History - Laser 558

1985

1985 started with Laser 558 experiencing broadcast and equipment problems. The station closed at 17.00 on 6th January with generator problems, re-opening on the 10th at 14.02 with carrier wave, 14.18 music, 15.21 station ID and 15.25 full broadcasting.

On the 14th January, at 06.00 the transmitter broke down, and during a blizzard the top fifty foot of the front lattice mast bent ninety degrees to the bow. For the next three days a temporary aerial was installed.

Laser returned on the 18th at 15.00, with a very weak signal, with continuous music, whole sides of LP's being played, until 17.00 when normal programmes commenced.

It was rumoured that the MV Communicator was up for sale, with three interested parties being in contact with Philip Smyth. The three parties were Chris Cary, Richard Branson and a group of former offshore DJ's from East Anglia.

On 21st January, the Daily Mail newspaper carried the story that Laser had a cash crisis, after failing to find enough International advertising.

The trade journal ‘Marketing' for 24th January, carried a story about Laser headlined "Lindau deserts Laser". Roy Lindau had resigned as president of Music Media International, he was replaced by John Moss.

NEW AERIAL SYSTEM

More work on the aerial system and studio forced the station off air at 16.00 on 22nd January. Laser returned to the air at 21.20 the next day. At 10.00 on the 25th the station announced that more work on installing the new aerial system would force them off the air for most of the day. They returned at 16.45 with the same weak signal. The 30th saw Laser close at 08.00 for more work on the aerial system. Modulation tests commenced at 20.17, with a high power signal, 21.05 non-stop music commenced and 22.35 normal programming resumed.

On the 31st, music stopped in mid record, at 20.44, during Charlie Wolfs programme, Michael Dean took over - the ships dog had bitten Charlie. At the beginning of February, Laser 558 had returned to a high power output.

On the 9th February, the station closed down at midnight due to bad weather. During the early hours of the following morning the Communicator lost one of it's aerial masts.

Radio Caroline made contact with the MV Communicator, on the 11th, on Channel 16 VHF. The Laser ship had lost its main anchor, and dropped the reserve anchor. Non-stop music returned at 15.15 on the 14th, with. 16:00 normal programmes at 16.00, but back on low power.

An interview with John Moss appeared in the Guardian, on 18th February, which stated that the station would not broadcast advertising from the UK.

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