Cairns, located in far north Queensland, welcomed its first commercial AM station, 4CA, in May 1936. The frequency originally allocated to the station was 1470 kHz. It was later moved up the dial, ending up at 846 kHz, with a translator station installed in Gordonvale on 954 kHz.
4CA in 1988 (above) and in 1992 (below).
4CA did end up converting to the FM band to 102.7 MHz (call-sign: 4CCA) with the on-air branding 4CAFM, while the former AM dial position was assigned to a new station, 4EL, and branded as AM846 and later Easy Mix 846.
Prime Radio, the regional radio network owned by Prime Television, has since bought the 102.7 MHz and 846 kHz frequencies and has now converted 4CAFM back to its former AM frequency and returned its branding to 4CA, while the FM frequency is now branded Zinc 102.7.
However, 4CA (still bearing the same logo as it was back in 1988!) is still assigned the 4EL call-sign for official purposes only, and Zinc 102.7 still carries the official call-sign 4CCA. Zinc is also relayed via translator stations 93.5 MHz in Little Mulgrave and 92.5 MHz Mossman.
Website: 4CA
2 comments:
I believe that it was also frequency 1010; but was later removed because it was too close to radio 4IP Ipswich when they started transmitting 24 hrs. Thanks Nigel.
4CA did use the 1010 frequency, 2KW-omni from Whiterock on the Cairns southside.
The directional antenna and 5KW began on 846Khz in the late 70's from Bessie Point,south east of Cairns.. AM stations were encouaged to increase power and go directional at that time, the move sucessfully increased 4CA's signal in Cairns Mareeba and Port Douglas.
Aloomba 954Khz began after Bessie Point to fill in the 160 degree null toward the south.
4CA 846 and 954 operate today
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