![](https://www.lv18radio.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240616_142849-scaled.jpg)
Donations are being sought to support the full restoration of this historic vessel. https://www.gofundme.com/f/lv18-restoration-fund |
Donations are being sought to support the full restoration of this historic vessel. https://www.gofundme.com/f/lv18-restoration-fund |
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.
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.
The Pharos Trust, Registered UK charity No. 1090325
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.
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
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
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.”
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:
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.