Category: LV18

Ship specific posts

Categories
Harwich LV18 Mi Amigo

Pirate Radio Weekend 9-11 August

RADIO MI AMIGO – AUGUST PIRATE RADIO WEEKEND

We gathered an eclectic group of DJs for our August 2024 Pirate Radio Weekend – 9-11 August

Listen to the Johnnie Walker/Keith Skues phone-in that happened at 1430pm on 11 August 2024: https://www.lv18radio.uk/2024/08/ks-jw20240811/

See below for Press Release

FRI 9TH AUG 2024

Midday  Olly Kinvig

1PM  Rick Marks

3PM  Neon Nancy

5PM  Duke Anthony

7PM  The STONEHENGE DISCO – Garry Lee

10PM  The Garden of Unearthly Delights – Paul Windsor

 

SATURDAY 10TH AUG

Midnight  Dave Kent

3AM  Chris Cooper & Rick Marks

6AM Olly Kinvig – The Mi Amigo Breakfast Show

9AM  Paul Windsor

10AM Steve Jenner

MIDDAY  Duke Anthony

2PM  Keith Skues –  Cardboard Shoes himself!

4PM  Neon Nancy

6PM  Garry Lee

7PM  Chris B & Les

10PM  Paul Windsor

 

SUNDAY 11TH AUGUST

1AM  Dave Kent

3AM Chris Cooper & Rick Marks

6AM Olly Kinvig – The Mi Amigo Breakfast Show

8AM Duke Anthony

9AM  Steve Jenner

11AM  Stephen Foster

1PM  Keith Skues

3PM  Garry Lee

4PM  Paul Windsor

5PM  Chris Cooper

6PM  Rick Marks

7PM  Duke Anthony

8PM  Paul Windsor

9PM  MI AMIGO PARTY NIGHT

MIDNIGHT (OR WHENEVER)… We return to our usual schedule

Please note that this schedule is liable to change at extremely short notice due to circumstances outside our control!

Last updated 10th August 2024

Press release:

Harwich Radio Ship Celebrates the Pirates

Radio Mi Amigo will be live from the LV18 Lightship 9 to 11 August, celebrating the radio pirates of the sixties.

Joining us for our weekend of pirate radio are 1960s original DJs Keith ‘Cardboard Shoes’ Skues (BFBS, Radio Caroline, Radio London, Radio Hallam & BBC), Stephen ‘Foz’ Foster (Radio Orwell, BBC, Radio Caroline), Chris Cooper (Voice of Peace, Radio Caroline, Radio Seagull) and many more experienced DJs. Radio Mi Amigo programme director is Garry Lee.

Radio Mi Amigo plays the hits from the pirate ships of the 1960s and 1970s which helped change pop culture in the UK. The station is streaming 24hrs a day but will be live from our studio  from midday Friday 9th August to midnight Sunday 11th for Pirate Radio Weekend.

It’s been six months since the LV18 was devastated by an arson attack and this weekend’s live broadcasts will help raise money for the restoration fund to restore this unique ship.

Tony O’Neil, chairman of the Pharos Trust, said he was delighted that the ship’s studio would be available for the weekend, and this was a testament to the efforts everyone had put in since the fire.

The LV18 has been open free of charge since its re-opening at Whitsun and will will remain free for the duration so visitors can view the restoration so far. Donations are welcome.

Listen online via lv18radio.uk

Keith Skues (left) and Stephen Foster (right) in the LV18 Studio at Easter 2024
Rooftop view over the LV18 and Harwich Harbour taken August 2018

The LV18 is also broadcasting a new radio station, Haven Community Radio, serving the Stour & Orwell Stour estuaries. Listen via Haven Community Radio

 

Six months ago the ship was subject to an arson attack, causing £250,000 of damage. Donations are being sought to support the full restoration of this historic vessel.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/lv18-restoration-fund
Categories
Fundraiser LV18 Mi Amigo

Specials & Fundraiser

We streamed a special live show from our ship on Sunday 23rd June 2024 presented by Garry Lee, with guests. Many thanks to all who tuned in and sent us messages during the show! We discussed, for the first time, the arson attack on our ship , studio damage, the court case and our recovery.

As announced during the live show, coming up on Saturday 29th June is an all day fundraiser (in aid of our recovery fund) at Hotbox, Chelmsford. Tickets  https://dice.fm

Click for bigger poster
Donations are being sought to support the full restoration of this historic vessel. https://www.gofundme.com/f/lv18-restoration-fund

Our next scheduled live studio event is scheduled for 9-11 August 2024. Guests and schedule will be released closer to the time.

Categories
LV18 Mi Amigo

Studio restoration

The studio was put back together for the Easter broadcast but since then has been taken apart for further restoration.

Over the last weekend it was put back into use as we tested our CD and Minidisk players, recently restored.

 

Categories
Harwich LV18

Visiting the LV18

Update: The LV18 re-opened to visitors at the start of June after an extensive cleaning and restoration project for the least affected areas of the ship.
Can you help?
Donations are being sought to support the full restoration of this historic vessel.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/lv18-restoration-fund
Please note that because of our recent fire the ship is not open to visitors at the moment. Sadly this means that if you come to Harwich then it won’t be possible for you to walk aboard. We hope to re-open the ship to visitors later in the year and will put an announcement on here and on our social channels when we have definite information.
Categories
BBC Harwich LV18 Mi Amigo The Pirates

LV18 Radio History

LV18 on Ha'Penny Pier April 2009

From 1958, when the LV18 was first deployed by Trinity House until 1994 when the LV18 was retired, the vessel’s primary role was as a lightvessel – a floating lighthouse – to help protect ships from undersea hazards. A secondary role was weather reporting. The LV18 was equipped with radios but these were only for ship to ship and ship to shore communication.

The LV18 was first used for radio broadcasting in 1999, at the time the ship was owned by Sea Containers Ltd, who owned and operated Parkeston Quay (Harwich International). Tony O’Neil hired the LV18 and used it for a number of radio broadcasts under temporary UK government broadcasting licences.

    • First used in 1999 as a mother ship for revival broadcasts of offshore radio, including Radio North Sea International off Clacton.
    • 2000 Radio Caroline, for one month off Harwich.
    • 2001 Radio Mi Amigo off Harwich.
    • 2002 Radio Mi Amigo and Harwich Community Radio.

In 2002 the Pharos Trust was established as a charity to own, preserve and exhibit LV18. Work started to restore the LV18 after 8 years of neglect. The LV18 was kept on a mooring in the River Stour when not needed elsewhere.

In 2004 BBC Essex wanted to mark the 40th anniversary of the launch of Radio Atlanta, Radio Caroline, Radio London etc and they used the LV18 as a base, anchored off Harwich. This was repeated in 2007 for the 40th anniversary of the Marine Offences (etc) Act of 14 August 1967. Many of the former pirate DJs took part, most of whom had also been BBC employees at this point. The broadcast was called “Pirate BBC Essex“. By this time, Johnnie Walker had agreed to be patron of the Pharos Trust.

In 2008 the LV18 was chartered by the producers of the “Boat That Rocked” movie (“Pirate Radio” movie in the US). This took the LV18 to Portland Bay and the ship gained a new paint scheme on one side. It was billed as “Radio Sunshine, the Home of Happy Hits”.

Pirate BBC Essex came back to the LV18 in 2009 and the ship was moored alongside Ha’Penny Pier for the first time during this broadcast before returning to its river mooring.

Dave Cash
Johnnie Walker

In 2011 the Pharos Trust received a grant from the local authourities, Tendring District & Essex County Councils, that enabled a permanent berth to be constructed between Harwich Quay and Ha’Penny Pier. This allowed easy daily public access for the first time in the ship’s history.

Between 2012 and 2017 the LV18 was used annually for pirate radio revivals under the Radio Mi Amigo brand – but with an Ofcom licence!

In 2017 the BBC returned and hosted an event marking the 50th anniversary of the Marine Offences (etc) Act. Many former pirates gathered on the LV18 including Johnnie Walker, Roger Day, Keith Skues, Norman St John and Tom Edwards.

Johnnie Walker
Roger ‘Twiggy’ Day
Keith Skues & Norman St John
Tom Edwards

From 2018 to 2023 the LV18 hosted licensed Radio Mi Amigo broadcasts from our permanent berth and during this time rebuilt the studio.

At Christmas 2023 we launched Radio Mi Amigo as a full time online station.

An arson attack took our station off-air on 2nd Feb 2024 but this was restored from a temporary studio the same month and returned to the ship’s studio at the end of March 2024 with a live event that included Roger Day and Keith Skues.

Roger Day and Keith Skues

Further live studio events took place during August and December 2024. On 11 August, during Keith Skues’ show, Johnnie Walker phoned in and asked to speak to Keith live on the air. That conversation is available on this site.

In December 2024 we hosted a weekend of shows that marked the 60th anniversary of Radio London’s first transmissions.

Just a week later we heard that Johnnie Walker had passed away.

Last updated January 2025. A history of the LV18 is also available on our sister site LV18.ORG

Photos are by Shiraz Turvey, Tony O’Neil & Heather O’Neil. All photos are copyright.

Categories
BBC Harwich LV18 Mi Amigo

Easter Report

The following was sent to the Harwich & Manningtree Standard for the 5th April 2024 edition.

Radio Mi Amigo was broadcast from historic light vessel LV18 in Harwich Harbour over Easter Weekend, with fans flocking to Harwich to help mark the 60th anniversary of offshore broadcasting. Radio Caroline started the radio revolution in 1964 just off the coast of Harwich, and were soon joined by other ships. The guest DJs, on board the LV18, for the weekend included Keith ‘Cardboard Shoes’ Skues and Roger ‘Twiggy’ Day who were both on Radio Caroline, and other ships, in the mid 1960s.

Radio Mi Amigo was also supported by visiting DJs Stephen ‘Foz’ Foster, Garry Lee, Olly Kinvig, Paul Windsor, Chris Cooper, Rick Marks, Dave Kent and Duke Anthony. Duke had arrived in Harwich to help put the studio together but ended up in the studio chair hosting several shows!

One highlight of the weekend was when Keith Skues and Roger Day shared the studio to talk about their lives afloat sixty years ago, before they headed to the Electric Palace as guests of BBC Essex presenters Steve Scruton and Ian Wyatt. The proceeds of that show will be donated to the LV18 Restoration Fund, along with a donation from the Electric Palace Trust from film revenue over the Easter Weekend’s 1960s film festival.

BBC Essex was broadcast live from the LV18 on Easter Saturday, with Steve Scruton interviewing the DJs, fans who had gathered on the quayside and members of the public.

The Pharos Trust, which owns and operates the LV18, also hosted a visit by three member of the Tendring District Council Economic Development team, which has been working with the Trust on a community radio project over the past six months.

It is hoped that the ship will re-open to the public by the end of May, once the immediate restoration work and clean-up have been completed. A further live radio weekend is being planned for August.

The Pharos Trust thanks everyone who helped put together the wonderful weekend in the LV18’s floating studio and would especially like to thank those who helped raise money for the continuing Restoration Fund.

Categories
Harwich LV18 Mi Amigo

Easter 2024 Schedule

RADIO MI AMIGO – EASTER SCHEDULE (2024)

Please note that the schedule may need to change due to DJ availability.

GOOD FRIDAY 29th MARCH

(Easter programmes begin at  07:00am)

07:00-09:00 Olly Kinvig – Rock’n’Roll Breakfast

09:00 Danny Lawrence

10:00 Pete Nightingale

11:00 Gordon Bathgate

12:00-14:00 Duke Anthony

14:00-16:00 Paul Windsor

16:00 Chris Morgan

17:00 Rick Marks

18:00 Chris Cooper

19:00-22:00 Garry Lee – The Stonehenge Disco

22:00 Chris Morgan

23:00 Chris Morgan

 

SATURDAY 30th MARCH

00:00-03:00 Dave Kent

03:00-06:00 Paul Windsor

06:00 The Reverend Rabbit

07:00-10:00 Olly Kinvig – Rock’n’Roll Breakfast

10:00 Pete Nightingale

11:00 Chris Morgan

12:00-14:00 Keith Skues

14:00-16:00 Duke Anthony

16:00 Jeff Martin

17:00-19:00 Paul Windsor

19:00 Chris Morgan

20:00 Pete Magnetic

21:00-00:00 Dave Kent

SUNDAY 31st MARCH

00.00 Jim Fourniadis

01:00 Robin Dee

CLOCKS GO FORWARD 1 HOUR

03:00-06:00 Chris & Rick Double Header

06:00 The Reverend Rabbit

07:00-10:00 Olly Kinvig – Rock’n’Roll Breakfast

10:00 Chris Morgan

11:00-14:00 Stephen Foster

14:00-16:00 Keith Skues

16:00 Jeff Martin

17:00 Pete Nightingale

18:00 Paul Windsor

19:00 Jim Fourniadis

20:00 Jeff Fitzgerald

21:00-00:00 Garry Lee – The Stonehenge Disco

MONDAY 1st APRIL

00.00-03:00 Paul Windsor

03:00-06:00 Chris & Rick Double Header

06:00 Chris Morgan

07:00-10:00 Olly Kinvig – Rock’n’Roll Breakfast

10:00 Gordon Bathgate

11:00 Pete Nightingale

12:00 Roger ‘Twiggy’ Day

13:00-15:00 Rick Marks

15:00 Garry Lee

16:00 Paul Windsor

17:00 Robin Dee

18:00 Chris Morgan

19:00-21:00 Paul Windsor

21:00-00:00 Garry Lee – The Stonehenge Disco

At Midnight all shows will continue from our Overnight Service

Please note that the schedule may need to change due to DJ availability.

Categories
Harwich LV18 Mi Amigo

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
Categories
LV18

Winter project 2019 part 2

A few days after originally posting our project news, the plans have expanded considerably and we’re now intending to route new multi-links for audio, video and power to parts of the ship that haven’t had this connectivity before.

In practice this will enable us to have a live feed from below decks or even the helideck without running extra cabling, just a little patching should do it!

Of course this will mean more work, so,  if you are good with a soldering iron and don’t mind a bit of cold & wet, get in touch about volunteering. Hot tea or coffee provided!

Categories
Harwich LV18 Mi Amigo

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.