Kiwi Radio, New Zealand

This is a recording of Radio Kiwi from New Zealand, relayed on medium wave (1094 kHz) by Radio Torenvalk, made in September 1985. The operator is heard talking about problems the station has been having in New Zealand. The station was previously known as Radio Freedom.




(6.15 mins)

Torenvalk, Woodpecker and Waddenzee

Here are clips from three Dutch pirates from 1985. Torenvalk was recorded in 1094 kHz medium wave while Woodpecker and Waddenzee were heard on shortwave.

(1:36 mins)

(1:18 mins)

(1:18 mins)

Radio Jackie raided (1985)

Radio Jackie first went on the air on medium wave in 1969 with the aim of providing a local radio service for the people of south west London. Its popularity grew and in 1984 a petition was signed by 55,000 people calling for the station to be given a licence. But in February 1985 the station was raided by the DTI and closed down. When a license was advertised in 1996 for SW London, Jackie applied but it was given to a rival bidder, Thames FM. But in 2003 Thames FM was in financial trouble and the Jackie team bought the station and Jackie was back on the air as a legal station, and can still be heard on 107.8FM in south west London.

There is more about the station history and photographs on the Radio Jackie website: http://www.radiojackie.com/

There is also a lot more information and recordings from the 1970s and 80s on the Radio Eric website: http://radio.eric.tripod.com/radio_jackie.htm

The Pirate Archive also has more information and audio: http://www.thepiratearchive.net/jackie.html

Here is a short clip I made of Jackie's final moments on medium wave in 1985, although the final closedown was only heard on FM.




(0.50 mins)

The Radio Jackie theme tune played by the Bob Keene Orchestra

South East Sound

Another medium wave pirate heard in the London area during the early 80s was South East Sound. It also had a sister station, Radio Kristel International, which broadcast on shortwave. Here's a clip of South East Sound, made in August 1983.




(2.40 mins)


The station also has a Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/SouthEastSound and a website at: http://www.southeastsound.net/

Radio Sovereign

Radio Sovereign was a popular medium wave station broadcasting daily to the London area in the early 80s as Britain's first golden oldies station. There is a lot more information and longer recordings at these websites:
http://www.bobleroi.co.uk/ScrapBook/Sovereign_UK/Sovereign_UK.html
http://radio.eric.tripod.com/radio_sovereign.htm
http://www.thepiratearchive.net/sovereign.html



(1.17 mins)

Radio Mi Amigo (UK) & Southern Radio

Tune around the medium wave any weekend in the early 80s and you'd find plenty of pirate activity. In the London area there were quite a few stations around. Radio Floss has already been featured on this website. Two others were Radio Mi Amigo and Southern Radio. The Southern Radio clip is very short but I've got a QSL from them so thought I'd include it.





Mi Amigo (2.16 mins), Southern Radio (0.18 mins)

Radio Coralfisher & Radio Dolfijn

Here are a couple of Dutch stations from the early 80s. First shortwave station Radio Coralfisher.



(0.44 mins) 

Now Radio Dolfijn, a medium wave station which announced it was using 1,000 watts of power.



(1.38 mins)

Radio Floss

Radio Floss was a medium wave pirate that broadcast rock music to the London area in the early 1980s. If you are interested in finding out more visit their website: http://www.freewebs.com/radiofloss/

Here is a recording (quality not great but does improve):



(2.39 mins)