THE public helped to get it off the ground and now Australia's oldest licenced community radio station is asking music lovers to help fund its next chapter.
2MBS Fine Music Sydney received its licence in 1974 and has been at its current location at Governor Phillip Tower since 1997.
The station is moving to Artarmon, with the relocation likely to involve steeplejacks, helicopters and cranes, costing around $265,000.
A voice for the community
Volunteer Max Benyon joined the technical committee of the Music Broadcasting Society - which would later become the station, in 1970.
The society was founded by Trevor Jarvie and inspired by Brian Cabena, who had formed a similar organisation in order to push for community broadcasting in Melbourne.
Max was asked to join soon after the organisation was founded and played a big part in government lobbying which paved the way for licenced broadcasting on the FM band.
He said at the time, commercial broadcasters were on the AM band and a large part of the FM band was being used to broadcast television to country and regional areas.
The society was steadfast in its belief that the FM band could also be used for community radio and members started lobbying politicians.
The lobbyists attracted the interest of Diamond Jim McClelland, who was chair of the Senate standing committee on education, science and the arts.
Diamond Jim pushed for a senate inquiry and Max was one of the members who spoke when it was held in late 1973.
The senate ultimately voted to launch a full public inquiry which was chaired by former BBC engineering director Sir Francis McLean.
The birth of community radio
The inquiry held hearings in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, receiving submissions from around the country, with many expressing support. There were also strong objections from commercial stations who were operating on the AM band and did not want extra competition.
In September of 1974 the cabinet voted to allow commercial broadcasters and the ABC to broadcast on FM.
"We got the call on September 23 to ask if we accept a licence to broadcast, but 'you wouldn't need any money, would you?'"
The contract made the station Australia's first to operate in stereo on the FM band.
The station was launched on the back of donations from the community, behind the scenes support from the radio branch of the Post Master General and some second hand equipment from Channel 9.
The technical committee had to work tirelessly to put everything together and ensure the station ran smoothly.
"The last thing we wanted was to be sending out spurious signals that disturbed the other frequencies, because we knew they'd say, 'these ham radio people are bloody amateurs!'"
Moving on
The station was briefly housed in Crows Nest, before relocations to West Street, North Sydney, the AMP centre at Circular Quay and Governor Phillip Tower.
Its tower and transmitter will need to be dismantled, with equipment to be either removed by crane or carried down six flights of stairs to the goods lift on the 62nd floor.
Fine Music Sydney has launched the Save Our Signal Transmitter Appeal to fund the move, with leading musicians Gerard Willems, Richard Tognetti and conductor Brett Weymark joining the campaign.
For more information on Fine Music Sydney and the Save Our Signal transmitter appeal click here.
