Radio Nostalgia

Hissing Sideban

It is almost 200 years ago (28th December 1988) when the radio pirates WLR and ABC closed due to new broadcasting legislation - of course WLR went on to become WLR - FM

I found this this website has a few streams where you can listen to ABC as if it were on the radio - it is amasing to hear the ads from back then, also some of the forgotten records that you never hear anymore, even on 80's oldies hours
Click on these links to listen
http://n90.mediamaster.com/myradio/abcradio.asx

http://n90.mediamaster.com:8000/plist/3000182986/ABCRadio

http://offshoreradiodaze.googlepages.com/ABCRadio.pls

or see http://www.abcthehotfm.com/

c - 13

I remember the ABC name being ressurected around 1996 IIRC ? ABC power 104 which I think went on to become beat eventually ?

Trick of the Tail

c - 13 wrote: »

I remember the ABC name being ressurected around 1996 IIRC ? ABC power 104 which I think went on to become beat eventually ?

No it didn't, the people running ABC Power 104 (who were not the same owners as the original ABC although there were some of the same people involved) applied for the licence but lost out to Beat.


Oh, and I'm sure HS means 20 years, not 200!

A.

Sully

Saying that a few of the ABC folk are working on Beat now.

c - 13

alinton wrote: »

No it didn't, the people running ABC Power 104 (who were not the same owners as the original ABC although there were some of the same people involved) applied for the licence but lost out to Beat.


Oh, and I'm sure HS means 20 years, not 200!

A.

Was there some crossover between staff between the two or something at least. I was full convinced there was some link between the two for some reason.

Daysha

200 years since the arrival of Waterford radio...where does the time go? :rolleyes:

Trick of the Tail

There were some ex-ABC The Hot FM people involved in ABC Power 104, but is wasn't the same ownership.

Some ex-ABC people have now gone on to very good careers in radio, showing what a good start it was.

In fact, listening to that stream HS mentioned, that old station sounds better than some stations now, showing how good it was back then.

Good days!

A.

shockwave

Bring back ABC it was 10 times better than any station around now!!

mike65

ABC was always LOUD, I dunno what they were using by the last incarnation of the station but it felt like they had twice as much wattage as WLR/Suirside

Trick of the Tail

Do you mean AM or FM? 'Loud' means we had the audio processing set right!

On FM there were 5 transmitters, one Waterford City, one north of Waterford, one Dungarvan, one Co. Wexford and onr Wexford town.

On AM there was the trusty old 1kW transmitter from Tramore on 1026kHz and a 100w tx in Wexford on 1116kHz.

All used Orban Optimod audio processing expertly set up by engineer Andy Ellis.

The AM transmitter was more powerful than WLR's or Suirside's, the FMs similar to WLR's but they only had two.

A.

mike65

FM I was thinking about, never listened to on MW.

Did you ever have a transmitter at Tory Hill?

Trick of the Tail

Yes, on 103.2.

That had a good coverage!

A.

mike65

Thought so.

wellbutty

Bring back ABC it was 10 times better than any station around now!!

Well said shockwave...........Beat has never filled the gap left by ABC

Freddie59

wellbutty wrote: »

Well said shockwave...........Beat has never filled the gap left by ABC

The second licence should have been awarded to a totally independent competitor IMO.

Sully

Id assume maybe Beat is restricted to how it can perform, as apposed to the others who were doing it illegaly without any control at all. Would that have any affect?

Cheerleader

<p>I worked on ABC for a few months back in 1984, what a great station.</p>
<p>My memories are a bit different, the mobile home in Tramore was the studio site in those days.</p>
<p>Turntables and nikko tape decks, and a citronic mixer.. still it was sounded better than Radio 2..</p>
<p>The house in Tramore with the recording studio (reel to reel) in the garage and Tony murell blowing up Andy lintons cigerette lighters..</p>
<p>How many DJs could you fit in one house?? </p>
<p>hard to believe it all ended in 1988.. 20 Years ago</p>

It was lightyears ahead in terms of music, presentation and there is nothing like it today.

Sully

Cheerleader wrote: »

<p>I worked on ABC for a few months back in 1984, what a great station.</p>
<p>My memories are a bit different, the mobile home in Tramore was the studio site in those days.</p>
<p>Turntables and nikko tape decks, and a citronic mixer.. still it was sounded better than Radio 2..</p>
<p>The house in Tramore with the recording studio (reel to reel) in the garage and Tony murell blowing up Andy lintons cigerette lighters..</p>
<p>How many DJs could you fit in one house?? </p>
<p>hard to believe it all ended in 1988.. 20 Years ago</p>

It was lightyears ahead in terms of music, presentation and there is nothing like it today.

Moved from a year old topic on the same issue.

Welcome to Boards.

djsupreme

Sully wrote: »

Id assume maybe Beat is restricted to how it can perform, as apposed to the others who were doing it illegaly without any control at all. Would that have any affect?

Well said Sully. I was a big fan of the 80s ABC and the 90s ABC Power 104 - but it's very easy to romanticise these things, looking back with rose tinted glasses.

The fact is.... both stations were unlicensed, operating without rules or regulation. You can't compare with a licensed station that has strict rules on Irish music content, speech content, advertising guidelines, etc.

Trick of the Tail

From about 1984, ABC Radio was compliant with any rules and laws it could. Taxes, VAT, PRS, all sorted.

All equipment professional and performing well above industry-wide standards.

Sure there were no rules about Irish music content, so we played the best Irish music. There were also no rules about speech content, but we were a music station, why should a music based station be forced to have speech?

That rule now is seen by many as irrelevent and restrictive.

Advertising guidelines? We stuck to the same rules RTE did.

Listen to the recordings, you'll see how good that station did sound. We were relevent, engaging, fun, interesting and responsible.

Times do change, but I do believe radio isn't as good now as it was then, due mainly to the unneccessarily restrictive and protective rules that stations now have to stick to.

A.

Partizan

Bring back the Pirates. I remember the hey day of ABC Radio 1983-88. It still brings back the memories, getting up turning on the radio, switching the dial from Radio 1 (which my parents still religiously listen to) over to ABC and Andy McCloskey belting out the tunes. Nothing has been teh same since.

WLR is dry, turgid and boring. Beat 102 is just a toned up version of WLR.

Anyone remember Quayside Radio, they broadcasted from 1997 - late 2000 before they were taken off air. Played all the oldies especially 70s and 80s & 90s music. They were 'unofficially' based in Rainbow Records. They played the kind of stuff that the contemporary stations no longer played.

ABC Power 104 (1996) were a continuity ABC (1982) and were a breath of fresh air when they started off. However towards the end they lost their way and became quite frankly rubbish with too much emphasis on dance music. Wasnt surprised they lost out in the end for the license.

djsupreme

I agree with pretty much everything you say Andy. Radio was a lot more fun in the pirate days - both for those working in it and the listener. It is ridiculous that every music-driven station in Ireland nowadays has to provide so much speech content - in the UK, the US, and in australia - music stations are there to do just that - play good music.

I remember Quayside Radio. If I'm right, it was a much smaller operation than ABC Power. Played some cracking oldies, but it didn't have the same coverage and transmission facilities as the guys from ABC.

Heathen

alinton wrote: »

Oh, and I'm sure HS means 20 years, not 200!

Yea right!! thats your story old man hehe :)


Its great to see this interest i was checking out http://abcthehotfm.com/ and whoever put the time and effort into gathering all the memories deserves a huge pat on the back, as any of you who know me outside of Boards you will know this kinda stuff really floats my boat, and i have been researching/ following the history of Radio in Waterford for the last few years and meeting with as many people as i could to have a chinwag with, i have chatted to HS a few times online and had a quick PM/ Hello to Andy L.. but what you guys archived is awesome in comparison to what radio had become nowadays.. cheers for giving us something to look back at and say wow!!

I was a big Anorak when i lived in Dublin most memorable was my trip in the 1980's to the SunShine 101 studio/portacabin beside the sands hotel in portmarnock.. i followed unlicensed stations all through my youth in Dublin and saw some of Irelands biggest names in radio appear from garden sheds and bedroom studios im a very big believer in the saying "just because your broadcasting from a garden shed, dosent mean you have to sound like you are" and there are many stations in the past that really pulled this off, ABC being one of them. History is still being made all over the country albeit to a lesser degree however it warms the heart to know that their is still support out there for genuine enthusiasts

73s 51s and 88's to the ladies ;-)

mike65

Exellent site, new to me I have to say.

Interesting how a disperate nay desperate bunch came, saw, conquered and for the most part forgot to leave!

Trick of the Tail

I only came here for a year, to work on Suirside Radio before going to university.

But, I forgot to go back!

A.

Heathen

alinton wrote: »

I only came here for a year, to work on Suirside Radio before going to university.

But, I forgot to go back!

A.

haha i know how that goes man, i moved here for 6 months on a contract with a job.. 9 years later im still here.. :rolleyes:

The Muppet

ABC Waterfords equivelant to Dublins Nova/Sunshine. They had some quality Dj's . Some of who went on to very interesting stations such as the Voice of Peace off Israel. What a Gig ?

Trick of the Tail

...yes and more - Radio Caroline, Radio Luxembourg, GWR Bristol, BBC Radio Leeds, Touch 102, INN News, all stations that received people who started their professional radio careers on ABC.

One of my regrets is that I didn't do a gig on Caroline or VoP, when I could have during the 80s.

A.

Heathen

Speaking of Radio

i would like to congratulate the guys at Zenith Classic rock who have been awarded a temp licence from the BCI

Broadcast Dates are as follows:
28th - 31st December 2008
1st - 5th Jan 2009,
9th - 11th Jan 2009,
16th - 18th Jan 2009
23rd - 25th Jan 2009
30th Jan - 1st Feb 2009
6th - 8th Feb 2009
13th - 15th Feb 2009
20th - 22nd Feb 2009

looking forward to hearing this in Waterford

mike65

Well done to alinton

Hissing Sideban

We (as it is both alinton and Hissing Sideban[ds] behind Zenith) will be doing some ABC nostalgia stuff on Zenith on 29th Dec, should be interesting!

mike65

The frequency is 103.8 fm and 1584 am I see.

vanman

was with ABC RADIO in the early days,left for a short while, came back again,well done to all involved with this site,well worth the effort,wishing both listeners and people involved with the site a very happy christmas
Billy Power

Sully

Congrats lads

Freddie59

alinton wrote: »

From about 1984, ABC Radio was compliant with any rules and laws it could. Taxes, VAT, PRS, all sorted.

All equipment professional and performing well above industry-wide standards.

Sure there were no rules about Irish music content, so we played the best Irish music. There were also no rules about speech content, but we were a music station, why should a music based station be forced to have speech?

That rule now is seen by many as irrelevent and restrictive.

Advertising guidelines? We stuck to the same rules RTE did.

Listen to the recordings, you'll see how good that station did sound. We were relevent, engaging, fun, interesting and responsible.

Times do change, but I do believe radio isn't as good now as it was then, due mainly to the unneccessarily restrictive and protective rules that stations now have to stick to.

A.

That's about it. And WLR/Beat is really WLR 1 & 2. A huge opportunity wa missed there. I really think the second licence should have gone elsewhere. Anyhere but where it ended up.

murray sparkle

Hey Van Man (Billy) didn't you used the do the country show on a Sunday night? We used to listen to it all the time at home, you even used to send my parents a Xmas card every year (for years after even!) . As far as I can remember you used to have your wife answering the phone for you, Am I right?

Murray!

djsupreme

Freddie59 wrote: »

That's about it. And WLR/Beat is really WLR 1 & 2. A huge opportunity wa missed there. I really think the second licence should have gone elsewhere. Anyhere but where it ended up.

Yeah, maybe they should have given the licence to Denis O'Brien or UTV. There seems to be an impression out there that WLR owns and runs Beat FM which is nonsense. They have the same owners, and they share a building, that's all.

With regard to the original application for the regional licence, the other crowd didn't get it because the majority of the investment money was coming from abroad (as opposed to the 100% Irish investment in the Beat licence); and they couldn't convince the board that they could competently run a regional radio station. Simple as. It's seven years ago - time to get over it.

Trick of the Tail

Don't forget to listen to 103.8 FM or 1584Am this afternoon for some ABC remeniscencing!

A.

Sully

alinton wrote: »

Don't forget to listen to 103.8 FM or 1584Am this afternoon for some ABC remeniscencing!

A.

Is this a regional or national thing? Im heading up to Dublin but would still like to listen out!

Trick of the Tail

No afraid its only audible in the Waterford/Wexford area.

A.

mike65

I can hear Pink Floyd through a stereo fuzz (barely okay in mono).

Okay I'm now listening via my internet radio and its the Zenith stream and its got a crackly distortion.

mike65

Alinton your mic channel is open! :eek:

Andy Ellis it was then (hey I'd forgotten how you sounded!)

mike65

The MW signal is grand, loud and clear when on the ORR.

Trick of the Tail

Nope it wasn't me with mic on!

A.

Sully

I had a listen to it until I was out of range. Is this a temp thing or are ye hoping to actually launch this at some stage with the permission from those in charge?

Trick of the Tail

Well we'd love to, but there isn't a permanent licence available at present. Unfortunately the south-east has been overlooked by the upcoming 'mult-city' station 4fm which launches in 09. Waterford is the only city it won't cover.

However one of our intentions in running this temp station is to show that a small-scale, music-only station can be done in this area, and will be making a submission to the BCI to that effect.

Its possible (only slightly though, realistically) that they might consider making a licence available.

A.

Musashi

Did any of ye run in to my Father in Law Jim F. back in them days?

He's still a HAM Radio geek but does a lot of fastscan telly stuff now, easier to use MSN Video but he won't be told!

He started DCR back in the day from his house and shed, went to Ben O'Neills for a bit. A lot of the WLR tech guys would know him and Timmy Ryan, Mary Dixon nad Sean Organ all started there. OK Marys career kind of ended there also... Goodbyeeee!

Good to see the old Piratey days are remembered even if there seem to be no pirates about any more, is it that tightly regulated now/ big fines etc.?