ABC FM - (LEEDS) 94.6MHz - 105.2MHz

ABC FM was a soul and reggae station first heard in Leeds during late 1986 on 94.6MHz (ironically, the original BBC Radio Leeds FM frequency).  ABC later moved to 105.2MHz.  They seemed to disappear following a raid in October 1988, but then were noted with joint broadcasts with Music City Radio on 90.3MHz.

RADIO APNI AWAAZ - (LEEDS) 101.0MHz

Radio Apni Awaaz broadcast on 101.0MHz to the Asian community of Leeds during the early 1990s.

CALDERDALE SOUND - (TODMORDEN) 1405kHz

Calderdale Sound operated from a house in Todmorden which backed onto the railway line to Burnley. It had apparently been operating for a number of years on low power as can be seen from this report from the Yorkshire Post of October 11th 1977. The frequency in those early days is not known, and the report below does not mention it.

In August Calderdale Sound 1984 obtained a more powerful transmitter from another station in Lancashire, and commenced test transmissions on the slightly off-channel 1405kHz. Programming was very community orientated. The signal was heard in the Calder Valley, but did not travel too far from Todmorden due to the steep sided valleys and also as the aerial was believed to be a vertical whip. After a number of Sunday broadcasts, they were raided shortly after 10am on 21st October 1984. Apparently complaints had been received from a local IBA station, presumably the long gone Pennine Radio. This was interesting, as no IBA station could actually be heard in Todmorden with a saleable signal.

DREAM FM - (LEEDS) 99.9MHz - 107.8MHz - 107.6MHz (York Relay)

Dream FM broadcast a variety of dance music styles and sucessfully operated for a number of years in the early to mid-1990s. Initially broadcasting on 99.9MHz, they later moved to 107.8MHz. A relay on 107.6MHz later made their signal coverage continuous from Leeds to the York area.

A news item from the Yorkshire Evening Post of 27th August 1993. Perhaps the
previous day's feature mentioned in the article caused the DTI to turn out.

GENESIS FM - (LEEDS) 90.3MHz

Genesis FM operated in Leeds during the early 1990's and took the frequency of the pioneering 1980's Music City Radio which had been off the air for a while.

MUSIC CITY RADIO - (LEEDS) 90.3MHz

Music City Radio commenced broadcasts on 90.3MHz from the Chapeltown of Leeds in late 1986 and served the West Indian community who had little or no access to reggae music or local community information on the radio. The station had decent coverage of Leeds and operated until sometime in 1988. MCR opened a sister station in Bradford on 104.9MHz which subsequently changed its name to Paradise City Radio.

OCEAN SOUND - (ROTHERHAM) 106MHz

Ocean Sound were heard during the early months of 1987 from the Rotherham area on various frequencies around 106MHz.

PARADISE CITY RADIO - (BRADFORD) 104.9MHz / 105.1MHz

Paradise City Radio (PCR) was heard in Bradford from 1988 and into the 1990s on 104.9MHz and later 105.15MHz. PCR started broadcasting as Music City Radio before changing name to Paradise City Radio.  The article below from the Bradford Star of Tuesday 13th September 1988 was written when the station was using its original name. (Click image for full size - 6.5MB)

PEOPLES FM / NEW HORIZON FM - (LEEDS) 91.8MHz - 104.7MHz

Peoples FM promoted the best in black music, possibly operating from the Chapeltown area of Leeds and were first heard in early 1988 under the name New Horizon Radio. By April 3rd 1988 they seemed to be calling themselves Peoples FM. The station initially broadcast on 91.8MHz, which was not a suitable channel due to BBC stations on either side, and in July 1988 moved to the clearer area of 104.7MHz. Peoples FM was still being heard into the mid 1990s on 105.5MHz.

RADIO 104 (104.2MHz) / RADIO RADAR - (MORLEY) 104.5MHz

Radio Radar operated from the Morley area, just south-west of Leeds from around 1985 to 1987.  It had links to an earlier station, Radio 104, which broadcast from the same area during 1984. The station had a good signal across Leeds due to its high location.

RAPID FM - (LEEDS) 98.1MHz - 103.6MHz - 105.1MHz

Rapid FM were a seven day operation broadcasting reggae to Leeds from around June 1988 when they operated on 105.8MHz. After a few weeks they moved to 103.6MHz before settling on 98.1MHz in September. They seemed to have been raided in mid October, but were heard again by early November. In January 1989 they moved back up the band to 105.1MHz region. They were still operating in the early 1990s and  seemed to be then referring to themselves as Rapid Community Radio.

SKY FM - (LEEDS) 90.3MHz

Sky FM operated in the early 1990s from the Morley area and seemed to have a link to Radio Radar which operated in the late 1980s.

SUPREME FM - (LEEDS) 104.5MHz

Supreme FM was heard in the early 1990s broadcasting to Leeds on 104.5MHz.

UNITY FM - (HUDDERSFIELD) 108.0MHz

UNITY FM was heard in 1996 broadcasting to the Huddersfield area on 108.0MHz.

RADIO VERONICA - (BRADFORD) 104.9MHz / 105.5MHz

Radio Veronica operated on FM from a high location west of Bradford from mid 1986 to early 1988.  The station courted controversy in some quarters with some of its late night discussions around the kitchen table.  The signal, often using over 100 watts, travelled far and wide, being regularly heard near Blackpool. In July 1987 the station also operated on 981kHz medium wave to the Bradford area using an announced 35 watts. It is not known how long this AM service lasted. The station ceased regular FM broadcasting in February 1988 following near misses with the DTI, and also apparently due to 'anoraks' turning up in the street in the early hours disturbing the neighbours. They did however make occasional broadcasts later in 1988.