Radio Seagull is born
Radio Seagull began broadcasting from the Radio Caroline ship, MV Mi Amigo in 1973, during night time hours unused by Radio Atlantis which shared the 259 channel during the day.
Irish radio entrepreneur Ronan O'Rahilly approached Hugh Nolan and Barry Everitt who had broadcast Radio Geronimo in 1970 and together they launched a new kind of radio station never before heard in Europe, Radio Seagull. It was very similar to the 'free form' stations such as K-Earth in California, where no strict format was follwed and presenters simply played whatever track they though might follow best!
Radio Caroline DJs Andy Archer, Bob Noakes, Norman Barrington, Iain Anderson Tony Allan, Elija van der Burg, Robin Adcroft and Mike Hydrophor joined in and helped Hugh and Barry to broadcast a curious mix of rock, jazz, classical and world music.
End of Seagull's first phase
During those days the ship, which also housed the radio station was anchored four miles off the Dutch coast. Radio Seagull's original format included Progressive Rock, World, Jazz, Classical and Alternative music.
The original Radio Seagull closed when its host Radio Caroline became more organised. It is therefore perhaps ironic that the team behind Radio Caroline Netherlands (which was distributed via the internet and Dutch Cable TV) launched today's Radio Seagull in August 2003.
Radio Seagull in the 21st Century
On Yorkshire Day (1st August) in 2003 the Dutch part of the Radio Caroline, led by Dutch radio entrpreneur Sietse Brouwer from Harlingen in Friesland and Bob Noakes relaunched Radio Seagull. They acquired a former British lightship and renamed her the Jenni Bayton after a well known radio enthusiast.
The Radio Seagull programming was masterminded by former Radio Caroline DJ Stevie Gordon, who had been one of the last team to leave the caroiline ship the Mi Amigo when she sank in March 1980. By now living in Norway, Steveie had a superb 'feel' for the Caroline sound and programmed Seagull in that vein, with a touch of country and soon recruited a first class team of DJs.
The first team of Radio Seagull on the deck of the Mi AMigo in 1973: Mike Hydrophoor, Andy Archer, Mike Wall-garland and Robin Adcroft.
Radio Seagull on DAB in the UK
In 2016, former pirate Jerry Scott bought himself a channel on the DAB mux in North Yorkshire and launched his own station, Coast & Country. He relayed the programmes of Radio Seagull overnight, reinforcing the 1602 AM transmissions which were only being received weakly along the east coast of the UK.
Radio Seagull once again plays the best Progressive Rock, the coolest Album tracks and the finest Alternative music. Radio Seagull also feature specialist music programmes which include Blues, World Music, Country, smooth jazz and Americana.
STOP PRESS - Sadly, this station has now stopped relaying Radio Seagull, but it can still be heard online, 24 hours a day.
Radio Seagull's partner stations
Radio Seagull has shared its ship the Jenni Baynton, with a variety of broadcasters KBC and Radio Waddenzee. Its 1602 AM transmissions were heard along the southen part of the North Sea until late 2018 when the Dutch PTT gave the channel to low power hobby radio operators.
KBC is a well known radio station among the trucking fraternity which broadcasts on the 49M short wave band as well as online. KBC's programmes feauture thne legendary WOLFMAN JACK programmes and EMPEROR ROSKO as well as home grown talent such as Peter Quinn, Eric van Willegen, Stan Campbell and Tim Dennis.
Radio Waddenzee was a local radio station serving the Friesland area around Harlingen and the Waddenzee. It broadcast for ten years until 2015 from the Radio Seagull ship, from a site just north of Harlingen and on DAB.
In 2017 it looked like Radio Seagull would get wider coverage in the UK, on 558AM no less. They were scheduled to have programmes heard on the Spectrum Radio outlet but in 2018 the station was bought by LOVE SPORT who changed the format.
In Summer 2018 Radio Seagul was again at sea for a few weeks, broadcasting the Seagull programmes around the clock, plus a daytime feed of old offshore radio programmes.
Radio Seagull plays the best Progressive Rock, the Coolest Album Tracks and the Finest Alternative Music.
Radio Seagull features Specialist Music Programs which include Blues, Smooth Jazz, World Music, Americana, Independent Artists, and Vintage Soul.
Radio Seagull supremo SIETSE BROUWER on the air from the bridge studio of the lightship Jenni Bayton.
Radio Seagull best looking DJ MANDY MARTON in the studio opposite the mess room on board the Jenni Bayton.
NEWS
Radio Seagull expands MW
In late 2020, Radio Seagull finally closed its long running 1602 outlet as the power limitations and many new sharers on the frequency had reduiced coverage too much. Instead, Radio Seagull added a new outlet on 1287khz MW.
The Harlingen transmitter on 747continues to cover the immediate area, along with 1485khz for other areas in Friesland.
In England, Radio Seagull can be heard on 1476AM from 8pm until 4am from the transmitter of a local community radio station in Coalville, Leicestershire.
Radio Seagull
from the Jenni Baynton
there's more to music than hits alone!
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Copyright (c) 2012-2020 World of Radio Ltd,
Registered in England and Wales # 8503418.
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction strictly prohibited.
Copyright (c) 2011 - 2023 World of Radio Ltd, Registered in England and Wales # 8503418.
All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction strictly prohibited.