News 2021
Meetings resumed at The Home Cottage 2nd August 2022
NThe next Redhill radio meeting will be on 4th April 2023.
Not 7th March, as lots of people unable to attend Ray informs me
June 2023
Radio Days 2023 - Roger "Twiggy" Day and RadioFab.com have organised on 13th August 2023 - see flyer above plus a pirates banquet.
Absolute Radio - Bauer Group have been fined a meesley £25,000 for turning off the AM transmitters. Ed: this appears to be a clear breach of thier license conditions which seem to say they should have remained on until 2027. They could have been fined up to ten times that amount. The fines go to HM Paymaster General so the taxpayer is heavily losing out.
May 2023
Last entry for May! The Daily Telegraph Features section has an article yesterday "National BBC radio is in recession - but specialist broadcasters are booming" . Essentially on Fix Radio a DAB and internet broadcaster. The station is four years old and one year on national DAB at "considerable cost" says the stations boss Louis Timpany. DAB is estimated to reach 392,000 liateners per month and annual income is approaching £2m. It also mentions the highly successful Boom Radio with 630,000 listeners per week and increasing and the fact taht commercial radio listeners is 6 million higher than the BBC's at 38.7 million (Ed the Beeb cares little about older listeners and viewers. Listerns are finding laternatives like Boom, Angel Radio, Caroline and Atlantis. ON TV there is the excellent Talking Pictures which gets up to 6 million viewers, Sky Arts and various UKTV channels).
BBC Radio 4 Long Wave - The Beeb is intending to close this down in 2024 and are puting out announcments in preparation. It is intended that befohand FM and LW schedules will be unified. Presumably this will apply to all 3 long wave transmitters the one at Droitwich and the 2 50kW in Scotland. The latter two date from the 70s. Oddly enough the 300kW RTE tranmsitter on 252 kHz could well become available. Would it be worth it for teh Beeb to buy it and re-tune to 198 kHz?
The June Meeting of the Spithampton Support GRoup will be held on Wednesday 7th June at the Hamble Club, Beaulieu Road, Hamble-le-Rice Southampton SO31 4JL with Ray Clark.
May 5th was the funeral of Susy Radio Director, Ian Rennison who was known for his work at Susy Radio and Uckfield FM now Ashdown Radio.
Ian worked mainly behind the scenes in IT and occasionally on-air. He joined the original station for Redhill Jubilee Fm which became TRsust Fm and later Susy Radio. became involved in Redhill’s first local radio stations, Jubilee FM in 1994, and the following year, at Trust FM.
Ian went on to volunteer at Uckfield FM, and later returned to Susy Radio and joined the Board of Directors. Many of Ian’s friends at SUSY and Ashtead FM will miss him.
April 2023
Tune into Yesterday Easter 2023 - Issyeue 98 From the Radio Archivesd 1936 - 1965. The Radio Times cost 2d in 1936, and the same in March 1950. It was 4d at Easter 1960 and 6d (2 1/2pence in decimal money) at Easter 1965 plus Supplement The value of a German Sound collection.
Hans Knot International Radio Report - the Spring 2023 edition is now available it's time again for another episode of the Hans Knot International Radio Report. The spring 2023 edition includes responses to e mails from various parts of the world.We reflect on the passing of Germany's first deejay Klaus Quirini. Reviews include a new book on Radio Caroline and Ronan O'Rahilly, a new double CD on Laser and Johnny Lewis reflects on the sinking of the Mi Amigo more than 43 years ago. Other features include a Veronica talent show in 1964, the Caroline Revival Hour in 1969 and Gavin McCoy recounts his wonderful radio career. There is also a long article I wrote myself about a failed radio project in the early 1960s. More than enough to enjoy. The report is available to download: https://hansknot.com/intrep.htm
MV Ross REvenge
A Charity that maintains the former pirate radio ship Ross Revenge wants to raise funds to move the ship in to dry dock for essential repairs to ensure its survival. The registered charity MV Ross Revenge – Home of Radio Caroline – aims to raise £125k through the Crowdfunder to add to the monies already raised £57k. If they succeed in this they will reach half the amount required to approach the National Lottery for further funding to carry out initial surveys of the ship in dry dock – paint the underside of the hull and to carry out necessary repairs to seals and seavalves.
Peter Moore says “the Ross Revenge is a remarkable ship with a fascinating fishing and broadcasting history,”and “It is also one of only a couple of surviving British super trawlers, the pride of a fleet of distant- water vessels that once plied their trade in the cold and turbulent seas of the North Atlantic from ports such as Grimsby and Hull, but were wiped out when the fishing industry went into steep decline in the late 1970s. Ross Revenge still holds the record for the biggest catch.
“It is the only remaining pirate radio ship still afloat, having avoided the cutter’s torch when sent to the breaker’s yard to become the floating broadcast base for the Radio Caroline in 1983.”
The ship has endured many dramas during its time on the North Sea, including losing the 275' mast in 1987 and the armed raid by Dutch Authorities in 1989.
Ross Revenge is also one of only a small number of ships to survive grounding on the Goodwin Sands, when its anchor chain broke during a storm in 1991. Ross Revenge is currently moored on the Blackwater Estuary in Essex and still used by Radio Caroline for regular offshore broadcasts and visitor trips. It is maintained by volunteers and is on the National Historic Ships Register.
Peter |Moore again “We are launching this Crowdfunder Campaign to ensure that the ship can continue to operate and provide a platform for independent radio broadcasting and be of interest to future generations, on which our future will depend.
“Our future plans to turn the forepeak area of the ship into an interactive fishing heritage centre will provide a hub for learning about maritime engineering and the ship’s deep sea fishing history.”
The Crowdfunder campaign will run for six weeks from 10 am on Good Friday 7 April, and donors will be able to choose from a range of rewards.
To support the Crowdfunder Campaign and secure the future of MV Ross Revenge, please visit the Crowdfunder campaign page for MV Ross Revenge (Home of Radio Caroline) at rossrevenge.com.
25 March 2023
OEM Osffshore Echoes Magazine - Issue 211 dropped into my mail this week. As usual a jam packed edition! Interview Alan Turner who was on board the MV Caroline in 1964 an extensive interview, Ove Sjostrom Interview Part 1 he was an engineer on Radio Nord and this gives a fascinating insight into the operation of the MV Bon Jour from 1960-62. Janet Bardini interview. She was one of the Laser558 office staff and visited the ship in 1985. Chris Edwards finds gems even after all this time. Station of the Stars Radio Luxembourg - offshore DJs who joined in the late 60s and early 70s, ObituariesThe Governmant Files which show how Laser558 was penetrated by the authorities, Logbook ofthe REM part 2, more in-depth of the start of Radio & TV Noordzee.
Eds note: I have always been a paid subscriber to OEM (I don't receive freebies) so my thoughts about the mag are my own. OEM maintains very high standards and each issues pulls out very interestingstuff. Subscribe (£45 per annum) or view the website www.offshoreechoes.com
Ken Bruce signed off uncontroversially from Radio 2 or did he? One of his final tracks was Pilt of the Aurwaves by Charlie Dore. If I am correct this was the final track played by Caroline from International Waters so was there a subliminal message there.
Sunday telegraph - last Sunday carried an excellent aerticle on the demise of Am in the UK. POinting out that it costed Absolute Radio around £1m to run the AM transmitters and that the fine from Ofcom would be less then this. Apparently around 6.5million people tune into AM every week. One well known sports journalist commented a while ago that he often had to tune into medium wave to pick up the results as when he drove around DAB would cut in and out all the time.
Right access problems means that I am very behind on this so this is a brief catch up.
Hans Knot continues his excellent International Radio Report with teh Winter 2022/23 edition now available hansknot.com/images/2012/intreport.jpg
Tune Into Yesterday - Christmas 2022
Autumn 2022 Issue 96 - Lone Ranger Trivia
Offshore Echoes - issue 122 December 2022 - interview Alan Turner, Ireland's only offshore pirate (we're not talking about Radio Scotland & Ireland here), Radio Caroline 1983 and REM TV Nordzee.
BBC Local Radio - has effectively been closed reduced to 2 local programmes per day and the rest regionalised,
Sealand - appreared on the latest series of Abandoned Engineering on the yesterday channel. It is episode 1
Radio Caroline - has a five year extension to 648 kHz and are looking to increase power further from 4kW to 10kW
July 2022
Alain de Cadenet died on July 1st with extensive obituries in The Telegraph and The Times. he dad a wide ranging career as a racing driver and operated a Supermarine Spitfire. In fact I think I met him at Biggin Hill once many moons ago. Of note to offshore radio fans is that he was the official photographer for Radio Caroline and also worked for Radio London.
June 2022
OffshoreEchoes magazine208 - Sylvan Tack in Spain, RadioVeronica Spots, Ben Bode and radio Paradijs and ProjectAtlanta
April 2022
Tune into Yesterday Spring 2022 Issue 95 - a bit late writing this up Fromthe archives exracts from Popular Wireless and Wireless Magazine in the 1930s.plus Supplement Radio in Europe July 1927 to September 1941
Talking Pictures TV - keep an eye on the Footage Detectives. We've had radio 270 recently in addition to Radio Essex a while back.
March 2022
After a two year gap meetings resume on 5th April 2022 at The Home Cottage
Offshore Echoes Magazine- the latest edition has arrived with Alan west Interview, Sylvain Tack in Spain Part 1, Part 20 of the Radio Syd story(on-air in The Gambia), Life On Board a Radio Ship in the early 60s (Veronica), Interview Paul Mckenna, Government Files, Radio Caroline and Planet Productions, Tineke awarded, Philip Birxch interview and obituaries.
Talking Pictures TV - Look at Life Fish and Ships. Sunday 13th showed two vessels of interest to offshore radio fans. The Lord Nelson at the start of the film (Vessel proposed to Radio Caroline as a Mi Amigo replacement, and what looks like the Ross Revenge and possibly Ernie Stephenson at the end eating steak and chips.
January 2022
Roger Wallis - it is with great sadness that we report the death of BIG Bad Roger. Roger was well known for the Saturday Show on Radio Sweden. A station whose late night listenership increased with the closure of Caroline in 1968
https://www.svt.se/kultur/musikern-och-professorn-roger-wallis-ar-dod
SB reports on Boom Radio/THis is particularly beoming the home of choice for SOTS AVIDS. Roger Day's show on Saturday 8am - 10pm is far superior to Tony Blackburn 's pastiche radio show on Radio 2.
Brian Anthony ex Radio Jackie, Jackie FM (NSR?) and JFM had died in a road accident.
December
Radio Caroline - as reported elsewhere power has increased from 1kW to 4kW. The transmitter previously belonbged to Arrow Classic Rock and is the former 828 kHz rig 25kW. Which they used to run at 20 daytime and 5 nightime.
Offshore Echos Magazine - Issue 206 dropped through the letterbox with interviews Paul McKenna and Robbie Dale, RNI the 1971 return, The Radio Syd Story part 18. More on the aborted Radio 390 North. Wijsmuller tugs. March 1968 the end. Government Files.
tune Into Yesterday - Christmas 2021 Issue 94 -"ask Dave Goldin", search for Boris Karloff lost 1947 episode Wet Saturday, plus reprints 1930s popular wireless and Supplement NBC Radio Archives in 1957 and tape manufacturing in post war Germany.
October
sasradiogroup - the next newsletter wilolo be published via this website! It's been a while so I hope that it is worth the wait!
Ross Revenge - appears on tomorrow's Antiques Road Trip (12 Novemeber on BBC2 at 7pm
AM/FM - the Government has announced the intention to keep analogue broadcasting continuing to 2030.
SUSY Radio - Geoff Rogers has been shortlisted for Volunteer of the year in the Community Radio Awards.
Hans Knot International Radio Report - the latest issue is available via Hans Knot's website. Always a great read and lot of fascinating links too! Hans Knot
Tune Into Yesterday Issue 93 Autumn 2021 - Detective noir fiction in Old Time Radio pluas a majoe expose Censoring of Archive Programmes on Radio 4 Extra by Steve Poppitt.Ca,p comedians like Frankie Howard and Kenneth Williams are particluarly affected and for example any reference to JImmy Saville is erased plus Supplement The Drama of radio: the past and the fuuerrry for the unintended break in transmission. time to catch up with events:
Red Sands - has hit the news saying that unless immediate action is taken within 10 years this WW2 fortress will be lost.
Radio Caroline - Ofcom has granted a power increase from 1kW to 10kW after a technical presentation re man made noise in the current AM reception area. This also has the effect of extending the main reception area further beyond the Suffolk/Essex area. It is understood that the station has already obtained a 25kW transmitter but we are unsure whethere this is installed at Ordordness.
SUSY Radio - Geoff Rogers has been nominated for Volunteer of the year in the Community Radio Awards.
Radio Redhill- the hospital radio station based at East Surrey Hospital has received a license for a low powered FM license with reception up to 1km away. This is in addition to 1413 kHz AM. Expected frequency 87.7 or 87.9 MHz
BBVC iPlayer - has been updated but older viewers with older devices will find this is not backwards compatible for older ios versions.
DENNIS JASON Obituary - On 9 July 2021 Dennis Jason passed away far too early having suffered from a long term cancer.
Dennis is well known locally having run a shop in Lesbourne Road, Reigate selling disco equipment and some free radio memorabilia (tapes, records etc). As well as running a disco. For a while he ran a dead letter drop for our local AM rock station Southern radio. Dennis participating with the station Southern radio / South East Sounds
In 1986, like a number of our CM East Surrey group saw him move offshore times when he was heard on Radio Caroline from the MV Ross Revenge that May and again later in the year. It is important to remember was not only a deejay but a technician. He was also an excellent amateur photographer and filmmaker. If you see the shot of the Ross Revenge from high up the original mast it is Dennis’s foot you can see!
In 1987 he joined the engineering team on board the MV Communicator Laser Hot Hits 576.
Later, Dennis came back ashore worked at ILR station Mellow 1557 where is worked with Ray Anderson, and the RNI revival broadcasts from LV 18 in 1999 and 2000.
Dennis subsequently moved back to Surrey and participated in some of the Susy RSL broadcasts and its prior incarnations in the nineties and noughties.
Dennis was quite modest but very reliable and hardworking. I got to know him at our 80s meets and the RSLs.
In later years he set-up his own double glazing business Nova Windows and this used the same logo as Dublin based 80s pirate Radio Nova. The last time I saw him was in a Waitrose car park with his Nova van!
A pleasant, friendly contemporary who will be extraordinarily missed, especially by many radio friends. RIP Dennis.
July 2021
sasradiogroup - well we made it! Onto the new version of the site! Only one photo omitted. Can you guess which one! I'll put it back on soon! We have added some more photos and car stickers etc.
The BBC - The Sun etc have reported on a revamp of the BBC's logo. They are using a new font 'Reith'. This cost a figuer intot he reported tens of thousands of pounds and that's before they change all the document etc.
RedSands Fort - the daily Mail carried a recent report on ongoing efforts to turn this into a museum.
June 2021
Sasradiogroup - as with SUSY Radio we too will be having some engineering work as we aim to switch over to the new website in the first full week of July. Whilst I like the current look there are practice reasons for changing. The new version is geared up to be better to read across computers, iPads and your phones. Once launched we will be doing some further tweaking. It is going to be a bit like swapping over to a brand new radio ship!
Hans Knot International Radio Report - the latest issue is available via Hans Knot's website. Always a great read and lot of fascinating links too!
SUSY Radio - this Saturday 26th June the station will be off-air for a few hours for some aerial and transmitter work. It is still available on-line and via the smart speaker. Ed: We know what's going on but aren't allowed to tell you at the moment.
OEM Offshore Echos Magazine - Issue 204
Absolute Radio Country - this used to be Country Hits Radio until taken over. Now its listeners are switching off as the new owners filled the Breakfast and Drivetime slots with DJs who are simultaneously on nine other Absolute stations. The system known as Project Banana means that the DJs can chat and then hit a button leading to different tracks on the country music statio, the rock station, 60s station etc. All very clever but the DJs make no mention of the country music or artists. It's so easy to see why listeners are annoyed and switching off. When I broadcast on SUSY we were told 'talk about the music'.
Ed: with the proliferation of stations even the major players need to continue cost cutting. One wonders if some are getting over extended.
Sasradiogroup- we have had initial talk on resuming meetings but, as of this moment nothing has been agreed. We have pitched a new locale given the pre COVID issues that we were experiencing.
BM NECTAR - our box number isn't getting the traffic that we used to. At the moment it is intended to close this facility later on this year.
BBC Local Radio - as expected we can hear daytime BBC Essex on 765 and 729 kHz with a message saying to retune to DAB etc. At nighttime both BBC Stoke 1503 kHz and Cambridgeshire 1026 kHz carry their own messages. It makes me laugh when they say for example 752 medium wave.
BBC -they always seem to bang on about the SNP and Scottish independence. Isn't that a 5 to 10% loss in license revenue if that happens
May 2021
Great British Railway Journeys - tonight 4th May Michael Portillo visits Writtle to look at the site of 2MT the first broadcasts in the U.K. In 1922. On BBC2 at 6.30pm.
Rock - is a 60 year old Medway coaster, one of the few remaining. If you have £875,000 you can buy the 92 ft long shipwhich was converted into a spacious and comfortable home extensively refitted in 2003 with bottom re-plated and bilge keels added, portholes replaced and new steel roof and roof lights. Four cabins, studio office, large saloon and bathroom/utility room. The vessel is operational with permanent mooring in Wapping. For sale with the Unique Property Company.
April 2021
Tune Into Yesterday - Issue 92 Spring 2021- of interest to Offshore Radio Fans with an article by Ron O'Quin on The operation of Radio England / Britain Radio and some great Pictures of the tendering of RNI's Mebo 2. Plus vintage articles about Radio in the 1920s and 30s. Also Issue 92 Supplement Sherlock Holmes on the Radio 1932-1948.
Caroline Community Radio - has been chastised by Ofcom for broadcasting a song with over two minutes of sexual moaning at 8.20 in the morning. The track French Kiss by Lil Louis was down to transferring material from one computer to another and that "some scheduling restrictions had not been carried over to the new system."
Tony reports that the BBC is turning off AM transmitters for the following local radio stations: Cambridgeshire, Devon, Essex, Hereford& Worcester, Lancashire, Leeds, Sheffield, Stoke, Ulster and Foyle. Also coverage would be reduced at BBC Wales and Gloucester.
March 2021
Offshore Echos Magazine - edition 203 is now out- Lady in Distress Part 5 the 1989 raid, RNI the 1971 return Part 3, Radio Syd Story part 16 (390 North), Government Files, Keith Skies interview, , Obituary Chris Moore.
Louise Ottens - creator of the compact cassette tape died on March 6, 2021. In the early 60s the first version was exhibited in Berlin in 1963. RCA had previously developed a tape cartridge but it was much bigger. Imitations appeared in Japan and is switchinPhillips licensed the design without charge thus ensuring one format and longevity of design. Originally in 60 minute but extended to 90 and 120 minute formats. Post 1974 MOA the compact cassette was essential for taped offshore programmes on Radio Mi Amigo etc. TDK C120 chrome dioxide. Also much used by land based pirates too.
February 2021
Payola - Ocom has launched an investigation into DJ Tiiny (real name Frank Boakye-Yiadom). It is alleged he asked artists for payments of £200 to play artists records. The DJ joined Capital Extra in 2018 and was dropped earlier this month. Such payments being against broadcast guidelines. He apologised via Twitter and said he'd learned a much needed lesson.
UBN - the arts section of the Daily Telegraph carried an extensive article on this in house broadcaster on 27 February. Starting on 1st September 1970 and ceased on December 16 1979. Famed as an excellent trading ground for broadcasters it was et up to reduce staff turnover among the 20,000 staff employed at the avarious biscuit factories across the U.K. The station would pay for itself if this could be reduced by 20% instead they achieved 60% within the first year. A good article if you can find it and the sort of thing we would show amongst the group at out meets.
Talking Pictures TV - Ofcom have abandoned there investigations into the station. The regulator had come under fire from across the broadcast industry.
Radio Nord Revival - to celebrate the 60th anniversary the revival returns on the weekend of 7th and 8th March. Using a 10kW A3H transmitter on one of the following frequencies: 6035, 6060, 6130 or 6200 kHz in the 49 metre band. During the broadcast it is likely the station will shift frequencies. Transmission site is Ringvalla, Sala.
Radio Caroline 648 - field strength has improved again. On my Grundig it is up to 4.4. Originally it was around 3.8 and last year dipped and then improved upping to 3.8/4.0. There have been rumours of power increase for some time and the station needs it as it gets clobbered by the Spanish even in Essex at night.
The first Hans Knot International Radio Report of 2021is now available from today 13th.
Talking Pictures TV - Lord Grade, former Chairman of the BBC, has weighed in, stating that Ofcom !he is deeply troubled by the investigation and that it could set a "dangerous precedent". He claiming it would be politically correct censorship. He has written to the regulator in support. Ed: Ofcom is the judge, prosecution and jury and seems to be accountable to no-one.
Radio Caroline North - a welcome respite the station is back this weekend across 13th and 14th on 1368 via Manx Radio and 648 kHz plus the Internet.
Talking Pictures TV - the lockdown success story has between 3.5 to 6 million viewers according to different sources. After one complaint upheld by Ofcom the station makes studios efforts to warn viewers about content before each programme unlike the BBC. Again Ofcom has started a full investigtion after one complaint. This time about 70s series Rogue's Rock is set on a private island off the south coast. The problem is that onede episode featured blackface. Ofcom has warned the station that its approach is outdated and the small station faces being fined. Ed: I'm with Talking Pictures here. They give plenty of warnings and it is very clear to viewers what they should be expecting. Warnings are given before every show whether it needs it or not. Blackface is very controversial. Many classic Westerns have these or what about the film Ghandi? or war films? Ofcom is increasingly WOKE and acting as a censor and some feel it is trying to close down the station. Talking Pictures is a window on the past and carries many documentaries showing life as it was. It is interesting that many 30 and 40 year olds are finding it an interesting contrast to today's PC and revisionist broadcasters. We live in a strange world where just one complaint can bring huge fines. We need to support them or else our history faces being wiped. Ofcom has a duty to preserve and not destroy.
The Telegraph - The Sunday version had a go at Radio 2 on the 7th. A veteran DJ on the station says it sound like a "hen party" as the network further chases working class women. Since 2018 it has been trying to pinch liateners from Heart, Magic and Smooth. James Parnell is the architect behind this partially due to criticism from Ofcom about the stations reach. This has been unsuccessful and Radio 2 is losing listeners and their rivals gaining. Helen Thomas the new controller is continuing the policy which has seen specialist shows dropped and 60s and 70s music dropped. Ed: you might ask why Ofcom is interfering by stating that the working class feel under represented by the Beeb. The station has been drifting this way before 2018 as it sounds like a commercial station albeit with a larger playlist. Older DJs like Ken Bruce, Paul Gambacini, Johnnie Walker and Steve Wright must feel like their days are numbered.
Daily Telegraph - there has been some recent correspondence about Radio 2 with claims that baby boomer generation have been deserted. Today 2nd Feb a letter from Max Ingram suggests they tune into Caroline Flashback!
January 2021
Red Sands Fort 27 January 2021 a three men have been fined for breaching COVID 19 restrictions for visiting the fort. After seeing the forts on TV they travelled down 180 miles from Staffordshire. After getting to the fort on Sunday they were marooned as their inflatable boats drifted away. After spending the night on board they were rescued by Sheerness Lifeboat.