Contracted by Australian Radio Network to remove two 900kg transmitters owned by 4KQ from the 4TAB transmitter site on St Helena Island, what seemed like a straight forward project turned rather tricky.

The task was to remove the redundant Program Input Equipment (PIE) and transmitters from the site and dispose of all unnecessary equipment except for the Orban processor, oscilloscope and audio test equipment.

As St Helena Island was located offshore from Brisbane in Morton Bay, daily transfers to the island was a problem due to a shortage of services ferrying passengers to the island in the mornings and back to the mainland in the afternoon.

Adding to this, access to the island is strictly controlled due to conservation efforts to preserve the remains a historical jail and restored residence on the island.

With careful planning, KordiaTM hired a special barge service to transport the team, required vehicles and equipment to the island and timed the unloading of the truck at the island according to tide times.

Then, the team worked closely with a specialist transportation company with relevant OH & S and EPA qualifications to remove the two transmitters without dismantling the equipment.

One transmitter was given to a company as spare parts; the other was donated to the Caboolture Historical Society as a historical relic as it was the last transmitter built by STC in Australia and used by 4KQ for years.