1989 studio photographs

thejuggler

A bit anoracky this one.
Just wondering if anyone has photographs of radio studios dating back to 1989 when the first legal independent stations came on air.
For those who were in the industry at that time and worked in both pirate and legal can you recall if existing pirate equipment was used or did the IRTC insist on new builds to their specifications?
I did read somewhere that 96FM in Cork (then Radio South) leased the former studios and equipment from ERI's owner allowing them to get on air quickly.
Was this widespread?

Infoanon

thejuggler wrote: »

For those who were in the industry at that time and worked in both pirate and legal can you recall if existing pirate equipment was used or did the IRTC insist on new builds to their specifications?
I did read somewhere that 96FM in Cork (then Radio South) leased the former studios and equipment from ERI's owner allowing them to get on air quickly.
Was this widespread?

The more professional pirates had broadcast standard equipment which was used by the new legals.
The better known 'buys' where Century using the Sunshine AM equipment and site and the Kiss 103.7 am in Cork.
The Q102/Energy 10kw AM was bought by FM104. The Heartbeat studio was bought by CKR. Sunshine studio equipment ended up in a hospital radio station while some of Q102 processing equipment ended up in FM 104 iirc .98FM did move into the Q102 studios but all the equipment was sold off before then.
A Nova processor ended up in a broadcast school !, while the old Nova desk ended up in Kiss 103.2

Hopefully others can fill in the blanks on some of the more professional FM transmitters ?

thejuggler

Interesting. I understand that the century 1143am rig was sited at the 96FM (former ERI) site at Hollyhill in Cork.
Had always assumed that they used the ERI 1305 equipment which was used at the same location until the 1988 closedown.

I wonder if its still there or was it sold on after Century radio's demise in November 1991.

Regarding studio equipment were turntables still widespread in 1989 or were CD players preferred? Someone told me that the turntables from the ERI studios were scrapped/replaced before the radio south launch.

Declan A Walsh

Infoanon wrote: »

The more professional pirates had broadcast standard equipment which was used by the new legals.
The better known 'buys' where Century using the Sunshine AM equipment and site and the Kiss 103.7 am in Cork.
The Q102/Energy 10kw AM was bought by FM104. The Heartbeat studio was bought by CKR. Sunshine studio equipment ended up in a hospital radio station while some of Q102 processing equipment ended up in FM 104 iirc .98FM did move into the Q102 studios but all the equipment was sold off before then.
A Nova processor ended up in a broadcast school !, while the old Nova desk ended up in Kiss 103.2

Hopefully others can fill in the blanks on some of the more professional FM transmitters ?

I assume you mean Capital Radio when you say FM104 as that was its original name when it first started back in 1989. There were a lot of presenters on Capital Radio's original schedule with links to pirates Q102 and/or Energy 103, when it launched - most, in fact. So, it comes as no surprise to find out that studio equipment from these pirates ended up here. The presenters in question included: Colm Hayes, Scott Williams, Aidan Leonard, Liam Coburn, Mike Duggan, Jason Maine, Gerry Stevens, Dave Kelly and Chris Barry.

Infoanon

FM 104 = Rock 104 = Capital 104

Infoanon

thejuggler wrote: »

Interesting. I understand that the century 1143am rig was sited at the 96FM (former ERI) site at Hollyhill in Cork.
Had always assumed that they used the ERI 1305 equipment which was used at the same location .

Apologies you are correct, the on air AM transmitter in Cork was the ex-ERI rig,the Kiss TX was a spare transmitter that Century had in Cork.

thejuggler

I’d imagine John or Kyrl Cahill would know it’s whereabouts as they look after that site.