Local man Bob Kovac has spent his entire working life in Sunraysia, making sure that TV and other communications continue to work across the district. In this podcast we catch up with Bob for a chat and go back to where his long career started. We hear how television program at STV 8 was put together in the early days and how much things have changed over the years. It’s great to think that he’s still hard at work these days as well.
Below is an STV8 station ID from the early 70’s featuring Bob on his bike – Narrated by Bruce McLean
G’day Bob……….me old Tech/CMF mate! We had one of those very high TV masts (from Hayhoe), cockies did something to it……..Bob turned up and just monkey climbed and fixed it. Good to see you still around!
Thanks Kev,
Yes those were the good old days of no OH&S to worry about . Ha ha
Town and country television pump hill merbein.
My grandfather and my dad Tony.
Hi Chris that was a very long ago and I learnt how climb any structure with no fear.
Love that iconic Vincent Bob. Clearly remember it’s awesome exhaust note and us shooting and editing that film clip to ‘Solitary Man’. We had a lot of fun starting Sunraysia’s original TV channel at STV8 and creating Mildura’s first live TV productions in that little studio. The experience I gained with you and the STV8 team inspired me eventually create my own production company KOJO. Great to hear you and that amazing Vincent are still going strong!
Kent – you inspired me to become a graphic designer!
Hi Raelene, sorry for late reply. I’ve just spotted your post! Pleased to hear I inspired you into graphic design. Hope you enjoyed your career choice.
Loved bob’s work,enjoyed your chat with him Ian.
I well remember Kal your father and I often ducked out the back lane to get emergency electronic bits from him. He loved to have chat and to hear all about his work before television.
.At times I would go out the back of the STV8 door to Kal Bryant’s workshop for bits and pieces that I needed. Your father was a talented guy and had great stories to tell about his early life in electronics.
I remember that Vincent often parked outside STV8 in Deakin Avenue. Also remember Bob racing in scrambles out near Olympic Park on,I think a TriBsa, or Triton, up against ,of all people Crumpy.
The bike was a Triarial 6500 Triumph in a Arial frame built by Norm King and I purchased it from Ben Rigby. Crumpy would fly over the top of me on the jumps with his Bultaco. I then went to speedway with a BSA and Crump then started racing and it was time for me to hand in the towel. haha
Thanks Bob & Ian
Great memories of our early Mildura West (yes I remember Miss Waddington too) & Mildura Tech School days.
Then when you went to PMG, I went to RMIT & for school holidays worked at STV8 for the opening in December 1975. Alex Stewart was the first Chief Engineer & Leo Benedict Film Manager.
That first day was hectic – learning how to splice 16mm commercials into the feature films, thread projectors, then operate the boom microphone for the opening speech by Max Foley.
My Dad knew Max who owned 3MA & STV8 – hence I scored that job & set my course in TV at HSV7, plus three years at ITA/ IBA in UK, until my retirement 2 years ago.
Yes – all great memories. Thanks for bringing them back.
Cheers
John Hill
Woops – my STV8 opening date was a decade out! It was actually December 1965. Now that is dating us!
Hi, John, a lot of years have certainly past. Your experience in the uk would have been fantastic cheers Bob.
Studio work was certainly hectic. Channel 7 would have been the same. I still have the old ITE boom microphone in the shed.Sadly the old Pye cameras were not saved.
Hi John
Great stories. Just found this thread today after a chance conversation with a good friend Geoff Atkinson both of Mildura West and me at least 1st Mildura Scouts.
Cheers
Greg Egan
Great story Ian and Bob.All the Best to you Bob.Terry Iredale
Thanks, Terry. I remember the early days when you came in and played in the studio with the band. cheers Bob.
I was in very fortunate to get a ride on the Vincent in the early 70’s . Thanks Bob it was very special. I think Bobs scariest ride on it, was on a trip when the motor broke down and a lengthy towing trip back to Mildura was undertaken. Cheers Ray.
Cheers Bob.
This was one time when I was really worried. If you stopped suddenly I would have shot straight over the roof of your vehicle. It was only a short bit of tent rope wrapped around the handle bars that towed me about 5 feet from the car
A great story Ian and Bob. Memories of doing our National Service together Bob(Kovi)as part timers in the CMF and tramping up and down the Puckapunyal and Healesville hills.I think you rode your Vincent to the Drill Hall over that 5 yr period.Hope you and Eva your sister are keeping well.
Yeah, Vince certainly those CMF days were fun. At times I would be called into the fix the TV in army the residence with the sergeant who lived at the barracks. He would then bring out the Rum and beers and we spent time talking about the Korean war. Two hours later riding the Vincent home in my army uniform with a little to much alcohol.
Yes I’m going ok and Eva is now in Qld.
Hi Bob,
It’s Geoff Osborne here (Ossie) BCV8 along time ago.
We had some great times at your place in the mid to late 1970s.
I recently saw that terrific black & white video you so cleverly preserved.
Am I correct in guessing that Sue McGurgan in the video was her maiden name and her married name is Susan Wood?
If so I saw Susan just before Christmas.
Regards
Ossie.
G’day Ossie.
It certainlyhas been a long time since the good old BCV8 times. I’m not sure if Susan Wood is the same person that hosted the Paddle Wheelers but I will check with Ross Hill.
Cheers Bob
G’day Ossie.
It certainlyhas been a long time since the good old BCV8 times. I’m not sure if Susan Wood is the same person that hosted the Paddle Wheelers but I will check with Ross Hill.
Cheers Bob
Hi Bob. Wow, good memory to remember Mike Hennessy. Great interview, Ian.
Hi Bob,
Greg Egan here after lunch with Geoff Atkinson who also went to Mildura West. Geoff remembers you at Telstra. I also your Burumbeet to Avoca dash as the story goes in under an hour. I bought your Triumph Scrambler and put it into a Dominator Featherbed frame I built up. I have great memories of Mildura Tech but less great about Mr Holmes. They gave us a decent education from high Math to lead and tin bash. After a stint at Mildura Council I went back to Tech and after a very long story, including Comm Eng at RMIT, and ended up Professor and Head of Electrical & Computer Systems Engineering at Monash Uni. We have both had interesting lives.
What a surprise to know two old West School buddies are still about .Yes indeed the Tech school taught us disapline and important subjects that pathed our futures. I believe that education in the 60’s was a far better system than what we have today. Greg its a credit to you achieving the position of being a professor at Monash uni. Electrical- Computer engineering is a far cry from the sixties with germanium transistors and thermonic valves.The old Triumph I sold to you, it was nice to know it went to good hands and into a Norton feathebed frame. Do you still have it? Geoff I left the Tech and went to the PMG training school before I returned back to Mildura to work in TV. I’m not sure where you went after the Tech ?
I dropped out of Tech for a few years and was on the Council as a draftsman with the Art Gallery and the Rowers River Front being some of my scribblings. On the side I played Bass in the Cyners, a semi forgotten local band, and then a couple of years back at Tech, RMIT Comm Eng (it was the RAAF Radio School), then off to Manchester in England for my other degrees and to see a bit of the World. The Manchester guys came from Bletchely Park (code breakers) but it was still top secret then! I was on staff at Manchester until the weather got me then back to RMIT, Swinburne and finally Monash. Last year I belatedly got my ticket VK3KJE. I failed Regs, yes nobody fails regs, when I had a half hearted go while at RMIT 50 years ago. Exempt Theory. I saw the Triton in Melbourne a long while ago so it survived but where it is now? There is a guy down here in Croydon who who keeps contact with Phil Irvings wife. He knew Phil and runs a Vincent. He is a mate of Geoff’s. Wheels within wheels. Cheers
I would possibly know him as I’m a member of the Victorian Vincent Owners Club but will check it out with members of our section. I never had time to dabble in amateur radio, many were on my back to do so. During my years with STV 8 I donated the original PYE TV transmitters to the local radio group.
Cheers