Talkback

Your letters, comments and questions.

Welcome along to another Talkback. A slightly light mailbag this issue — though it can't be through a lack of topics to talk about. Don't forget, we pay £10 for the most original or interesting letter in each issue. So get writing!

Power to the People

Dear Radio Today,

After reading through your AM/FM guide and tuning around, I thought that what would be a nice idea is to show the power of stations to give you some idea of if you can pick them up or not. Currently it's difficult to know whether you'll be able to receive them.

Anonymous, London.

We did actually try doing this at one point but gave up due to the difficulties of doing so... stations vary in power a lot, when there are a lot of raids they don't bother with such powerful equipment and are often experimenting with different aerials and transmitters... many change site frequently, and some sites obviously provide much better coverage than others... how much power you need for good coverage varies from channel to channel. All in all, it makes it rather pointless to actually list the power.

We do try and give' an approximate coverage area where you'll be able to pick up stations on a normal portable radio. This has generally proved satisfactory, though we're always open to suggestions.

I'm Still Waiting

Dear Radio Today,

I've been reading your magazine since it was called TX Magazine and used to appear monthly. Remember those days? Why can't you return to publishing monthly, with the improved quality the magazine has now. The delay between issues seems to get longer and longer.

David Allcock

We have had a remarkably long spell of bad luck recently when it comes to publishing, mostly relating to problems with the new computer equipment and suppliers not coming up with the goods on time. The very last problem will be sorted out in time for the next issue and we should be around on time every two months from then on, unlike what's turned out to be quarterly this year. There are still plans to eventually get back to publishing monthly. To provide a better service between issues the phone line is being upgraded as soon as BT are able to install the lines.

Sticking With the Majors

Dear Radio Today,

After reading Talkback in the last issue I wanted to make a few comments. I think most people do only listen to the big stations. It's a shame that the best ones are only on at weekends: Solar and Kiss. If we could only have two London-wide soul stations they're the ones I'd pick.. Solar is really good for the soft soul and Kiss for the Hip Hop, Rare Groove & House. It's a shame that many of the best DJs have been scattered amongst all the stations. Kiss and Solar would be even better if they had a choice of the best DJs.

Helen C. Surrey.

We still want to hear from you if you tune in to the small soul stations in preference to the biggies about why you do. Don't forget, the writer of the best letter gets £10. You can also make your voice heard in the next issue when we present our 1987 Readers Chart.

The Song Remains the Same

Dear Radio Today,

I saw in the Talkback page in the last issue that you were saying that Capital never has any new ideas. I now hear that they're going for a dance music format on a Saturday night with DJs like Tim Westwood and Chris Forbes, and a live link-up with a London nightclub from 1am. Am I totally stupid, or wasn't this done on the pirates first, and didn't these DJs start out on the pirates? Another first for Capital. Nice one guys.

Mike Hardy, Lewisham.

OK but... how about some positive ideas of what Britain's Number One Independent Radio Station could do to liven up the airwaves of London and become more original. Sack all the DJs over forty (that leaves about three)? Play more music? More Variety? Dispense with the Wall Game? Please!! Actually, I'll you in to a secret here... the year and the records are all chosen in advance. It doesn't matter what number you choose, there's a cart in the machine already for the year that you've chosen and the records from that year arc already on the turntables.

Party Party Party

Dear Radio Today,

It was nice to meet you all at the Driftback 20 convention. I only think it's a shame that there were so few people under thirty there and no one it seemed from the current crop or stations. Couldn't you organise a similar event for fans or the land-based stations. I'm sure it would go down really well.

Dominic McKay

Well, Dominic. It is something we hare considered in the past, but haven't really been sufficiently organised to do anything about it. The main trouble with organising such an event is that unlike offshore radio, there's so many different strands to land-based pirate radio — not all of which get on very well with each other... A Christmas Party has been seriously considered, but unfortunately we're rather out of time on that idea now.

Anyway, for your suggestion, Dominic, a £10 note is in the post. Don't forget to keep your letters coming; you could join Dominic as the recipient of a crisp tenner.

That's it for the letters, and onto the competition in the last issue. Unfortunately not a single person got all the answers right -and the answers that did come in were rather poor too, so we've decided to hold over the prizes for a future competition. Just to run over them, the answers were...

1. Kenny Everett's real name is Maurice Cole.

2. The deadweight tonnage of the MV Nannell before it underwent modification was 1933 tonnes.

3. Overdrive was originally taken off the air because Ronan O'Rahilly, Caroline's boss, wouldn't pay Overdrive PD Tom Anderson's phone bill.

4. The Caroline presenter who had the same name as a member of Spandau Ballet is Gary Kemp.

5. The second record played when Caroline returned in 1981 was Caroline by the Fortunes. ("'Wasn't it?)

6. The fate of Radio North Sea International's boat, the Mebo II, was that it was used for target practice by the Libyans. Preyiously, it was used to run their national radio station.

7. Some of the independent stations Charlie Wolf has broadcast on are Radio Mercury, Radio Orwell and Essex Radio,

8. Before she joined Laser, Liz West worked on USA station KDEZ.

9. The broadcasting equipment on the MV Deep Diver, which was to have housed Radio Sunshine, broadcasting to Spain was thrown overboard after the ship hit major troubles. Station bosses Robbie Dale and Chris Carey decided that was the only option as otherwise they could have been charged with offences under the MOA. They, and the jingles, went on to Sunshine Radio, broadcasting from near Dublin.

10. Philip Solomon is the connection between Major Minor Records and Radio Caroline, which he used to plug his records.

Still awake? See you next time; will we be printing your letter?