AM Archives - Page 9 of 55 - Irish Pirate Radio Audio Archive

15th November 202315th November 2023

Radio Nova as heard in English midlands

By the summer of 1984, Radio Nova was riding the crest of a wave. Having endured the storm of the RTÉ jamming, the station was now broadcasting a massive 50kW of power on AM, allowing it greater penetration of the northwest of Britain. After using various FM and AM frequencies to avoid the jamming, in May 1984 Nova switched to 738 kHz and 102.7 FM only, opened an advertising office in Liverpool and began including references to England in news, weather and traffic reports.

This recording was made in the English midlands near Birmingham, south of the area being targetted by Nova in the northwest of England, southern Scotland and the Isle of Man. There is plenty of co-channel interference from the Spanish broadcaster on the same frequency of 738 kHz and deep fading consistent with night-time propagation. Transmitter power would also have been turned down to 10kW at night to minimise interference. On air is Chris Barry, a well-known DJ from the pirate era and later licensed independent radio. News on the hour is read by another familiar Nova voice, Sybil Fennell.

The recording was made on 6^th July 1984 from 2137 to 2307 and is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England.

27th October 20234th January 2024

Death of Radio North operator, Paul Barnett

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It is with great sadness that we learned today of the death of Paul Barnett, aka Paul Burbank or Paul Bentley following a battle with cancer. Paul was the operator of long-running AM pirate Radio North from Donegal and previously ran another station from that county, WABC. We thank Ian Biggar for writing this tribute for Pirate.ie.

I first got in contact with Paul in late 1987 when I heard his station, WABC on 107 FM back home in the west of Scotland. I received a friendly letter from Paul giving full details of his radio station that was broadcasting from north Donegal. Paul was from Mansfield in the English midlands and had moved with his Irish-born wife and family to set up a business in Coleraine. With Paul’s background in pirate radio it was a given that he would start a station and thus WABC was born, aiming its signal towards Coleraine and the Causeway coast.

WABC built up a strong audience over the next year, but like others had to close with the introduction of the broadcasting bill in Ireland on 31st December 1988. However, with the continuation of Radio North, Paul took the initiative and put WABC back on the air in mid June 1989. The station was now located in the family home in Greencastle.

We visited the station in May 1990 when Paul was running two formats, namely WABC Gold on 101.2 MHz and WABC Hot Hots on 101.5 MHz. It was always great to meet Paul as his enthusiam for radio was always infectious. I often was able to listen to both stations back at home on the west coast of Scotland.

In March 1991 I received a note from Paul saying that due to family commitments he and his family were returning to Mansfield. Paul then got involved with commercial radio with Gem AM in Nottingham and was a regular presenter. However, by the late 90s Paul was back in Donegal and running Radio North on 846 kHz and in time brought back WABC. However, his time was focused on Radio North which continues its format of country, oldies and religious programming on 846 kHz. Let’s hope Radio North can carry on and therefore continue Paul’s legacy.

RIP Paul and thank you for playing your significant part in the Irish era.

The recording is of the announcement by DJ Steven Lynch of Paul’s death on Radio North on Friday 27^th October 2023. It is courtesy of Neil Sweeney.

4th October 20232nd October 2023

Lunchtime shows on Radio Cill Dara

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Radio Cill Dara commenced regular programmes in March 1978 following teat transmissions, on an announced wavelength of 270 metres medium wave, but using an off-channel crystal cut for 1120.5 kHz. The station was based in Naas in Co. Kildare, but announced a contact address in Newbridge. A mixed music format was broadcast including the latest pop, along with oldies, country and new Irish sounds. Community news and interviews were also featured.

Transmissions were scheduled initially on Sundays from 1000-1800, later extending to Saturdays and Wednesday nights. The staff included ex Radio Dublin DJs Jimmy St Ledger, Johnny Day and Alistair Mac. Radio Cill Dara celebrated its first birthday on 18^th February 1979 and as they had never suffered a raid in that first year, they made it a double celebration! The station continued through 1979, but suffered technical problems with the 500-watt transmitter.

It is not clear when transmissions on medium wave finished, but Radio Cill Dara International appeared on 6260 kHz shortwave later in the year. It was logged for example on 28^th October. Transmissions were made most Sundays from 1000-1300, but had disappeared by the following year.

The recording is from 4^th June 1978 from 1200-1238 and features the end of Johnny Day’s programme followed by Jimmy St Ledger. Thanks to Jimmy for the audio and to Ian Biggar for accompanying text.

2nd October 202315th June 2024

Border series: Erneside Community Radio heard in English midlands

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Erneside Community was one of several pirates broadcasting from Co. Cavan during the 1980s. It was a strong supporter of local country and western artists throughout its four years on air. Erneside began test transmissions in January 1985 and started full programming on 25^th February, broadcasting on 1251 kHz (announcing 240 metres). A detailed report by Seán Brady of Cavan Community Radio in the Anoraks UK Weekly Report of 31^st March 1985 described the ‘Cavan Radio Explosion’ and noted that Erneside broadcast from 8am to midnight, specialising mostly in Irish country and western music. Erneside also had an outside broadcast unit that had travelled to Counties Cavan, Leitrim and Fermanagh and carried community notices each day. The station later added FM and continued to broadcast until 30^th December 1988.

This tape was recorded in the English midlands and is of DX quality, with plenty of deep fading and interference. No times were noted on the cassette, but it was made during the afternoon of 13^th November 1985 as winter darkness fell. There are adverts from both sides of the border in the run-up to the busy Christmas period. The first DJ is Brian Gold and he is followed by Don Woods.

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

25th September 202323rd September 2023

Jason Maine on Radio Nova

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In the summer of 1984, things were looking up for Radio Nova following the end of RTÉ’s relentless jamming of the station for the early part of the year. A public backlash led to the jamming being called off but although the obstacles to reception of Nova had been removed, storm clouds were gathering due to a bitter industrial relations dispute with journalists laid off by Chris Cary.

This tape is of Jason Maine’s evening programme as heard in the English midlands around this time. It was recorded from the high-power transmitter on 738 kHz AM, which had recently become the only AM frequency following the end of the jamming. The weather forecast contains reference to the northwest of England as Nova was targetting that area at the time.

The recording features good skywave reception with fading and occasional co-channel interference from the Spanish station on the same frequency. It was made on Monday 28^th May 1984 from 2141-2211 and is from the Leon Tipler Tapes Collection, donated to us by Steve England.