Radio Australia’ (which was first known as ‘Australia Calling’).
* In 1928 3LO Melbourne experimented with shortwave by covering all of Victoria every Monday.
* 3UZ Melbourne experimented with shortwave broadcasts for brief periods in 1930 and 1931 using 150 watts.
* The third A.W.A. shortwave station was 6ME in Perth. They first went on air on 27-1-1936 with a 200 watt transmitter. Their programming came from their own A.W.A. studio and was designed to target an international audience.
* Between 1937 and 1939 commercial station 5AD in Adelaide covered all of South Australia on shortwave using the callsign 5DI.
* 2BH Broken Hill broadcast several WWII Relief Concerts which were relayed on shortwave by the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
* 6KG Kalgoorlie was heard experimenting on 4,835 KHz. in a failed attempt to cover Perth.
* Finally, an unusual shortwave event. H.M.S. Grenville, while patrolling the Pacific in 1946, relayed 2KY Sydney using a shortwave transmitter. The purpose was to provide some entertainment to other H.M.S. ships throughout the Pacific
* Australia’s first fully licensed broadcast station, 2CM Sydney (1-12-1922) moved to shortwave on 21-2-1924.
* When commercial station 2KY in Sydney was opened on 31-10-1925, the original press release included the planning of a shortwave transmitter to cover all of Australia and overseas. The P.M.G. never approved this idea.
* Another attempt at obtaining a shortwave license was implemented by commercial station 5CL in Adelaide in 1928. They sought a license allowing them to cover all of South Australia, but the P.M.G. also refused this application.
* In 1925 Walter Coxon, the Chief Engineer of then commercial station 6WF in Perth, relayed their programs through his own shortwave station 6AG. The purpose was to allow 6WF to be heard throughout all of Western Australia. 6AG started with 50 watts; later increasing to 200 watts.
* In 1926 Ray Allsop, the Chief Engineer of then commercial station 2BL in Sydney, relayed their programs through his own shortwave station 2YG. The purpose was to allow 2BL to be heard throughout all of Eastern Australia and New Zealand.
* In 1928 2GB decided to test shortwave transmissions with the idea of relaying their programs to other stations around Australia, instead of paying for landlines. These tests were never approved by the P.M.G.
* Also in 1928, L.G. Glew, the Chief Engineer of commercial station 3UZ in Melbourne, relayed their programs through his own shortwave station 3LG. The purpose was to allow 3UZ to be heard throughout Victoria and Tasmania. The 3LG transmitter started with 150 watts and soon increased to 500 watts, operating on 9,725 KHz.
* In these early years, A.W.A. operated three shortwave stations:
* The first A.W.A. shortwave broadcast station was 2ME in Sydney. On 5-9-1927, with a 20,000 watt transmitter, they relayed the first Empire Broadcast from 2FC in Sydney. This program was received and then relayed on mediumwave stations throughout India, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the U.S.A. Also in 1927 they were the first Australian station to experiment with F.M. (mono only, using shortwave 9 MHz.)
* Also in 1927, 2UW in Sydney used 2ME to relay their programs to their temporary Wagga Wagga station 2UX one day each week.
* The second A.W.A. shortwave station was 3ME in Melbourne, which actually started on mediumwave. From 1927 they relayed the then commercial station 3LO until A.W.A. established their own studio and programming. Their target audience was international. Centenary celebrations in 1934 from Ballarat were broadcast by 3DB in Melbourne and also relayed on shortwave through 3ME. 3ME was also the forerunner of ‘Radio Australia’ (which was first known as ‘Australia Calling’).
* In 1928 3LO Melbourne experimented with shortwave by covering all of Victoria every Monday.
* 3UZ Melbourne experimented with shortwave broadcasts for brief periods in 1930 and 1931 using 150 watts.
* The third A.W.A. shortwave station was 6ME in Perth. They first went on air on 27-1-1936 with a 200 watt transmitter. Their programming came from their own A.W.A. studio and was designed to target an international audience.
* Between 1937 and 1939 commercial station 5AD in Adelaide covered all of South Australia on shortwave using the callsign 5DI.
* 2BH Broken Hill broadcast several WWII Relief Concerts which were relayed on shortwave by the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
* 6KG Kalgoorlie was heard experimenting on 4,835 KHz. in a failed attempt to cover Perth.
* Finally, an unusual shortwave event. H.M.S. Grenville, while patrolling the Pacific in 1946, relayed 2KY Sydney using a shortwave transmitter. The purpose was to provide some entertainment to other H.M.S. ships throughout the Pacific
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