How long did radio caroline broadcast

However the stations faced much opposition, for example it was claimed its broadcasts obstructed communications with British lightships and the lifeboat service and in April the General Post Office asked the International Telecommunications Union ITU to help stop the unauthorized broadcasts.

The Post Office also withdrew Radio-telephone ship-to-shore facilities, cutting the station off from direct contact with its land based offices. The Isle of Man parliament Tynwald made attempts to exclude Radio Caroline North from the legislation and appealed to the European Court on the legality of the act. On 31 August the Marine Act became law in the Isle of Man; by way of response Radio Caroline North broadcasted that the station would change its name to Radio Caroline International and continue to transmit.

Its operational headquarters moved from London to Amsterdam and both North and South ships' fuel and supplies were tended to by foreign ports North — Dundalk, Ireland; South — Ijmuiden, Holland. In both Caroline stations were still on the air however by 3 March of that year both ships were boarded by Dutch authorities Wijsmuller Tender and Offshore Supply Co.

Caroline personnel were told that broadcasting was to cease, the studios were to be sealed and the transmitter crystal removed. Both ships were towed to Holland. The Radio Caroline organization promised to return air imminently, however due to continued disputes over unpaid bills to the tender company Radio Caroline did not broadcast again until the s. On 19 March Mi Amigo broke anchor and — lifted by the rising tide — was pounded on the seabed, with many leaks springing up in the engine and generator rooms at the stern.

After struggling for eight hours with portable pumps the crew admitted defeat. The station continued broadcasting until the horrendous storms of destroyed the foot aerial on the ship. This was replaced by two more modest aerials, but on On Saturday 19 August , the unthinkable happened. The large Dutch vessel Volans with armed officials on board and the British launch Landward closed in on the Ross Revenge and boarded and took control of the ship as disc jockeys relayed a blow by blow account of events to the astonished listeners.

Once the transmitters were silenced, the Dutch stripped the ship of all broadcast equipment while the British attempted to interrogate the crew under threat of arrest.

All this happened in International waters where the boarders had no official powers, and the raiders eventually left, taking with them all of the records, studios and transmitting equipment and leaving behind some vandalism and deliberate damage. Using land-based studios leased in Kent in the late s, Radio Caroline began broadcasting via satellite. These analogue transmissions ended and a full digital service started in February Type above and press Enter to search.

Press Esc to cancel. He said the current Radio Caroline was aimed at Suffolk and Essex though added "test transmissions have reached further afield and it can be received along much of the East Coast". Radio Caroline awarded broadcast licence. The final days of the pop pirates. Image source, PA.

Image source, Getty Images. The Marine Broadcasting Offences Act rendered Radio Caroline, which broadcast from international waters, an illegal pirate station.