Communicator in Holland
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The MV Communicator becomes the 'Albatross' in what was to be her transformation into a Dutch Radio Ship (of sorts)
With never before published archive photographs from August 1994 to 2002
MV Communicator in Portugal 1993
Changing hands several times until August 1989 when she left UK waters to be towed to Lisbon in Portugal for fitting out by White Lance Marine Enterprises as a AM broadcast station for a Political Evangelical organisation for Romania. In July 1993 she was temporarily renamed 'Albatross' & sold for $100,000 to Old Court Shipping Corporation of Panama City, Panama under contract on 3rd June 1994 to Peparacoes Navais do Jego but the project failed
MV Communicator Bridge - 30th August 1994
The ship had already had a chequered history initially as the Lazer Project from December 1983 then as Laser 558 till November 1985 & as the short lived Laser Hot Hits up until April 1987
MV
Communicator Deck - August 1994 |
Antenna
Erection - August 1994 |
The UK authorities impounded the Communicator in Harwich & quickly stripped her of studio equipment but left her transmitters & generators intact
Transmitter engineer at work on the MV Communicator - August 1994
MV Communicator at Ijmuiden - August 1994
MV Communicator Generator Sets - August 1994
MV Communicator Transmitters - August 1994
MV
Communicator Antenna system - September 1994 |
MV
Communicator preparation for tow - 10th October 1994 |
Shortly after on 11th August the tug 'Vlieland' towed the Communicator from Lisbon to Ijmuiden at around 06:00 hours on 10th October she was moved to a new pier between Enkhuizen & Lelystad in the Ijsselmeer
MV Communicator under tow - October 1994
Arriving at her destination late in the afternoon the broadcasting ship was to be used to relay 1224khz under call sign "Holland FM" dumping the Dutch National 'Oompah' format the station became "Hit Radio Holland FM" from October 1994 till March 1995 & finally "Hit Radio 1224" from March 1995 till September 1995
MV Communicator arrives Enkhuizen - 10th October 1994