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Editor: - Roland C. Pearson. Editorial Office: -
Sub-Editor: - Penelope Page. 31, Avondale Road,
Technical Adviser: - Don Scott,
Benfleet,
Circulation Officer: - Diane Foale. Essex SS7 1EH,
ENGLAND.
Issue Number 6.
Caroline 10th Anniversary Edition. Price 12p (Overseas 3 IRC's)
EDITORIAL. Hello and welcome to this, our 6th Edition. We're with you a little sooner than last time; "5" was delayed not only by the national paper-shortage but also by your Editor being rushed into hospital not once but twice! Thank you all for the good wishes and cards I received; and very special thanks to RONAN, CHARLOTTE and MICHAEL LINDSAY for their visits, and CHRIS and KATE CARY, and the staff of Caroline House, for their respective get-well telegrams.
The mailing of "Monitor" has been considerably speeded-up by the computerizing of our addressing. Our thanks to Roy Brooker for dealing with this on the FRC's Addressograph. Another problem we have You the reader can solve. Your names do not go forward to our mailing list for the next issue until payment for the current one is received; unfortunately we CANNOT accept crossed postal orders or cheques. So to make sure that you receive your copy of the next "Monitor", and to avoid inconvenience and additional expense on our part, please remember to make your remittance an uncrossed P. O.
This magazine comes to you with all of L.A. Remember to wear yours every day: Happiness to you all.
At midnight on the morning of Easter Sunday, a very special programme began with the record "What the World needs now is Love/Abraham, Martin and John" by Tom Clay. Eight minutes later, Bob Noakes announced that with him in the studio were Mike Wall Garland, Brian Anderson, Mike Hagler and Norman Barrington. "They're with me for a very special reason - to celebrate Radio Caroline's 10th birthday".
What better way to start the celebrations than to play "Caroline" by the Fortunes? Following that, Bob took us back to the very start of Caroline, from the M.V. Frederika, with the aid of one of Caroline's first DJ's, SIMON DEE.
Simon, interviewed by Peter Chicago, reminisced about the state of the ship,
"We were quite a lethal ship in those days, we didn't have much protection against all that high voltage stuff, but we stood wary of it and the first unofficial test-transmissions; one was conducted while the ship was still in Greenore harbour, where she had been fitted out,
"The day before we sailed we had a few people ashore with receivers to test the strength; we were punching out Ray Charles music, The Scandinavian engineer had forgotten to put in a piece of rather vital equipment and every one within a radius of something like 100 miles who had their television sets on found that whatever was on was drowned out by Ray Charles".
"We also had a little test on Good Friday. We dropped anchor at 7.30 and after we'd had a few beers, I think we had a little test". That first test was, in fact, from 17.00-17.15, It comprised records only. There was a longer test later, from 21.00-22.00, during which a voice that was later known to be Chris Moore introduced a few of the records, but gave no identifications or details of the station.
Simon was 28 at the time. Although he was born in Ottawa, he had lived in England since he was 11, except for 5 years in the forces, when he was stationed in Cyprus and the Far East. Over a year had gone by between the time he had met Ronan at London's 'Scene' club and agreed to be a disc jockey on the projected station and the time when Ronan phoned him to join the Frederika, re-named Caroline, at his Father's harbour in Southern Ireland.
Chicago: "They must have been exciting days when you sailed out of the harbour" "0h, amazing days.". After the Beatles sang "Can't buy me love" for us, Simon went on to talk about some of the excitement that everyone felt in the early days, and the not-so-secret journey dawn the Irish Sea. "We were then quite a singularly original figure; we were covered with wires and aerials, and unless some Body thought we were some sort of advanced trawler.... Chicago: - "Yes! It was there for all to See".
Before Simon's interview was over, the Beatles had also performed "Revolution", and the Beach Boys had treated us to "Good Vibrations". Simon assured us that right the start he'd had every faith in Ronan, but that he’d expected some opposition after they’d anchored: "I did, presume there would be some sort of challenge; and I looked forward to it, actually!".
The ' Venturous' incident was related to us: "It was something new happening on the show that -particular day. Instead of talking about the seagulls end the jelly-
fish and the temperature I suddenly said '0h, there's a ship off the port quarter, it looks like H. M. Customs and Excise vessel not realizing that H.M. Customs ashore were actually quite freaking because they realized the ship was coming alongside but didn't anticipate the progress of it being transmitted to the whole of the South East coast "
Early Caroline listeners will remember that H. M. Customs asked permission to board Caroline to inspect the bonded stores, but were refused by the Captain on the grounds that such action was illegal as Caroline was anchored in international waters. An offer to send just one man aboard via lifeboat was not accepted. After Simon had announced that the Customs vessel had left, he played us a record with a message: "Everything's Alright" by the Mojos!
Caroline had many friends ashore, including the airmen of the U. S. Air Force's 81st Tactical Fighter Wing based at Bentwaters rear Felixstowe. "They used to home in on Caroline instead of on their base because it was some music, something to listen to as they were flying around".
In the summer of '64,Simon was one day doing his show lying on deck, "We took it in turns to do one anothers show, one would lie in the sun while the other did the engineering down below", when two USAF Phantoms (actually, Simon, they would have been F-101A Voodoos! Ed) with yellow-helmeted pilots passed over the ship "Lower than the mast!". They wheeled around, while the DJ's took photos of them, "Then they blasted away into the wild blue yonder and that was the end of that - we thought. About 10 minutes later; well they'd gone up really high, to some amazing height like 30 or 40 thou (sand feet), and they'd come down and done a transonic dive on us, and the whole ship SHOOK! They had decided to blast us with a sonic boom, and they had aimed the whole boom at the ship, one after the other, and the first one just shook everything, it shook the needle off the record, the beer fell off the table; and everyone was just picking themselves up again when the next one came down and gave us number two! They roared by us waving, it was all rather merry".
Simon's final message was: "I believe in freedom and all my friends do, and the spoken word and the word of honest love and peace from all the youngsters of the world; and if we can put it out on radio, then let's keep doing it! I think they've been an amazing ten years in the history of pop music and I hope there's going to be another ten years like them; and as far as I'm concerned I count it as a privilege and a great honour to have been involved at the start of it all, and good luck to you and all the Gang!". Chicago: "I hope that dial of yours remains firmly on 259!"
"259, the sounds are divine!" "That's it'. God bless; bye bye, Simon".
"Peace to you all!".
And what record could fellow that message but "We've got to have Peace" by Curtiss Mayfield? Back to the studio, where Bob spoke of the merger between Caroline and Atlanta, and the introduction of the network; the "Caroline" sailing to the Isle of Man to become Caroline North and the "Mi Amigo" remaining off Frinton as Caroline South. By that time Peter van Dyken and Samantha Dubois had joined the team in the studio. It had been decided that everyone on board would speak of how they relate to the station. Norman's turn came first; he described for us his feelings on the Return of Caroline in December 1972, when he first joined the station, and gave us a little of the exciting story of the towing-in and subsequent "escape" of the "Mi Amigo", which regular readers will recall was presented in detail in "Monitor" Number 3.
Bob: -"What was the ship like in those days, bearing in mind it'd been in harbour for four years?" Norman: "Oh well, let's say it showed signs of it still!". Bob then played the music "which really sums it all up as far as Radio Caroline is concerned": George Harrison with "Give me love, give me peace on Earth". George continued then with "Something", after Mike had given us a few words about "L.A." For the next part of the programme, Norman took the chair. He had for us some recordings of the transmissions from the "Caroline" as she sailed around to her new mooring in Ramsey Bay; "This is Radio Caroline, sailing west along the south coast of England. We picked up anchor just after midnight this morning off Harwich and been sailing ever since. It's a glorious day, very calm sea and there's this beautiful yacht coming towards us with a blue hull". At the time "Caroline" was passing St. Leonard’s-on-Sea, about six miles from the Royal Sovereign Light. Many listeners showed their interest in the move by participating in events; the blue yacht was answering an "interception appeal", and later many people in cars parked along the seafront at Brighton flashed their lights at the ship when asked to do so over the air. After playing "You've got a friend" by James Taylor and "New World Rising" by E.L.O., Norman handed the microphone back to Bob, who gave us a few words about the original need for Caroline, then interviewed Brian Andersen about his first impressions of the station. Brian: "I can remember it very well, I was about eleven years old at the time and I just could not believe listening to music all day, which had never happened in England before. I think what Caroline did also was to invent the 'Disc Jockey' because before Caroline, announcers on the radio had been very remote people". Bob recalled when he was about eleven or twelve "putting up enormous aerials in the
garden to try and receive Radio Luxembourg, which, I realize now, at that time was really terrible; but there was just nothing else that played top-40-type music". Brian: "But Caroline created a whole new atmosphere in broadcasting because you could listen to Caroline and you were happy, because the people on Caroline were happy. You couldn't listen in to Caroline without feeling happy".
Mike Hagler then told us why he chose to join Caroline rather than any other station. "It seemed to me that what I was listening to on Caroline exhibited a kind of freedom I was looking for in broadcasting. Basically, I'm just trying to communicate my feelings the best way that I can; I feel that Caroline is the kind of station that people will listen to". "Music was brought back into the proceedings by Gill Scott Heron, with "Needle's Eye". Following that, Bob continued his interviewing with Mike and Norman, discussing what "free" radio really means. Norman: "I think it basically means radio free of government control".
After another Beatles' song, this time "Across the Universe", Bob introduced to us an interview that Chicago had taped with Caroline's first programme director, CHRIS MOORE. It was his job to decide on format and feature shows, and together with Simon Dee he was responsible for all the first programmes. Although he was born in America, in Washington, he has lived in Europe nearly all his life; he came over here at the age of eight. When he joined Caroline he was no newcomer to life at sea, for at the age of eighteen he travelled the world in the Merchant Navy. Chris had the privilege of officially opening Radio Caroline on Easter Saturday 1964. His, and Caroline's, first programme began at about 12.03; the first record he played was Caroline's theme tune of the time, "Around Midnight" by Jimmy McGriff.
Chris. "We had no idea of whether the signal we were pumping out was in fact even reaching anyone or if it had any meaning at all; we had no contact with land at all, we were just broadcasting into the void without any idea of what kind of effect we were having. On Easter Sunday, or the day after, the Papers came out in all kinds of boats and launches and all sorts of things, At that point we actually realized that we obviously were having some effect somewhere. It was a very good feeling, a feeling of success, having put the thing together and then here they all were, all the papers etc...." Chicago: "All coming to see YOU!" "All coming to see us:"
Chris ended with the message to Caroline. "I wish you all the luck in the world, and I’m very pleased with what you are doing and I hope that every thing goes okay for you. Keep up the good work, baby:"
The Caroline favourite "Within you Without you" from the Beatles was the music that led us into yet another recorded interview with someone who needs no introduction to "Monitor" readers! Chicago. "BUSTER, you've been a listener to Caroline since the very early days, haven't you?" Buster: "That is true, yes! I picked it up on Easter Saturday, 1964, about 10 minutes after it first came on the air at twelve noon. It was some minutes before I realized it was coming from a boat! I was very excited and I've not stopped listening to boats since'.
Chicago asked for a few "memorable moments". "The return of Caroline in 1972 was a great thrill.. "We haven't looked back since then, with the exception of the masts; but now you've got a good strong one up there". Chicago: "We've had more than our fair share of troubles, but always seem to come bouncing back". "I think it's wonderful the obstacles you've overcome, but I think all those problems are now in the past and we can look forward to the future with confidence".
"Is there any thing else you'd like to say?" "On behalf of the listeners, I should like to take this opportunity of wishing Radio Caroline a very happy 10th Anniversary, and particularly I would like to thank Ronan for giving us the station. May Caroline's next 10 years be even more successful:" "It’s been very nice talking to you". Thank you for giving me the opportunity".
Pete Seeger was the only person who could make adequate comment: "We shall overcome"! He was followed by a song we've all come to know and love. "Caroline" by The Fortunes. The Beatles, with "All you need is Love", led us back into the studio party. The Beatles then performed "A day in the life" for us, following which Bob had more words to say about changing attitudes. Brian feels that Caroline has changed him: "To me, such a bunch of people who are so enthusiastic, and have got such wonderful ideas, is an incredible thing to be involved with. Going away, and going back to my old job for a few months, I really began to miss it so much that when the opportunity arose to come back, then I took it".
Bob: " When you first came on board, the ship was fresh out of harbour and being rebuilt; the attitude on board was one of ‘ not so much a job, more a way of life’." "Yes, that’s very, very true, it does tend to become a way of life. Everyone on aboard does so much, it’s not just a question of doing programmes". "The people we’ve got on board, they all come from different walks of life, but they all have one thing in common, the drive and desire to change something which we think is wrong". Bob played us another favourite, "Flying to the Sun-Sweet Caroline" by New Riders of the Purple Sage which, just went to prove that not even the Caroline spirit is always perfect,
chose to stick and jump annoyingly, He then interviewed the "newest recruit to the broadcasting staff", Samantha Dubois: "It's such a lovely atmosphere on board, so beautiful. I've been on the ship around about 2 months altogether; about a year ago as cook. I'd been cooking for 13 men three times a day with another young lady called Debbie England, and for 3 weeks now I've been on the air, trying to bring some happiness to people that are lonely, trying to bring some Peace and Love".
It was Norman's turn then to reply to Bob's question, "What was the one moment that YOU put most Peace and Love across?" "We had a discussion about February where we just said what we felt we had a tremendous response to that". And Bob's question to Mike: "What do you think is the principal massage that we can have today?" "Don't look outside yourself for what lies within". Fore music then, "Superstition" and "Big Brother" from Stevie Wonder. Bob then found himself being interviewed, by Norman. Bob. "I first heard Caroline broadcasting in 1964 or 5, but I didn't really consider joining the station. I worked for the BBC, which was a bit of a mistake; I worked for Radio Eire which was - er - a bit of a mistake! I couldn't make any job on land work for me - and suddenly Caroline reappeared back from the dead, and by an amazingly long involved story I suddenly found myself not just thinking about Caroline but being on the ship. I ended up within 2 days 150 feet above the ship putting up a new mast. It surpassed in every respect anything I'd done before, and I've been here ever since. We're not polluting the ether; we're putting across a message, which I believe in, I think all of us here believe in, too". Samantha: "Amen!"
To follow a comment like that, it could only be John Lennon, After he had sung "Working class hero", we found Mike Hagler in the chair, wanting to talk about women. "Samantha", do you think women are slaves, or does that really exist?" "It won’t exist and it doesn't exist if you don't want it to, that's all I can say about it". Everyone then discussed the subject of having women working on radio until Paul McCartney performed "'Baby I'm Amazed"; Mike dedicated the song to Andy Archer who was in Belgium with the Caroline Roadshow.
Jaap de Haan, an engineer, then spoke to us. Mike. "How long are you working here?" Jaap "One and a half years", "What were you doing before you came here?" "I was working in a garage" "That I would imagine is quite a big difference!"
The young people of Framlingham Colege, regular correspondents to Andy Archer's School's programme, were credited with "turning us on to this next record": "First and Last Man" from Ralph McTell's album "Streets of London". Mike- "I came onto the ship when it was called Radio Seagull. One of the records I got turned onto we played a lot because it seemed to refer quite well to the whole idea that we were trying to communicate". It was, of course, "Seagull" by the Incredible String Band. As the record ended, we heard Samantha say "Nice track, I don't know what it was called, but very nice"!
Samantha then took us through until close down at 04.00. She dedicated her first record, "I just wanner make love to you" by Van Morrison for all the men on all sorts of ships - for their wives. After about half an hour of good music, she interviewed Peter van Dyken. Samantha: "How long have you been with Radio Caroline?" Peter "It's now for one and a half years" "What sort of work do you do here?" "As a sailor; I do painting and things, on deck, working" "Are you on Caroline for the same reason as I am?" "It's a nice life on the sea, music and everything" "And Love and Peace?" "Yes."
normal programming ensued. The party was officially over, but the atmosphere continued: "Bob, how long have you been on the ship now?" "Five foot Nine!"
Many more of 'em, Caroline!
Penelope Page Sub-editor.
The full day of Flemish-language broadcasting from Radio Mi Amigo was on January 2nd and ran as follows: - 05.00-06.00 Non-Stop Music, 06 .00-08.00 Bert Bennett, 09.00-11.00 Norbert, 11.00-13.00 Wil van der Steen, 13-00-15-00 Jeep Verhoof, 15.00-16.00 Mike Moorkens, 16-00-17.00 Bert Bennett, 17.00-18.00 Non-Stop Music, 18.00-19.00 Mike Moorkens, 19.00-20.00 GMT Secco. This format, with minor alterations, was to set the pattern of weekday broadcasts for the next few weeks. The station's backer is a wealthy Belgian businessman named Sylvain Tack, owner of the Suzy Waffles bakery and the Start record company. His programme director, at this time, was Eddie de Boeck.
It was Eddie who produced the weekly rock ’n roll show called "Rock at One O’clock", which was transmitted every Saturday lunch-time between 12.00-13.00 GMT. The initial show in the series was broadcast on January 5th, and it was Eddie himself who hosted it under the name of Eddie Emery! Still with the 5th, Secco, during his evening programme, interviewed a Canadian DJ called Robbie Ronson who said he was about to join Radio Seagull, however, he was never heard again on 259 metres! Weekend programmes differed considerably from those of weekdays. In addition to the rock ‘n roll programme already mentioned, Saturdays had the "De Soep Show" presented by Wil van der Steen from 11.00-12.00 GMT. Special programmes on Sundays included "The Mi Amigo Top 15" (first heard on Jan.6th), & the "Jopie Top 50", which was heard for the first
time on Jan.13th when it was introduced by Ad Petersen.
On January 10th Radio Mi Amigo started their daily one-hour English Service (19.00-20.00 GMT); this was broadcast live from the boat, and it was Norman Barrington who was to be found behind the microphone for the next twenty-two days, until he handed over to Brian Anderson on Feb.1st. In the following weeks a number of new DJ's were to be heard on Radio Mi Amigo, some did not remain for long. Thijs van de Molen, for instance, was heard only once, from 10.00-11.00 GMT on Jan.13th; Frans van der Drift appeared for the first time between 18.00-19.00 GMT on the 21st; and the first Paul Severs Show was aired on Jan.27th (09.00-10.00 GMT), Paul, incidentally, is one of Belgium's most popular singers. At the end of the month the Mi Amigo organisation moved their studios from Caroline House in The Hague to Wilhelminastraat 24a in Breda, and this is where their programmes are now recorded.
In Part III of this chronicle I briefly reported the re-opening, on Jan.7th, of Radio Seagull. Broadcasting for nine hours per day this was the principal source of English programmes on 259 metres. Three noteworthy events in the station's short history were the arrival on Jan.18th of a 26 year-old Californian named Mike Hagler (Mike tells me that he had previously worked for stations KRLA and KABC, both in Los Angeles, also KPPC-FM in Pasadena, which is a suberb of Los Angeles). The unexpected reappearance on Jan.25th of Tony Allan, Tony had been away in Israel working for the Peace ship: and lastly Tony's announcement at 05.00 GMT on Feb.6th that the transmitter was now operating on its full 50 kW! Then, on the evening of February 23rd, the station's name suddenly reverted to Radio Caroline, and Seagull was no more. Here are the complete details of the DJ's who were heard during the station's forty-eight days on the air-
DJ Name. First Show. Last Show. Number of hours on the air.
(Excluding shared programmes)
ANDY ARCHER 7-1-74 22-2-74 (61)
JOHNNY JASON 7-1-74 22-2-74 (62)
B0B NOAKES 8-1-74 19-2-74 (47)
NORMAN BARRINGTON 9-1-74 23-2-74 (50)
BRIAN ANDERSON 11-1-74 11-2-74 (24)
CHARLOTTE RIBBELINK 13-1-74 (1 programme only) .
RENE VAN DE SNOEK 13-1-74 (1 programme only, with Charlotte).
MIKE HAGLER 20-1-74 22-2-74 (44)
TONY ALLAN 25-1-74 11-2-74 (34)
PETER CHICAGO 3-2-74 4-2-74 (6)
MICKEY MERCER 5-2-74 23-2-74 (16)
Meanwhile, Radio Mi Amigo continued to gain in popularity with the listeners in Belgium and Holland. Here is a sample of their Sunday programmes as heard on Feb.17th. 05.00-06.00 n/s music, 06.00-08.00 Bert Bennett, 08.00-09.00 Joop Verhoof, 09.00--10.00 Paul Severs Show, 10.00-11.00 Netherlands Top 15 presented by Norbert, 11.00-14.00 "De Joepie Top 50" Ad Peterson, 14.00-15.00 "The Flashback Show" Joop Verhoof, 15.00-16.00 n/s music, 16.00-17.00 Joop Verhoof, 17.00-17.30 Dominee Toornvliet, 17.30-18.00 "The Secco Show" (presented in Secco's absence by Wil van der Steen), 18.00-19.00 Wil van der Steen, 19.00-20.00 GMT Norman Barrington. And a glance at their weekday programming for this period reveals that few changes had taken place in the basic formula, e.g. Feb.22nd; 05.00-06.00 n/s music, 06.00-08.00 Bert Bennett, 08.00-09.00 n/s music, 09.00-11.00 Norbert, 11.00-13.00 Frans van der Drift, 13.00-15.00 Joop Verhoof, 15.00-17.00 Mike Moorkens, 17.00-18.00 "The Secco Show" Wil van der Steen, 18.00-19.00 n/s music, 19.00-20.00 GMT Brian Anderson.
Caroline's long-awaited return to 259 metres occurred at 20.00 GMT on February 23rd, and commenced predictably with the playing of the "Caroline." theme. The first voice to be heard was that of Andy Archer who broke the good news to us. The programmes that night was split up into the same four segments as used on the defunct Seagull 20.00-22.00 Andy, 22.00-24.00 Mike Hagler, 24.00-02.00 Norman Barrington, & 02.00-05.00 GMT -Bob Noakes. The next memorable occasion was on Feb.27th, when during the 20.00-22.00 show which was being hosted by Brian Anderson, there was a live link-up with Hilversum 3. This took place at 21.06 GMT and although only about six minutes in duration was highly interesting while it lasted. Somebody called Ton van Duinhoven opened up the proceedings from shore by saying; "hello there, Caroline: Can you tell me something? We've got complaints here in Hilversum, they say you're so loud - can't you turn it down a bit. You're overpowering Hilversum 3 during daytime; What's happening there?" Brian replied. "Well, I'll turn you over to our chief-engineer on board – did you hear that Chicago?". Chicago then came to the microphone and said. "Well, of course, we do have the advantage, not only having a 50 kW transmitter, which is quite a powerful combination anyway, but having our aerials above the sea water, the efficiency of the aerial system becomes very high, and our 50 kilowatts here is prob-
ably equivalent to, well something between 100 and maybe a 200 kW transmitter operated on land.. Which is the reason we have such an excellent signal".
Ton: "Peter baby listen? We've got only 10 kilowatts, so what are you doing? What are you trying to do - kill us?" Chicago: "We are aiming at a pretty wide audience; we are, we hope an international station". Ton again. The only thing I know that when I came in here there was a note that several phone calls had been coming in during the daytime, that people were asking us how is it possible that Mi. Amigo is so much stronger than you, can't you turn it up a bit. We can't because we've got this f...ing 10 kilowatts - you know what I mean?" To which Chicago responded: "Well, I sympathize with you, but you do have the advantage, of course, of being an FM station, and I believe a lot of your listeners have got the advantage of the quality of FM, which is something in which we envy you. I live sometimes in Leidschendam when I'm in Holland and I listen to you on FM and the signals really excellent, especially when you're broadcasting stereo. I'm sorry if you do have a problem with us being close to your frequency". The link-up came to an end with the playing of "When I Look into Your Eyes" by Santana.
On the DJ front a second American, Mickey Mercer, was heard on Caroline on Feb. 25th (0200-04.00 GMT. Mickey comes from Seattle in Washington, but now lives in Delft with his wife Sue and young son Lance, Brian Anderson was heard on Feb.26th (20.00-22.00 GMT); followed by Chicago on Feb.28th (02.00-05.00 (GMT); and the lovely Samantha Dubois on March 6th (02.00-05.00 GMT), Samantha is a Dutch girl who speaks English with a pronounced New Zealand accent having spent her childhood in that country. The next new voice belonged to Peter van Dyken, he did two programmes in Dutch, Mar.8th (03.00-05.00 GMT) & Mar.16th (02.00-03.00 GMT). A familiar voice from last year, Michael Wall-Garland, better known as 'Mike the Poet', was to be heard again on Mar.20th (03.00-05.00 BST). Then on Mar.30th we heard the first 25 minutes (23.00-23.25 BST) of what had been billed as a two-hour show on tape from Michael Lindsay, the remaining hour and thirty-five minutes were hastily filled in by Andy and Mike Hagler.
A dramatic incident occurred in the early hours of March 3rd, which once more involved Peter Chicago. The time was approaching 05.00 GMT, and he was coming towards the end of his three-hour programme, when a fire broke out in part of the ship's heating system injuring the two crew members who had been working on it. Both were quite badly burned and in need of medical attention. Chicago made an immediate announcement over the air telling listeners exactly what had happened and asking them to pass on his message to a telephone number in the Hook of Holland; he repeated this several times, and thinking that no action was being taken by those on land gave out a second telephone number which was in Leidschendam. Then at 05.37 GMT he announced that they were in contact with the shore and that there was no need to continue phoning the two numbers he had given out. Upwards of 80 people took the trouble to ring the Hook of Holland number and over 60 phoned up the one in Leidschendam. Nearly all of them calling from Britain. Listeners were pleased to learn that within a week both the injured men, Jaap de Haan and Peter van Dyken had recovered sufficiently to return to their duties aboard the radio-ship.
It was nice to see Andy Archer featured in a full-page article in the March 16th issue of "Record & Radio Mirror". Andy first joined Caroline on December 13th 1967, when the ship was anchored off Frinton-on-Sea, and he was heard on the air between 18.00-21.00 GMT the same evening. One of our readers, J. S. Miller of Grangetown, put into words what so many of us feel when he wrote to "Monitor" saying: "...to me Andy is Caroline".
Taking a look at the programmes of Radio Mi Amigo for Friday March 8th we find that they now run as follows: - 05.00-06.00 n/s music, 06.00-08.00 Bert Bennett, 08.00-09.00 "De Mike Show" Mike Moorkens, 09.00-11.00 Norbert, 11.00-13.00 Frans van den Drift, 13.00-15.00 Joop Verhoof, 15.00-17.00 "De Mike Show" Mike Moorkens, 17.00-18.00 "The Secco Show", 18.00-19.00 n/s music, 19.00-20.00 Brian Anderson. Whilst Caroline, on the same day, had the following lined-up for our listening pleasure 20.00-22.00 Andy Archer, 22.00-24.00 Brian Anderson, 24.00-02.00 Chicago, & 02.00-05.00 GMT Samantha Dubois. The neat day, March 9th, Radio Mi Amigo extended their English Service: to two hours daily, so that it now started at 18.00 GMT.
Radio Mi Amigo was experiencing its fare share of disc-jockey changes. On March 1st a new name was heard on the 18.00-19.00 GMT show, this was Peter Pan (alias Eddie de Boeck once again!), but he only remained. until March 5th. The last "Rock at One O’Clock" to be hosted by Eddie Emery occurred on Mar.9th. It was at this time that Eddie de Boeck left his job as Programme Director with Radio Mi Amigo, having put the station firmly on the road to success. He is now running his own disco business in Gent. March 14th saw the ship's cook Paul Brandt do a single live show in Dutch, on what should have been an English programme from 18,00-19.00 GMT; the first of Paul's regular live shows for the Flemish Service began on March 24th (06.00-07.00 BST). Secco did his last show between 18.30-19.00 BST also on March 24th, and then he too left the station. DJ--ing was only a part-time occupation with him, as he is the
manager of a cinema in Holland. A voice from the past in the form of Peter van Dam took over the 09.00-10.00 BST morning show on Mar.25th, and in addition, from Mar.29th of these also to be heard in the 18.00-19.00 BST time slot. He continues to host both of these programmes. On the morning of March 30th we heard another of the ship's crew Peter van Dyken do the first of a short series of live shows between 06.00-07.00 BST. March 30th was also the day that newcomer Henk van Broeckhoven introduced "Rock at One O'Clock, but he only stayed long enough to do three of these programmes, and was last heard on April 13th. Bob Noakes did a single programme in Radio Mi Amigo's English Service between 20.00-21.00 BST on Apr.12th. Then on April 22nd Graham Kay, an Australian from Sydney, was heard for the first time on their English Service, he can now be heard regularly between 19.00-21.00 BST whenever he is on the boat. April 23rd was the date that Paul Brandt did another single hour's programme (20.00-21.00 BST), but this one was in English.
Turning back to Caroline. On the morning of April 11th, Samantha shared the first hour and a half of her show (03.00-04.30 BST) with the newly arrived Graham Kay, he had come out to the boat a couple of days earlier. This has so far been his only programme for Radio Caroline. April 14th was a very important day in the history of the station as it was Caroline's 10th birthday! (A full report on the celebrations is given in the preceding article). At 21.00 BST on April 19th the transmitter was switched off to permit the reinforcement of the aerial mast up as far as the first crossbar, this work also took up a large part of the following day, and consequently caused a certain amount of disruption to programming. Yet another new DJ appeared on April 27th, and he was airborne that morning between 02.00-03.00 BST. His name is John Mair and his home town is Peterhead in Scotland. It was also in the month of April that Bill Benson, the new engineer, joined the ship. Bill, despite his Englishsounding name, is actually a Dutchman. He was previously with the Peace ship out in the Mediterranean.
The unexpected arrival of Robb Eden on May 3rd surprised and delighted many listeners. His first show over Radio Caroline took place at 21.00-23.00 BST that evening; and he has quickly made himself at home on the station. Early risers on May 7th who tuned into Radio Mi Amigo between 06.00-07.00 BST heard a female announcer giving out time checks, her name is Haike de Bois, and she can now be heard each morning at this time. Her opposit number on Caroline, Samantha Dubois, did her final programme on May 10th (03.00-06.00 BST) and has now left the boat. Johnny Jason returned to the station on May 21st after an absence of 2 ½ months spent exploring New York. He wasted no time in getting back on the air again and that night was heard between 23.00-01.00 BST. Thanks a million Johnny for the fantastic 'promo' that you made to publicize "Monitor", and also to Andy, Robb, and John for including it in their respective programmes.
The annual Free Radio Campaign's trip to the radio-ships, organised by Hans Verbaan, took place on Saturday June 1st. The pleasure boat "Fortuna" carrying the free radio supporters set sail from Scheveningen harbour. It was an occasion charged with emotion; as they drew near to the "Mi Amigo" Graham Kay was just starting the first hour of his English Service for Radio Mi Amigo, and Andy Archer was waiting for them on the deck with a live microphone in his hand. Then, as the "Fortuna" came alongside, he asked Graham to play the "Caroline" theme, after which Andy made a brief welcoming speech saying. "I'd like to welcome you out here today on behalf of Radio Caroline and also Radio Mi Amigo. As you see we've got a sign up here welcoming you -'Welcome the FRC’" Andy then went on to introduce all the DJ's, the Mi Amigo's crew, and last but not least, Captain Taal. After each name was announced loud cheers could clearly be heard echoing across the water from the fans aboard the "Fortuna". All too soon the time came for them to sail away, and they did so to the strains of "Caroline" being played once again from their favourite radio station. Although lasting less than fifteen minutes this was truly an unforgettable broadcast.
The signal from Caroline's 50 kW transmitter is now reaching far and wide - in recent weeks reception reports have been received from such far away places as Abu Dhabi (on the Persian Gulf), Galveston in Texas, India, Morocco, Newfoundland, New York, Pakistan, Russia, and from all parts of Scandinavia. Finally, for those who are interested in the administrative side of the station? The staff currently employed at Caroline House now totals five, and for the record their names are: -
Charlotte Ribbelink, Dennis King, Rene van de Snoek, Leunis Troost, & Elja van den Berg.
Roland C. Pearson, Editor.
BACK ISSUES.
SDFRC "Info-sheet" No.6 (Forerunner of "Monitor") Definitely a collector's item - priced at, only 8 ½ p (Overseas 2 IRC's).
"Monitor" Nos. 2, 3, 4 & 5 at 12p each, while stocks last. (Overseas 3 IRC's each). Price includes postage, but please note that cheques & crossed P.0's are unacceptable. All the above publications are available from the Editorial address.
DJ PROFILES NO. 3 ROBB EDEN.
"Wow! This is a quick way to get killed!" These words express the thoughts of our hero, D.J. of fame and renown, ROBB EDEN, on boarding a radioship for the very first time. He will freely admit to you that his feelings on the subject haven't changed! For Robbie, one of Caroline's most popular announcers, claims that he considers radioships to be the most unpleasant things in the world!
Robbie's first programme on Caroline was on May 3rd this year. Before joining Caroline he had, apart from an appearance on BBC Radio One in Britain, worked on only one other radio station, RNI, where he was first heard on August 7th 1970. His last show for RNI was on April 25th, a. week before his distinctive style became a permanent feature of the station of Love, Peace and Good Music. He has been a D.J. since leaving school, but even then he was not new to the world of show business. The chances are you have at some time seen him on TV; for as a child he appeared on several commercials (remember that good-looking kid in the .......ad? No, you'll never know for certain, will you?).
One experience in Robb's radio career has impressed him more than any other; what is it? "Seeing the Mebo II from a KLM DC-9. One of those fings with wings, a couple of engines and lots of drinks on board, oh, and also nice stewardesses!"
London was Robbie's birthplace; the happy event took place in 1952. He has lived there now, "on and off", for about eleven years. In between times these past three years he has lived in Holland, a place he likes because it is quiet. But more than anything else, he would like to live in Africa. Which of these places, then, does he consider to be his home? Just "The World". If you think that statement is enigmatic, ask him to name his best friends: "Music"! He is a person who makes friends easily, but admits to disliking people "who are always bored" or who are indecisive. One person who certainly isn't indecisive is Robb's steady girlfriend. He dislikes girls who can't make up their own minds; the only way you can impress him, girls is by "being unimpressionable"!
Robbie considers that the best advice he was ever given came from his headmaster. It was to leave school - and he took it. Yet it was at school where he became interested in his greatest love, the Theatre. He confesses that if he were not working in radio, an actor at Stratford is what he would most like to be. In fact he feels that Stratford-upon-Avon, world famous as the home of Britain's best-known playwrite, William Shakespeare, is the most interesting place that he's ever visited; it seems to him that there is a feeling of Art from the town and buildings. Yet if he left the world of entertainment altogether, what would he do? "Go to work in Kenya on an animal training scheme". Robb is an animal lover but hasn't any pets at the moment - apart from a very special souvenir of free radio: "A 'Keedeep'; a small creature with legs and an antenna!"
The greatest problem involved in life aboard a boat in Robbie's opinion is getting good, wholesome food. When on land he likes best to eat pizza, cannelloni and shepherds pie (on separate dishes, Robb, of course?); particularly with white wine, especially German Moselle. On the subject of sport, he enjoys swimming, volleyball and playing football, and - "in warm weather" - he likes to ride a motor-bike. Maybe he would feel at home riding his motor-bike anywhere on the Continent, for he speaks French, Dutch, German and Italian - but all "not very well".
There is one radio programme that Robbie remembers with special affection: The Caroline/RNI link-up. "We were so drunk that it became the only honest thing to come out of Free Radio"
Among his favourite music-makers, he names Golden Earing, Eric Clapton, Mike Pinder, Kayak, Earth and Fire, Chris and Gerard Koertes, Thijs van Leer, Sergio Mendes, Matching Mole and the Carpenters; his very favourite piece of music is Earth and Fire's "Song of the Marching Children": "Because it's so very good". His theme tune is "Boy Blue" by Jan Akkerman: "Because it fits my personality". Indeed, Robb's favourite colour is blue. Whether or not he plays for us mostly his own favourite records "depends on the atmosphere, weather, and how much sleep I've not had". His own favourite D.J. is Alan Freeman.
You know you are achieving your greatest ambition, Robb - tell us what it is? "To live happily" Thanks for talking to us, Robbie!
FREE RADIO CAMPAIGN.
Membership to the FRC, Britain's most active free radio organisation, is still only 30p a year (Which includes a subscription to "Newscaster"). Are you a member yet? If not, then join today; Their address is free Radio Campaign, BM-F.R.C.,
London WC1V 6XX, England.
- Page Nine -
RADIO HAURAKI
Up until a few years ago, all of the radio stations in New Zealand were state owned, and run by the N.Z.B.C. Now there are six fully legal private stations in the country, one in each of the cities Auckland, Hamilton, Whakatane, Wellington, Christ-church and Dunedin. The first of these stations to open, Radio Hauraki in Auckland, is the station that caused the revolution. A photograph of the station sent to Hauraki fan-club members in 1967 contains the words "Radio Hauraki transmitting ship M.V. 'Tiri' moored in international waters in the Hauraki Gulf, latitude: 36 degrees 18 minutes/longitude: 175 degrees 20 minutes. Broadcasting popular music programmes on a frequency of 1480 kHz, recorded in the Radio Hauraki studios at 93-95 Anzac Ave., Auckland, New Zealand. The M.V. 'Tiri' is 100 ft. long with a 25 ft. beam. She has a displacement of 150 tons, carries 800 gallons of fuel and 1200 gallons water supply. She is powered by a 250 h.p. G.M. diesel engine. The transmitting mast is 120 ft. high". Yes, Radio Hauraki was New Zealand's first and only offshore "pirate" station!
The Hauraki story begins in 1966. Although the N.Z.B.C. was authorized to grant broadcasting licences to private stations, they had never been known to do so. Four men decided to force their hand; when their application for a licence was turned down, they went ahead with their well-laid plans to float their station in the Colville Channel. These men were David Gates, business manager, Derek Lowe, managing director of an advertising firm, "Doc" O'Callahan, technician, and Chris Parkinson, a popular announcer on N.Z.B.C. stations. On board the 'Tiri' a converted coaster, was a Westinghouse Model TBL-13 transmitter (Serial No.2201), which had previously been used in the submarine service of the U.S. Navy Department. It was originally designed to operate on a power of 500 watts; Hauraki's technicians rebuilt it completely, so that their eventual output was approximately 1750 watts. The frequency of 1480 kHz, (203 metres) was carefully chosen so that no interference would be caused to the N.Z.B.C. or to essential shipping services.
In October 1966 'Tiri' was ready to set sail. A permanent anchorage had been put down in 24 fathoms, well outside the three mile limit of territorial waters. Hundreds of supporters lined the docks as the ship's engines were started; they cheered as 'Tiri' headed for sea. But the Authorities were determined to have the last word. They began to close the drawbridge across the entrance to the Western Viaduct, so that the 'Tiri' couldn't leave! Instantly, two members of the Hauraki organisation ran and squatted in the steel jaws of the pivot mechanism of the bridge; it could not be closed now without taking their lives. They were joined by other personel and supporters. 'Tiri' moved on; but the ship's main-mast got caught in the partially lowered drawbridge. One of Hauraki's lieutenants, Colin Broadley, appeared on the drawbridge. He somehow managed to free the mast, which was jammed by a shackle. A rope was run ashore, and members of the crowd helped to haul the ship towards the centre of the bridge; 'Tiri' swung free and slowly moved out to sea. But the victory was short-lived. A police launch, the Deodar, was at the ready. 'Tiri' was boarded; the police stopped her engines. The crew members were arrested, and taken off the 'Tiri'; some were singing the Beatles song "We all live in a Yellow Submarine". ... The next day, eleven members of the Radio Hauraki organisation appeared in court charged with obstructing a Marine Department Inspector; but later the charges were dropped. The ‘Tiri’ remained under guard at Calliote Wharf at the Devonport Naval base for a few days, and was then returned to the owners. Fearing yet more problems with the Authorities the 'Tiri’s next attempt to put to sea was totally without publicity or prior announcement; this time, the venture met with success! Once at her mooring, the 'Tiri' had to be equipped with an aerial mast.
This was 150 ft. high, and was erected by the crew, technicians, and announcers of Radio Hauraki. After only a few weeks of broadcasting this aerial was lost in a storm; an event that was repeated more than once. The most successful aerial design used aboard the 'Tiri' was a square lattice welded mast of 80 ft. with a very complex guyed duralium section up to 140 ft., but many other designs were tried.
The programmes began from the station on November 21st; the very first record to be heard was chosen to be appropriate: "Born Free". Hauraki instantly became the most popular station in New Zealand. A "1480 Fan Club" was formed, and many activities arranged, such as the "Awakathons" at which top Hauraki DJ's played records and requests in public places to help raise funds for community projects. World records for continuous DJing were broken at these events.
Every six weeks, the 'Tiri' put into port for supplies. Accusations were made that Hauraki did upon occasion broadcast while in harbour; this was never proved, but there was one time when the station did transmit inside the three mile limit. This was January 28th 1968 - the day 'Tiri' ran aground. Earlier in the day, 'Tiri' had left her moorings to help search for a man reported missing in a small boat. As darkness fell, the ship was unable to return to her anchorage. The newly reconditioned engine proved to be not strong enough for the heavy seas; 'Tiri' was hurled against the rocks on Great Barrier Island. Although the crew feared that the ship might break
up with the continual battering she was receiving there was no panic on board. Live programming, interspersed with 'May Day' messages, continued until the order was given to abandon ship. The 'Tiri' was wrecked; she rests now in a muddy grave near Whangarei, stripped and derelict. Hauraki was off the air for over four weeks. The station returned aboard a new ship, a sixty year-old coaster, previously named 'Kapuni', renamed 'Tiri II'. She had no easier passage as a radio-ship than the original 'Tiri'; she ran aground several times, the most serious being June 1968, in the middle of New Zealand's winter, when she was grounded at Uretiti Beach, near Waipu. Fortunately she suffered little damage and was soon back at her moorings.
And so the successful sound of Radio Hauraki, described as "A completely new concept in commercial broadcasting" continued - while on shore, political battles raged. Britain had signed a Marine Offences Act to silence the sound of offshore radio - would New Zealand do the same? It seemed likely, but such a move would have been, to say the least, extremely unpopular with Hauraki's thousands of listeners. The public clearly wanted private radio; the Government of New Zealand then did the obvious thing. They passed a bill to allow the listening of private stations outside the control of the N.Z.B.C.! As was fitting for a pioneer and champion of free radio in New Zealand, Hauraki was the very first station to be allocated a licence. Offshore broadcasts ceased, amidst great jubilation, on June 25th 1970. Soon 'Tiri II' again became just an ordinary ship; later she was found to be unseaworthy and was broken up.
No more was heard on the airwaves of 1480 kHz until September that year. As the promise of summer returned to the people of New Zealand, Auckland's first private station began broadcasting; legal, licenced and on a full power of 5 kW. Allotted the call-sign 1XA, this was none other than our old friend Radio Hauraki! In every way the old friend of Auckland's population; yet with many changes. The biggest of these of course was the fact that Hauraki was now so mush more in touch with the listeners. Since the early days Hauraki has been an audience-participation station; yet how much more alive the station could become now that the communication was truly two-way! Again New Zealand's youngest and most popular radio service was able to improve the broadcasting standards of the country.
Of particular interest to our technically-minded readers is the aerial system now in use at Radio Hauraki's new home, which overlooks the Western Viaduct on the Auckland waterfront. To prevent interference with Australian stations that broadcast on the same frequency, Hauraki uses a system of directional aerials, comprising two vertical guyed towers, each 160 feet high, facing one another at a distance of 203 feet. The two 5 kW transmitters, each of which acts as a standby for the other, are both of a S.T.C. Type 4-SU-55E. The station's engineers certainly do not have the headaches with these high-quality models as with the Tiri's much-modified submarinetype transmitter!
Auckland now has four commercial and two non-commercial radio systems, which provide the listeners with a wide variety of entertainment, including sports commentaries, gardening sessions, serials and comedy shows. It is, therefore, the policy of Radio Hauraki to concentrate its programming on MUSIC. With the aim of bringing the people of Auckland the very best of musical entertainment, a complex pattern is woven through the programmes. Each week, the Programmes Department audition the whole range of newly available material on both the local and international scene. It is the aim of the Programme Director to anticipate musical tastes, and provide on Radio Hauraki not only smash hit New Zealand material, but top quality recorded works from overseas, and most important, to encourage local talent by playing the best music available from entertainers in their own area. This does play a large part in Hauraki's programming, with at least two locally produced records played in each programme-session. The flexible format also provides for one "Golden Oldie" to be played for every two records from Hauraki's play-list of 80 "top hits".
The Programme Director, his assistant and the two Programme Officers who complete his team, are aware, as any good radio station must be, of the needs o£ the listeners. Therefore the sessions of each broadcasting day are arranged to provide the maximum entertainment value for the section of population likely to be listening at any given time. Hauraki's 7-10 p.m. show has proved particularly popular with homework-bound teenagers, while many night-shift workers and latenighters appreciate most the 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. show. Radio Hauraki is a 24-hours-per-day station, and is as popular for the 2-6 a.m. session as for the 6-9 a.m. Breakfast Show or Drivetime, 4-7 p.m. Each of these sessions is hosted by a different 'Good Guy', and, while the general pattern is maintained, the shifts change around at weekends. The Programmes Department control not only their special responsibility, the music, but also the advertizing and news to maintain the high quality of the overall sound of the station.
Radio Hauraki is a young, happy, friendly nation, not only to the listeners but within the organisation, too. This fact shows well in the amazingly low turnover of 'Good Guys' on the station. Since Hauraki first began seven ears ago, only forty-four 'Good Guys' have worked on the station! (See list below). Some of these came to
Hauraki as established names from Australian radio stations, but most have been homegrown talents who may never have had the chance for their names to become the household words that they are if it had not been for the Free Radio sound of Radio Hauraki. All in all, everyone in the organisation, up to and including the Managing-Director David Gapes, works together to keep Hauraki in the well-earned position of Auckland's best and most popular radio station!
You can write to the station at: Radio Hauraki (N.Z.) Limited, 4th Floor, Caltex House, Fanshawe Street, Auckland, or if you happen to be in the area, why not give them a ring at 361-775? The P.O. Box number of Hauraki is particularly easy to remember, as it is 1480 - yes, a familiar number, as since the station first began broadcasts their operating frequency has been 1480 kHz. Cables to the station should be addressed to "Haurad", New Zealand.
In conclusion, "Monitor" would like to thank the staff of Radio Hauraki, and in particular Promotions Manager Dale S. Reddish, for their assistance in supplying the information necessary for this article. On behalf of all Free Radio supporters in our part of the World, we will raise our voices with those of the New Zealand people as they cry "LONG LIVE RADIO HAURAKI!"
Here is a check-list of Radio Hauraki's DJ’s: -
Chris Parkinson, Mike Parkinson, Rick Grant, Paul Lineham. Ward Austin, Mike Jack, Barry Knight, Peter Davis, Wayne Douglas, Trevor Graham, George Balani, Ross Goodwin, Peter Telling, Lynn McNamara, John Charlton, Bob Leahy, John Dicks, Colin Broadley, Dean Banks, Carl Olsen, Bonnar Dan, Graham Parsonage, Paddy O'Donnell, Jeff Bach, Phil Shone, Kevin Ogles, Jim Jameson, Ted Seymour, Dave Dexter, Hugh Porter, Tom Bradley, Lee Hanner, Ian Johnston, Fred Botica, Poata Eurera, Mike Gammon, Trudie Rana, Keith Ashton, Brian Strong, Barry Jordan, Ian Magan, Jim Smith, Ian Ferguson & Mike Baker.
MONITOR'S PROGRAMME GUIDE (All times BST/CET)
Weekdays. 01.00-03.00 "Apollo 312"
03.00-05.00 "Yawn into Dawn"
05.00-07.00 "Snap, Crackle & Pop"
Flemish Service.
07.00-09.00 "Luc brengt U van uw stuk" Luc van Kallpellen.
09.00-10.00 Ellie Prins.
10.00-12.00 Viktor van Rein.
12.00-13.00 "Smakelijk eten" Tony Houston.
13.00--15.00 "Musikale Recepten" Theo van de Velde.
15.00--17.00 "Van den Bos is weer los" Fred van dun Bos.
17.00-18.00 Ellie Prins.
International Service.
18.00-21.00 "Blast-Off" Steve England.
21.00-23.00 "Starshine" Andy Anderson.
23.00-01.00 -'Midnight Special" Dave Rogers.
Saturdays. 01.00-03.00 "Apollo 312"
03.00-05.00 "Yawn into Saturday"
05.00-08.00 "Snap, Crackle & Pop"
Flemish Service.
08.00-10.00 "Luc brengt U van uw stuk" Luc van Kapellen.
10.00-12.00 Viktor van Rein.
12.00-13.00 "Smakelijk eten" Tony Houston.
13.00-15.00 "Musikale Recepten" Theo -van de Velde.
15.00-17.00 "Van den Bos is weer los" Fred van den Bos.
17.00-18.00 Ellie Prins.
International Service.
18.00-21.00 "The Rebound Show" Dave Rogers.
21.00-23.00 "Hotline of Hits" Steve England.
23.00-01.00 "The Nightmare Affair" Scott Mitchell & Gabby Hernandez Omilado.
Sundays. 01.00-03.00 "Morning Music Base"
03.00-05.00 "Yawn into Sunday"
05.00-08.00 "Snap, Crackle & Pop"
Flemish Service.
08.00-10.00 "Katers en Koppijn" Theo van de Velde.
10.00-11.00 Viktor van Rein.
11.00-12.00 "Vlaamse Top 15" Fred van den Bos.
12.00-13.00 "Smakelijk eten" Tony Houston.
13.00-15.00 "Radio Atlantis Top 40" Luc van Kapellen.
15.00-16.00 "DJ Tips, LP of the Week, Hit Spinners & New Releases" Fred van den Bos.
16.00-17.00 "Flashback Show" Viktor van Rein.
17.00-18.00 Ellie Prins.
International Service.
18.00-21.00 "Blast-Off" Andy Anderson.
21.00-23.00 "The Dave Owen's Stamp Collection" Dave Owen.
23.00-01.00 "Beatles Spectacular" Debbie England.
Weekdays. 06.00-07.00 Haike de Bois.
07.00-09.00 "Welkomin de wereld der wakkeren" Bert Bennett.
09.00-10.00 "Met Peter gaat het beter" Peter van Dam.
10.00-12.00 "De Norbert Show" Norbert.
12.00-14.00 "Met Frans van der Drift op drift" Frins van der Drift.
14.00-16.00 Joop Verhoof.
16.00--18.00 Mike Moorkens.
18.00-19.00 "Met Peter gaat het beter" Peter van Dam.
19.00-20.00 English Service. Brian Anderson/Graham Kay.
Saturdays. 06.00-07.00 Haike de Bois.
07.00-09.00 "Welkomin de wereld der wakkeren" Bert Bennett.
09.00-12.00 "Norbert's Zaterdag Showtrain" Norbert.
12.00-13.00 Mike Moorkens.
13.00-14.00 "Nieuw Releases" Peter van Dam.
14.00-16.00 Joop Verhoof.
16.00-18.00 Mike Moorkens.
18.00-19.00 "Met Peter gaat het beter" Peter van Dam.
19.00-20.00 English Service. Brian Anderson/Graham Kay.
Sundays. 06.00-07.00 Haike de Bois.
07.00-09.00 "Welkomin de wereld der wakkeren" Bert Bennett.
09.00-11.00 Paul Severs.
11.00-12.00 "Nederlandstalige Top 15" Norbert.
12.00-15.00 "De Joepie Top 50" Ad Petersen.
15.00-16.00 "Nieuw Lievelings & DJ Tips" Frans van der Drift.
16.00-18.00 "The Flashback Show" Joop Verhoof.
18.00-18.30 Dominee Toornvliet.
18.30-19.00 "Met Peter gaat het beter" Peter van Dam.
19.00-20.00 English Service. Brian Anderson/Graham Kay.
Before commencing the second episode of the Atlantis Story there are a number of corrections to make to the data we published in Part I. Firstly, some additional information has come to hand about Atlantis' ace engineer, Andy Anderson - he tells us that he joined the radio-ship on December 7th last year, while she was in Cuxhaven, and that his first broadcast was actually on December 25th. Delete all reference to Dave Jones (see page 16 "Monitor" No.5), there was obviously same confusion with Derek Jones! One Flemish Service DJ whose name was missed out of our last issue was that of Paul van Leeuwen, although he was only to host a few programmes during the month of January. The date of the first show from Frans van Brugge was February 13th, and not as previously stated. Also, some further details are now available on the test transmission that the station conducted on 201 metres. The exact frequency used was 1493 kHz, and testing started at around 13.45 GMT on the afternoon of February 3rd, with live programming from Steve England and Gerard van der Zee; but as this wavelength proved unsatisfactory they returned the following day to 270 metres.
From March 3rd the good sounds of 'Music Radio 74' were to be heard on the new wavelength Of 227 metres (1331 kHz), and Programme Director, Steve England, had many changes and innovations in store for us during the coming weeks. One of the original team-members, Johnny Dwyer, did his final show between 03.00-06.00 GMT on Mach 6th, before taking his leave of the station. When the tender arrived on March 14th it brought out Dave Rogers, the new DJ, and also a visiting Monitor reader Eddie Austin. The following evening Eddie's voice was heard at 18.06 GMT announcing that the station was going off the air to permit engineering work to be carried out on the transmitter. It was not March 17th that we heard a programme from Dave Rogers (21.00-23.00 BST), apparently he had been suffering from the effects of seasickness after his long stint on land! from 05.00-06.00 BST on
March 18 th EDDIE AUSTIN could be heard doing his first programme for the station.
Soon after his arrival on the M.V. "Jeanine" Dave Rogers was made News Editor, and he wasted no time in introducing a comprehensive news service. The service came into operation at 20.30 BST on the 18th, with newscasts being presented on the half hour until the final one of the day at 02.30 BST. An ominous development on March 20th was the appearance of an intentional "jamming" signal on Atlantis. It was activated that night just before 23.30 BST, but thereafter it was switched on between 23.01 and 23.03 BST, a few minutes prior to the closing down for the right of Genoa Radio, which was also operating on 1331 kHz. This fact, together with the results of various DF bearings that were taken at the time, indicated that the "jamming" station was probably sited in Northern Italy. The offending transmitter was on 1329.5 kHz, and by emitting an unmodulated carrier was creating a 1 ½ kHz heterodyne:
March 23rd saw the start of what was to become a regular Saturday night feature on the station. This is "The Nightmare Affair", broadcast between 23.00-01.00 BST, it is a pre-recorded presentation compared by a couple of zany characters who call them selves Scott Mitchell and Gabby HernandezOmilado - without a doubt the most humorous and original programme since the famous "Aunty Mabel Hour". We are permitted to reveal that the voices of both Scott and Gabby belong to the same person.... an ex-Radio City DJ!! Two disc-jockeys from the Flemish Service departed towards the end of the month, they were Moses van der Berg, whose last programme went out on the 26th (10.00-12.00 BST); and Frans van Brugge, his final show was broadcast between 15.00-16.00 BST on the 28th. Their replacements were Victor van Rein & Ellie Prins, both of whom appeared on March 28th, Victor being heard from 08.00-09.00 BST, followed by Ellie between 09.00-10.00 BST.
To mark April Fools Day a joke was played upon the listeners who had tuned in to hear Ellie Prins' 09.00-10.00 BST morning programme. His entire taped show was played backwards, and as if this wasn't enough, Steve's hilarious 'Gorilla Pills' advert was repeatedly superimposed!! A further frequency change was made by Atlantis on April 4th. This was done in order to avoid the continuing night-time "jamming" of the station. They moved one channel IF onto 1322 kHz, but unfortunately it was a case of out of the frying-pan and into the fire, because a powerful Russian propaganda station located in East Germany was already on this channel, making reception impossible after 18.00 BST. Their error was soon realised and they returned to 1331 kHz, plus the "jamming", on April 7th. Among the team on board the "Jeanine" is an American called Dean Crowson, his main purpose there is that of ship's cook, however, in the early hours of April 11th he was persuaded to sit behind the microphone and have a go at DJ-ing, so adopting the name of Rick Rock he made his broadcasting debut between 01.00-03.00 BST - he is now heard fairly frequently in his new capacity!
Because of the persistent "jamming" the finding of a fresh wavelength became a matter of urgency. The problem was resolved on April 17th with the move to 312 metres (962 kHz) in the middle of the Medium Wave Band. Even this latest wavelength is not completely free from interference, for as darkness approaches an annoying whistle builds up in the background, this is due to a North African station (believed to be in Tunisia) operating on the non-EBU channel of 960 kHz - thus causing the generation of a 2 kHz heterodyne. It was obvious that the only way of overcoming this was to obtain more power out of the Radio Atlantis 1 kW RCA BTA1R1 transmitter. Andy had already increased the HT supply to it and was getting an output of between 1 ½ -2 kW, but this was nowhere near enough to drown out the interference. The solution lay in a piece of equipment known as a linear-amplifier, which when attached in a transmitter greatly enhances its performance. An order had been placed for one some weeks earlier to meet just such an eventuality, and construction was under way. Two -days latter, on the 19th, John Harding broadcast his first show from the boat, for the record, it was transmitted between 03.00-06.00 BST.
There was good news for listeners in this country on May 4 th - this was the day that the International Service was extended. It now opened one hour sooner at 18.00 BST, and furthermore, continued until 07.00 BST on weekdays (08.00 BST on Saturdays & Sundays). Steve promptly filled the extra morning time with a breakfast show called "Snap, Crackle & Pop". Here in south-east England the programme is rapidly gaining popularity, especially at weekends when many thousands of listeners tune in. The linear device was delivered to the "Jeanine" in an unassembled condition on May 16th. Also on the boat at this time was an old 10 kW RCA BTA10J transmitter, that had soon service with Capital Radio, and before that it had been used by Radio 270; as this was in an advanced state of disrepair it was decided to gut it and use the cabinet which measured 5ft. wide x 5ft- deep x 9ft. high to house the new amplifier - and so work started immediately to achieve this end. When asked about the linear Andy Anderson told "Monitor"- "The way we designed it it was for a minimum of 10 kilowatts output. There's a chance that we might get it to 15 or 20 kW. When I first put it on it will probably be lower than 10 kW. I'm going to bring it up gradually otherwise I'm going to ruin valves - and they coat about three hundred quid each!" A 20 year-old Canadian named Rob Day (alias Robbie Ronson! See page 4) came out with the tender
"En Rust" on May 23rd, he was to spend ten days aboard the radio-ship as a relief DJ and newsreader. He did not have long to wait before doing his "first record show, twenty-four hours in fact, and anyone listening on the 24th would have heard him in action from 05.00-07.00 BST.
The exact position of Radio Atlantis on the map is 51degrees 32' 55" NORTH 3degrees 11' 30" EAST, or it was until June 6th. Shortly after 20.00 BST that evening their transmitter was put off the air by valve troubles. Meanwhile a storm was getting up that during the night produced a Force 8 wind that was to break their anchor chain. Unable to broadcast the ship's crew had instead opted for an early night and were soon fast asleep in their banks, blissfully ignorant of what was happening- outside. Imagine their amazement at waking up the next morning and finding themselves looking at a strange coastline a mere two miles away? In fact, they hadn't the slightest idea where they were! A message was flashed to the station's owner, Adriaan van Landschoot, who quickly took off in his private aeroplane to search for them. Flying up and down the coast he eventually found them a couple of miles from West Kapelle, in an area notorious for its treacherous sandbanks. They had drifted over 20 miles northwards during the storm; Adriaan then arranged for the tender to come out and tow them back to their correct anchorage. Incidentally, Adriaan is making quite a reputation for himself these days as a pop star, he records in English under the name of Ad Rolls - his discs are frequently played on the air, so the next time you hear the singer with that name you'll know who he really is!
The linear was finally ready for testing on the evening of June 10th. Normal broadcasting ceased at 18.00 BST to allow Andy to make the necessary connections, and the big moment came at 23.00 BST when he switched it on. It produced a massive carrier, but when music was added it proved to be somewhat distorted and very undermodulated. At 23.15 BST the test terminated because the high power involved had blown all the insulators! However, these are trivial teething problems and will be remedied in the near future. Radio Atlantis will then take its rightful place alongside Radio Caroline and R.N.I. as one of the big three on the North Sea! Finally, our thanks to Dave Owen for making the "Monitor" promo currently being aired ever the 312 airwaves - it was a real "Grade A" job, Dave!
So now you've read all about Caroline and Atlantis, what are you waiting to see? Yes, news from Northsea of course! We're still waving the flag in the Mebo department, and waving it strongly, too, after the recent increase in power on 220 metres, with subsequent improved reception in many areas.
These past few months have been full of comings and going on both services. Let's look at the Dutch service first. We're still hearing regular programmes from DICK DE GRAAF, TED BOUWENS, FERRY MAAT, TONY BERK, LEO VAN DER GOOT, & MARC VAN AMTSTEL, but old favourites HANS MOLENAAR and HANS TEN HOGGE can no longer be found on our radios. The former was last heard on January 28th from 19.00 to 20.00 CET; this was a recorded programme, his last live "Buitengaats" ("Offshore") programme was 18.00-20.00 CET on January 17th. Hans ten Hogge, who was first heard on "Driemaster" as long ago as August 2nd 1971, left Noordsee at the end of March. The first new boy to be heard this year was ERIC POST. He has been a technician at the RNI studios in Bussum for some time, and joined the broadcasting staff on January 25th as a newsreader. Just a few days later he found himself hosting the "Buitengaats" programme. On February 18th and on March 11th we heard the only two programmes that there have been from ALBERT KRYSER. These were both recorded in Bussum and each was broadest at 19.00-20.00 CET. The first was a Rock 'n Roll show (were you listening, Brian McKenzie?). Not one, but two new newsreaders were added to the station's pay roll on April 1st; HERMAN DE BRUIN and PETER JAGER.
On the International Service we found a real treat in store for us: to brighten up a winter morning we were joined, on January 9th, by "Manx Radio's youngest and prettiest DJ". Manx Radio? Yes, LOUISE QUIRE, who can be heard on RNI every morning from 04.00 to 06.00 CET, did not make her radio debut on the "Skyline" programme! She has worked on Manx Radio for several years, and records her RNI shows on the Isle of Man where she lives. She is a good friend of Don Allen and his wife, Sandy.
Two more voices new to RNI belong to ROGER KENT and JASON WOLF. Roger's first programme was on February 16th, 02.00-04.00 CET. He was new to radio, but not to DJ work; before joining the Mebo team he worked at Tiffany's in London. Jason, too, has been working in London, where he and his wife Penny live. He arrived aboard the Mebo via May 31st's tender, in time to begin work on the 01.00-04.00 CET programme the next morning. He will be remembered as one of the members of the last DJ team on the ill-fated Caroline North, broadcasting, from Ramsey Bay until 1968. So Louise, Erik, Herman, Peter, Roger and Jason, "welcome aboard" from us all at "Monitor"! May we hear you for a long, time to come!
But it’s not only on the Dutch service that we've had goodbyes to make this year. The most recent departure has been GRAHAM GILLL (featured in depth in "Monitor" 4, a few copies are still available at 12p each. He joined RNI on March 16th last year from Radio Caroline, to which station he has now returned. His last programme was broadcast from the Mebo II on May 24th at 01.00-04.00 CET. Also lost to the embrace of the Lady Caroline is ROBBIE EDN, who's Contemporary Music programme became one of the most popular of RNI's many attractions. His final show was from 20.00-22.00 CET on April 25 th.
MIKE ROSS, famous not only as one of RNI's longest-serving DJ's but also as a transmitter engineer, left the Mebo II for the last time on February 1st, after presenting his final 'live' programme at 20.00-22.00 CET the previous evening. He left a recorded "Hitback Show" which was broadcast on Sunday, February 3rd, but on neither of these shows did he say goodbye to his fans. That treat was in store for us over a month later, on March 7th. On that day, during the Brian McKenzie Show, a special taped farewell programme was aired. Mike recorded it in Holland, and explained the delay was due to the large amount of things he'd been having to sort out. This short programme lasted only from 23.10 to 23.35 CET, and the records in between Mike's chat were all 'oldies' that had been requested on his "Hitback Show" many times. During his brief effusion he explained to us his reasons for ending his three-and-a-half year love affair with offshore radio. Mainly, he felt that spending nine-and-a-half months aboard the Mebo II during his fourteen months of marriage had not left him enough time his wife - no doubt a sentiment echoed by Sheila herself! Ah, yes, sharing a soldering-iron aboard a radioship, just isn't the same as one's own fireside in dear old England. But Mike also felt he'd like to try out a few new things, maybe even a mobile disco, although at the time he had no set plans. He also admitted that the imminent M.O.A. in Holland had some influence on his decision to return to his homeland.
The main point of the programme seemed to be to say hello to old friends - the first thing that Mike did was to send greetings to his "fan club" of faithful followers in Magherafelt, headed by his fan-supreme, T.J. McSwiggan. He hailed several other personages, including many of the DJ's he's worked with on RNI In the past; it will be remembered that Mike first joined the station in 1970, and therefore began his radio career alongside such old favourites as Andy Archer and Carl Mitchell. He also mentioned Tony Allan, saying there is a possibility that they may work together at some time in the future, but he didn't tell us just what they might be doing. The record that ended Mike's final appearance on RNI was "This is our last song together" by Neil Sedaka.
On the established programmes from RNI there has been only one change, that of Don Allen's "C and W Jamboree" which was first transmitted at the new time of 20.00-22.00 CET on March 2nd. So now we will leave Don, Brian, Robin, Roger, Jason and Louise to continue to bring us the best of the Music of a Young Europe!
One final word: Our thanks to a Noordzee listener in Holland for pointing out to us an error in our "Mebo 73" item in "Monitor" 5. When Peter Holland joined RNI in 1971, he started the "Kop op" programme; it was not until May 1st 1972 that he replaced Joost Verhoeven on "Doorsnee Noordzee". Our apologies for the mistake!
Tuesday, April 2nd saw the opening of Britain's newest and brightest radio station, PICCADILLY RADIO in Manchester. But two days earlier, listeners to the IBA test broadcast on 261 metres and 97 MHz heard a special preview programme, "To give you just a taste of what Piccadilly Radio will be like"! This half-hour show began at 14.20 and was hosted by none other than our old friend ROGER "TWIGGY" DAY. Other ex-"pirates" on the station include Stevie Merike & Ray Teret (Caroline North). Bob Snyder was also them at the outset, but has since left.
Congratulations from all at "Monitor" to BERT BERNNETT of Radio Mi Amigo! Bert became a married man on Saturday, May 18 th. Many radio personalities attended the wedding and we understand that a good time was enjoyed by all….
Hands up all those who didn’t know it was RONAN’s birthday on May 21 st.! Our thanks to Johnny Jason for pointing that out. We all hope you had a great day Ronan-and we’ll stake our Caroline on it this will be a great year. Love from all the team.
What fun to watch TV through binoculars – well, what else can you do when you lose your glasses over the side of the "Mi Amigo"? And in case you’re wondering, the young man in the smart new specs is Jaap de Haan. Don’t let those get away!
As from June 1st, Postbus 847, Hilversum, Holland, has been the home not only of Radio Mi Amigo, but also of Radio Caroline, The reason for this being the closure of Caroline's office in The Hague. A collection is now being taken to buy Charlotte a smaller typewriter - it's a tight enough fit in that post-office box as it is!
Mi Amigo's English service is fast disappearing down the hole in the middle; but their loss is Caroline's gain. From June 8th, the Andy Archer Spectacular has been with us one hour earlier, at 20.00. Hey, Teacher, now we'll have to leave school at 15.00, or we'll never get our homework done in time!
A fleeting visitor to Radio Caroline was DJ DAVE GOTTS, an American who's home is near Detroit, Michigan. He presented his first programme on June 9th, starting at midnight. Before succumbing to mal de mer, after just over an hour's broadcasting, Dave thanked his good friend Dick Palmer for assisting him on his way to radio stardom. His stay on the radio-ship was a short one, only eight days - he made his finale on June 14th (00.00-02.00 BST), and is now on his way back to the States. Bon voyage, Dave! The same tender brought GRAHAM GILL home to the Mi Amigo to take up the post of Programme Director. Graham's first programme in his new position was 22.00-24.00 BST on June 8th.
Yes, Steve England has paid his phone-bill!!! He has been forced to change his number due to pressure of calls, hence the "unobtainable" tone. Sorry, fans, although Steve and Debbie love to hear from you, from now on it'll have to be by letter.
Belgium is soon to hear a new offshore station broadcasting from her shores! The owners of the pop music magazine "Hithorama", who earlier this year made an unsuccessful bid to purchase Radio Atlantis, have bought, for 800,000 guilders, the ship that has previously been the home of Voice of Peace Radio in the Mediterranean. The ship is reported to have left Marseilles, where she had been laid-up through financial difficulties since last December, and is now on her way to the North Sea, where it will become "RADIO BENELUX". On board are two 25 kW Collins transmitters, which will be used together to provide 50 kW coverage. A tentative station schedule envisages Flemish-language programmes between 05.00-19.00, with possibly an International Service operating from 19.00-03.00 BST. The Programme Director is said to be Erik Marijse; and Bart van de Laar (ex-Radio Mi Amigo) & Fred Steyn (ex-Radio Luxembourg) are being mentioned as the first two DJ's. Test transmissions could begin at any moment; the most likely spot to tune for them is between 190 and 210 metres. Good hunting!
BR000M - BROOOM - BROOOM - WE LOST! The Dutch Grand Prix Motor Race on Monday, June 3rd (a national holiday in Holland) was not without its customary excitement, but luck was not on the side of the Radio Caroline Racing Team's driver, Mike Gordon Smith. On the previous Saturday, Mike's Ford Escort Mexico had thundered around the famous circuit at Zandvoort at such a pace that it clocked the second best speed of the day, and so was given the Grid 2 position for the Big Event. Without the crash that Mike suffered he'd have undoubtedly been wearing the garland! But under the circumstances, it was a worthy effort to be the sixth car past the flag. Number One next time, Mike!
PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM THE SUB-EDITOR TO THE HONORABLE ANDREW ARCHER, (D.J. and bar), : "Oooh, Andy, if i goe bak to skoole, will yer play me Top Five?"
News just received is that Engineer Bill Benson has left the "Mi Amigo" and is returning to the Peace ship (or Radio Benelux??).
If you have received this copy of "Monitor" through the post; then your address is on our automatic mailing-list. Please do not send money in advance for the next issue, as you will be receiving a copy, on our usual sale-or-return basis, as soon as it is published.
The Editor extends his thanks to the following for their help. Andy Archer, Brian Anderson, Emiel CIarijs, Robb Eden, Steve & Debbie England, Dave Green, Colin Howard, Dave Jay, Sue Kerr, Clive Moore, Bob Noakes, Sheila O'Reilly, & Paul Southgate.
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