Radio Mi Amigo 106.8FM broadcast from the LV18 in Harwich Harbour between 30th July & 7th August 2016, reaching 20,000 listeners via FM, Shortwave and the Internet.
In 2016, we had as before a mixture of offshore veterans, experienced broadcasters from BBC and Commercial networks, and enthusiastic local amateurs who combined on an equal footing to create a ‘family’ on the ship and bring you the kind of radio that was invented by those original ships.
Our team of around 35 people – broadcasters, engineers and support staff – had been working since before Christmas to make the best nine days you’ve heard yet. And for worldwide listeners, as well as the 24 hour internet stream, there was the added fun of trying to pick up our daily shortwave broadcasts from a transmitter near Munich in Germany. Its own rescue from destruction when abandoned by the German state broadcaster mirrors our tale of the LV18, and now also run by volunteers, it gave us Europe-wide coverage for an hour or more each day.
Our efforts are entirely voluntary. Nobody involved in the broadcast was paid, and many of our broadcasters paid considerable personal travelling and accommodation expenses.
Our station could not operate without an income and we are grateful to the advertisers who support us each year.
The aim is to raise funds that will help to keep the LV18 maintained and safely afloat for another year, although there is first a small matter of the four-figure sum that has to be paid to the Government regulators OFCOM, transmitter hire, and the copyright bodies for permission to play records on the radio!
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On air for the 2016 broadcast were:
CHRIS BAIRD, NORAH BARNES, LIANA BRIDGES, ENDA CALDWELL, JOHN CAVANAGH, BRIAN CULLEN, DAVID BELCHER, TONY CURRIE, BRENDAN DAY, ROGER ‘Twiggy’ DAY, MIKE EASTMAN, SYBIL FENNELL, SUSAN FISHER, STEPHANIE HIRST, STEVE JONES, DAVE KENT, CAT LAKE, GARRY LEE, MANDY MARTON, SALLY MOON, NEON NANCY, CHARLES NOVE, TONY O’NEIL, DAVE ROGERS, EMPEROR ROSKO, SCOTT ROSS, JOHN ROSS-BARNARD, SHARON SMITH, SYLVAN, CLAIR MILLS, KENNY TOSH and ALAN ‘Neddy’ TURNER
Supported by: Paul Turvey, Zoe Munson, Ashleigh Mae Lovett & many others.