Jamming by RTE, Nova's Addition of 729kHz and the Lead Up to EXIDY 738

When the idea of transmitting to England was talked about at Radio Nova in the early 1980's, Long Wave was understood to be the preferred band. This was due to the large distances that can be covered on Long Wave. A location at Mosney, on the East coast just North of Dublin was said to have been chosen as a suitable site. However, this never happened and Long Wave was dropped in favour of MW from Nova Park, Rathfarnham (formerly the Greenacres Country Club) on the hills above Dublin City. In early 1983 a 50kW transmitter was delivered to the Nova Park transmitter site, and it was probably the stories of this high power service aimed at the UK, which caused the raids on Radio Nova and Sunshine Radio in May of that year. These raids and the subsequent confiscation of all the transmission equipment delayed the high power service to the UK until 1984.

The confiscated 50kW transmitter had been returned by the authorities in October 1983, and was already on the air on 819kHz as Radio Nova from November of that year. In April 1984, the deliberate jamming of Radio Nova and Sunshine Radio by state broadcaster RTE reached a peak. In response, Nova put out a second, lower powered AM signal on 729kHz. This new frequency was first announced on the air around 26th April. This was also the day that Sunshine had to switch off its 531kHz AM transmitter briefly due to severe jamming. The jamming of the two stations went on for so long that a spoof song was even recorded by some staff at Radio Nova. An example of the jamming believed to be from the UHF link from the Herbert Street studios to the Nova Park transmitter site can be heard below, along with the 'RTE Jam Rap'. Nova eventually moved the studios to Nova Park in an attempt to avoid the jamming. Also here, are some recordings made in Leeds from Sunshine Radio on 531kHz from the morning they had to switch off the AM at 1230. Station owner Robbie Dale has plenty to say about the jamming situation on these recordings. But first are some recordings of Radio Nova from Easter Monday 1984, just prior to the extra frequencies being added.

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1984_04_23_mon_nova_819am_1530-1600_greggaughran_some_tvi_gh850.mp3

1984_04_23_mon_nova_819am_1900-1953_jasonmaine_gh850.mp3

1984_04_24_tue_nova_819am_0658-0845_declanmeehan_bobgallico_gh850.mp3

1984_xx_xx_nova_rte_jam_rap_song.mp3

1984_01_xx_nova_being_jammed_on_link_from_herbert_street_gh.mp3

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1984_04_26_thu_sunshine_531am_0642-0817_davidlyons_during_jamming_gh.mp3

1984_04_26_thu_sunshine_531am_0817-0949_davidlyons_robbiedale_during_jamming_gh.mp3

1984_04_26_thu_sunshine_531am_0949-1124_robbiedale_during_jamming_gh.mp3

1984_04_26_thu_sunshine_531am_1124-1230_robbiedale_during_jamming_gh.mp3

1984_04_26_thu_sunshine_531am_robbiedale_jamming_recorded_in_dublin_gh.mp3

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The last of the above Sunshine Radio files shows the intensity of the jamming on 531kHz locally in Dublin, compared to 200 miles away in Leeds. Sunshine switched off their transmitter around 1230, and listening to the end of the recording, so did the jammer a few minutes after.

On the same day that Sunshine were having problems, here are the recordings of Radio Nova also made in Leeds from 819kHz. The first being an aircheck of Declan Meehan just with the first few 729kHz announcements, whilst the second is a full recording of the breakfast show followed by Colm Hayes.

 

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1984_04_26_thu_nova_819am_declanmeehan_first_day_729_announcements_gh.mp3

1984_04_26_thu_nova_819am_0640-1000_declanmeehan_colmhayes_first_day_729_gh76.mp3

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On this recording made from 729kHz in Scotland, the RTE relay from Cork, on the same channel, can be heard in the background.

 

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840507_1747_729_nova_greg_g_c90_863_kb.mp3

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These are a few recordings from early May, all recorded from FM in Dublin City, some with references to the 729kHz outlet. At this time, Radio Nova had added a further FM frequency, giving a total of 5 channels from both Nova Park and Three Rock Mountain, these being 729kHz, 819kHz, 88.2MHz, 88.6MHz and 102.7MHz.

 

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1984_05_05_sat_nova_882fms_0820-0915_jasonmayne_garyowens_ght6.mp3

1984_05_07_mon_nova_882fms_0700-1010_declanmeehan_colmhayes_gh481.mp3

1984_05_07_mon_nova_882fms_1750-2100_gregaughran_jasonmaine_gh481.mp3

1984_05_08_tue_nova_1027fms_0020-0155_mikemoran_cass_gh772.mp3

1984_05_08_tue_nova_1027fm_2350-0105_mikemoran_gh506.mp3

1984_05_09_wed_nova_1027fm_0650-0810_declanmeehan_bobgallico_tx_cut_off_gh506.mp3

1984_05_09_wed_nova_1027fms_1805-1940_greggaughran_jasonmaine_gh74.mp3

1984_05_10_thu_nova_1027fm_0657-0948_declanmeehan_bobgallico_colmhayes_gh506.mp3

1984_05_10_thu_nova_1027fms_0722-0809_declanmeehan_bobgallico_gh084.mp3

1984_05_10_thu_nova_1027fms_0818-0905_declanmeehan_bobgallico_gh084.mp3

1984_05_10_thu_nova_1027fms_0901-1035_colmhayes_gh770.mp3

1984_05_10_thu_nova_1027fms_1407-1552_johnclark_greggaughran_gh771.mp3

1984_05_11_fri_nova_1027fm_0715-0845_declanmeehan_bobgallico_gh504.mp3

1984_05_12_sat_nova_886fm_0900-0945_rickdees_first_show_gh773.mp3

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The frequency was changed slightly to 738kHz on Monday 14th May, although the station still announced as 729kHz. This recording made in Leeds from 738kHz that morning, shows that despite lower power than 819kHz it was still getting out well. The first short recording is the 729kHz announcement only, made at 0830 by Declan.

 

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1984_05_14_mon_nova_738am_0830_declan_announces_729khz_gh.mp3

1984_05_14_mon_nova_738am_0735-1040_declanmeehan_bobgallico_colmhayes_ann729_gh250.mp3

1984_05_15_mon_nova_819am_1858-1945_jasonmaine_gh773.mp3

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This further recording made in Leeds on Thursday 17th May still shows how powerful the signal was on 819kHz, as well as the continued announcements of 729kHz.

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1984_05_17_thu_nova_819am_0745-1055_declanmeehan_bobgallico_colmhayes-gh117.mp3

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Here is a recording from Saturday morning, 19th May, of Jason Mayne until 9am followed by John Clark doing a short show before pre-recorded Rick Dees at 10am. The John Clark show is interesting, as he mentions saying goodbye to good friend 88FM on Monday. Nova had used 88FM (actually 88.1MHz or 88.2MHz) since it first started broadcasting in June 1981. Since the closure of KISS 102.7FM the previous January, Radio Nova programmes had been carried on both 88.2MHz and 102.7MHz.

 

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1984_05_19_sat_nova_819am_0800-0915_jasonmaine_johnclark_mentions_end_of_88fm_gh.mp3

1984_05_19_sat_nova_882fm_1102-1205_rickdees_gh159.mp3

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Sunday morning 20th May saw an announcement asking listeners to tune to 738kHz and shortly after this 819kHz left the air. These recordings were made in Leeds up until the station left 819kHz.

 

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1984_05_20_sun_nova_819am_0644-0950_mikemoran_life_is_a_celebration_gh111.mp3

1984_05_20_sun_nova_819am_0950-1015_life_is_a_celebration_greggaughran_819signoff_gh111.mp3

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By Monday morning 21st May, the 50kW Radio Nova signal had been changed to 738kHz. Again this recording was made in Leeds, of the first breakfast show with 50kW on 738kHz.

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1984_05_21_mon_nova_819am_0740-1045_declanmeehan_bobgallico_colmhayes_gh118.mp3

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When listeners tuned to 738kHz on Wednesday 23rd May, there was no sign of the Declan and Bob breakfast show, just continuous music. However tuning along to 819kHz found regular Radio Nova programming. Tony Allan was then heard on 738kHz announcing as EXIDY 738. This was finally the start of transmissions specifically directed at England. It was not to last however, as there was some audio breakthrough between the two stations which were operating from adjacent studios, and with transmitters also next to each other. At around 1:30pm, 738kHz went silent and EXIDY never returned. Radio Nova continued on 819kHz. These are recordings made of EXIDY in Blackpool, until the 738kHz transmitter cut off around 1:33pm.

 

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1984_05_23_wed_xidy_738am_1028-1202_tonyallen_gh.mp3

1984_05_23_wed_xidy_738am_1217-1334_tonyallen_then_tx_cuts_off_gh.mp3

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These recordings made in Scotland, include simultaneous Radio Nova programming on 819kHz.

 

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840523_1111_738_exidy_tony_allan_c90_870_kb.mp3

840523_1257_738_exidy_tony_allan_inc_tx_off_c90_870_kb.mp3

840523_1259_819_nova_john_clark_audio_ropey_inc_exidy_breakthru_c90_870_kb.mp3

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On Thursday 24th May, the morning that Laser 558 began broadcasting, Radio Nova had returned to 738kHz with 50kW in place of EXIDY. The regular top of the hour announcements by Chris Cary announcing 819kHz, 102.7MHz and 88MHz, were missing, and replaced by live spoken announcements of 738kHz and 102.7MHz only. There was no sign of 819kHz on this morning. Here are a couple of early morning recordings made in Leeds.

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1984_05_24_thu_nova_738am_0510-0820_mikemoran_declanmeehan_gh502.mp3

1984_05_24_thu_nova_738am_0745-0905_declanmeehan_bobgallico_738_only_no_819_gh.mp3

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The station specifically aimed at England never appeared again, but Radio Nova continued with high power on 738kHz, and an office was opened in Liverpool. The hoped for advertising revenue from the UK never materialised, and most references to the UK eventually disappeared. Radio Nova did continue with high power on 738kHz, made some brief tests on 254kHz Long Wave in December 1985 and January 1986, but sadly closed on 20th March 1986.