Category: Harwich

Christmas 2023 Launch

Our launch weekend (Christmas 2023) is now over but we continue to broadcast via our stream 24/7 with a mix of pre-recorded original programming from a large number of DJs.

Currently that mix is semi-random but will shortly settle into a set pattern – watch this space! We are also planning more live events throughout 2024 and beyond.

Many thanks to all the DJs who have contributed to our programming.

Our schedule for our launch weekend is below:

XMAS EVE : Live Launch event

Midday – Live Launch – Garry Lee
1pm Paul Windsor
2pm Gordon Bathgate
3pm Neon Nancy
5pm Olly Kinvig
7pm Garry Lee’s Stonehenge Disco

XMAS DAY

Midnight Kev Ellis
1am Jim Fourniadis
2am Tim Rice
5am Rick Marks
7am Chris Cooper
8am Olly Kinvig
10am Jeff Martin
Midday Paul Windsor
1pm Rick Marks
2pm Neon Nancy
4pm The Radio East Boys (40 years reunion)
5pm Kevin Matthews
6pm Chris Morgan
7pm Garry Lee’s Stonehenge Disco
10pm Chris B & Friends

BOXING DAY

Midnight – 2am Chris Morgan

Press Release (December 2023):

RADIO PIRATES ARE BACK IN HARWICH

Radio Mi Amigo, from the historic Lightvessel LV18 on Harwich Quay, is returning to the air on Christmas Eve and will continue on a permanent basis through the New Year. The station will be bringing the sounds and spirit of the original radio pirates back to their roots of Harwich.

Returning to the floating newly-installed studios are Garry Lee, Neon Nancy, Chris Cooper and the Reverend Rabbit as well as many new DJs who are broadcasting in support of the Pharos Trust charity, which owns the LV18.

Tony O’Neil, Chairman of the Pharos Trust, said he was excited to bring a nostalgic ‘retro’ sound to Harwich once again and appreciated all who were giving their time and expertise towards the project.

The Pharos Trust, Registered UK charity No. 1090325

Tony O’Neil, Trustee and Station Manager,

tonylv18@gmail.com Tel: 07446 171 320

Harwich LV18 Mi Amigo

Winter projects 2019 part 1

Post author By Radio Officer
Post date 3rd January 2019
No Comments on Winter projects 2019 part 1

Now that the LV18 is back in Harwich Harbour, we are subject to the usual ravages of the tides, wind and inclement temperatures. So, on any particular day all is fine, the next maybe not so. In the winter the not-so’s easily outweigh the fine days!

However, we’re a hardy bunch of volunteers so a little sea motion won’t necessarily put us off, especially if the work is inside the warm radio room!

There are various ship projects this winter but the most relevant for the radio broadcasts is that a new balanced feed network is being built that will provide (hopefully) better quality audio around the ship. The system is designed to be adaptable and bidirectional with stereo paths throughout. This is not a small project by any means! Wer’re also taking the opportunity to tidy up other parts of the ship’s myriad of cabling with a view to more flexibility and the potential to put adhoc audio feeds in. We’re warming up the soldering iron this weekend to start putting terminations on the cables!

This work will, later in January, temporarily remove the current link from the studio to the streaming server but shouldn’t interfere with the streaming of prerecorded shows. No doubt we’ll mark the conclusion of this project with a live broadcast, on the stream of course.

I must pass on our thanks to Phil and Ian of Transplan who have helped us with this project.

We’ll post news of our FM broadcast and any other special events as and when they are confirmed.

Harwich LV18

LV18 Site rebuilt

Our sister website, www.lv18.org has been completely rebuilt during March 2018 and now has much more content! Don’t forget that you can visit the ship 11-4 daily, details on lv18.org

Harwich LV18 Mi Amigo

Easter Shows

We have two days of special radio shows this weekend on Radio Mi Amigo from the LV18’s studio.

LISTEN HERE : https://www.lv18radio.uk/listen-online/

SATURDAY 31ST MARCH 2018

2.00PM Brian Anderson (Memories of 1974)
3.00PM The Mi Amigo Oldies Show
5.00PM Garry Lee’s Stonehenge Disco
Featuring 3 hours of album tracks – Past, present & future!
9.00PM Brendan Day’s 1968 Show
Midnight Another chance to hear some recent Radio Mi Amigo programmes from our archives.

SUNDAY 1ST APRIL

MIDDAY Garry Lee’s Stonehenge Disco
2.00PM Barry Jamm’s Glam Rock Special
3.00PM Happy Hour with Ian Riches

THE DUTCH ZONE
4.00PM Roland Visser’s Power Hour
5.00PM Jan Berg
6.00PM Rene Van Den Abeelen – Musiek Therapie

EVENING SCHEDULE
7.00PM Tim Rice
8.00PM The New Releases Show
Hour 1 – The latest rock & metal releases
Hour 2 – The lastest Indie / Alternative / Cross-over releases
Hour 3 – The latest Psych / Space rock & Underground.
11.00PM The Reverend Rabbit Show
MIDNIGHT – Close

Harwich LV18

RIP Mystery Man

Paul aka Mystery Man, a longtime volunteer aboard the LV18, passed away this week.

Garry wrote:

“This week i lost my dearest friend in the world to that loathsome disease cancer. Paul (aka the Mystery Man or Mystery for short), was one of the kindest fellows i’ve ever met & the sort of person that would do anything for anyone. Not many people like this come along in a whole lifetime. He was a long term crew member of the Radioship LV18 and a true gent to everyone. R.I.P. ol’ friend, it was an absolute pleasure to know you.”

Harwich LV18 Mi Amigo

Sunday Broadcasts

Post author By Radio Officer
Post date 9th December 2017

We are now regularly broadcasting on Sundays, from Midday to Midnight UK time. Garry Lee hosts a 4 hour show from midday before handing over to guest DJs and specialist shows. Details normally hit Facebook each Saturday of the following day’s schedule and guest line-up.

Guest DJs include:

The Reverend Rabbit
Tim Rice
Roland Visser
Jan Berg
Ian Riches

Listen online via this site

Harwich LV18

Carly McDonagh

We sadly lost a key member of the LV18 crew in September. Carly McDonagh had been involved in the LV18 project from the earliest of days.

Harwich LV18 Mi Amigo

September update

It’s been a little busy on the ship since the BBC dismantled their studio and the media left town! In fact, it was only a few days ago that a few of us sat down to discuss what we do next!

Firstly, we have recommenced streaming and three shows from 2017’s Mi Amigo broadcast are playing right now:

Sietse Brouwer (shows from 23 & 24 July) plus Dave Kent (show from 24 July)

Listen via www.lv18radio.uk/listen-online

We’re now looking at some ideas for 2018 and, if it happens, should be very exciting. More info when we can.

The LV18 is staying in Harwich for the winter. Thete was some talk of the vessel going to Ipswich for the Autumn but this is not now happening.

We do hope to be able to stream live shows in the near future and an announcement will be made when we have a firm schedule.

Regards

The LV18 Crew

BBC Harwich LV18

Press Release 08/08/2017

Press Release – for immediate use

The pirates are coming!

Over three days Harwich will be awash with former radio pirates who revolutionised pop music in the 1960s. The BBC will be broadcasting from the LV18 Lightvessel on Harwich Quay on Sunday 13th and Monday 14th August with veteran broadcasters Johnny Walker, Roger ‘Twiggy’ Day, Keith Skues, Ray Clark, Tom Edwards and Norman St John, under the banner of ‘Pirate BBC Essex’.

Ray Clark will be in Harwich on Saturday 12th august, broadcasting live from the LV18 and Ha’Penny Pier. Local girl, Liana Bridges, along with former Radio Caroline pirate Barry Lewis, will be at the LV18 on Sunday morning at 9am and will be heard on BBC Essex.

Keith Skues will be in the LV18 studio on the Sunday night (13th) for his three hour regional show, which will include guest Roger ‘Twiggy’ Day.

The LV18 studio will be live from 9am to 3pm on Monday 14th, marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Marine Offences Act which shut down all bar one of the pirate radio stations in 1967.

The BBC and the Pharos Trust will also host an exhibition of Pirate Radio Memorabilia on Ha’Penny Pier between Saturday 12th & Monday 14th August. The exhibition will include recently discovered and unique photographs from fifty years ago of the pirate radio ships Galaxy (Radio London) and Mi Amigo (Radio Caroline).

Many of the radio pirates will also be appearing at the Electric Palace cinema in Harwich on the Saturday and Sunday evening for ‘Meet The Pirates’, Sunday’s event includes a showing of ‘The Boat That Rocked’, introduced by the DJs.

During the morning of August 14th, the ashes of the late Dave Cash, a 1960s radio pirate and latterly BBC radio presenter, will be scattered from the Harwich Lifeboat by his widow Sara Cash. Those wishing to pay respects should gather on Ha’Penny Pier from 10.30am.

Notes for editors

This is the fourth ‘Pirate BBC Essex’ event and the LV18 has been the home for each of the previous events in 2004, 2007 & 2009. The BBC have announced that this will be the last such event.

The station can be received on 95.3FM, 103.5FM and DAB across Essex as well as via the BBC IPlayer, ensuring global reception.

The Pirate Radio Exhibition will include previously unseen photographs from the widow of the captain of the Mi Amigo, the Radio Caroline ship.

The LV18 Lightvessel is a former Trinity House lightvessel which was decommissioned in 1994. It hosts regular radio stations and most recently was the home for Radio Mi Amigo, which includes shows by Roger ‘Twiggy’ Day. BBC Essex’s Liana Bridges and Barry Lewis also presented a show and that is now available to hear on www.lv18radio.uk