BANDSCAN THREAD

Ger Roe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120790174#Comment_120790174

What a day that was.... I was stuck in work while the radio world was ending and then had only an hour or so to put a changed programme together and head from my home in Sandyford in to Radio Dublin. The thoughts at the time were that Nova had brought it upon themselves and there would be no further action taken against other stations. There was no phone line extension in the Channel 2 studio and I spent the hour running back and forth to 'reception' taking the related calls that were coming in.

Next day, Sunshine was hit and the fear set in, I remember being back at Radio Dublin that following evening ... channel 2 was off air - the AM and FM transmitters had been removed from site, as potential back up for the main station. Various crew that turned up spent the evening mixing cement to anchor the 253 M 10Kw TX to the ground and the doors to the room where it was housed were nailed shut - expecting a raid the next morning, that never came. Exciting times.

turbocab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120790858#Comment_120790858

exciting times they were indeed Ger.

DublinsABC

ABC 80's Radio Memories this Sunday at 18.00 BST is "Radio Dublin Channel 2 - This is a recording of the Free Radio Programme with Ger Roe on Radio Dublin Channel 2 which was broadcast on June 22nd 1983. / West National Radio 3 December 20th 1988 - This is a morning time recording of West National Radio 3 from a few days before Christmas in 1988. It was made in the north-west of England off 702kHz. " Enjoy Tune-in on 93.3 FM / liveradio.ie / Tune-in Radio / Alexa and https://kathy.torontocast.com:4365/stream With thanks to Radiowaves Ireland / Anoraks Ireland Collection / Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with DX Archive

DublinsABC

ABC 80's Radio Memories this Sunday at 18.00 BST is "Radio Dublin Channel 2 - This is Ger Roe with a recording of the Free Radio Programme on Radio Dublin Channel 2. The recording was made on July 27th 1983, starting at 8.05pm. - Laser 89 January 13th 1989 This recording comes from the time of the aftermath of the mass closedowns at the end of 1988 - Harry Harrison - Waterford - Frequency: 88.6MHz FM " Enjoy Tune-in on 93.3 FM / liveradio.ie / Tune-in Radio / Alexa and https://kathy.torontocast.com:4365/stream With thanks to Radiowaves Ireland / Anoraks Ireland Collection / Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with DX Archive / Ian Biggar

Antenna

National FM services from Clermont Carn transmitter in the North-East of the country are due to be off the air for up to 2 hours between 13:45 and 15:45 tomorrow Wed 19th

It may be an opportunity for DXers in the area to try for distant signals around its frequencies, especially considering its use of frequencies outside the usual national sub-bands.

Declan A Walsh

I was in the north Donegal area for a few days. On Sunday, I did a bit of band scanning on my car radio and ended up going on to Medium Wave where I picked up Radio North on 846kh. It was loud and clear around Carndonagh and the Malin Head area. When I first put it on, a selection of oldies from the 1950s and/or 1960s was being played. Eventually I heard someone introducing himself as John O'Reilly (I think). Later on, when I put it on again, there was religious programming.

DublinsABC

ABC 80's Radio Memories this Sunday at 18.00 BST is "This is Ger Roe with a recording of the Free Radio Programme on Radio Dublin Channel 2. The recording was made on August 24th 1983, starting at 8pm. The return of Radio Caroline is heavily featured. - This is a recording of a night-time Reggae music programme as broadcast on the Dublin pirate station Horizon FM on July 22nd 1984. " Enjoy Tune-in on 93.3 FM / liveradio.ie / Tune-in Radio / Alexa and https://kathy.torontocast.com:4365/stream With thanks to Radiowaves Ireland / Anoraks Ireland Collection / Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with DX Archive / Chris Ridley

Ger Roe

I remember that programme in Aug 1983... we had long been waiting for the return of Caroline, but there had been many false dawns since the Mi Amigo sank in March 1980. Every Easter since, or on any Caroline associated anniversary date, there would be an increase in 'return' speculation.

In the days before internet, Freddy Archer ran the UK based SW pirate 'Radio Caroline International' as an official source of info updates and he had recently announced that things were about to happen, before closing his SW service, in anticipation of a return. In the few days before, I could hear reports on UK radio that test signals were being heard, originating from the north sea on 963Khz, the BBC had confirmed that a ship was then at anchor off the UK south east coast. On the first full day of broadcasting (Sat Aug 20th), the low powered Dublin pirate 'Radio South County' (Cabinteely) was broadcasting on 963Khz and Caroline could not be heard here, but as darkness fell Radio Caroline rolled in, with Tony Gareth being the first voice that I heard on air.

In the early days of The Ross broadcasts the 50 Kw signal was easily received in Dublin at night, but it was a pity later when american religious programmes were carried on 963 at night (Oral Roberts University). It was great to be able to hear Caroline return, but I never thought that forty years later, the ship would still be heard on AM in 2023 - through the monthly broadcasts from the Manx Radio transmitter on 1368Khz.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50XCGYl-SLs

Declan A Walsh

That Radio Caroline recording courtesy of Get Rowe’s show on Radio Dublin Channel 2 should be interesting, I am also hoping to hear that Horizon FM recording. I know ABC 80s had a recording from them before: hopefully it is a different one this time! It was fascinating to hear a Dublin reggae pirate of all things!

TheBMG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120876025#Comment_120876025

Question - does anybody know anything about that Horizon Radio? It’s a name that’s been used a bit over the years (most notably in Wicklow for the ILR station that formed the core of East Coast Radio)

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120876235#Comment_120876235

Judging by the recording that l heard, it was a north Dublin pirate. There were many smaller pirates over the decades that were often overlooked. Many would have been hobby horse stations. I suspect Horizon fell into that category.

Antenna

Dublin's Irish language station RnaL was being relayed on 1206kHz MW for a while last Sunday night. ( 1206 kHz is 249 metres on vintage radio dials in m)

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120895822#Comment_120895822

At one stage last weekend, 1440kh (208 metres) was relaying Dublin South FM! That is the frequency of Energy Power AM. 1206kh is used by Radio Daniella I believe.

Donuthead

1188 kHz is active with a relay of Ocean FM. It is only receivable on the Ireland Northwest SDR as far I can gather.

It's firing off a few harmonics too. 2376, 3564 kHz, etc.

Antenna

Unless its being received at another location(s) it may not be anything to get excited about. It could be just one of those micro transmitters very nearby the SDR to provide a feed to vintage radios without FM. The vintage forums nickname them 'Pantry transmitters'

KildareP

Having a listen around the band lately and the last of the 8200's have been retired from the airwaves of Dublin!

East Coast FM sounding as loud but significantly cleaner, they appear to have stayed within the Optimod stable but not sure of model. Sounding nice. Their 8200 was possibly the loudest on the planet but they've not gone for extreme loudness at all costs this time.

Nova similarly sounding a lot cleaner, no more thumping and pumping, another Optimod from the sounds of it.

While Dublin City FM appear to have gone with something from the Omnia stable instead which is tuned a lot more competitively than the 8200 was.

DublinsABC

ABC 80's Radio Memories this Sunday at 18.00 BST is "This is Ger Roe with a recording of the Free Radio Programme on Radio Dublin Channel 2 - .This is Ger Roe’s Free Radio Campaign Programme on Radio Dublin Channel 2 from January 18th 1984, just days after the closure of Cary’s Kiss FM. The recording was made off 98.8MHz FM and we join the programme at 8.10pm. And since I am in Waterford for the bank holiday here's -This is Rick Whelan on Waterford Local Radio from just after 10am on March 6th 1986. The recording was made off 100FM. " Enjoy Tune-in on 93.3 FM / liveradio.ie / Tune-in Radio / Alexa and https://kathy.torontocast.com:4365/stream With thanks to Radiowaves Ireland/ Anoraks Ireland Collection / Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with DX Archive

Donuthead

Radio Daniella (Pres) on 1197 kHz with 80s NOVA recordings.

Jason Maine sounds amazing!

Donuthead

energy 1440 just went off at 23:01

Why do they switch off so early?

Donuthead

Am I a noob asking that?

See Above!

TheBMG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120947846#Comment_120947846

Price of electricity? Maybe it was a school day the next day! Perhaps they’ll be on for bank holiday Monday

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120948186#Comment_120948186

Yes. Energy Power AM has been on today. From 1pm, they relayed Retro FM (also on 91.9FM).

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120947523#Comment_120947523

When did Radio Daniella move from 1206 khz? It is kind of hard to keep up with them!

dxhound2005

A new station was reported in England on Sunday 06 August, still on at 6.30 pm Monday. Relaying Caroline Flashback also like Daniella on 1197 kHz. It is an offshoot of Radio Caroline, on DAB around Norwich and Cambridge, as well as online. The only SDR hearing it in England as far as I can tell is in Pulham Market in Norfolk, with a good signal.

http://www.carolineflashback.co.uk/#home.html

Donuthead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120949688#Comment_120949688

To avoid flattening the Radio London RSL on 1206 kHz

https://www.biglradiolondon.co.uk/

Antenna

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120951386#Comment_120951386

To allow long distance listeners / DXers to try and hear it. It wouldn't interfere with it within its service area.

I have tried 1206 at night for Big L Radio London and heard nothing (it is reportedly on until August 14th). It is reportedly difficult to hear them even very locally!

1197kHz is also very clear at night since the closure of Absolute on AM. It was used for multiple filler transmitters for Absolute and before that fillers for the BBC R3 mediumwave network until that was closed in 1992 and went FM-only.

It was also the MW frequency of the original/ pirate WLR (referred to above by DublinsABC)

The two wooden poles (since gone) seen in this 2009 street view are remnants of their 1197, it was a T-antenna strung between the poles:

https://www.google.com/maps/@52.2592692,-7.1523334,3a,25.2y,311.53h,98.47t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sK3rtzysudy13aTu9Oiiy_A!2e0!5s20090401T000000!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu

A station in Co. Louth (Telstar) also used 1197 in the 1980s according to DX Archive

Daniella on 1197 were playing recordings from the original (1980s) Radio Nova, Sunshine 101, and NRG 103 a couple of nights ago

DublinsABC

ABC 80's Radio Memories this Sunday at 18.00 BST is "This is Ger Roe with a recording of the Free Radio Programme on Radio Annabel -From June 10th 1984 (Ps on a personal note loved this station when I was younger it was based around the corner from me in my youth) - Alternative Radio West January 26th 1982 - Mayo-based pirate station, which broadcast from Ballina. This recording was made on January 26th 1982 from 265metres and features the end of Tommy Murphy’s show, and he is followed by Éamonn Brooks from 11am." Enjoy Tune-in on 93.3 FM / liveradio.ie / Tune-in Radio / Alexa and https://kathy.torontocast.com:4365/stream With thanks to Radiowaves Ireland/ Anoraks Ireland Collection / Radio Retro: archiving Irish radio broadcasts in collaboration with Gary Hogg / DX Archive

Antenna

No sign of Radio Daniella the occasions I tried last weekend on either recent frequencies 1197 or 1206 kHz

On Saturday night I heard Energy 1440 relaying the webstream for the 100 year commemoration of the extremely shortlived (3 days? ) Dublin station 2BP - which appeared a few years before the forerunner of RTE (2RN) in 1926. Being played out I heard a documentary about the establishment of the BBC in the 1920s. The relay went off the air at 11PM. The MW relay would have allowed reception of the webstream on vintage radios (on 208m of their dials) !

A bit of significant MW news, in the UK , Gold Radio is due to close its London AM 1548kHz (194m) at the end of this month - which originally carried Capital Radio, then Capital Gold AM.

This is audible at night in Ireland

News – Ydun's Medium Wave Info

dxhound2005

Update on Ydun site, Gold now listed to close end of September.

DublinsABC

ABC 80's Radio Memories this Sunday at 18.00 BST is "Radio Caroline 21/6/1973 - Johnny Jason on air / Echo Community Radio 19/10/85 -Saturday afternoon 19th October 1985 programming. The recording starts with Aaron Burchell from around 2:30pm, and then Paul Barrett (?) takes over at 3pm. Recorded in the Sandymount area from 1071kHz with some co-channel interference towards the end, possibly from either Longford Community Radio or the Radio Carousel Northern Service. ." Enjoy Tune-in on 93.3 FM / liveradio.ie / Tune-in Radio / Alexa and https://kathy.torontocast.com:4365/stream With thanks to Offshore Archives