Kalamunda Community Radio (KCR) has been at 102.5 since 2003, but is moving after the Australian Commercial Media Association published a new licence area plan for the FM frequency band in the Perth region.

Well established as an important voice for the Perth Hills, KCR is entirely staffed by volunteers, with a roster of almost 30 presenters broadcasting music, interviews, news and other programs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Live programs between 6am and 9pm every day keep listeners up to date with local happenings, bushfire information, weather and traffic updates and provide support for local businesses and events.

KCR operates from recently refurbished and fitted-out studios in the Gooseberry Hill Community Centre.

Chairman Roger Jennings said the switch to 88.9, scheduled for late December,  would bring many advantages to KCR and its listeners.

“Moving from our existing frequency in the middle of the band where our signal is swamped by stations hundreds of times more powerful than ours to one in the lower part of the FM band means that auto-tuning radios such as those in most cars will easily lock on to our signal, something which is not currently the case,” he said.

“It will also improve our reception in difficult areas shielded by the Darling Scarp.

“We will, of course, need to make sure that our dedicated listeners are kept informed that they will have to retune their home and car radios to find their favourite programs.”

Kalamunda Community Radio broadcasts to the hills and foothills of the Perth area, with a licence that covers the cities of Kalamunda, Belmont, Bayswater, the Town of Bassendean and Midland in the City of Swan.

Mr Jennings said a new transmitter site was also being developed in Kalamunda to coincide with the move to 88.9FM.