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South Coast Radio

Part one of a feature on one of Ireland's independant free stations

South Coast Radio Car Sticker

All of which broadcast until outlawed through the 1980's

SCR TX Hut

Transmitter hut arrives on site outside Cork

Antenna stage 1

Antenna first stage standing with perimeter fence going up

Antenna Riggers

Antenna riggers with Paddy Pendergast right, fitting insulators to the first guy wire, Paddy had erected the Sunshine and Nova masts

Ground site preparation

Ground site preparation continues

SCR headed paper

Paddy Pendergast

Paddy sorts out more guys and insulators in transmitter hut

SCR Rate Card

Keith York

Keith York


Audio

South Coast Radio Jingles

SCR Rate Card detail

SCR RCA Beta 10kw TX

The RCA Beta 10 kw MW transmitter came from Salt Saint Marie on the Canada side of the USA border

The lakeside unit was on 1034 khz above R/F driver valve the aerial loading coil with right the 2 boxed crystal oscillators with 4 rectifiers below

SCR Car Sticker 2

Guy wires on antenna

Guying the first stage with 1950's Furguson tractor powering the concrete mixer

TX site work continues

Rear of the transmitter cabinet, riggers with more guys and insulators

SCR Advertising terms

TX block diagram

Transmitter block and circuit diagrams

TX Modulator Rigger on stage 1 of antenna

Transmitter modulator stages left as rigger perches on the top of the first antenna mast stage

SCR promise

TX power & tyratrons TX RF & driver stages

Transmitter power control, tyratrons left with R/F driver and output stages right

Terry Vacani

Transmitter engineer Terry Vacani with the original Beta transmitter crystal

SRR segment spots

Antenna Antenna guys

More guys being attached to the aerial mast

4 phase psu

4 phase PSU at rear of transmitter cabinet

SCR spot rates continued

Keith York by TX cabinets

Working on the third of the eight transmitter cabinets

Terry Vacani

SCR spot rates continued

Completed antenna mast

The 147 foot quarter wave antenna mast was supported by 121 copper composite wires spaced at 3 degrees were sunk in six inches of concrete

TX checks TX checks

Transmitter tests

SCR Sticker

Keith & Terry in TX hut

TX footprint

Fully functional TX Antenna mast with its lights

Fully functional transmitter comprising all eight cabinets fitted back to back

The completed mast had a 2 foot white & three 2 foot red radial fluorescent tubes on the top

Transmitter RF made it quite a sight at night

SCR address label

Keith York tries out studio

Studio audio was processed by a Dynamite Compressor

John Kerry Keith York

John Kenny & Keith York hope to clean up in Ireland

SCR launch flyer

SCR launch flyer

Peter Madison

Peter Madison contemplates the tests

SCR Competition flyer

Stevie Dunne

Stevie Dunne surprised to be on air

SCR Playlist

South Coast Radio A & B list for 12th - 17th July 1982

Mary Croggan Peter Marrs girlfriend

Secretary Mary Croggan with Peter Marrs girlfriend right

SCR sticker

But as with all Pirates strorm clouds begin to gather over Southern Ireland

Save SCR sticker

The South Coast Radio story continues in Ireland in Part 2

11/07/07 - Web Site Message from: Neil Prendeville I really enjoyed surfing through the old days & its great to hear that so many other old buddies are still keeping well. Excellent photo's, well done. We had some great fun at the time!. Neil Prendeville, aka jim lockhart. 96fm, cork.

The South Coast Radio "Scrapbook" pages were much appreciated. I used to receive them during late evenings at my parents home in West Bromwich, West Midlands in 1983/84 with a surprisingly good signal on am. Mark

Looking at the photos and memorabilia of South Coast Radio brought back a lot of memories, I can tell you that! By the way, in Ireland I was known as Stevie Dunne with an E, and not as you spelt it. The newsman? with Siobhan was called Jim Lockhart. That was the name he used. Don't know if it was his "real" name, but anyway he was a nice guy. I always enjoy looking at your site. Keep up the good work.When are we going to hear you on Radio Seagull? Kind Regards Stevie Gordon

Really enjoyed looking at the old SCR stuff. Many thanks, Scott Bingham


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