21 August 1924 First radio transmissions

On 21 August 1924 the Advertiser reported that successful tests by the South Australian Radio and Broadcasting Company had been carried out at the Grosvenor Hotel. The musical programme transmitted was heard clearly by all receivers around Adelaide and by some ships at Port Adelaide and Outer Harbour. The station broadcast mainly music programmes, but as the operating costs were high and no revenue was coming in the station closed down in October. Another company, Central Broadcasters, was registered on 4 November and on 20 November the call sign 5CL was allocated. At first 22 ½ hours per week were broadcast and this was gradually increased. The station moved to Brooklyn Park and then to Franklin Street until 28 October 1928 when it moved to its long-time home in Hindmarsh Square. In 1930 the station became part of the National Broadcasting Service. 5DN began in 1924 from studios in Parkside, 5KA opened on 25 March 1927 in Prospect and 5AD on 2 August 1930. All these commercial ventures followed experimental radio transmissions carried out by amateurs from the early 1920s.

Jo n F. Ross, A History of Radio in South Australia 1897-1977, Ernsmiths, 1978.