Radio Caroline en-route to Isle of Man (1)

The MV Fredericia on July 4 1964 moving to Ramsey Bay, the Isle of Man and changing name to Radio Caroline North...
giving the station almost national coverage of the UK.

--------------------------------


From 'Who's Who in Pop Radio':
http://www.paulplu.demon.co.uk/whos_who/index.htm
Wavelength: 199 metres.
Situation: Ship 3½ miles off Ramsey Bay,
Isle of Man.
Broadcasting Hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
and 12 midnight to 2a.m.
Reception area: North of England, Midlands, Ireland, Scotland and North Wales.
Station Music Policy: The same as for Radio Caroline (South).


The vessel which is now Radio Caroline (North) was the original ship to drop anchor off the Essex coast and pioneer commercial radio from the sea in 1964. Its transfer to the present position happened like this . . . The first Caroline began broadcasting on Easter Sunday, 1964, but was joined almost a month later by the second ship to start pop radio, Radio Atlanta. Atlanta-as most of us know-hit the airwaves on May 9. However, though the ships were initially rivals, there was much to link them-particularly the fact that they had both been equipped at the port of Greenore in Southern Ireland. Behind the scenes talks were going on to make the links stronger-in fact, effect a merger. This took place in July of the same year, and a little while later Caroline steamed off to the Isle of Man to tap an as yet untouched audience, while Atlanta lost its identity and became Radio Caroline (South). For those interested in ships, Caroline in the north ~ a 763-ton vessel, 188 ft. in length and propelled by a 1,000-h.p. diesel engine (not that she moves much!), while her sister in the south was formerly known as the M.V. Mi Amigo and was used by the Swedish station Radio Nord until 1962. She weighs 470 tons, is 150 ft. long and has a 200-h.p. diesel engine. Both ships are fitted with special anchoring equipment-and are the d.j.'s thankful when a storm gets up! Normally there are two anchors in use, but when the weather turns bad only one heavy-duty anchor is used and the ship can then sail out the storm, circling the anchor. And that's one spin the boys say they can well do without!

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Offshore
• Pirate
• Radio
• 1960's
• Ships
• Caroline
• North
• Isle
• of
• Man

[ricardo266]

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.

[radprog]

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.

[radiosutch]

I see some footage appears to be of the Mi Amigo?

Still, well done to you.

[Kenipedia]

@bondh07 REME?

[mercia220]

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!

[muscleco]

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.

[HOWIEB09]

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???

[muscleco]

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.

[petermines]

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.

[choamnomsky]

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.

[trashachina]

Fantastic. I'm almost going to look out of the window to see Ramsey Bay....just like yesterday. Thank you.

[JJMMWGDuPree]

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.