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Although SWRFM has now occupied the Simpson Pavilion at Blacktown Showgrounds for nigh on 20 years now, it’s still considered “recent” history in the wider scheme of things!
From the point of moving in, it would be another three turbulent years until SWR finally obtained it’s full time license. This was also a key time when audio recording “transitioned” from the analog to the digital domain. For the first few years, much of SWR’s programming was still delivered using “standby programs” originally recorded on Hi Fi VCR and then later transcribed to digital to rotate in two hour block playback on an early computer system.
Here, we present a few of the more notable examples of these programs from the early ’00s for you to enjoy, starting with Carlo Fornisari’s “CPX” dance show.
Who wouldn’t remember Slash and Sledge? Famous – perhaps infamous – SWRFM identities with many hundreds of broadcast hours under their belt, with a typically familiar community radio style..
In the spirit of shopping centre broadcasts, we present this live broadcast from Mt Druitt Festival. This event was notable due to the fact that none of the three original SWRFM founders (Ken, Paul or Enayat) were involved at all. It effectively signifies a point in SWR’s history when the baton was finally handed to the next generation.
With Crossbar links long dead, technology had migrated to “POTS Codec” equipment, allowing transfer of audio between sites over ordinary phone lines using 33.6kb/s modems. Barely adequate for music, but all the same.. it still worked. Kinda. It was an era best forgotten really..
In the few years just before licensed operation began, SWRFM was forced to share 99.9MHz with another aspirant broadcaster. The final show of each test would become a community event where everyone was invited to the “sign off” – reminiscent of the early 1990’s tests ten years beforehand.
Here, we present the last “sign off” show of a SWRFM test broadcast, on 28th February, 2003.. with your host – a very young Mr. Matt Reid controlling the rabble like Enayat Khan did almost 11 years prior.
Have a close listen once the SWR transmitter is turned off… it’s 2JJJ 0n 99.9MHz… but from Narrabri! That wasn’t there in 1992..
Commencement of licensed broadcasting
The first day of SWRFM licensed broadcasting was as significant as the first test conducted 11 years earlier. Here it is in full to enjoy:
Early Blacktown Festivals
Observers of SWR history would recall the station’s very active participation in the Blacktown Festival – both with outside broadcasts and with floats entered into the parade.
Here we present excerpts from two of these broadcasts. The first is from 2000, when SWR entered it’s first float. Technology used was Local low power FM Rebroadcast:
The remainder are from 2004 – technology was POTS Codec: