Radio Caroline update.
PUTTING OUR FUNDS TO WORK – PROGRESS AND PLANS
FUNDS STATUS
Our annual Fundraiser may be a good time to provide a situation report, as while we put in much effort and use ingenuity, the money we spend is not our money but is donated by many generous supporters. We have the responsibility to spend it wisely.
We have been able to move another £70k in to a fourth interest earning account. So the ship charity now has £360k on deposit and a total of £387k.
LOTTERY APPLICATION
As you know, we are asking the Lottery for an instalment of £250k, understandably they want detailed specific costings. This is not always easy for instance to cost three shipyards when there is only one we can go to. Some spending will only become clear when Revenge is high and dry. Within these limitations we are doing our best.
CROWDFUNDER
We are grateful to listeners for their donation to our Crowdfunder Appeal and for entering our Crowdfunder Prize Draws for collectible items. This money goes directly into our charity account, MV Ross
Revenge Home of Radio Caroline, which continues to raise funds towards dry docking expense
WORK IN PROGRESS TO PREPARE FOR DRY DOCK
Working on a previous job sheet of tasks to make the ship fit to leave Tilbury we are checking how many are still current and how many need to be revived. We were lacking in sufficient fire extinguishers but these have been obtained. Immediately after the Fundraiser we will ask a new surveyor to specify additional tasks commensurate with 2025 regulations.
Insurance for the ship has been renewed for her present use and location. Additional cover will be needed for any voyage.
We are trying to trim Revenge by taking weight from the stern and ballasting the bow as the dry dock has depth limitations. Tantalisingly, a lifting eye that was previously submerged is now visible, but we have to reveal the top rudder bearing to arrive at the trim required.
APPLICATION FOR POWER INCREASE
We have applied to Ofcom for increased power on 648AM. Discussions are ongoing. Our main argument is the increase in electronic radiated interference that simply did not exist when the degree of signal
strength needed to suppress interference was arrived at decades ago.
The Harris DX 25 is just ticking over at 4KW, we would like 10KW. The transmitter shut down recently and would not restart and we feared catastrophic damage due to a lighting strike. But Alan Beech discovered
that various minor components had ceased to work efficiently and the cumulatively the Harris had decided to shut down for safety.
MAST INSPECTION AT ORFORDNESS
While this work was ongoing we employed Radio Structures Ltd to climb and inspect the mast at Orfordness. Maintenance ceased when the BBC left and we have only checked the mast once since 2017. Luckily, while some attention is required, this can wait until spring 2026. We have paid Radio Structures but our landlords Cobra Mist have indicated that they will contribute toward the remedial work.
ADDITIONAL SOLAR PANELS AT ORFORDNESS
Meanwhile Rob Ashard and Dave Wilding, assisted by Cobra staff, were future-proofing our solar generation with additional panels. Already you may notice that our power meter is peaking higher than it once did. More work is to be done that will give us 40KW of incoming power from the sun in ideal conditions.
Surplus energy is presently being gifted to Cobra Mist Ltd. But this company chose to waive the original 10% mark-up that they put on our grid supplied electricity and while they listed a scale of charges for
their labour and transportation by launch or landing craft, they have never charged for this. They also donated to our ship charity and when we work on site their team of Mike and Mark work alongside us at no cost.
BROADCAST EXPANSION
While we thank them, we have withdrawn from Radio Portal 277 but may give them more business with a DAB extension.
As for expansion, offers are being made with an FM/DAB relay to the Channel Islands and, unusually, AM coverage of Prague on favourable terms. We are at an early stage of researching a redundant AM site in
Southern Ireland.
We are on the TV again on 19th August with the Channel 5 show ‘Coastal Adventures’ and more filming happens for a future TV project on 22nd August.
SKY TV
We have found, via an existing arrangement with RadioPlayer that If you’ve got Sky Q, Sky Stream or Sky Glass you can easily listen to Radio Caroline on your TV. Head to the Apps section on your Sky Home Screen menu and you’ll find us on the RadioPlayer app in the ‘Music’ category.
https://www.radiocaroline.co.uk/ (see under the “Progress and Plans” tab)
Mike Terry to MWCircle iog (025-08-08)