ABC Riverina

ABC Riverina is an ABC Local Radio station based in Wagga Wagga and broadcasting to the Riverina and Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area regions in New South Wales. This includes the towns and cities of Griffith, Leeton and Hay.
History.
The station began as 2CO on December 16 1931, originally based in Albury, broadcasting from an AM transmission mast on the outskirts of Corowa, covering south-west New South Wales and north-east Victoria. It was originally one of the twelve radio stations under the ABC band at the time of its founding.
The station played a crucial role during the Uiver air race, when a KLM aircraft on the London to Melbourne race got lost somewhere above Albury. The radio station sent a message out to all townspeople to make a make-shift runway with their car lights and for the electric company responsible for the traffic lights to flash out the word "A-L-B-U-R-Y" on the town's traffic lights. The aircraft safely landed, was recovered by locals, and went on to win silver prize.
In 1951 a re-enactment of Charles Sturt's journey down the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers was recorded by the station. 15-minute long reports were sent via the nearest post-office to the station for 2 and a half weeks.
In the late 1980s a former fast-food building on Fitzmaurice Street was purchased for use by the radio station. The building was renovated in late 1990 for a cost of around $400,000 AUD and was opened on February 28 1991. 15 years later, the studios were again refurbished to become more digital friendly.
Transmitter.
The transmitter originally installed at 2CO was a STC 6.5/7 kW model manufactured in Sydney from imported components. The final output stage had a pair of water-cooled 4220-B triodes. These needed a 12,000 volt supply. This was driven by a pair of type 4015-A triode valves cooled by air. The power supply for this was only 5,000 volts. The power supply was three phase using three 4222-A vacuum diodes also water-cooled. The water cooling was at a rate of 37 litres per minute and had a 450-litre tank and heat exchanger outside the building.
Schedule changes.
During Australian rules football and rugby football season, the station offers a split service, with AFL games airing on the main transmitter and NRL and Super Rugby games airing on the FM repeaters. This decision was made because ABC Riverina's service territory is split by the Barassi Line, which separates the traditional centres for Australian rules football and rugby.