Diary

The past two months in view

Time Radio runs a phone-in competition, with two prizes and two questions for the first and second person to phone in. The first person on the Iine answers both questions correctly. There is a slight pause as the jock realises that he can't ask the same questions twice. Another record is quickly introduced with the comment 'I wonder if anyone out there noticed I nearly made a mistake'...

'Good evening to all our viewers out there'

Bernard B getting confused about radio basics on CDR

After broadcasting off and on for years, Radio Free London returned this summer, and seems to have become a permanent feature on London's airwaves again. Time seems to have passed the station by. They're still playing Freebird and running competitions to win a Mars bar (for the most number of anagrams of RFL jocks' names). What's more amazing though is that they still haven't managed to cure the infamous RFL hum...

It's nice to see I'm getting back to normal again and playing decent music at last

John Dawson on returning to rock station RFL

Getting old? Kenny Everett reaches for a traffic report and ends up reading the whereabouts of the Phantom Phonebooth for that show instead, totally wrecking that section of the show. David Jensen was also apparently hit by a similar problem recently when he read out both the question and answer for a quiz. His nickname 'The Kid' will soon be reflecting the fact that he isn't so young anymore.

Sunday 2 August TKO are taken off the air when reportedly they have their aerial ripped down and transmitter stolen by an unknown group. Faze1 has their transmitter stolen just before 9am, the link receiver being dropped in the hurry to get away.

Friday 7 August Starpoint Radio returns to the air , fearing that they won't be able to find a frequency if they delay the return any longer.

Saturday 8 August London Rock begins relaying its programmes on 94.3 via RFM's transmitters. Tests in the week with DJs from the stations conversing over the channel lead to complaints from other stations.

Tuesday 11 August Faze One lose their studio and transmission equipment and have their aerial mast taken down, with a large Police presence. Sky Radio also lose a studio.

Friday 14 August To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Marine Offences Act (see last issZzzz) Flashback '87 broadcasts an eight hour special looking at the pirate radio from the fifties to the present day. Sky Radio is raided again.

Saturday 15 August Radio Amanda is meant to return via the transmitters of RFM, but due to technical problems it doesn't make it.

Monday 17 August Solar begin their long weekend broadcasts, with programmes now running from the early hours of Saturday through to the early hours of Tuesday. Greek Radio Of London is raided.

Tuesday 18 August Quest FM is raided at 10.50pm by three DTI officers with no police present (too busy training for the next football match?). London Asian Radio begins testing on 104.2MHz.

Wednesday 19 August LWR, TKO and Starpoint all lose transmitters to the DTI.

Saturday 22 August Lightning strikes Quest FM's transmitter, hitting one of their DJs who was holding it at the time. Raiders FM, an offshoot from the short-lived London Town FM, is launched with pop and specialist music programming.

Sunday 23 August Raids take place at Solar 93, Kiss FM, Studio One, City Radio, Fresh FM and WNK. Quest FM returns at 6.30pm.

Tuesday 25 August Quest FM is raided yet again. Girls FM returns on 96.9MHz.

Thursday 27 August RJR and City Radio are both raided again.

Friday 28 August Solar and Kiss FM both switch on early for the Carnival weekend. They are both raided, along with British Greek Community Radio.

Saturday 29 August Solar and Kiss FM both return. On the air especially for the Notting Hill Carnival is TPA, as well as a live broadcast from DBC.

Tuesday 1 September Late night raids at Quest FM and TKO.

Friday 4 September Horizon '87 mutate into Chicago '87 with a return to the airwaves with 7 day a week programmes.

Monday 7 September More late night raids, this time at Solar and Rock To Rock.

Thursday 10 September Sina Radio boost their signal bringing their Asian programming on 90.8 to more people.

Friday 11 September The DTI spend part of the day in court nailing jocks from Studio One. When the case has to be adjourned they go off and raid RJR, Faze 1, Kiss FM, City Radio and Studio One.

Saturday 12 September Girls FM returns on 97MHz. BGCR is busted. TKO moves back to their original frequency of 102.4MHz.

Tuesday 15 September A trip out to West London for the DTI where Radio Badger is busted.

Thursday 17 September And back to North London and WNK.

Friday 18 September Lightning strikes at Studio One and Kiss FM.

Monday 28 September First reported hearing of new soul station Touch FM. WNK and BGCR are raided.