ABC North and West SA


ABC North and West SA is a local radio station based in Port Pirie, South Australia that is owned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Its callsign is 5CK and is transmitted on the AM band from high power transmitters situated near Crystal Brook.

History

The 5CK transmitter station, located around 5 km from Crystal Brook on the Gladstone road, was officially opened on 15 March 1932 as a relay of 5CL Adelaide, the Australian Broadcasting Company's fourth regional station. It was initially provided with a 6.25/7 kW STC transmitter, on a frequency of 635 kHz, and at 7.5 kW aerial power one of Australia's two most powerful broadcast stations, with 2CO Corowa. In 1935 the station's frequency was regularized to 640 kHz, and in 1978 to 639 kHz, following the new standard 9 kHz spacing. The original antenna, suspended between two 56 m masts 80 m apart was in 1962 replaced with a guyed mast antenna 190 m in height.
From the outset programmes were fed to Crystal Brook from Adelaide by landline, mostly a "split" of the 5CL programme, but with occasional substitute material provided. From 1937 5CK's programme was mostly a "split" of 5CL's new sister station 5AN, with its greater emphasis on sport, current affairs and light entertainment. A differentiated programme for the regional network was to develop later.
Locally produced programmes began in 1952 with the opening of ABC studios in Port Pirie.