The MV Mi Amigo was used for broadcasting at sea from the 8.3.1961. - to the 31.7.1962 by the Swedish offshore station Radio Nord. It was anchored in those days in international waters in the Baltic off of Stockholm. And broadcast on 495 meters.
In early 1964 it was bought by Project Atlanta, to use for Radio Atlanta, and commenced broadcasting on 201 meters, on the 9.5.1964, anchored in international waters 3.5 miles off Frinton On Sea, Essex. It was next door to Radio Caroline in more ways than one, being just along the coast, also, just along the medium wave on 201 meters (Caroline was on 199m) The stations soon merged, with the Radio Caroline ship the MV CAROLINE leaving on the 4.7.64. to sail off to the Isle Of Man, broadcasting as they travelled. But the MV Caroline transmitter changed from 199m to 201m on that day, as the ships switched transmitter crystals before they parted.
This was to allow Radio Caroline listeners to stay with them on 199m. But in actual fact they were listening to a different ship. The Mi Amigo then became Radio Caroline South, and the MV Caroline became Radio Caroline North, from her anchorage on the Bahama Bank in Ramsey Bay, Isle of Man.
The Caroline’s continued broadcasting after the 1967 Marine Broadcasting Offences Act. But were towed away by their supply tug company to Holland on the 3.3.68.
The Mi Amigo and 2 other radio ships (MV Caroline & MV King David) were put up for auction on the 29.5.72. The Mi Amigo was bought on behalf of a free radio group, and went to sea again on the 3.9.72. Anchoring off Scheveningen in Holland, where on the evening of the 29.9.72. Broadcasts were once again heard. Officially announcing it was Radio Caroline on the 2.11.72. On the 13.11.72. the original 141 ft wooden mast collapsed. The ship did help their neighbour Radio Veronica out during April & May of 1973, due to Veronica going aground in a storm on the 6.4.73. By July 1973 a new 186 ft lattice mast was on the Mi Amigo being built at sea. A new station hired the ship then, the Belgium Radio Atlantis. The new mast was short lived collapsing at lunch time on the 1.1.73. Radio Atlantis then bought their own ship the Jennine.
Caroline then had another better design Lattice mast constructed at 165 ft tall. A new station joined the ship on the 1.1.74. This was Radio Mi Amigo, a dutch speaking station, playing music from various European countries. Despite being a dutch speaking station it was very popular with listeners in the UK as well as the Benelux countries. At night Radio Caroline broadcast. Radio Mi Amigo closed down at midday on the 20.10.78. All but some testing, nothing was heard from the Mi Amigo ship, until the morning of the 15.4.79. When Radio Caroline started their own Dutch service by day and English service by night. But on the 19.3.80. in strong north easterly gales (always a problem to them) the anchor chain broke. The crew managed to get a standby anchor down, but the ship was over a sand bank by then, and as the tide went out the ship started bouncing up and down on the bank with the anchor chain in between puncturing the hull. Taking on water, with pumps going the crew had to call for assistance, and were rescued by the Sheerness lifeboat at just after midnight, they had broadcast right up to midnight. The 165ft lattice mast stood standing until about July 1986, as seen below. I wrote this on 19.3.2010.
In early 1964 it was bought by Project Atlanta, to use for Radio Atlanta, and commenced broadcasting on 201 meters, on the 9.5.1964, anchored in international waters 3.5 miles off Frinton On Sea, Essex. It was next door to Radio Caroline in more ways than one, being just along the coast, also, just along the medium wave on 201 meters (Caroline was on 199m) The stations soon merged, with the Radio Caroline ship the MV CAROLINE leaving on the 4.7.64. to sail off to the Isle Of Man, broadcasting as they travelled. But the MV Caroline transmitter changed from 199m to 201m on that day, as the ships switched transmitter crystals before they parted.
This was to allow Radio Caroline listeners to stay with them on 199m. But in actual fact they were listening to a different ship. The Mi Amigo then became Radio Caroline South, and the MV Caroline became Radio Caroline North, from her anchorage on the Bahama Bank in Ramsey Bay, Isle of Man.
The Caroline’s continued broadcasting after the 1967 Marine Broadcasting Offences Act. But were towed away by their supply tug company to Holland on the 3.3.68.
The Mi Amigo and 2 other radio ships (MV Caroline & MV King David) were put up for auction on the 29.5.72. The Mi Amigo was bought on behalf of a free radio group, and went to sea again on the 3.9.72. Anchoring off Scheveningen in Holland, where on the evening of the 29.9.72. Broadcasts were once again heard. Officially announcing it was Radio Caroline on the 2.11.72. On the 13.11.72. the original 141 ft wooden mast collapsed. The ship did help their neighbour Radio Veronica out during April & May of 1973, due to Veronica going aground in a storm on the 6.4.73. By July 1973 a new 186 ft lattice mast was on the Mi Amigo being built at sea. A new station hired the ship then, the Belgium Radio Atlantis. The new mast was short lived collapsing at lunch time on the 1.1.73. Radio Atlantis then bought their own ship the Jennine.
Caroline then had another better design Lattice mast constructed at 165 ft tall. A new station joined the ship on the 1.1.74. This was Radio Mi Amigo, a dutch speaking station, playing music from various European countries. Despite being a dutch speaking station it was very popular with listeners in the UK as well as the Benelux countries. At night Radio Caroline broadcast. Radio Mi Amigo closed down at midday on the 20.10.78. All but some testing, nothing was heard from the Mi Amigo ship, until the morning of the 15.4.79. When Radio Caroline started their own Dutch service by day and English service by night. But on the 19.3.80. in strong north easterly gales (always a problem to them) the anchor chain broke. The crew managed to get a standby anchor down, but the ship was over a sand bank by then, and as the tide went out the ship started bouncing up and down on the bank with the anchor chain in between puncturing the hull. Taking on water, with pumps going the crew had to call for assistance, and were rescued by the Sheerness lifeboat at just after midnight, they had broadcast right up to midnight. The 165ft lattice mast stood standing until about July 1986, as seen below. I wrote this on 19.3.2010.
Radio Caroline returned on 19.8.83. with a newly fitted out ship the 978 ton 217 ft long Ross Revenge. An ex Icelandic fishing trawler it has an ice strengthened hull. It had a 300 ft lattice mast, the largest ever used. 319 meters was used as was in the last few years of the Mi Amigo. It was also anchored in the same location, The Knock Deep, but moved to the South Falls Head in 1987. It finally broadcast from the high seas in 1991. Radio Caroline can now be heard on the Sky Satellite channel 0199.
For much more information on this subject visit the three web sites below .
Mi Amigo mast as seen 28.7.85.
MV Ross Revenge with 300ft lattice tower
