For almost four decades, Bendigo's Dale Simpson has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to keep Vision Australia Radio on air.
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And he's done it almost completely blind.
For all his hard work, Dale has been named the winner of the Community Braodcasting Association of Australia's Excellence in Technical Service award.
Dale said his career and love for radio began very close to home.
"I have an uncle who was a senior broadcast engineer for Channel 7 from 1973 to 2003 so it was sort of in the family," he said.
"I've been an audio engineer and working in that as a career since 1988, but that was more in the production of talking books and audio magazines.
"But my involvement with Vision Australia Radio, or what it was known by back then as 3RPH, goes back to 1983 when I started as a volunteer.
"I was involved with a number of committees and would do special event broadcasting and outside broadcasts as a volunteer and then was involved with their technical advisory committee working on equipment in their studios and to help people with low vision."
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From day to day, Dale can be found completing a range of tasks from servicing equipment to assisting with program preperation.
While he only has two to three per cent vision in his left eye, he said he has been able to adapt at work.
"I use fairly strong reading glasses and strong glasses to get around," Dale said.
"I am also able to use computer monitors with large screens as well.
"But I use large-scale fonts and different colours on screen to what other people would use as well as a device called Iris Vision, which is like a pair of glasses you put over your head that has a video camera on it and allows you to zoom in on things."
The award recognises the contribution of an engineer improving and supporting a station's technical facilities and engaging others in developing the stations technical facilities.
Vision Australia Radio network manager Conrad Browne said Dale was nominated because of his exceptional work ethic and dedication.
"The role requires someone to be available at all times and Dale goes above and beyond this," he said.
"After years of service and dedication to community radio, it's wonderful that he has had this acknowledgement."
With more than 320 entries across 30 award categories and representing a diverse cross-section of the community radio sector, this year's contests had some stiff competition.
Dale said he was very surprised to be nominated, let alone win the award.
"Community radio awards are very competitive and cover hundreds of stations all over Australia," he said.
"So to even be in that situation was quite an honour.
"Radio is such an immediate media and to work for this station and be able to provide information for blind and low vision people and make sure people have access to these materials is a pretty important thing."
For anyone interested in giving the profession a try, Dale said never let anything get in your way if you're passionate.
"Don't stop trying," he said.
"There are always going to be challenges from an engineering point of view and the barriers that come with modern technology will come up too.
"But for someone who might be impaired that wants to get onto radio and present, there are more opportunities now than there was before."
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