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

Communicator in Portugal

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

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 MV Communicator Antenna

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

Engineer adjusts TX

Transmitter engineer at work on the MV Communicator - August 1994

Communicator at Ijmuiden

MV Communicator at Ijmuiden - August 1994

MV Communicators Generators

MV Communicator Generator Sets - August 1994

MV Communicators Transmitters

MV Communicator Transmitters - August 1994

MV Communicators Antenna MV Communicators ready for tow

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 Communicators under tow

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 Communicators arrives at Khuizen

MV Communicator arrives Enkhuizen - 10th October 1994

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