Radio North Sea International
Encyclopedia
Radio North Sea International (RNI) also known as Radio Nordsee International in German
and Radio Noordzee Internationaal in Dutch
, was a European offshore radio
station, run by the Swiss
firm Mebo Telecommunications
, jointly owned by Swiss engineer, Edwin Bollier
, and his business partner, Erwin Meister
. The company, being registered in Switzerland, used the German name, whereas all references in the UK were to Radio Northsea International. The DJ's on air would invariably mix the usage. The official Souvenir Book, issued in 1971, although in English, swaps between English and German spelling. This article, predominately about the English service, and written in English, therefore uses the English variant. Some publications have a tendency to split the "Northsea" into two words. RNI broadcast for fewer than five years in the early 1970s and, courting both disaster and success, made a modest financial profit.
ship, Galaxy
. On 2 July 1968 the German government
scuppered their plans by passing a law banning off-shore broadcasting. The Gloria project collapsed. Meister and Bollier decided to buy their own vessel, the Bjarkoy, and set up a radio station. They renamed their ship Mebo, then Mebo I, and later, after transmissions ended, Angela. Before fitting was completed, the Mebo was found too small for broadcasting but too big for regular use as a tender. However, she was used whilst the Mebo II was operating off the English coast.
in the Netherlands
in 1948, the 630-tonne vessel was 8.85 metres wide, 3.25 metres deep and 53 metres long. In 1969 Mebo Telecommunications purchased Silvretta, fitted her out as a floating radio station, and renamed her Mebo II
. Since Mebo was too big to tender Mebo II
off The Netherlands coast, RNI used a smaller vessel, called Trip Tender, the same vessel as Radio London (when she was called Offshore 1.) The psychedelically-painted Mebo II carried a MW
transmitter at 105 kilowatts (more than twice the 50 kW TXs used by Radio London and Radio Caroline
), though in practice it was operated at 60 kW or less.
One of five RCA
-built prototype transmitters, and the only one still in service, it rarely if ever broadcast at full power, and had the highest power rating of any ship-based pirate radio station, and the second-highest of any ship-based broadcast station. The Voice of America
's MV Courier in the 1950s had the highest, with a rating of 150 kW on mediumwave. Mebo II also had SW
and FM
transmitters, the best fitted of all ship-based radio stations, able simultaneously to broadcast four different streams on four different channels.
On 23 January 1970, Mebo II
began broadcasts from the Dutch
coast, in English and German. When regular broadcasting began on 11 February 1970 it was more popular in the United Kingdom than the Netherlands. On 23 March 1970 Mebo II
sailed to the East coast of England
, arriving at 09:00 on 24 March 1970 and anchoring in international waters, five miles from Clacton.
government in Britain
began jamming
Mebo II
s MW signal at 20:30 on 15 April 1970. RNI responded with pro-Conservative
party political messages for the general election
on 18 June 1970. On 13 May 1970, RNI responded to complaints about interference by changing its MW channel to 1230 kHz (244 metres). This improved reception but was adjacent to the pop music service of BBC Radio One on 1214 kHz (247 metres). Jamming followed five days later, causing interference to BBC Radio
as well as RNI, especially in Kent
, south-east England
.
On 13 June 1970, five days prior to election day, Radio North Sea International changed its name to Radio Caroline International
, and launched a propaganda campaign in support of the Conservative party. The name change and political campaign were supported by Radio Caroline
's founder Ronan O'Rahilly
. Listeners were told that their freedom to listen to the radio station of their choice was under threat and that if the Labour party
were returned to power then the station would close: their vote should therefore be Conservative
, the only party that supported commercial radio. Ronan O'Rahilly
headed the pro-Conservative party
campaign on land, including a double-decker bus and posters depicting Harold Wilson
as China's Chairman Mao
.
They believed Conservative
promises to restore Free Radio would mean an end to the jamming. Conservative
party policy was to establish local land-based commercial radio
in the UK.
At a 'Fight for Free Radio' rally the weekend before the election, Conservative
party loudspeaker-vans were being used to urge participants to 'Vote Conservative and fight for free radio'. The Conservatives went on to win, and there is evidence that the Caroline
and RNI political campaigns made a difference to the result of the UK's 1970 general election
.
Two days after the election, the station reverted to its original RNI name. Because jamming of transmissions continued, however, Mebo II
returned to the Netherlands coast on 23 July 1970.
The British government jammed Mebo II
s broadcasts with tones, usually an 800 Hz heterodyne supplemented from time-to-time with a pulsed beep (whistle and "pip pip"). Norway
's interference with RNI on 6215.0 kHz was explained thus:
Paul Harris's book Broadcasting from the High Seas, published in 1976, suggests the UK government suspected RNI's shortwave equipment was being used to send code
d messages to unfriendly countries, in particular to the German Democratic Republic
(GDR). A collage of 1970s archive material related to the suspicion that RNI might have been a front for alleged GDR spying activities as a numbers station
concludes with a BBC Radio Humberside
interview on 30 August 2004 in which RNI's DJ Steve Merike, a bizarre choice to "disprove" the rumours, sought to dispel the spy ship theory.
Harris also claimed RNI's joint owner, Edwin Bollier, vowed to take revenge on the British government because he felt RNI had been singled out for jamming. Harris's theories are controversial and there has never been any hard evidence to support them.
On 12 August 1970, Kees Manders, a nightclub owner involved with Radio Veronica
, announced he had become commercial director of RNI. But RNI's managing director, Larry Tremaine, said nothing had been agreed with Manders. Edwin Bollier and Edwin Meister had invited Manders to start a Dutch service from the Mebo II
, and offered him a directorship in RNI, but as soon as Manders leaked the story, Meister and Bollier withdrew the offer.
A few weeks later, on Saturday, 29 August 1970, a salvage tug named Husky was spotted approaching Mebo II
at about 13:30. Accompanying the tug was a launch, the Viking, aboard which were Kees Manders with a woman and a child. In the studio, DJ Andy Archer interrupted his programme to broadcast a series of announcements appealing to listeners to contact RNI's offices and inform them of what appeared to be a threatening situation:
Spangles Muldoon reported:
Andy Archer:
Manders' demands were refused. He returned to the Viking issuing a threat to cut the anchor chain and tow the Mebo II back to port. Crewmen on board the Husky made ready to use a water cannon on the radio mast, but decided against, presumably having heard the message that in doing so, they would risk electrocution
. While Archer and Muldoon continued to broadcast, others on board armed themselves with knives and petrol bombs and prepared to repel boarders. Switchboards in London, The Hague, and Zurich received calls from listeners. Station owner Erwin Meister arrived on the scene on board a fast launch, followed by the Eurotrip tender and other craft. Husky and Viking immediately left, and were never seen again. Later that day van Ness, a frigate of the Royal Netherlands Navy stood by. As the day drew to a close, managing director of RNI, Larry Tremaine, went on air with this statement:
. Mebo II
remained at anchor in international waters off Scheveningen in the Netherlands.
On Friday, 29 January 1971 Mebo II recommenced broadcasts, on 220 metres MW and 48 metres SW, channels the station would use until its forced closure in 1974. The station identified itself on 14 February 1971 thus:
Regular English language programming restarted at 14:00 on Sunday, 21 February 1971. Dutch programming began on 6 March 1971.
At 23:40 the transmitters were switched off and Mebo II
abandoned. The following morning, at 02:30, Mebo II
recommenced broadcasting, closing at 03:00 as normal, and normal Dutch language programming began at 06:00 on Sunday 16 May 1971.
Spangles Muldoon on 16 May 1971:
On 17 May 1971, 48-year-old Norbert Jurgens, the advertising manager at Radio Veronica
was arrested and questioned by Dutch Police, and the following day Veronica director Bull Verweij
was also held. Verweij appeared on Netherlands television to tell how he had paid a man 12,000 Dutch Guilders (approximately £1,100) to force Mebo II
into territorial waters. Then once inside the three-mile limit, the ship would have been liable to arrest or confiscation by creditors. In September 1971, all five suspects re-appeared in court, where it became clear how the plan had been developed and implemented. According to one of the three frogmen, Jan P, their motivation was money and adventure. Besides they had heard that RNI was involved with espionage for the eastern bloc. However, Judge Mr van't Veer ruled,
Although Meister and Bollier did not want to prosecute the offenders, all five were sentenced to one year in prison. The bombing of RNI convinced the Netherlands government that it was time to outlaw the supply from the Dutch mainland of offshore radio
stations on the high seas. The Marine Offences Act came into force on 1 September 1974.
acknowledging Veronica's 12-year history and welcoming listeners to the new sound of "RNI 2". At 1:00 RNI 2 relayed part of Veronica's reopening broadcast. Thereafter for several days RNI 2 carried separate programming from the main AM and FM service but then closed without warning, never to return.
The station's management claimed that RNI 2 was set up to prove that RNI could broadcast additional frequencies in case of emergency, although the nature of that emergency was never specified. Sceptics claimed that it was just an attempt to grab some of Veronica's audience.
With the launch of RNI 2, the Mebo II
became only the second radio ship to broadcast two separate mediumwave stations, the first being the Olga Patricia / Laissez Faire which broadcast Swinging Radio England
and Britain Radio and their successors in 1966-7. Subsequently the Radio Caroline
ships Mi Amigo and Ross Revenge
would be the only other vessels used to broadcast two mediumwave channels simultaneously.
(CET). Programs in English extended at the weekends from 03:00 until 06:00, when Dutch language programming began. The second 10 kW AM TX was tested on medium wave 773 kHz, and for a period as RNI 2, a second stream on 1562 kHz, in addition to the main stream on 1367 kHz, and intended to assure advertisers that, if need arose, Mebo II
could continue transmissions on another frequency.
The main English language service closed at midnight on 30/31 August 1974, and Dutch transmissions ceased on 31 August 1974 at 20:00.
This is an incomplete list as many short-term and temporary presenters were also heard at various times.
were sold to Libya. They sailed, each with a crew of nine, for Libya
, arriving Tripoli
on 9 February 1977. Mebo II
was renamed El Fatah, and Angela was renamed Almasira. El Fatah then broadcast as Radio Jamharia with programmes such as the Arab Voice, Libya International in English and the Holy Koran. This continued until 1980, when Heinz Hurter, Edwin Bollier
's second wife's brother was the only Swiss national to remain aboard.
One of RNI's former DJs, Robin Banks (né Adcroft, not to be confused with DJ Robin Banks
), accompanied the vessels to Libya, and stayed with them as a transmitter engineer until 1980. The Almasira and the El Fatah were said to have been used as target practice by the Libyan Navy in the 1980s, and were sunk in the Gulf of Sidra
, Mediterranean Sea
.
and classic rock per the following schedule:
Additional programming may be offered on Bank Holiday Mondays, as announced.
As a link to its past, the opening bars of the "Man of Action" continuity theme are played at the start of the hour.
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and Radio Noordzee Internationaal in Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, was a European offshore radio
Offshore radio
Offshore radio is radio broadcasting from ships or fixed maritime structures, usually in international waters. The claimed first wireless broadcast of music and speech for the purpose of entertainment was transmitted from a Royal Naval craft, the HMS Andromeda, in 1907...
station, run by the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
firm Mebo Telecommunications
Mebo Telecommunications
Mebo Telecommunications AG is owned by Swiss businessmen Erwin Meister and Edwin Bollier.-Radio Nordsee International – the Mebo I and II:...
, jointly owned by Swiss engineer, Edwin Bollier
Edwin Bollier
Edwin Bollier and his partner, Erwin Meister, founded Mebo Telecommunications AG in Zürich, Switzerland in 1969.-Radio Nordsee International:...
, and his business partner, Erwin Meister
Erwin Meister
Erwin Meister is a Swiss businessman who, with his partner Edwin Bollier, formed the company Mebo Telecommunications in 1969. They bought a Dutch freighter, renamed it Mebo II, and converted it into an offshore radio station.-RNI:...
. The company, being registered in Switzerland, used the German name, whereas all references in the UK were to Radio Northsea International. The DJ's on air would invariably mix the usage. The official Souvenir Book, issued in 1971, although in English, swaps between English and German spelling. This article, predominately about the English service, and written in English, therefore uses the English variant. Some publications have a tendency to split the "Northsea" into two words. RNI broadcast for fewer than five years in the early 1970s and, courting both disaster and success, made a modest financial profit.
Radio Gloria
In 1968 Erwin Meister and Edwin Bollier were amongst a group intending to broadcast as Radio Gloria from the former Radio LondonWonderful Radio London
Radio London, also known as Big L and Wonderful Radio London, was a top 40 offshore commercial station that operated from 16 December 1964 to 14 August 1967, from a ship anchored in the North Sea, three and a half miles off Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, England...
ship, Galaxy
Wonderful Radio London
Radio London, also known as Big L and Wonderful Radio London, was a top 40 offshore commercial station that operated from 16 December 1964 to 14 August 1967, from a ship anchored in the North Sea, three and a half miles off Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, England...
. On 2 July 1968 the German government
FRG
FRG may refer to:* Free Radical Gasification, a carbon conversion process developed by Responsible Energy Inc.* Family Readiness Groups in the United States Army...
scuppered their plans by passing a law banning off-shore broadcasting. The Gloria project collapsed. Meister and Bollier decided to buy their own vessel, the Bjarkoy, and set up a radio station. They renamed their ship Mebo, then Mebo I, and later, after transmissions ended, Angela. Before fitting was completed, the Mebo was found too small for broadcasting but too big for regular use as a tender. However, she was used whilst the Mebo II was operating off the English coast.
Mebo II
Originally Silvretta, and built in SlikkerveerSlikkerveer
Slikkerveer is a village in the municipality of Ridderkerk, South Holland, the Netherlands. In 2004, 8550 people lived in Slikkerveer.It is located about 6 km eastsoutheast of the city of Rotterdam...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in 1948, the 630-tonne vessel was 8.85 metres wide, 3.25 metres deep and 53 metres long. In 1969 Mebo Telecommunications purchased Silvretta, fitted her out as a floating radio station, and renamed her Mebo II
Mebo II
The Mebo II was originally the Dutch freighter, "Silvretta," built in 1948 by De Groot en van Vliet, Slikkerveer. It had a weight of 630 tons and a length of 186 feet. In 1969, it was bought by Edwin Bollier and Erwin Meister, renamed and converted into an offshore radio station at the same...
. Since Mebo was too big to tender Mebo II
Mebo II
The Mebo II was originally the Dutch freighter, "Silvretta," built in 1948 by De Groot en van Vliet, Slikkerveer. It had a weight of 630 tons and a length of 186 feet. In 1969, it was bought by Edwin Bollier and Erwin Meister, renamed and converted into an offshore radio station at the same...
off The Netherlands coast, RNI used a smaller vessel, called Trip Tender, the same vessel as Radio London (when she was called Offshore 1.) The psychedelically-painted Mebo II carried a MW
Mediumwave
Medium wave is the part of the medium frequency radio band used mainly for AM radio broadcasting. For Europe the MW band ranges from 526.5 kHz to 1606.5 kHz...
transmitter at 105 kilowatts (more than twice the 50 kW TXs used by Radio London and Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly...
), though in practice it was operated at 60 kW or less.
One of five RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
-built prototype transmitters, and the only one still in service, it rarely if ever broadcast at full power, and had the highest power rating of any ship-based pirate radio station, and the second-highest of any ship-based broadcast station. The Voice of America
Voice of America
Voice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
's MV Courier in the 1950s had the highest, with a rating of 150 kW on mediumwave. Mebo II also had SW
Shortwave
Shortwave radio refers to the upper MF and all of the HF portion of the radio spectrum, between 1,800–30,000 kHz. Shortwave radio received its name because the wavelengths in this band are shorter than 200 m which marked the original upper limit of the medium frequency band first used...
and FM
Frequency modulation
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
transmitters, the best fitted of all ship-based radio stations, able simultaneously to broadcast four different streams on four different channels.
On 23 January 1970, Mebo II
Mebo II
The Mebo II was originally the Dutch freighter, "Silvretta," built in 1948 by De Groot en van Vliet, Slikkerveer. It had a weight of 630 tons and a length of 186 feet. In 1969, it was bought by Edwin Bollier and Erwin Meister, renamed and converted into an offshore radio station at the same...
began broadcasts from the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
coast, in English and German. When regular broadcasting began on 11 February 1970 it was more popular in the United Kingdom than the Netherlands. On 23 March 1970 Mebo II
Mebo II
The Mebo II was originally the Dutch freighter, "Silvretta," built in 1948 by De Groot en van Vliet, Slikkerveer. It had a weight of 630 tons and a length of 186 feet. In 1969, it was bought by Edwin Bollier and Erwin Meister, renamed and converted into an offshore radio station at the same...
sailed to the East coast of England
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, arriving at 09:00 on 24 March 1970 and anchoring in international waters, five miles from Clacton.
Jamming
The LabourLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
government in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
began jamming
Radio jamming
Radio jamming is the transmission of radio signals that disrupt communications by decreasing the signal to noise ratio. Unintentional jamming occurs when an operator transmits on a busy frequency without first checking whether it is in use, or without being able to hear stations using the frequency...
Mebo II
Mebo II
The Mebo II was originally the Dutch freighter, "Silvretta," built in 1948 by De Groot en van Vliet, Slikkerveer. It had a weight of 630 tons and a length of 186 feet. In 1969, it was bought by Edwin Bollier and Erwin Meister, renamed and converted into an offshore radio station at the same...
s MW signal at 20:30 on 15 April 1970. RNI responded with pro-Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
party political messages for the general election
United Kingdom general election, 1970
The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their...
on 18 June 1970. On 13 May 1970, RNI responded to complaints about interference by changing its MW channel to 1230 kHz (244 metres). This improved reception but was adjacent to the pop music service of BBC Radio One on 1214 kHz (247 metres). Jamming followed five days later, causing interference to BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
as well as RNI, especially in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, south-east England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Radio Caroline International
Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly...
, and launched a propaganda campaign in support of the Conservative party. The name change and political campaign were supported by Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly...
's founder Ronan O'Rahilly
Ronan O'Rahilly
Ronan O'Rahilly is an Irish businessman best known for the creation of the offshore radio station, Radio Caroline.O'Rahilly's parents owned the private port of Greenore in Carlingford Lough, County Louth...
. Listeners were told that their freedom to listen to the radio station of their choice was under threat and that if the Labour party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
were returned to power then the station would close: their vote should therefore be Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, the only party that supported commercial radio. Ronan O'Rahilly
Ronan O'Rahilly
Ronan O'Rahilly is an Irish businessman best known for the creation of the offshore radio station, Radio Caroline.O'Rahilly's parents owned the private port of Greenore in Carlingford Lough, County Louth...
headed the pro-Conservative party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
campaign on land, including a double-decker bus and posters depicting Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
as China's Chairman Mao
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
.
They believed Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
promises to restore Free Radio would mean an end to the jamming. Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
party policy was to establish local land-based commercial radio
Independent Local Radio
Independent Local Radio is the collective name given to commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom. The same name is used for Independent Local Radio in Ireland.-Development of ILR:...
in the UK.
At a 'Fight for Free Radio' rally the weekend before the election, Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
party loudspeaker-vans were being used to urge participants to 'Vote Conservative and fight for free radio'. The Conservatives went on to win, and there is evidence that the Caroline
Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly...
and RNI political campaigns made a difference to the result of the UK's 1970 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1970
The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their...
.
Reversion to RNI
Mebo II
The Mebo II was originally the Dutch freighter, "Silvretta," built in 1948 by De Groot en van Vliet, Slikkerveer. It had a weight of 630 tons and a length of 186 feet. In 1969, it was bought by Edwin Bollier and Erwin Meister, renamed and converted into an offshore radio station at the same...
returned to the Netherlands coast on 23 July 1970.
The British government jammed Mebo II
Mebo II
The Mebo II was originally the Dutch freighter, "Silvretta," built in 1948 by De Groot en van Vliet, Slikkerveer. It had a weight of 630 tons and a length of 186 feet. In 1969, it was bought by Edwin Bollier and Erwin Meister, renamed and converted into an offshore radio station at the same...
s broadcasts with tones, usually an 800 Hz heterodyne supplemented from time-to-time with a pulsed beep (whistle and "pip pip"). Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
's interference with RNI on 6215.0 kHz was explained thus:
"This is a transmission from the Norwegian coast station Rogaland RadioTelenor Maritime RadioTelenor Maritim Radio is a subsidiary of Telenor that is responsible for the infrastructure for maritime radio communication in Norway, and also includes five manned coast radio stations whose primary purpose is to monitor the maritime radio traffic Telenor Maritim Radio is a subsidiary of Telenor...
operating in single side band mode, upper side band, with a carrier frequency of 6215.0 kHz. The purpose of this transmission is to clear the channel of unauthorized and out of band broadcasting, to improve reception conditions for ships wishing to communicate with coast stations on this frequency or on adjacent maritime channels."
Paul Harris's book Broadcasting from the High Seas, published in 1976, suggests the UK government suspected RNI's shortwave equipment was being used to send code
Code
A code is a rule for converting a piece of information into another form or representation , not necessarily of the same type....
d messages to unfriendly countries, in particular to the German Democratic Republic
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
(GDR). A collage of 1970s archive material related to the suspicion that RNI might have been a front for alleged GDR spying activities as a numbers station
Numbers station
A numbers station is a shortwave radio station of uncertain origin. In the 1950s, Time magazine reported that the numbers stations first appeared shortly after World War II and were using a format that had been used to send weather data during that war.Numbers stations generally broadcast...
concludes with a BBC Radio Humberside
BBC Radio Humberside
BBC Radio Humberside is a BBC Local Radio service covering the area of the former English county of Humberside, which was returned to North Lincolnshire, North East Lincolnshire the East Riding of Yorkshire and the City of Kingston upon Hull on 1 April 1996....
interview on 30 August 2004 in which RNI's DJ Steve Merike, a bizarre choice to "disprove" the rumours, sought to dispel the spy ship theory.
Harris also claimed RNI's joint owner, Edwin Bollier, vowed to take revenge on the British government because he felt RNI had been singled out for jamming. Harris's theories are controversial and there has never been any hard evidence to support them.
Attempted hijacking
Radio Veronica
Radio Veronica was an offshore radio station that began broadcasting in 1960, and broadcast from offshore for over fourteen years. It was set up by independent radio, TV and household electrical retailers in the Netherlands to stimulate the sales of radio receivers by providing an alternative to...
, announced he had become commercial director of RNI. But RNI's managing director, Larry Tremaine, said nothing had been agreed with Manders. Edwin Bollier and Edwin Meister had invited Manders to start a Dutch service from the Mebo II
Mebo II
The Mebo II was originally the Dutch freighter, "Silvretta," built in 1948 by De Groot en van Vliet, Slikkerveer. It had a weight of 630 tons and a length of 186 feet. In 1969, it was bought by Edwin Bollier and Erwin Meister, renamed and converted into an offshore radio station at the same...
, and offered him a directorship in RNI, but as soon as Manders leaked the story, Meister and Bollier withdrew the offer.
A few weeks later, on Saturday, 29 August 1970, a salvage tug named Husky was spotted approaching Mebo II
Mebo II
The Mebo II was originally the Dutch freighter, "Silvretta," built in 1948 by De Groot en van Vliet, Slikkerveer. It had a weight of 630 tons and a length of 186 feet. In 1969, it was bought by Edwin Bollier and Erwin Meister, renamed and converted into an offshore radio station at the same...
at about 13:30. Accompanying the tug was a launch, the Viking, aboard which were Kees Manders with a woman and a child. In the studio, DJ Andy Archer interrupted his programme to broadcast a series of announcements appealing to listeners to contact RNI's offices and inform them of what appeared to be a threatening situation:
- "Seven minutes now away from two o'clock, and we have to apologize to you for interrupting our normal programme schedule with these urgent messages, but as you can probably appreciate, something rather drastic has happened. Or they're trying to make something happen which we won't stand for. We're refusing to allow anybody this radio ship, and if you've just joined us, perhaps you'd like to be put in the picture, that a tug has come alongside, along with a person by the name of Kees Manders, who apparently is a well known figure in Holland, and he is trying to take the ship away. Our Captain has only allowed him on board, and nobody else, and that will remain that way. We're not going to let anybody else on board the ship, only Mr Manders, to hear what he's got to say, but Radio North Sea International will stay broadcasting until we receive a definite order from our Head office in ZurichZürichZurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
. So if anybody is listening in Zurich, or in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, or in our office in The HagueThe HagueThe Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, in Scheveningen, perhaps they would like to do something, perhaps send a boat out, or perhaps try to make contact with us on the short-wave. . . Well, the situation is. . . none of us are sure what's happening at the moment but this certainly isn't an authorized tug. . . we have no tugs. . . the Mebo is in no need of a tug because we have perfectly good engines. . . The Captain allowed one of the men on board, but he refused to let any more on board, which is his prerogative. . . and this is the way it's going to stay until we receive details or instructions from our head office. So, once more we'd like to make a call to our head office in Zurich, or if anyone is listening in our London office, on in The Hague, perhaps you could try and get a message out to us on the short-wave link."
Spangles Muldoon reported:
- "It seems they're gonna spray water onto the antenna, which apart from tripping out our transmitter, would give whoever did it a very lethal shock. . .. So by all means, spray the aerial with water, if it makes you feel any better."
Andy Archer:
- ". . . and the banging you can hear in the background is that we are taking all security precautions, and locking up the hatches to save anybody from coming down into the studio itself. So once more we must tell you that there's a raid taking place at the moment. . . an unauthorized raid, and we're doing our best to stop everybody coming on board, so all we ask for our friends on the shore. . . to send out help to us. . ."
Manders' demands were refused. He returned to the Viking issuing a threat to cut the anchor chain and tow the Mebo II back to port. Crewmen on board the Husky made ready to use a water cannon on the radio mast, but decided against, presumably having heard the message that in doing so, they would risk electrocution
Electrocution
Electrocution is a type of electric shock that, as determined by a stopped heart, can end life. Electrocution is frequently used to refer to any electric shock received but is technically incorrect; the choice of definition varies from dictionary to dictionary...
. While Archer and Muldoon continued to broadcast, others on board armed themselves with knives and petrol bombs and prepared to repel boarders. Switchboards in London, The Hague, and Zurich received calls from listeners. Station owner Erwin Meister arrived on the scene on board a fast launch, followed by the Eurotrip tender and other craft. Husky and Viking immediately left, and were never seen again. Later that day van Ness, a frigate of the Royal Netherlands Navy stood by. As the day drew to a close, managing director of RNI, Larry Tremaine, went on air with this statement:
- "Ladies and gentlemen, I am very sorry for the inconvenience today that you have had, but unfortunately we have had problems out here. And, I'm glad the disk jockeys have done their part in keeping you informed, and that's what RNI plans to do. . . I'm out here right now with the owner of Radio North Sea International, from Mebo AG in Zurich, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and we hope we don't have too many problems. At the moment, the ships have pulled off. But we are sure, as they have told us, that they are coming back. They had brought a child, and a woman, on one of their ships, to kinda deter us from doing anything to them. Although it is our intention. . . [to defend ourselves]. As the owner of the station has said to the Captain of the trip that brought us out here, only the agent from the shipping company in Holland, myself, and the owner Mr Erwin Meister has come out to the Mebo. Many people wanted to come out to help us. We told them they could not come on our ship, we are not interested in any fights, we are not interested in any deaths at sea. This station is not around to make trouble, this station is around to provide you with musical entertainment. This is the reason that we asked that only the shipping agent, Mr Erwin Meister, and myself, Larry Tremaine, to come out here to the Mebo II to see what the problem was. We have contacted our attorneys, our solicitors in Holland, and we are trying to do our utmost to do the best for you. So please stay tuned. Thank you all very much for lighting up the switchboard at the Grand Hotel. We appreciate that very much. Also thank you very much for lighting up the switchboard in Zurich. As I understand, all the lines were flooded, showing your continued support for Radio North Sea International. We are not saying that at this time, that we do not still need help, because at this time they have pulled away. But we are sure that they are coming back. Mr Manders has no right to take this ship. There has never been a contract signed with him. There are no agreements between him and Radio North sea International. This I can assure our listeners implicitly, there is no agreement, and there is no reason for this action whatsoever. We are very sorry for all this trouble, we are very sorry to interrupt music like this. But you can understand our involved situation out here. We will protect the Mebo II to the utmost. We will not leave this ship, we are prepared for them although we do not want a fight. We do not want any deaths, or anybody hurt at all. It went so far as to tell them, when they planned to put water on the transmitter, the disk jockeys, just by thinking of the people on the ship, and not thinking of themselves, told them not to put water on the transmitter, because it would kill everybody on the tug boat. This we did not have to do, but we did it because we are a music station. We are not around to injure or endanger any lives whatsoever. So please stay tuned, if you wish to help, we want it. But meanwhile, stay with us."
Radio silence, and return
RNI ceased broadcasting at less than 24 hours' notice at midday on 24 September 1970, in exchange for a payment of one million Dutch Guilders (about £100,000) from Radio VeronicaRadio Veronica
Radio Veronica was an offshore radio station that began broadcasting in 1960, and broadcast from offshore for over fourteen years. It was set up by independent radio, TV and household electrical retailers in the Netherlands to stimulate the sales of radio receivers by providing an alternative to...
. Mebo II
Mebo II
The Mebo II was originally the Dutch freighter, "Silvretta," built in 1948 by De Groot en van Vliet, Slikkerveer. It had a weight of 630 tons and a length of 186 feet. In 1969, it was bought by Edwin Bollier and Erwin Meister, renamed and converted into an offshore radio station at the same...
remained at anchor in international waters off Scheveningen in the Netherlands.
On Friday, 29 January 1971 Mebo II recommenced broadcasts, on 220 metres MW and 48 metres SW, channels the station would use until its forced closure in 1974. The station identified itself on 14 February 1971 thus:
- "this is a test transmission from Radio North Sea International broadcasting on 220 meters medium wave band, that's 1367 kilocycles, and on Channel 44, that's 100 megacycles in the FM band, and short wave at 6205 kilocycles in the European band. We're very very pleased to have you around, may I cordially suggest that you might like to call up your friends on the telephone and let them know that Radio North Sea International is back, 220 on their dial.".
Regular English language programming restarted at 14:00 on Sunday, 21 February 1971. Dutch programming began on 6 March 1971.
The 1971 bombing
On Saturday, 15 May 1971 at 22:50 DJ Alan West interrupted his regular English language program to say that there had been an explosion and the ship was on fire:- "Mayday, mayday, mayday, this is Radio North Sea International from the Mebo II at exactly 52°11' latitude, 4°16' longitude, four miles from the coast of Scheveningen, Holland, one mile from the radio ship Norderney, Veronica. We are having to abandon ship very soon, the bridge and the engine room are on fire, the fire is taking control of the ship. The fire was caused by a bomb thrown on board from a small motor ship, repeat, small motor launch with an outboard motor. We don't know who it belongs to, but it certainly bombed us while it was here. This is the Mebo II on fire, we need help immediately. The Mebo II is now abandoning ship."
At 23:40 the transmitters were switched off and Mebo II
Mebo II
The Mebo II was originally the Dutch freighter, "Silvretta," built in 1948 by De Groot en van Vliet, Slikkerveer. It had a weight of 630 tons and a length of 186 feet. In 1969, it was bought by Edwin Bollier and Erwin Meister, renamed and converted into an offshore radio station at the same...
abandoned. The following morning, at 02:30, Mebo II
Mebo II
The Mebo II was originally the Dutch freighter, "Silvretta," built in 1948 by De Groot en van Vliet, Slikkerveer. It had a weight of 630 tons and a length of 186 feet. In 1969, it was bought by Edwin Bollier and Erwin Meister, renamed and converted into an offshore radio station at the same...
recommenced broadcasting, closing at 03:00 as normal, and normal Dutch language programming began at 06:00 on Sunday 16 May 1971.
Spangles Muldoon on 16 May 1971:
- "Following the fire on board the radio ship Mebo II last night, three men have been arrested in Amsterdam. The men have been charged with planting a bomb on board the ship which started an intense fire which has burned out most of the after-ship’s structure. The bomb exploded last night at 22:50 hours and started a fire instantly. After a few minutes it was believed the fire was under control, but suddenly, it worsened. Members of the crew and broadcasting staff attempted to put it out. A Mayday call was put out in English & Dutch and for a while, members of the crew left the ship for life-rafts. Eventually the tugboat Eurotrip came alongside. . . the captain remained on board. Within an hour of the explosion, two fire-fighting vessels were alongside and putting out the fire which was, by that time, raging throughout the whole of the stern of the ship. Other ships, tugs, lifeboats and naval vessels also joined in the fire-fighting. We would now like to thank all aboard those vessels for their efforts and also our thanks to all those on land who might have heard us last night. We shall not forget what you have done. A quick report on the condition of the ship. The whole of the after-end is a write-off, construction-wise, but we are still afloat and far from unsafe. The whole of the forward end, including the disk jockeys quarters, the studios, newsroom and transmission hall and AC generators, is intact and undamaged. The Mebo II is in no danger of sinking. We shall continue to broadcast as normal."
On 17 May 1971, 48-year-old Norbert Jurgens, the advertising manager at Radio Veronica
Radio Veronica
Radio Veronica was an offshore radio station that began broadcasting in 1960, and broadcast from offshore for over fourteen years. It was set up by independent radio, TV and household electrical retailers in the Netherlands to stimulate the sales of radio receivers by providing an alternative to...
was arrested and questioned by Dutch Police, and the following day Veronica director Bull Verweij
Bull Verweij
Hendrik "Bull" Verweij was one of the founders of the Dutch offshore radio station Radio Veronica and was president of the station from its start in 1959 until 1975. He was born in Hilversum.- Controversy :...
was also held. Verweij appeared on Netherlands television to tell how he had paid a man 12,000 Dutch Guilders (approximately £1,100) to force Mebo II
Mebo II
The Mebo II was originally the Dutch freighter, "Silvretta," built in 1948 by De Groot en van Vliet, Slikkerveer. It had a weight of 630 tons and a length of 186 feet. In 1969, it was bought by Edwin Bollier and Erwin Meister, renamed and converted into an offshore radio station at the same...
into territorial waters. Then once inside the three-mile limit, the ship would have been liable to arrest or confiscation by creditors. In September 1971, all five suspects re-appeared in court, where it became clear how the plan had been developed and implemented. According to one of the three frogmen, Jan P, their motivation was money and adventure. Besides they had heard that RNI was involved with espionage for the eastern bloc. However, Judge Mr van't Veer ruled,
- "These are gangster methods, totally inadmissible."
Although Meister and Bollier did not want to prosecute the offenders, all five were sentenced to one year in prison. The bombing of RNI convinced the Netherlands government that it was time to outlaw the supply from the Dutch mainland of offshore radio
Offshore radio
Offshore radio is radio broadcasting from ships or fixed maritime structures, usually in international waters. The claimed first wireless broadcast of music and speech for the purpose of entertainment was transmitted from a Royal Naval craft, the HMS Andromeda, in 1907...
stations on the high seas. The Marine Offences Act came into force on 1 September 1974.
RNI 2
On 30 September 1972 Radio Veronica changed its frequency from 1562 kHz (192 metres) to 557 kHz (537 metres, announced as 538), announcing that it would close at 12:30 PM and reopen on its new frequency at 1:00 PM. A moment after the station closed listeners were surprised to hear "Man of Action," RNI's signature tune, on 1562 kHz. This was followed by announcements in both English and Dutch by RNI DJ Tony AllanTony Allan
Tony Allan was a British broadcaster and voice over artist. He broadcast almost exclusively on pirate radio stations and was highly regarded for his professionalism, his distinctive voice and clear diction, and for his ability to produce highly professional commercials and...
acknowledging Veronica's 12-year history and welcoming listeners to the new sound of "RNI 2". At 1:00 RNI 2 relayed part of Veronica's reopening broadcast. Thereafter for several days RNI 2 carried separate programming from the main AM and FM service but then closed without warning, never to return.
The station's management claimed that RNI 2 was set up to prove that RNI could broadcast additional frequencies in case of emergency, although the nature of that emergency was never specified. Sceptics claimed that it was just an attempt to grab some of Veronica's audience.
With the launch of RNI 2, the Mebo II
Mebo II
The Mebo II was originally the Dutch freighter, "Silvretta," built in 1948 by De Groot en van Vliet, Slikkerveer. It had a weight of 630 tons and a length of 186 feet. In 1969, it was bought by Edwin Bollier and Erwin Meister, renamed and converted into an offshore radio station at the same...
became only the second radio ship to broadcast two separate mediumwave stations, the first being the Olga Patricia / Laissez Faire which broadcast Swinging Radio England
Swinging Radio England
Swinging Radio England was a top 40 offshore commercial station billed as the "World's Most Powerful" that operated from 3 May 1966 to 13 November 1966 from a ship in the North Sea, three and a half miles off Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, England...
and Britain Radio and their successors in 1966-7. Subsequently the Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline
Radio Caroline is an English radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopoly...
ships Mi Amigo and Ross Revenge
Ross Revenge
The MV Ross Revenge is a radio ship, formerly the home of Radio Caroline, as well as having supported Radio Monique and various religious broadcasters. She was constructed in Bremerhaven in 1960, and initially served as a commercial trawler, notably taking part in the cod wars of the 1970s...
would be the only other vessels used to broadcast two mediumwave channels simultaneously.
Final transmission
From June 1971 until the end of August 1974 Radio North Sea International was a regular and reliable broadcaster from international waters, four miles from Holland. The main MW transmissions continued at about 50 kW on 1367 kHz, shortwave using 10 kW on 6205 kHz and VHF FM on 100 MHz. Dutch programs, which were mostly taped on land, were extended eventually to 20:00 Central European TimeCentral European Time
Central European Time , used in most parts of the European Union, is a standard time that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time . The time offset from UTC can be written as +01:00...
(CET). Programs in English extended at the weekends from 03:00 until 06:00, when Dutch language programming began. The second 10 kW AM TX was tested on medium wave 773 kHz, and for a period as RNI 2, a second stream on 1562 kHz, in addition to the main stream on 1367 kHz, and intended to assure advertisers that, if need arose, Mebo II
Mebo II
The Mebo II was originally the Dutch freighter, "Silvretta," built in 1948 by De Groot en van Vliet, Slikkerveer. It had a weight of 630 tons and a length of 186 feet. In 1969, it was bought by Edwin Bollier and Erwin Meister, renamed and converted into an offshore radio station at the same...
could continue transmissions on another frequency.
The main English language service closed at midnight on 30/31 August 1974, and Dutch transmissions ceased on 31 August 1974 at 20:00.
RNI presenters (English Service)
- Tony AllanTony AllanTony Allan was a British broadcaster and voice over artist. He broadcast almost exclusively on pirate radio stations and was highly regarded for his professionalism, his distinctive voice and clear diction, and for his ability to produce highly professional commercials and...
- "Daffy" Don Allen
- Andy Archer
- Robin Adcroft as "Robin Banks"
- Spangles MuldoonSpangles MuldoonSpangles Muldoon, real name Chris Cary, was a radio broadcaster best known for his work on British offshore radio station Radio Caroline. Cary was a key figure in the British rock music radio revolution of the 1960s. He was born in Chester, U.K., on 5 October 1946 and died on 29 February 2008, in...
aka Chris Cary - Roger "Twiggy" DayRoger DayBroadcaster Roger "Twiggy" Day Real name Roger Thomas currently presents on six BBC Local Radio stations across southern England.-Early career:...
- Brian Mackenzie
- Stevie Merike
- Carl Mitchell
- Dave Rogers
- Mike Ross
- Crispian St John
- Alan West
- Roger Kent
This is an incomplete list as many short-term and temporary presenters were also heard at various times.
RNI jingles
A number of the original RNI jingles in English, Dutch and German can be downloaded here.Destination Libya
While the two vessels were laid up in Holland, both were fully refitted. Early in 1977, Mebo I, now renamed Angela and Mebo IIMebo II
The Mebo II was originally the Dutch freighter, "Silvretta," built in 1948 by De Groot en van Vliet, Slikkerveer. It had a weight of 630 tons and a length of 186 feet. In 1969, it was bought by Edwin Bollier and Erwin Meister, renamed and converted into an offshore radio station at the same...
were sold to Libya. They sailed, each with a crew of nine, for Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, arriving Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
on 9 February 1977. Mebo II
Mebo II
The Mebo II was originally the Dutch freighter, "Silvretta," built in 1948 by De Groot en van Vliet, Slikkerveer. It had a weight of 630 tons and a length of 186 feet. In 1969, it was bought by Edwin Bollier and Erwin Meister, renamed and converted into an offshore radio station at the same...
was renamed El Fatah, and Angela was renamed Almasira. El Fatah then broadcast as Radio Jamharia with programmes such as the Arab Voice, Libya International in English and the Holy Koran. This continued until 1980, when Heinz Hurter, Edwin Bollier
Edwin Bollier
Edwin Bollier and his partner, Erwin Meister, founded Mebo Telecommunications AG in Zürich, Switzerland in 1969.-Radio Nordsee International:...
's second wife's brother was the only Swiss national to remain aboard.
One of RNI's former DJs, Robin Banks (né Adcroft, not to be confused with DJ Robin Banks
Robin Banks
Robin Banks is a TV presenter and radio DJ originally from Kilkenny, Ireland. He is not to be confused with the former Radio North Sea International DJ and engineer Robin Banks, real name Robin Adcroft.-Career:He is the narrator in the British/European version of the popular Discovery Channel...
), accompanied the vessels to Libya, and stayed with them as a transmitter engineer until 1980. The Almasira and the El Fatah were said to have been used as target practice by the Libyan Navy in the 1980s, and were sunk in the Gulf of Sidra
Gulf of Sidra
Gulf of Sidra is a body of water in the Mediterranean Sea on the northern coast of Libya; it is also known as Gulf of Sirte or the Great Sirte or Greater Syrtis .- Geography :The Gulf of Sidra has been a major centre for tuna fishing in the Mediterranean for centuries...
, Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
.
RNI, the online radio station
The name R.N.I. has been revived as an online radio station, which can be visited at either http://rni.net.ms/ or http://www.rni.vze.com/. Its playlist features rock oldies, SchlagerSchlager
Schlager music is a style of popular music prevalent in Central and Northern Europe and the Balkans and also in France and Poland. In Portugal, it was adapted and became pimba music...
and classic rock per the following schedule:
- Automated service: Continuously from 00h Central European TimeCentral European TimeCentral European Time , used in most parts of the European Union, is a standard time that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time . The time offset from UTC can be written as +01:00...
(CET) Monday morning until 06h CET Thursdays. - International Service (in English): 21h CET Thursdays-24h CET Fridays (including the overnight show "Night Shift" late Thursday night/early Friday morning, produced in partnership with Dutch commercial station GRO Radio), 14h-24h CET Saturdays and Sundays; live programming airs from 19h-24h CET Sundays.
- German Service: 06h-21h CET Thursdays and 00h-07h CET Saturdays and Sundays.
- Dutch Service: 07h-14h CET Saturdays and Sundays.
Additional programming may be offered on Bank Holiday Mondays, as announced.
As a link to its past, the opening bars of the "Man of Action" continuity theme are played at the start of the hour.