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

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 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