South Coast Radio
Part one of a feature on one of Ireland's independant free stations
All of which broadcast until outlawed through the 1980's
Transmitter hut arrives on site outside Cork
Antenna first stage standing with perimeter fence going up
Antenna riggers with Paddy Pendergast right, fitting insulators to the first guy wire, Paddy had erected the Sunshine and Nova masts
Ground site preparation continues
Paddy sorts out more guys and insulators in transmitter hut
Keith York
Audio |
South
Coast Radio Jingles |
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
Guying the first stage with 1950's Furguson tractor powering the concrete mixer
Rear of the transmitter cabinet, riggers with more guys and insulators
Transmitter block and circuit diagrams
Transmitter modulator stages left as rigger perches on the top of the first antenna mast stage
Transmitter power control, tyratrons left with R/F driver and output stages right
Transmitter engineer Terry Vacani with the original Beta transmitter crystal
More guys being attached to the aerial mast
4 phase PSU at rear of transmitter cabinet
Working on the third of the eight transmitter cabinets
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
Transmitter tests
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
Studio audio was processed by a Dynamite Compressor
John Kenny & Keith York hope to clean up in Ireland
Peter Madison contemplates the tests
Stevie Dunne surprised to be on air
South Coast Radio A & B list for 12th - 17th July 1982
Secretary Mary Croggan with Peter Marrs girlfriend right
But as with all Pirates strorm clouds begin to gather over Southern Ireland
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