Fresh FM is a thriller

From 4pm, DJ GQ on Leeds pirate Fresh FM 95.6 seemed to be dedicating his show to music by Michael Jackson. This was apparently to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his Thriller album.

Well, when he played Thriller itself, it certainly set the atmosphere for the gale-swept drive home down the (often rather bleak) A1.

I also noticed that Fresh FM have again started using dynamic RDS, and were using it to advertise and under-18's disco. (Either appropriate or ironic, depending on your opinion of MJ himself!)

Feeding the birds

On the DAB Digital 1 national multiplex, there is now a station called Birdsong, on the slot previously occupied by Oneword. The station lives up to its name, broadcasting nothing but birdsong! (Thanks to Ditchy, the DJ on Real Radio this afternoon, for bringing this to my attention, by mentioning it on-air!)

It kinda brings back memories of 1991, when Classic FM broadcast birdsong in their test transmissions. Likewise, I understand Birdsong is only on DAB temporarily, until they find a station to fill the slot.

But what will this station be? Might it be The Eagle from Guildford? Or Kestrel FM from Basingstoke? Phoenix FM from Brentwood? A hospital radio station like Radio Nightingale from Rotherham, or Radio Robin from Ilkeston? Or maybe, now Radio Mi Amigo's back (see previous post), they could bring back the 1970's offshore pirate Radio Seagull :-)

On a Dutch high

As the high pressure area (which has been responsible for the freezing weather lately) dissipates, its swan song seems to be a bumper crop of tropo from the Netherlands and Belgium. This evening from 5pm to 6pm, the following were heard at Woodhall Service Station (north of M1 junction 30):

87.6 Unidentified (weak, music format)
87.7 Unidentified (weak)
87.9 Omroep Zeeland
89.5 Klara (classical music) RDS = KLARA
90.4 Klara RDS = KLARA
91.7 Radio 1 ("Radio En")
94.0 Radio Mi Amigo (Oldies) RDS = MI AMIGO
95.7 Radio 1 ("Radio En") RDS = RADIO 1
97.6 City FM
101.4 Unidentified (weak, rock music)
104.4 Radio 1

Dunno if Mi Amigo is connected in any way with the old offshore pirate, but it's obviously inspired by said; the jingles, and the format, are very reminiscent of the offshore Mi Amigo :-)

A couple of exotic UK stations were also heard; Stray FM on 97.4, and Yorkshire Coast Radio on 102.4

Skip from Eire to Holland

Tropo seems to be with us again.

This morning, from 7am to after 9am, RTE Lyric FM from Eire was heard on 87.8 (from the Clermont Carn TX). Heard while driving from Clowne to Garforth.

Also heard at the time, intermittently, was a Dutch station on 87.9. North of Wakefield, said station was competing with the Asian Paradise Radio RSL for the frequency.

On the way home, on 87.9 was Omroep Zeeland from Holland. (Possibly the Dutch station heard this morning on the frequency). This time the signal was at times quite strong (although no RDS received), audible all the way from Garforth to Clowne.

Shameless self-promotion

I've just recorded another Radio Ability programme, for February. You can hear this online, streamed using RealAudio, at the Radio Ability website.

Brown all at sea

Listening to Radio Caroline (via the web) this afternoon, I was pleased to hear that Caroline had not lost its rebel streak, also that cheeky dedications are still in vogue.

At approx 2:30, the DJ dedicated a record to "Mr Brown in London". The record? The late 1970's cheesy punk song "Jilted John" by Jilted John. (If you're too young to remember the record, you may still get the joke after reading the Jilted John lyrics). LOL LOL LOL.

OK, so it's not quite the Caroline broadcasts from the Mebo II in 1970. But it's still good to hear Caroline having a go at the Establishment :-)

Radio Caroline website

Caroline is also audible on Sky, channel 0199. In fact, they announce on-air as "Caroline 0199", a throwback to their offshore days when their medium wave frequency used to end with a "9" in metres (eg Caroline 319, Caroline 519)

If Asian Paradise is half as nice

Asian Paradise Radio from Bradford are currently doing an RSL broadcast on 87.9.

Signal heard weakly in most of Garforth (near Leeds), and down the A1 as far as Darrington.

No RDS receivable

Asian Paradise Radio website

Is this the same Asian Paradise Radio that used to broadcast as a pirate, from the late 80's into the late 90's? Quite possible, the station's vibrant music and presentation are certainly reminiscent of the ex-pirate APR :-)