A Brief Guide to the History of Edge FM
Bega Access Radio Incorporated was initially formed as two separate community groups, Bega Valley Radio Group Inc., which was formed in 1991 and Sapphire Stereo Radio, formed in 1993.
A limited time “Test Transmission” license was issued.
Test broadcasts were commenced in March of 1993, transmitting for two weeks from a studio in Upper Street, Bega. A second test of three weeks occurred in June. A merger of the two groups was undertaken in the later half of 1993 as an efficient method of achieving similar aims. In August 1993, the studio and transmitter were moved to a building at the Old Bega Hospital.
Test transmissions of two and five weeks duration were carried out before changing to a policy of broadcasting three days a week , a competition was held for a new name, and the merged groups were incorporated as Bega Access Radio Inc. in 1994, broadcasting as Edge FM.
The group received their full-time “Temporary Community License” in February 1998, and broadcasting extended to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The long awaited goal of the full time license was achieved in April 2000, when a ceremony and opening celebration were held over the Easter weekend.
The next big challenge was to move our transmission site to a much better position. On the 12th of October 2001, test transmissions from the new site began for an 8-week period initially, and continued for over 3 years. This move dramatically improved EdgeFM’s coverage and greatly increased the potential audience. In early 2005 permission was granted for permanent use of this site and our transmission area was extended to Beauty Point in the north, Tura Beach in the south and west to include the towns of Candelo and Wolumla and beyond.
In early March 2005 the transmission tower was up-graded to meet the new technical specifications as set out by the broadcasting authority.
