I remember this so well... my radio was confiscated at school but when I explained what was going on (in Herefordshire) when Caroline came 'round I was let off and the Sceince master (Mr Griffiths) played Caroline to the class and let me tell them what was going on!! In a later life, as a presenter, I interviewed Tom Lodge and relived the total event! Wonderful radio days!
Fantastic years. I remember there was someone in Ramsey producing match box sized crystal radios pretuned to caroline. The station was close and strong enough to work these without long wire aerials.
Wonderful. I was in Hightown north of Liverpool monitoring the ship's progress with my ex-army 1155 receiver and long wire antenna. Strangely, later on I joined Caroline South as engineer and DJ. Happy days indeed and when I compare them with what passes these days ... I want to be sick.
It was a sad day that 3rd march 1968 when all was quiet on 1169 and 1187 kc/s. We gave the REME boys their comms receiver back as we had no further need for it. Thanks for the memory jogger rad prog - over and out.
The two Caroline's suffered badly with foreign interference after dark - rectified only after the switch to 259 meters and more poerful transmitters. Radio London suffered badly from heterodyne whistles so we always stayed on Caroline preferring the South ship to the North perversely.
As the ship sailed North we tracked it in school -even coming at 6am on that Monday. Just ash she rounded Hloyhead Caroline's signal went off the scale, it was so powerful.
As a 14 year old in Manchester and a member of the school's cadet force we had a fantastic communications receiver which the local REME boys had tweaked so it could pick up medium wave. Linked up to the school's 400 foot long antenna we were locked on to Radio Caroline and Atlanta not long after they began broadcasting in April and May 64
Radio City was at 2kw even a stretch for our comms receiver up in Manchester. We had it clearly when we went on cadet camp in thetford, norfolk however. I agree it sounded very amateurish but had a real "local" feel to it. That is why it is so fondly remembered. On the dwonside the Smedley/Calvert feud was centred around the transmitter on their tower. Who knows, if those sad events hadn't ahppened maybe the MOA would not have been introduced???
Superb! You've done a great job in putting this footage/ stills together for these 3 videos. A historic radio broadcast as Caroline sailed round the coast to the Isle Of Man in July 64.
I think Radio Caroline North was the best of the offshore stations in terms of programming and radio personalities. And a lot of the credit for that must go to Don Allen. The station always seemed to have more of a free hand in its format - possibly because it couldn't be heard in London. This voyage to the Isle Of Man marked the very start of that short but magical period in radio history, fondly remembered by many in the north of England, IOM and Ireland. Thanks for posting this.
I see some footage appears to be of the Mi Amigo?
Still, well done to you.
radiosutch 6 months ago
I remember this so well... my radio was confiscated at school but when I explained what was going on (in Herefordshire) when Caroline came 'round I was let off and the Sceince master (Mr Griffiths) played Caroline to the class and let me tell them what was going on!! In a later life, as a presenter, I interviewed Tom Lodge and relived the total event! Wonderful radio days!
mercia220 1 year ago
Fantastic years. I remember there was someone in Ramsey producing match box sized crystal radios pretuned to caroline. The station was close and strong enough to work these without long wire aerials.
petermines 3 years ago
Wonderful. I was in Hightown north of Liverpool monitoring the ship's progress with my ex-army 1155 receiver and long wire antenna. Strangely, later on I joined Caroline South as engineer and DJ. Happy days indeed and when I compare them with what passes these days ... I want to be sick.
choamnomsky 3 years ago
Fantastic. I'm almost going to look out of the window to see Ramsey Bay....just like yesterday. Thank you.
trashachina 3 years ago
I remember listening to this. I was in Oxford, and I managed to pick up some kind of a signal for the entire trip... Well, whilst I was awake anyway.
JJMMWGDuPree 3 years ago
It was a sad day that 3rd march 1968 when all was quiet on 1169 and 1187 kc/s. We gave the REME boys their comms receiver back as we had no further need for it. Thanks for the memory jogger rad prog - over and out.
bondh07 3 years ago
@bondh07 REME?
Kenipedia 1 year ago
The two Caroline's suffered badly with foreign interference after dark - rectified only after the switch to 259 meters and more poerful transmitters. Radio London suffered badly from heterodyne whistles so we always stayed on Caroline preferring the South ship to the North perversely.
bondh07 3 years ago
As the ship sailed North we tracked it in school -even coming at 6am on that Monday. Just ash she rounded Hloyhead Caroline's signal went off the scale, it was so powerful.
bondh07 3 years ago
As a 14 year old in Manchester and a member of the school's cadet force we had a fantastic communications receiver which the local REME boys had tweaked so it could pick up medium wave. Linked up to the school's 400 foot long antenna we were locked on to Radio Caroline and Atlanta not long after they began broadcasting in April and May 64
bondh07 3 years ago
Did you ever manage to get my favourite fort station? Radio CIty on 299. It was always slightly chaotic, which is why I liked it so much.
muscleco 2 years ago
Radio City was at 2kw even a stretch for our comms receiver up in Manchester. We had it clearly when we went on cadet camp in thetford, norfolk however. I agree it sounded very amateurish but had a real "local" feel to it. That is why it is so fondly remembered. On the dwonside the Smedley/Calvert feud was centred around the transmitter on their tower. Who knows, if those sad events hadn't ahppened maybe the MOA would not have been introduced???
HOWIEB09 2 years ago
Such a shame the Tower of Power never got as far as Manchester or Liverpool! The Scousers would have loved Ian Macrae and his antics.
muscleco 2 years ago
Superb! You've done a great job in putting this footage/ stills together for these 3 videos. A historic radio broadcast as Caroline sailed round the coast to the Isle Of Man in July 64.
ricardo266 3 years ago
Thanks for the comments. I still have some more audio from the Caroline journey to post ....
but not enough 'new' footage to go with it.
radprog 3 years ago
I think Radio Caroline North was the best of the offshore stations in terms of programming and radio personalities. And a lot of the credit for that must go to Don Allen. The station always seemed to have more of a free hand in its format - possibly because it couldn't be heard in London. This voyage to the Isle Of Man marked the very start of that short but magical period in radio history, fondly remembered by many in the north of England, IOM and Ireland. Thanks for posting this.
ricardo266 3 years ago
wow radprog.. where you find these videos blows me away.. keep them coming!
leftymuller 3 years ago