Radio From the LV18Ship specific posts
Wednesday lunchtime and a pair of special guests arrived in the radio studio. Steve Scruton and Ian Wyatt are, during the day, BBC Essex presenters, but every few years they play with Pirate Radio.
Hear the guys talk with Alan ‘Neddy’ Turner about past adventures on the LV18 with Pirate BBC as well as the forthcoming broadcast (13 & 14th August)
Elsewhere on the LV18, a garden was being opened, but more importantly we launched the MI Amigo stream with a 4 hour live show from Garry Lee and Brendan Day. 
The station kicks off on Friday 21st July for 10 days of FM, but check Facebook and Twitter for news of further special shows
We’ll be launching Radio Mi Amigo’s 2017 programme with a special evening that will be broadcast online via this website. At 8pm on Thursday 13th July the Harwich Town Cryer will offically open the Radio Mi Amigo Online Stream, marking the end of our month-long testing phase. In the studio will be Garry Lee and Brendan Day with a huge pile of vinyl!
We’ve been busy getting the studio ready for the night, trying to minimise any interruptions to the stream, which has been 24hr for the past week or so. Of course, it’s under two weeks to the start of Radio Mi Amigo’s FM broadcasts!
Coinciding with the launch is the official opening of the LV18’s Secret Garden. Harwich Secret Gardens Weekend is next weekend, 15th & 16th July, and the LV18 is on the cover of the programme booklet.
It’s been a busy few weeks on the LV18 as we prepare for Radio Mi Amigo next month and Pirate BBC Essex just two weeks later!
The studio still looks rather bare with just a hint of technology but it’s had a lick of paint and a tidy up. Elsewhere the ship has had similar treatment; lots of those ‘Winter jobs’ have now been completed!
We’ve been testing our new streaming service and it sounds great! Thanks to everyone who’s commented on our Facebook page. We are preparing a few programmes to go out exclusively online before the broadcast starts on 21st July, keep an ear open for that!
There’s plenty going on in readiness for Pirate BBC Essex too, Steve Scrutton, Ian Wyatt and engineer Matt visited us recently to make sure everything was ship-shape. Cheers guys!
The studio looks rather bare but that doesn’t mean work hasn’t been going on in there! Team LV18 has been busy running new cables, installing cable management, removing redundant equipment and generally preparing the studio for Radio Mi Amigo in July.
New this year (hopefully) there will be a webcam in the studio!
You can read the East Anglian Daily Times article here
In today’s paper too
The BBC & Pharos Trust are pleased to confirm that the LV18 will again be the host for Pirate BBC Essex. The station will run 12th to 14th August 2017 and will mark, on 14th August, the 50th anniversary of the Marine Offences Act which closed most pirate radio stations.
Keith Skues will present his Sunday late show from the LV18, with other weekend shows to be confirmed.
Pirate BBC Essex programmes from 9am – 3pm on Mon 14th live from the LV18 on all frequencies (for the first time!) including presenters Johnnie Walker, Roger ‘Twiggy’ Day, Tom Edwards and Norman St John. Other surprise Pirate guests expected !
There will also be a unique link up with Radio Caroline aboard the Ross Revenge during Monday afternoon.
Other activities will include:
a Pirate Exhibition on Ha’penny Pier open to the public from Sat 12th to Mon 14th August – Pirate DJs will drop in when available
The Boat That Rocked film showing at Electric Palace cinema on Sun 13th (evening) introduced by former pirate broadcasters
There are a few rumours that Pirate BBC Essex will happen in 2017, since Steve Scruton made an on-air announcement on BBC Essex in January.
As it stands, in February, no arrangements are in place and there is no confirmation that the LV18 will host Pirate BBC Essex again.
If that situation changes, news will appear here , on facebook and various bulletin boards (no doubt)