For a radio station that doesn't care about ratings, 2MBS Fine Music Sydney has found an audience of loyal listeners all over the world.
Veteran Drive program presenter Michael Morton-Evans even has one dedicated fan on the Isle of Wight in the UK, who sits by her fireplace to listen to his show.
2MBS was Australia's very first station on the FM radio band, hitting the airwaves at noon on December 15, 1974, beating Melbourne's 3MBS and Brisbane's 4ZZZ by a matter of months.
The station in Sydney's St Leonards is celebrating 50 years of filling the airwaves with music - classical for the most part, but also jazz, blues and other genres.
Morton-Evans has penned a history of 2MBS to mark the milestone, and believes it's the only volunteer-run station in the world to have lasted half a century.
"It means everything to real lovers of classical music, we all love doing it, they all love listening to it," he told AAP.
Ahead of a recent program, he's in the studio lining up traffic alerts and weather reports and just the right music to keep Sydney motorists calm during peak hour, starting with Russian composer Anton Arensky and Frenchman Georges Bizet.
On a good day, the FM radio signal travels all the way to Newcastle and Wollongong, and Berrima in the southern highlands, while listeners further afield can tune in via the station's online stream and listening app.
Three times a day the flow of classical music is interrupted by jazz programs, for those who happen to like that sort of thing, said Morton-Evans.
"There's a sort of feeling around here among the jazz people that I don't like jazz, but it's not true - I do like jazz," he said.
"Our jazz presenters are fantastic, they are so knowledgeable, they're almost worth listening to."
One of those presenters, Jeannie McInnes, airs her popular program Jazz Rhythm with a different topic each week, ranging from Jackson Pollock's jazz playlist, to the sound of the colour green.
"If you just want to hear the music, put on Spotify - if you want to learn something about the music, listen to the radio," she told AAP.
Presenters such as Planet Jazz host Xavier Bichon revel in music of all kinds: a recent weekend saw him at a classical performance in the afternoon, and a Pearl Jam concert a few hours later.
2MBS does not rely on government grants and is entirely funded by its loyal listeners, some of whom have been very generous indeed.
In 2010 one donor, Stefan Kruger, left the station $3 million in his will, enabling 2MBS to build a recording studio complete with grand piano, broadcast studios and a massive music library.
Though most of the library is stored digitally these days, old technology is still kept on stand by including turntables, a reel to reel tape player, and a cassette deck.
Before there was any of this equipment - or even a station to broadcast from - David James was the very first manager of 2MBS, helping it win a broadcast licence.
Half a century later he still volunteers at the station, probably because he likes punishment, he jokes.
"Radio is in my blood ... I just don't want to look at any other voluntary job anywhere."
It's the people as much as the music, helped by the station's monthly wine and pizza nights, he said.
There's also tea, coffee and biscuits on hand to fuel the station's 200 volunteers, such as former presenter Di Cox, 84.
Cox has been volunteering at the station for 45 years and is still a regular visitor, selecting music for an upcoming program From Handel to Haydn.
"Obviously I love it, because I've always said I'll never leave," she said.
2MBS is marking its milestone with a special retrospective program on Sunday at midday - exactly 50 years to the hour since its very first broadcast.
It will also host a station open day on February 1, to commemorate its very first such event 50 years ago.
