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ESTABLISHED 1996

ERNESIDE RADIO - BELTURBET, CO CAVAN

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Erneside Radio - Belturbet - Co Cavan (1985 - 1988)
1251kHz - 97.8MHz - 107MHz

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IRISH PIRATES A / Z

Erneside Radio's 107 used to be audable in Scotland sometimes, although one of only two FM signals horizontally polarized. The other was Sunshine 100.5. All others were vertically polarised. The 1251 was an excellent signal in Western parts of the UK.

The station had a proper QSL card, something only a few of the Irish MW/ FM only pirates could claim. Kilkenny Community Radio was another one. Some of the SW stations had real QSL cards of course, such as Southside Radio, Suirside, Radio Dublin etc.

When Erneside Radio began their first transmissions on 1251, the initial tests were heard in Scotland, and it was believed that it may have been a Scottish pirate testing. The signal was so loud. On reflection, the voice at the time should have been obvious to the two Scottish enthusiasts as being that of transmitter manufacturer, Heddy Eddie.

Offshore broadcaster Don Allen eventually found his way to Erneside Radio.

The photos below were taken on Steve West's travels in 1987

 

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A poster sent out by the station. Click image for a high res version (3MB) that can be used to make a reprint, by taking the jpg to a professional printer.

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Some images of Erneside Radio, taken by Steve West on his travels in Ireland in 1987. Views seen are of the studio, and the premises, as well as a mast with a horizontal antenna on top for FM Band 2 by the look of it. Maybe that was the 107 horizontally polarised signal, heard up in Scotland on a regular basis.

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Erneside Radio Audio Library

1986_07_04_fri_erneside_1251am_1320-1453_ollieclark_briangold-gh1058.mp3 New Aug 2021 Early afternoon programming from Ollie Clark and Brian Gold. Recorded near Blackpool from 1251kHz. There is some co-channel interference from a UK station, but the signal holds up well for the distance. 85MB
     
1987_12_02_wed_erneside_1251am_0930-1245-donallen_briangold-gh723.mp3 New Jan 2024 A three hour recording of Erneside from Wednesday 2nd December 1987.  The signal was as received near Blackpool on 1251kHz, and although it starts off well with Don Allen on breakfast followed at 11am by Brian Gold, winter conditions means foreign interference (UK and Holland) creeps in and makes listening difficult later on. 176MB
192mins
1987_12_02_wed_erneside_1251am_station_promo_by_donallen-gh723.mp3 New Jan 2024 Extracted from the above recording, here is a nice Erneside Radio promo from Don Allen. 1.1MB
73secs
1987_12_02_wed_erneside_1251am_station_promo_by_linseyshelbourne-gh723.mp3 New Jan 2024 Again extracted from the above recording, here is a nice Erneside Radio promo from Linsey Shelbourne. 400kB
22secs
     
881222_thu_erneside_1251am_0942-1034.mp3   47,610k
881222_thu_erneside_1251am_1033-1235_larrybyrne.mp3
  111,200k
1988_12_30_fri_erneside_1251am_1945-2000_final_closedown-pt.mp3 New JAN 2021 The final 15 minutes of Erneside from 1251kHz. Recording courtesy of Prince Terry. 34MB
Erneside - Cavan 97.8MHz - December 30th 1988 - Closedown.mp3 New JAN 2021 This is much better quality audio of the final hour of Erneside recorded from 97.8MHz FM. Recording is courtesy of radiowaves.fm 70M
1988_12_31_sat_erneside_1251_final_day_0940-1050_larrybyrne_linseyshelbourne.mp3 Despite an 'official' closedown on Friday evening, Erneside Radio was heard on Saturday morning 31st.  These three recordings were made near Blackpool from 1251kHz.  According to 'Weekly Report' the station finally left the air on 31st between 1830 and 2000.  It could be that Erneside were expecting the case brought by Eamonn Cooke would succeed, so they kept the transmitters 'warm'.  In the end the case failed and legislation went ahead as planned. 64MB
70mins
1988_12_31_sat_erneside_1251_final_day_1053-1140_linseyshelbourne.mp3 More of Linsey Shelbourne from the 'final, final day' 43MB
47mins
1988_12_31_sat_erneside_1251_final_day_1140-1400_linseyshelbourne.mp3 Linsey Shelbourne hosts until 1pm when Pio Mcann takes over 132MB
143mins

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IRISH PIRATES A / Z