1983 Archives - Page 11 of 21 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

15th November 20217th November 2021

Radio Nova as heard in Cumbria

Radio Nova courted listeners on the west coast of Britain throughout its five-year existence from 1981-1986. By the spring of 1983, it had a 10 kW transmitter in operation on 819 kHz, with a 50 kW rig ready to go into service. Expansion plans were set back by the infamous raid of 18^th Mary 1983, and when it returned to the air, Nova operated on lower power for a while and switched frequencies between 828 kHz and 819 kHz.

This recording was made from 828 kHz AM in Cumbria on 29^th June 1983 from 2045-2115. Colm Hayes is on air announcing AM only, because Nova’s 88 FM frequency was at this time used for an specialist service called Super Nova every evening. News is read by David Malone. Reception is reasonably strong but noticeably weaker than in other periods and it would be autumn 1983 before Nova resumed high-power broadcasting on AM.

This recording is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England.

27th October 202123rd October 2021

Non-stop Radio Annabel

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Here’s another recording of Dublin pirate station Radio Annabel made from 98.1 FM on 20^th September 1983. The station also broadcast on 1035 kHz AM at this time. Continuous music with jingles and stations idents are heard. There are no timechecks, so this could be an automated show, possibly for broadcast overnight. Radio Annabel was one of the smaller Dublin pirates of the early 1980s, broadcasting from Parnell Square in the north inner-city from 1983 to 1985.

Thanks to Shay Geoghegan for the donation.

25th October 202123rd October 2021

After Dark on Radio Annabel

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Radio Annabel was one of the smaller Dublin pirates of the early 1980s, broadcasting from the north inner-city from 1983 to 1985. It began testing in September 1983 after the merger of two smaller stations, Westside Radio and ABC. After first using 1035 kHz and then 981, Radio Annabel eventually settled on 1323. The station was heard around 98 FM in the early days but later added 91.8 MHz. Radio Annabel was well-known among anoraks because of the weekly Free Radio Show presented by Gerard Roe. It closed down in March 1985 due to financial problems.

This recording was made from FM from 2134-2220 on 20th September 1983, shortly after the station’s launch. Steve Jones finishes his show and hands over to Paul McCafferty at 10pm with ‘Annabel After Dark’. The frequencies announced are 290 metres (roughly 1035 kHz) and 98.1 FM. Thanks to Shay Geoghegan for the donation.

8th September 20218th September 2021

Robbie Robinson closes 3rd Sunshine charity auction

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This is the final section of the 3^rd annual Sunshine Radio charity auction in aid of the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC). Station owner Robbie Robinson (RIP) auctions one of that year’s big prizes, a holiday to Portugal donated by Joe Walsh Tours. He then calls the founder of the CRC Lady Valerie Goulding to tell her that Sunshine has raised over £22,000 that year. As the letter above indicates, by 1985 the auction had brought in over £100,000 for the CRC, a considerable amount for the time and evidence of Sunshine’s commitment to charitable causes.

Another item of interest in this recording is a advert placed by the Association of Independent Broadcasters in Ireland, a group formed by some of the commercial pirate stations to represent the sector. News at 9pm is read by Caroline Callaghan.

This recording was made from 2054-2132 on 11^th April 1983. It is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated by Steve England.

6th September 20218th September 2021

Live on-air bidding at Sunshine’s 3rd charity auction

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The third Sunshine Radio charity auction for the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) was held in 1983 and continued to build on the success of earlier years. This is the final part of the first day’s 12-hour auction programme, presented by the late Robbie Robinson. There is live on-air bidding for the Sunshine Extravaganza, an evening gala concert with music, food and drink, all profits from which went to the CRC. News is read by Emer Dolan (Woodfull). Within a month, Sunshine would be put off the air when the station was raided by the authorities in a crackdown on pirate radio.

The recording was made from 2053-2139 on 9^th April 1983. It is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England.