SAS Interference August2025

Offshore Radio in 2005. Okay I know that there isn’t any but…there are descendents and tribute stations. Here is a brief list

Radio Caroline  The main album service on 648 kHz currently is utilised with the 20kW Nautel at 4KW  it seems the proposed power increase is still 'in the works'. Caroline revising this request to 10kW fom 16kW.  The amount of solar panels at the transmission has been raised to  produce up to 40KW a decent increase from the previous 26kW. The signal on 648 now sounds brighter since Ofcom agreed to increase the bandwidth to 10kHz from the existing 9kHz. Some (no names mentioned) have been rather sniffy about the station getting a license and the format. Transmission audio as we all know is vastly better from the initial transmissions. Overall the station has improved since going back onto AM the programming is far more consistent. I personally think had Caroline been able to continue at sea that the format would have been changed and this is not too bad. Legal AM in 2017 broadcasts starting on 22nd December that month.

The station has recently indicated the option of a second AM transmitter in the British Isles and one in Austria - watch our news section.

Caroline Flashback – running a separate service with an oldies format and a good DJ crew. Internet only although Albatross in East Anglia has been known to relay the station on various frequences. This last being heard by me on 31st December 2019 on 927kHz from 1.30 to 2pm.

Caroline Coastal FM – ok maybe I am pushing the boat here. This was originally Saint FM broadcasting to the Maldon-on-Crouch  area of Essex on 94.7FM. Sadly due to financial issues and the small service area the station was forced to close and the area was re-advertised in 2017. Some members of Radio Caroline offered their expertise and with the stations permission asked to rebrand it as Caroline Community Radio. All rather clever as it introduces young broadcasters to the station like it always did and some of the crew now appear on the main station or even Radio Caroline North helping to ensure that ‘Caroline Continues’. Even Caroline Community Radio is no more! They were given an extra frequency of 104.7 MHz FM to extend coverage to Burnham on Crouch on 94.7 MHz now under the name of Caroline Coastal FM.

Radio Atlantis – this version based in London still survives as an internet station. Sadly 2025 has seen live programming withdrawn and the station remains in automated mode playing 60s music. It is a shame as in February this year the format was extended to include 70s and hoped to return to DAB on DAB+ in London, Brighton and Edinburgh. The station had picked up a few new ads recently including Boost Pet Foods, Higgidy Pies and a one year campaign from Suburu. Leading Swiss watch manufacturer IWC has extended its hourly time check contract with Atlantis Radio.  

Steve England left at the end of last year as he was visiting Australia. The station has gone back to a 60s only format although it sunded better as 60s and 70s. In 2023 they had hoped to do some live broadcasting from a the Jenny Bayton as a special event to mark the 50th anniversary of the start of broadcasts with a 100 watt AM relay.

They had a good presentation team  with Peter Quinn, Ron Brown, Mark Mathews, Steve England, Dave Owen, Bob Noakes.  

Laser558 - on Internet etc and also on DAB Radio in Cambridge, Peterborough, Norwich, King's Lynn, and across South Hertfordshire (which includes neighbouring parts of Beds and Bucks).

Is run by Stephen (Steve) Michael Bannister and, reportedly has no connection to the original station of the same name.  It is available online and also via Freeview Channel 277 via UK Radio Portal. This is effectively a recreation tribute station  uses modern technology to remaster original recordings of Laser 558 DJs from the 80s to introduce the music today.   They have got former LASER 558 DJs doing shows such as Erin Kelly and Chris Carson. Jay Mack from remote studios  although he dropped his as he went on a trip around the USA!

Steve Bannister Station Director, told RadioToday: “We are very excited to be bringing a special celebration of LASER558’s launch 40 years ago. Many of those original jocks have recorded new material for us and are sharing some never-before-heard stories and memories that we will also be broadcasting throughout the day. On the day, we’ll also be broadcasting a special commemorative program as well as a round-table chat with former jocks to be posted on our website.

Then on May 25th a new schedule commenced seeing five of the original DJs including two of the Laserettesreturning to the airways. Chris Carson, Jeff Davis , Erin Kelly ,Craig Novak, and Jay Mack. According to the report in Radio Today they had been working with Steve  behind the scenes for a while, and looking forward to being back and to repaying the kindness and support they received from so many listeners 40 years ago.”

Former LASER558 DJ Jeff Davis says he was stunned  “but not surprised that Laser’s legacy continues to live on so many decades later. I am also thrilled to speak to music fans in The UK and the European continent once again. Is this really happening?” Jay Mack, who joined the station in 1985, says, “The listeners made Laser a special radio experience. They’re still out there, the great songs are still out there, and so are we, the original Laser DJs!”

ED: the station soinds excellent and a great way to escape our current problems.

Laser Hot HIts - another station created by Steve. This plays music from the 80s to current. Of note is a DJ called Shadow Stevens. He was meant to go out to the Communicator in NOvember 1985 and had arrived in the UK. Sadly the ship was bought in and this is the nearest he can get to it.

Lazer Hits - confused? This is the Ray Anderson version. Now there are times when I am obligated not to put items on the website. It emerged in January when the 'new Laser 558' started that Ray had a parallel project in the background to re-launch Laser Hot Hits this year.  Ray also planed to use all American DJs some from the old Laser (Tommy Rivers) and some new. You can hear Ray apparently owns the copyright to Laser 558 and Laser Hot Hits 576 and a third party had the merchandising rights.  You'll notice the logos etc used by Stephen (Steve) Michael Bannister are different to the original. Is there room for both stations? Whilst I need to be neutral in this matter Steve's station sounds brilliant and has set a high water mark for Ray's Lazer Hits. (note the amended name)

Radio Monique International - is one of the Dutch broadcasters with a mere 100 watt license this time on 918 kHz from Velsen in the Netherlands. The station is playing music from the 80s. They had to do an enforced site move (which meant the signal propogated better). Unfortunately the Dutch authorities stated that this breached their license conditions and they had to shut down AM. All this has now been sorted out and 918 kHz returned. ED: My personal opinion is that the station sounds good and fast paced.  Even re-using some of the old jingles. Things that are missing a) adverts like the old days and b) a  punchy 50kW transmitter. 

On the 17th of February, a pivotal change occurred as the frequency shifted from 918 kHz to 1332 kHz, enhancing the reach and clarity of their transmissions.The site is located at a factory, serving as the housing for the transmitter and antenna tuner. The current dipole antenna configuration will undergo further enhancements in the summer of 2024, promising improved broadcast quality.

To provide a glimpse into the broadcasting site and antenna mast, several videos have been produced, offering an insight into Radio Monique’s operational setup.

Even so it can be a bit like the North Sea as one day a Force 10 storm hit caused significant antennae damage. Moreover, as some fuses blew out as well, there might be electrical damage requiring the installation to be inspected before resuming broadcasts.

The station has also been relayed on SW legally by Radio Delta on 6020 kHz. There is also a shortwave pirate where the presenter adopts the Monique style of presentation,

Radio Seagull Broadcasts from Harlingen, Netherlands. This station was set up as Radio Caroline Netherlands in suport of the satellte service. It currently has a 100 watts relay on 747 kHz from 1900 to 0700 CET. For a long while broadcast on 1602 from the Jenni Bayton until October 2017 with 1kW and after that just 100 watts due to changes in regulation. Radio Seagull - 28.07.15 Via our good friend Hans Knot some news from Andy Sennit about Radio Seagull. On Saturday 1st August Radio Seagull switches to a new schedule, in readiness for our appearance on DAB+ in the north of the Netherlands. On Tuesday 28th July Andy will present his final Tuesday show at 1100-1300 CET online, repeated at2300-0100 CET online + 1602 kHz . From next week, Andy will be on Radio Seagull every Monday at 0700-1000 CET online, repeated at 1900-2200 CET online + 1602 kHz and from September also on DAB+. Most of the other presenters are also moving to new days and/or times. Full details on the Radio Seagull website at www.radioseagull.com.

Quasar 

Radio Mi Amigo (LV18) – OK this light ship was used for Pirate BBC Essex 2004, 2007 and 2009. MI Amigo on FM was a month long special event station and way back in 2000 a tribute broadcast to RNI which our late friend Stuart Dobson was involved in. This year gaining a community license on 1585 kHz (190 metres) with 1 watt starting officially on 16th July.

Radio Hauraki – the first offshore station to be legalised after1,111 days at sea got a license with 5KW for Auckland on 1480 kHz and in November 1978 shifted to 1476 kHz. IN 1990 moved to Fm on 99 MHz. There being FM land based pirates which helped encourage transmissions in this band! The station was taken over in the mid70s and is now owned by NZME whp operate and I quote  “radio brands like Newstalk ZB, ZM, The Hits, Coast. Music that rocks.

Radio Hauraki is described as Rebellious, irreverent, music that rocks, targeting males 30 - 49 years old. The Hauraki listener is smart, fun, and always up for a good time. They know what they like, and that's music that rocks. It's pretty simple - Hauraki listeners like their beer cold, their kids happy, their jobs fun, and their TVs large. That friendly guy that helped you back up the to the boat ramp that one time? Hauraki listener. Good guy

Quasar Radio the album station. Another Caroline offshoot. A number of people were getting a bit fed up with Caroline’s delayed return to the terrestrial airwaves and the ‘format’ they were running. Quasar is based on the mid 70s Caroline album format and has many familiar names such as Dave R|ichards, Stevie Lane, Dave Asher, Derek Scott, Roger Mathews, Cliff Osbourne, Jeremy Chartham and at one point Stuart Russell was on there too!

According to their website  Quasar was created by a group of disenchanted former radio professionals who, to a man (and woman), had grown tired of the very limited fayre available on the radio dial today. With seemingly more and more small and local stations being swallowed up by corporate giants who simply turned their acquisitions over to automated bland formats, often playing the same few hundred tracks in constant rotation, we found nothing on offer in mainstream radio that we would want to listen to.

This is not music radio. It is a tiny percentage of what is out there. There are quite literally hundreds of bands that have released thousands of albums over the past six decades so surely there must be an audience out there for a station playing quality album tracks rather than a few hundred hit singles? From the outset our mission was to create a station that WE would want to listen to in the sure knowledge that other radio listeners who felt similarly disenfranchised would listen too.

The music on Quasar is not genre specific nor pigeonholed into specific eras. The overriding criteria is that it must be good music. So alongside well established album artistes new and upcoming bands, possibly still struggling for that elusive first recording contract, will get an airing too providing their music is good.

Radio 538 was the successor to Sky Hitradio, a sister station of Sky Radio. Founded by a group of former Radio Veronica employees, led by Lex Harding. They had wanted Radio Veronica to leave the Dutch broadcasting system and go back to being commercial. As of 11 December 1992, starting from a studios in a villa in Bussum. In December 2012, the entire 538 operation was re-located to Hilversum.

First presenters included Lex Harding,  Rick van Velthuysen, Wessel van Diepen, Erik de Zwart, Michael Pilarczyk, Will Luikinga, and Corné Klijn.

As they were not able to use the Veronica name “Radio 538” the last Veronica wavelength was utilised.

Originally only via the cable system as frequencies were denied to them. However, in 1995 after collecting over 320,000 signatures  they obtained regional FM frequencies. In 2003, after the last auction Radio 538 finally received a new nationwide frequency, 102 MHz (FM). At a cost of €57 million for the new frequencies plus 891 kHZ with 20KW in South Holland (which was easily receivable at night in SE England) as no available FM frequencies were available there.

As you might imagine ownership has changed several times as Lex and others got involved in new projects. Advent International became a major shareholder in 2 with Lex retaining 10%. In May 2002 John De Mols Talpa bought the station and relinquished this two years later to RTL who bought out Talpa