2023 News Archive
NEWS 2023
December 2023
Final update before Christmas
Tune Into Yesterday Christmas 2023 Issue 100 landed this week at home including Radio Pictorial 1937 BBCs Christmad Plane, 1947 Florida hurricane strikes damages to radio masts and how rsdio saved lives, 10 years of the Third Programme, RNI in 1973 and 74 as the English staff have a meal plus repeats of articles from The Daily Telegraph in 2023 plus the usual SupplementGeorg Dannenberg and the 'Usable Past' how East Germany used National Socialist recordings,
Obituary - in today's Times thay carried a full page obituary to John Whitney. turned down by the BBC he sold shows to Radio Luxembourg by his company Ross Radio Productions which was the UK advertising representative for Radio Veronica's English programming under CNBC which broadcast from the Borkum Riff from 1960 to 1961. John failed in a bid to win the General Enrtainment station for London to Capital radio but Richard Attenborough was so impressed he made him MD. He then chose his directors. In 1982 he was headhunted to become head of the IBA and resigned this position in 1989. His interest started in building renting and then selling crystal sets to fellow school pupils
Hans Knot Internation Radio Report - More pub time and one you don't have to subscribe to it is Hans Knot Rport the Christmas Edition is now out. As usal a long read and various links included:
OEM - OffshoreEchosMagazine - last week Edition 21 Decwember 2023 dropped through my letterbox). A very intersting read it is too! Peter Chicago Part 3) re the cobversion of the Ross Revenge) included are photos of the ship painted pink. No one except Ronan wanted it that colour. They all thought it looked dreadful. I (ed; In the 80s I purchased a set of photos from the Caroline Movement. It looks appalling). Chicago also describes the construction of the mast. The Gakaxy after August 14th 1967, From the Irish Press, from the Offshore Turntables The Dubliners and Seven Drunken Nights, Obituaries, Caroline Homes facctory built affordable prefabricated homes (Ed: i remember this was covered by the BBC TV London news in 1980 or 1981), Government Files the prosecition of Robbie Day and 3 others in the operation and support of Laser 558 and Operation REM the raid to shut down Radio and TV Noordzee. to get this issue and other backissues contact oem@offshoreechos.com
Radio Caroline North - the next broadcast is for this weekend! (9th and 10th December) on the udual 1368 kHz for the Isle of Mann and NW England, DAB for the Isle of Man and 648 kHz for SE England
November 2023
Radio Caroline Southampton Support Group is on Wednesday 6 December. Alan Beech will be provide a station engineering update and Chris Cooper will be talking about his experience on board Ross Revenge over Christmas and New Year 1989.
Here is a chance to catch up with Caroline presenters plus merchandise for sale, and a bar. Everyone is welcome from 7.30pm at the Hamble Club, Beaulieu Road, Hamble-le-Rice, SO31 4JL. Entry is now a £10 donation including buffet due to rising costs, the first increase in 30 years.
Radio Caroline North -is on this weekend 18th and 19th November on 1368 kHz for NW England and 648 kHz to across SE England and into Holland!
Radio Caroline 648 Support Group Next meeting is on Wednesday 22 November at Mr G’s Bowling Centre in Brandon.
Special guest speaker is Rob Howard from the Vintage TV and Wireless Company, host of the TV show Retro Electro Workshop, which recently featured Ross Revenge. Caroline presenters Barry James, Steve Dack and Rob Proctor will be there, and presenter Stephen Foster and Roger James from the Buster James Band are running a music quiz.
The evening starts at 8pm and entry is a £5 donation which includes a buffet. There’s a bar and raffle. Free parking and overnight accommodation available at the venue, Mr G’s Bowling Centre on Market Hill, Brandon, Suffolk IP27 0AA. Everyone welcome - just turn up!
SUSY RADIO 103.4 Programme Director, Geoff Rogers received an Honours Award at the Community Radio Awards on the 19th.
Geoff got into radio when he was 12 listening to offshore and land based pirate radio. Since then has worked for hospital radio, worked in radio overseas, and was one of a small team who set up Restricted Service Licences (RSLs) to promote local charities, causes and events. The team went on to set up Susy Radio. Geoff is responsible for everything that is broadcast on Susy - the music, programmes, presenters, the news, advertising and the station profile.
Geoff has also been a presenter at Radio Jackie in South West London for many years and was one of the team in the 80s. He was also a DJ on Southern Radio which became South East Sound. When Jackie heard of this they told him to stop. He didn’t he used san Australian accent and changed his name!
In 1985 Geoff addressed a committee room full of MPs at Westminster on the benefits of small 'Community of Interest' radio stations. He also produced a document for a license application for rockers South East Sound. As Geoff says in his Radio Jackie bio "well we eventually got Community Radio - took over 20 years!"
To be nominated for the award required some supporting info which was provided / verifiied by myself.
15h November - the latest SAS Newsletter No 112 covering AM and shortwave is available on-line under publications.
The Fabulous Barker Boys - we did this link years ago go back to the 1930s and an early pirate station;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FnMpBkD3FQ
October 2023
Boom Radio - The number of under 50s listenig to the station has doubled in the last year to 136,000 20% of the listernership. I can recall that Mellow in LOndon had some 20% of its listeners under the age of 25 so nothing new here.
Dennis Jason - the late Dennis Jason archive of photos from the Ross Revenge is now accessible Dennis Jason - Flickr
Radio Caroline - it is reported that Ofcom is taking arund three months to process requests so Caroline's application for a power incease on 648 kHz AM should be announced soon.
sasradiogroup - the section on our website re Susy Radio has been updated with a Susy 531 page in addtion to the memories by Graham Ford
Radio Hauraki - MV Tiri - New Zealand Herald 23rd October 2023 - On the Eastern shores of Matakohe-Limestone Island lie the derelict remains of a once-famous floating pirate radio studio.
Scattered skeletal piles of rusting metal is all that remains of the shipwrecked Tiri (the first vessel) of Radio Hauraki.
On January 28, 1968, disaster struck as the Tiri ran aground at Whangaparapara Harbour, Great Barrier Island in foul weather while taking part in a search and rescue for a lost fisherman. The Tiri due to engine troubles ended up on the rocks. She was patched up and five feet of water was removed and she was towed back to Auckland and the broadcasting equipment was salvaged. The vessel was beyond repair, Tiri was taken to Matakohe-Limestone Island and beached at Shipwreck Bay alongside another wreck of a wooden-hulled coastal ship. Locals played on her as children and both were set alight by vandals in 1979.
As for the Tiri’s demise, her scant skeletal remains are now flanked with a sign briefly narrating her story. Taken from artice first published on nzherald.co.nz
BBC Local News Expansion - the NMA (News Media Association which includes The Guardian, Times and the Telegraph amongst others) has re-iterated its complaint that the Beeb is aggresively expanding its digital local news sites where traffic has increased by 20% over the last 3 months. The complaint is that this area is already well covered by local commercial providers. The BBC's action is stifling competition and depriving them of revenues. The accusation is that this aggresive expansion by the BBC has come at the expense of the local radio output. Owen Meredith Chief Executive of the MNA asked Ofcom to put the brakes on this expansion as it would leave only the BBC as the source of local news. The BBC denies the claims. (Eds Note: Tim Davie has invested £500 million to transform the Beeb to become a Digital First organisation and this is at the expense of traditional broadcasting and the Beebs own values.)
Ray Clarke - having been dropped by the BBC Ray is going back to his offshore roots. From 22nd October he will present a regular show on Caroline on Sunday evenings. He also appears on Caroline North and no doubt this will continue.
MV Ross Revenge - Radio Caroline’s Ross Revenge is featured in an episode of Four in a Bed on Friday 20 October at 6pm on Channel 4.
In the show, four sets of B&B owners take turns to stay with each other over four days, as they compete to be crowned best hosts and establishments. The entertainment provided for the group during their stay at The Limes Guest House in Maldon, Essex was a visit to Ross Revenge and a tour of the radio ship.
Tune Into Yesterday - Ussue 99 Autumn 2023 hit the mat this week. "40 years of ORCA" With from the radio archives 1945-52. This includes an article on Munich radio station where the wooden towers fell and how the aerial was hung between two 25m stumps in 1930. London Calling, Foreign Broadcast Intelligence Service (monitoring foreign broadcsts by the US FCC and a letter by John Arlott "October Month of Colour" plus the Supplement 1952-56 Travelogues on the BBC General Overseas Service plus "Worlding the archives by Carolyn Birdsall (University of Amsterdam).
SAS Email Address - please note our email of webmastersasradio@yahoo.com is back up and running. If you know my private email you can contact me there if you want to as this is monitored daily.
Radio Monique International - is one of the Dutch broadcasters with a mere 100 watt license this time on 918 kHz from Velsen in the Netherlands. I should have mentioned this ages ago. They had to do an enforced site move (which meant the signal propogated better). Unfortunately the Dutch authorities stated that this breached their license conditions and they had to shut dowm AM. All this has now been sorted out and 918 kHz returned yesterday. Link to the webiste is below. ED: mY personal opinion is that the station sounds good and fast paced. Even re-using some of the old jingles. Things that are missing a) adverts like the old days and b) a punchy 50kW transmitter.
Intertnational Radio Report - The September Issue is out and Hans advises us via Facebook that sad news is that four important people have died in the recent period, all of whom will be remembered. Besides the many reactions various topics such as Veronica and politics in 1964, Caroline in Zaandam harbour and the flight to sea. Alan West in 1985 with memories of Gerard van Dam. There is a review of Roger Day's book and Wolf D Rock talks about a book on Amateur Radio. The Dutch government tried to kill the ship de Hoop back in the 1970s and we go back to May 1973, more than half a century ago when the double LP about RNI compiled by Jacob Kokje and Hans Knot was released. 44 pages of reading pleasure downloadable via the following link:
September 2023
Gold 1548 Khz - today the 29th it is carrying a looped annoucment saying try DAB etc . Yesterday the relay of Gold was as normal with no announcemets on 1548 kHz. Quite a contrast. Bauer had run Gold at minimal costs with only a breakfast DJ and the rest being automatic. The audience decline is in sharp contrast to Boom Radio which is inreasing listenership. Field strength has dropped from 39db to some 30 odd recently to encourage listeners to uses other methods to listen into the station.
SUSY Radio 103.4 - Susy Radio has been shortlisted in the 2023 Community Radio Awards they are a nomination in the Special Category, “HM Queen Elizabeth II – Her life, Her Reign, and her Passing”, with special local news bulletin which was produced and presented by Tracey Franklin.
The Local News Special was transmitted on Monday 12th September 2022, four days after the Queen passed away.
AM Closures - 1548 kHz is carrying an annoucement that transmissions on medium wave will cease from 30 September. Also in Brighton the same is on for Smooth Radio 1323 kHz.
Bizm FM made the Times yesterday for all the wrong reasons due to a court case re the death of the stations owner. He was abducted, tortured and killed last October.
OffshoreEchosMagazine - OEM No 213 - landed on my doormat today. Peter Chicago REcalls part 2, The Galaxy after August 1967, Ove Sjostrom Remembers Part 3, REM The Irish Dimension Part 2, From the Offshore Turntables, Government Files, Logbook of the REM Part 4.
Radio Caroline North - the next broadcast is from 16 and 17th September and includes PaulMcKenna.
BBC Radio Norfolk - Sophie Little made a scathing attack on the Beeb on her last radio show (she has lost her show Treasure Quest due to the cuts) she described them as ageist, ableist and placing economic barriers for some people. If you try listening on BBC Sounds to her last broadcast her comments have been controversially edited out.
August 2023
No 1 The Thames - the fort is back on the market. Accessed by a tidal causeway or boat.
Capital Gold - on August 14th RadioToady announced that the stations 1548 frequency would be closed down justt before Captials 50th birthday celebration.
Sweden - Mike Terry of the MW DX Club informed on Facebook that Hörby, in Swden will come back to life on the air again. The Hörby Radio Association has received authorization from the PTS to broadcast on medium wave on the old Hörby frequency of 1179 kHz. The Hörby Radioförening transmitter will operate between 27/8 and 9/9 2023, as part of Veteran Sound Day 2023, on medium wave 1179 kHz. Call sign is SBH Hörby Radioförening. Power of this special station is not known at the time of writing but daytime reception area has been described as limited. It utilises the same call sign as the original station from 1928 to 1937. At night time there is a 200kW station in the east of Romania which will effect transmissions.
Radio Sweden on 1178 kHz 254.7 metres was bang next to Radio Caroline on 1187 kHz. Many caroline listeners tuned into The Saturday Show from 1968 and into the Seventies even though the splatter from the MV Mi Amigos 50kW made life difficult. Sweden Calling DXers was also popular with rsdio news particularly International Waters. IN the 60s and 70s the station used a 150kW transmitter but by the mid/late 70s was well past its best. IN the early 80s a new Telefunken 600kW transmitter was built whixch greatly improved reception
Radio Caroline Radio Caroline have announced they are now on Freeview. In fact Johnny Lewis let this slip in an anouncement late on his Sunday show on Caroline North. Their friends at Radio Channel 277 (UK Radio Portal) have provided the tutorial below to help listeners tune in across England (only). This information should enable you to hear us - or learn how to equip so that you can.
Radio Caroline is available on Freeview compatible Smart TVs and on the Amazon Firestick, via the UK Radio Portal on Freeview Channel 277. The service works on compatible internet connected smart TVs, (such as Freeview Play).. Freeview Play is built in to the majority of new TVs and available to viewers for free, with no monthly fees or joining costs.
To do so you need the following:
• A compatible Freeview TV or set-top-box
• A broadband Internet connection
• A TV or set-top-box that is connected to the Internet
• A TV or set-top-box that is connected to a UK Freeview/DTT (Digital Terrestrial TV) aerial
To access UK Radio Portal on Amazon Fire TV Sticks, please ensure that you have the following:
• An Amazon Fire TV Stick
• A broadband Internet connection with WiF
Note: commentd on facebook say this may only apply to the main Freeview transmitters and not the relays and that not all Smart TV's will receive this.
July 3030
Radio Caroline - The next Radio Caroline North broadcast is happening between 11th-13th August during the first three days of the annual Fundraiser. Coverin music from the 60s to the early 90s over this mammoth live broadcast. Available on 648 AM across South East England, The Netherlands, Belgium and beyond, on 1368 AM in the North/North-West courtesy of Manx Radio, worldwide online via their Caroline North Player, on smart speakers and the Radio Caroline app.
RAJAR - Radio 2's audience dropped by more than 1 million to 13.3 million due to Ken Bruce moving to Greatest Hits Radio whose audience is up by 47.6% to 5.9 million. Ken's morning show had 3 million listeners and increase of 93%. Overall the BBC lost 3.9% drop in listeners. Boom Radio doubled it's audiece to 641,000 largely down to listeners deserting Radio 2.
Radio Caroline 648 - are now powering the transmitter from the solar panels which were installed. On the web page top right there is a meter showing how much power the panels are producing. Also a new jingle has been sung by Holly Hallam "powered by the sun sweet caroline".
Spitbank Fort - We see that Spitbank Fort in the Solent remains up for sale reduced offers welcome in the region of £2.5 million. For this money you get 9 luxurious bedroom suites (up to 18 overnight guests) plus staff accomodation. Capacity for up to additional 42 day or evening guests, 4 function rooms, Rooftop hot pool, sauna and fire pit, cinema room, Wine cellar, games room, Champagne bar. The fort is on 3 levels with 33,000 sq ft and has been fully refurbished. Has marine generators and its own fresh water well and 15 feet granite walls. If only oit had a radiolicense as well. 1242 kHz was originally used by Isle of Wight radio with 500 watts.
Radio London RSL - Broadcast to promote a radio conference event - RADIO DAYS 2023; and also in memory of the pirate radio stations which were operated off the Essex and Suffolk coasts in the 1960s. This is running up until 14th August from 'The bus that rocks' from the seafront Felixstowe Suffolk on the unusual frequency of 1206 kHz. Presumably to we ensure it ends in a 6 like 266 metres.
SUSY Radio 103.4 - Announced today 25th July the station is celebrating a recent grant award of £9.900 from the National Lottery Community Fund! This will provide core funding to support our work as the community radio station for the East Surrey and North Sussex area. Ed this is good news but the station unlike many others realise that they can't beome too dependent on such grants.
Retro Electro Workshop - Features studio equipment from the Ross Revenge next Tuesday 25th July at 9pm. THis is a 10 part series featuring Rob Howard who runs the Vintage TV and Wireless Company in Norwich.
Sister Boniface Mysteries - we were pointed to this BBC series on Drama(owned by BBC Studios (ex Worldwide). Showing series 2d episode is called Dead air set at a groovy pirate radio station set in the late 60s.
Retro Electro Workshop - Johnny Lewis on his Sunday show on Caroline North put us onto this one a new show on Yesterday TV which airs Tuesday 18th at 9pm Season 1 Episode 1/6
(New Series) (Audio Described)
Possibly this series may include a visit to the Ross Revenge at some time.
SUSY Radio 103.4 - This Saturday, 15 July 2023, is celebrating its 11th Birthday as the #community Radio Station for North Sussex and East Surrey.
Channel 4 - I accused the station on facebook of deliberately sabotaging its schedules to reduce the risk of privatisation. The Telegraph carried an article on C4s fortunes. Share of terrestrial viewing is at it's lowest compared to rival channels whilst all4 was up by 20%. The private production comapnies who C4 lobbied are now livid as they have cut production. Meanwhile PopMasterTV got peak audiences for More4. Why was it shoved on there? Or LegoMaster where they showed the Australian and US versions in the same week. Fire the scheduler and maybe top management.
June 2023
Does Russia plan to seize Radio 4 ?- there are 500kW Storm tranmsitters in Kaliningrad and there is a worry that they will seize the frequency when Radio 4 is shut down. ED expact the Russians to relay Radio 4 off the internet and insert their own bits of propoganda. They could do the same on 234 kHz as well.
Slow Radio: Transmitter - Fuzz, clanking, crackles electronic musician Mathew Herbert and a team of recordists gather up late night sound from some of the BBC's 352 transmitters across the UK. Described by Simon O'Hagen as a beautiful experience . Sunday 25th JUne at 11:30pm on Radio 3. Ed: please don't make the messenger walk the plank. Should be of interest to any radio fans and anorak's. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0fwyhrp
Ross Revenge Drydock Appeal - Peter Moore advised on the 19th that £131k has so far been raised against £125 which was their target. The crowdfunder campaign remains open as it is one source of income for the dry dock appeal. On the 16th June 2023 they had raised £45,265 with 737 supporters in 69 days. Every pound matters, they are continuing to collect donations from supporters..
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/ross-revenge-dry-docking
Radio Caroline North Weekend - due on 24th and 25th June on 1368 and 648kHz to NW and SE England.
Hans KnotInternational Radio Report Summer 2023 edition now available hansknot.com › intrep
The Brighton Argus - reported on the 13th of the death of George Ginn always known as George to everyone. He ran The Record Album from 1962 until his retirement in 2018 and was revered as one of the regions best record dealers. The store was established in 1948. George was renowned for his expertise in film soundtracks and theatrical cast recordings.
George, 93, passed away at his care home in Patcham on Sunday evening, and the current owners have praised him as a “steadfast champion” of vinyl.
As reported in the Argus Keith Blackmore, co-director of the Terminus Road store, said: “The great vinyl revival of the last 20 years may have caught many of us by surprise but not George Ginn.
When I was his customer, his advice on what to buy (and, just as importantly, what not to buy) was invariably right and like many people over the years I heard new things in new ways whenever I visited his shop. I’d often just drop in for a chat then find myself still there two hours later, listening and learning.
“George loved music records and his shop.”
George is survived by his wife, Yvonne, and their daughters.
BBC Local Radio - John Bradford retired CEO of Radio Tees and Mercia Sound and ex director of the Radio Academy Devizes, Wilts got a letter in The Times Yesterday (13 June) suggesting that funding for BBC local newsrooms should be diverted to community radio sinec coverage has been decimated ) Ed: decimates means one in 10 and the situation is far, worse than that. I believe that BBC Local Radio should be legally seperated and form its own BBC Local Radio Trust.
The next meeting of the Radio Caroline Essex & South Suffolk Listeners Group takes place on Thursday 29 June at Clacton Rugby Club. Speakers, bar, food and raffle. Entry is a min £5 donation. Join us at 7.30 pm at Clacton Rugby Club, Valley Road, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex CO15 6NA - there's a large car park behind the club. Everyone is welcome - just turn up!
Offshore Echoes Magazine - this weekend Issue 212 fell through the door...Peter Chicago Recalls (with rare shots of Big Ls RCA 50kW) from a talk given in Southampton, Ove Sjostrom Remembers part 2 with an insight into Radio Nords planned FM service, REM the Irish Dimension Part 1, obituaries, Remembering Ronan, From the turntables Judge Dread, Government files and Logbook of the REM part 3. Ed: He Government Files make interesting reading and shows across recent issues that the Laser organisation had been well infiltrated/investigated by the government and that this just as stopiing the tenders finished the station.
Radio Caroline - Alan Beech stated at the latest meeting of the Southampton Support Group that the article in RadioToday UK that the power increase request to Ofcom for 648 kHz was declined is incorrect . As the regulator has not made a decision yet.
Ken Bruce - In the past he offered the rights to Popmaster to the BBC and they declined! So he bought them himself which is why the quiz moved with him to Boom Radio. Now Channel 4 are running promos for Popmaster TV comming soon to More 4. Ed: why not the main Channel 4?
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 that 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 Souhampton 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 - Issue 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