Apr 9, 2012
We didn't go to many offshore radio conventions on Media Network, but those that we did attend were fascinating. I realise now that it is over two decades ago since I last visited Blackpool, the holiday resort in NW England. I remember climbing the tower and that the weather was actually superb for early September. Fortunately, I found this report from Communicate 1988 the seaside. Remember that this was an era where the off-shore radio ships like Laser 558 were still fresh in the minds of many European listeners. I also believe I found where the presenters for the spy-number stations were trained. John Catlett was involved in Laser 558. By the time of the Blackpool conference, he was the consultant to Radio Tara, the name of the project that was later to become Atlantic 252. It was a joint project between Radio Luxembourg and RTE. BBC Radio 1 was changing to FM! So were'nt they trying to flog a dead horse with using longwave?. We also heard that AFTRS (American Forces) signed off from shortwave. A new station was planned to broadcast offshore Israel and Alan Weiner talked to us about the good ship Sarah and his plans for Radio New York International. BBC is hiring a relay via Radio Bras and also opened their relay station in Seychelles. Wolf Harranth explains their shortwave agreement with RCI in Sackville.