What's Old?

As a listener in Western Europe, we show an obvious bias to my corner of the world. Every observation was made in the last ten years on a range of radios with a "traditional" long-wire antenna running out about 20 metres.

Whatever happened to...

• Media Network, the one-stop shop for news on our hobby from Radio Netherlands.
• Radio Fax, the all-day radio information service on 6205.
• the Laser Radio organisation that were anything but organised when it came to running a radio station. Laser 558 changed UK pop radio for the better.
• Radio Caroline, the best audio on the air during its 963 era.
• the legendary voice of Radio Caroline, Peter Philips.
• Airport Information Radio, taking "narrowcasting" to a margin so slim it could not survive life in the taxi lane at Heathrow.
• LBC, the first commercial station in the UK, the first to try the "all-news" format.
• the IBA?
• the 2.5Mhz calibration beacon. An essential check for your scribe's 19 Set back when a wireless was anything but.
• Capital 539, the Lots Road transmitter for Capital Radio, London. A Tee antenna swung between the chimneys brought the new sound of commercial pop radio to an eager metropolis until the new site was ready. Dave Cash and Kenny Everett brought the basis of the Zoo Format to England fifteen years before anyone had heard of Steve Wright.
• Radio Three on AM. Reception was rather indifferent, but at least it stayed there as those who fight with FM in the car will tell you.
• Radio Two on AM. Sunday drives in the country with Benny Green telling me why I should hate the bloke who wrote all those songs I love so well.
• Radio One on AM. Your correspondent knows why all these services have had to leave the steam radio, but a new FM car radio is the answer, the price a part of the question. RDS is the key for me, so I can read what station I'm not hearing clearly as I drive along.
• Virgin Radio at night?
• Virgin Radio sound quality on DAB?
• Radio Nova from Ireland, one of the few stations to treat pop music intelligently.
• Radio North Sea International. On 6215 during the time I should have been revising for O Levels, this rocker shook the AR88D and is the reason why I now do this for a living.
• Radio Luxembourg on the great 208 and the oh-so 6090. Quietly reborn as Atlantic 252 - and returning to a radio near you soon...
• the wonderful concept of a Light and Home Service, with all the values they evoke.
• classic comedy on World Service. The rush for news forces gentler entertainment out of the schedules.
• Trent 301 and Kid Jensen.
• the new Radio One in 1967, so frightened by what the upstart Kenny Everett may say, they put him on at 6.45 in the evening opposite The Archers.
• Grace Archer.
• radio comedy, full stop.
• Beacon 303, the first real try at AOR (US meaning) radio.
• Les Ross and Fiona on Radio Birmingham.
• legal CB radio, now pushed to the back of the set.
• the real characters on 80m, teaching not complaining.
• the 1930 Net on 160m. 1930KHz at 1930GMT, a group of traditionalists who felt going over to sideband enough of a compromise - the only net I could hear on my Codar CR70A.
• clear AM, before OptiMod defined what the radio would sound like before the radio had had a try.
• VOA Europe on short wave.
• VOA Europe on medium-wave now Virgin has taken 1197.
• Radio Veronica, now stylised into mainstream Dutch radio.
• Laser 730 with the famous antenna balloon.
• the great Laser voices of David Lee Stone and Rick Harris.
• World Mission Radio.
• Charlie Wolf after he walked out on his top-rated Atlantic 252 breakfast show.
• Voice of America audibility in the UK on 6040. <
• BBC World Service daytime reception, if satellite is not your Dish of the Day.
• Radio South Africa, the You and Yours Request Show on 25790.
• studio quality Voice of America on 26040.
• ol' cardboard shoes himself, Keith Skues.
• The Voice of Peace, scuppered in the sea off the coast of Israel after twenty years, her work done.
• the voice of Radio Luxembourg, Bob Holness who signed off every night with; "Whether at home or on the highway, thanks for tuning my way". Bless him...

Roll the credits

• All at the Voice of America.
• The Guys at AOR UK for web hosting
• BBC Broadcast Coverage, Bush House.
• BBC Caversham.
• Richard Hillier at AOR UK and Short Wave Magazine as was for column inches.
• John Wilson, Official Mentor The Guide.
• Joe Wilson, Official Keeper of The Guide Archive.
• John Vodenik at the VOA Bethany Relay Station for the laughs.
• AOR UK for the use of the AR7030 and many other bits of kit over the years
• Portishead Radio.
• ...and you, Dear Reader.