Blind Kids Have Lots Of Big Buddies
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday April 13, 1990
"Roger" was the most popular man on top of the south-east pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge yesterday.
The Sydney Radio Group set up a Citizen Band radio station on the bridge to encourage the 800,000 CB radio enthusiasts around Australia to donate money to the Royal Blind Society.
According to the resident DJ, Mr David Bird, it was the "biggest talk-back radio station running on the lowest power" - just 12 watts.
The radio group includes both CB radio enthusiasts and licensed radio amateurs. It raised more than $3,000 for the Royal Blind Society last year, when Michael Speed lived up to his name and spoke on CB radio for seven days non-stop, breaking the world record, according to Mr Charles Langham, spokesman for the group.
This year, organisers hope to raise at least $3,500 to buy 10 talking books for blind children. They raised $76 in the first half hour.
The radio station will broadcast from the Harbour Bridge between 10 am and 5 pm today, then continue broadcasting from a private home for as long as the donations keep coming in.
The idea to set up shop on the bridge was a joke which turned into a serious proposition, according to Mr Langham.
The talking vigil continues for the next four days, guided by three antennas operating on the HF and UHF bands.
Mr Langham said the number of licensed talk-back radio anarchists had grown from 280,000 to 800,000 in the past three years.
But the mystery to people who live in "breaker one nine big buddy"-free zones is: what do people see in CB radios?
"People are just after the enjoyment of meeting people," he said.
Mr Langham explained the simple rules of CB radio etiquette - you can talk about the weather in Mongolia or Alaska as much as you want, but religion, politics and anything else controversial are out.
"You never know who you're talking to," he said.
"It is very interesting to talk to someone out at Tennant Creek or Lightning Ridge and get a weather report."
The youngest person he has spoken to on the air was three years old and the oldest 85.
Organisers were waiting for a call from a club member in Hawaii and member 6193KING (Elvis Presley) when the Herald last spoke to them.
If you want to help the group buy talking books, make a cheque or money order out to the Royal Blind Society, PO Box 185 Gordon, 2072.
© 1990 Sydney Morning Herald