BOYNESIDE RADIO:

Boyneside Radio was first heard in the UK by dxers hearing the initial call sign of LRD. This stood for Local Radio Drogheda. In July 1979, LRD was heard, but by the month of November the name had been changed to Boyneside Radio.

In 1981, just before a trip to Ireland, Boyneside Radio seemed to disappear, and be replaced by Community Radio Drogheda. Upon visiting the country in August 1981, it was soon discovered that Boyneside had not vanished, but that there had been a split in the station. Boyneside Radio was heard on 98FM, while Community Radio Drogheda was heard on 1305kHz. There was a carrier on 102, which later turned into CRD, and a carrier on 1323 which also later turned into CRD.

Heddy Eddie, the transmitter engineer, had left, which meant that the main 1305kHz transmitter was now putting out programmes from the new Community Radio Drogheda.

When we discovered the studios of Boyneside Radio, it was said there was still a MW signal on the air. But this was not heard. That was until Boyneside staff told us it was still on 225m. It was discovered that the CRD signal was swamping Boyneside, even close to the Boyneside transmitter site. A poor chice of frequency had been made. 1314kHz. Sandwiched right between CRD 1305 and the carrier on 1323.

So from August 1981 until about the month of April 1982, two stations ran side by side in Drogheda. Eventually differencies were settled, and Boyneside Radio and CRD joined up again to become one, and Drogheda's local station was being heard for a time on 1305, 1314, 1323, and 1332 from various transmitter sites.

Boyneside also had a television station running in 1982, using old piano key style VHS recorders.

The station also had a series of relay transmitters in Navan, Kells, the Newry border, and even as far South as Dublin.

During a 1986 visit to Boyneside Radio, we were shown a mast and told of a new station that was starting "soon" on FM, whose coverage included the whole of the East Coast from Belfast to Dublin. This was to be called Laser. Nothing materialised however.

Eddie, the chief engineer at Boyneside Radio, also ran Radio Rainbow International on SW. But on a St Patrick's day, Boyneside Radio could be heard relayed on SW. During the closedown in December 1988, Boyneside Radio was carried via the Radio Rainbow transmitter on 6231kHz, and also via the Radio Fax 6205 transmitter.