Radio Scotland
Operating from The Comet, a former lightship,
Radio Scotland began broadcasting on late New Year’s Eve
1965, on 242 meters. The ship was fitted out with two 10000-watt
RCA transmitters, along with a 145-foot dipole mast. The
station’s offices were located at Radio Scotland House, 20
Cranworth Street, Glasgow W2.
In charge of the organisation was Tommy Shields, a former
employee of DC Thompson publishing. Shields had previously been
involved with several abortive attempts to launch land-based
stations in Scotland, dating back to 1947. He was also involved
with the formation of Scottish Television. He was obviously a man
determined, in one way or another, to bring local broadcasting to
the north of the U.K.!
December 1965: The 500-ton Comet was towed to Dunbar. It was
originally planned for the station to be in position on December
27th, but it was delayed by three days after the towlines broke
several times
Tommy Shields
A great deal of last minute
technical work had to be completed to get the station on the air
in time to bring in the New Year. This caused the station’s
initial transmissions to be on low power. But on the 16th
of January, the station increased its power to 20.000 watts
when important transmitter components finally arrived. The early
days of the station were marred by frequent transmitter problems,
which lead to frequent spells of dead air.
The station opened at 23:55, on December 31st 1965, with a
statement from Tommy Shields: “Good evening. This is a proud
moment for me and, indeed, for all of us here. For after many
months of trial and tribulation, Radio Scotland is now a floating
reality. Thanks to the skill and ingenuity of a dedicated band of
radio engineers, and the loyalty of our team, we have been able
to convert a former Clyde built lightship, The Comet, into one of
the most modern offshore broadcasting stations in the world. Now,
our aims are simple and straightforward- to provide a new,
exciting form of entertainment radio, and to offer advertisers a
new, simple and economic medium in which to sell to millions of
homes in Scotland and northern England.”
Amongst the first voices to be heard on the station were those of
Dave Kinnard and Paul Young. Telegram messages were read out, and
pre-recorded messages of congratulation from artists such
as Spencer Davis and Alex Harvey were aired.
The Comet
Advertising rates varied from £28
for a 30-second peak time rate, down to £4 for a 7-second off
peak rate. The station’s first sponsors were a Scottish soup
company, with the first advertising slot been taken by The News
of the World newspaper. The station also ran competitions for the
listeners, under the name “The Sixpenny Snowball,” with
the proceeds going to local charities and good causes.
Radio Scotland’s programme was a mixed bag, including the
expected top 40 material and sponsored religious shows, plus a
large amount of Scottish music shows, showcasing both
modern and traditional recordings. The most memorable of these
was Jack McLaughlin’s weekly show. McLaughlin, forced to
play music which was definitely not to his taste, hammed it up to
the full, linking records in a style which was probably
incomprehensible to any of the station’s few listeners south
of the Highlands. What exactly are “Huchters and Tuchters”
(sp?) anyway? Scotland’s management were evidently not
amused, and pulled the show after a few weeks. The listeners, on
the other hand, lapped it up, and when pro-McLaughlin mail
arrived by the mailbag full, the show was re-instated.
Radio Scotland became the first of the offshore station’s to
have its own magazine, “The Clan 242.” The fan club was
handled by a former beauty queen Cathy Spencer, and offered
listeners pictures, stickers, badges etc. Many top
recording stars of the day would also appear at the station’s
legendary Clan Balls, which were hosted at some of Scotland’s
top discotheques and clubs.