If you want the low-down on Yorkshires Pioneering Radio Station - Read on!
Don Robinson was an entrepreneur based in Scarborough, well known for his pop music promotions at east-coast resorts, and his involvement with the local football club. Seeing the sucess of Radio Caroline, Don called a meeting with Bill Pashby, a fishing boat owner, and Roland Hill, a local farmer to disscuss the posibility of setting up an offshore radio station that would serve the county of Yorkshire, and parts of the North East. Not long after that meeting, rumours began to circulate that a radio station was to go on the air from off the North Yorkshire coast. Word soon reached the ears of former MP for Cleveland, Wilf Proudfoot. Mr Proufoot was very interested in the project, and contacted a local advertising agency with a view to taking advertising space on the new radio station, to promote his fast growing supermarket chain. From that chance enquiry Mr Proudfoot was invited to join the venture. A limited company, Ellambar Investments, was formed, offices opened, first in Scalby Road, and then at Albemarle Crescent, in the centre of Scarborough.
During efforts to raise capital for the project, Wilf Proudfoot is said to have told would-be investors that they were unlikely to see a return on their money. Yet somehow the cash was found and the idea became a reality.
The company acquired a small ship Oceaan7. Built in 1939 by the Dutch company A.Vuijk en Zonen, of Capelle. The ship was approximately 118 feet long, and weighed about 179 tons. A former Dutch herring drifter, she had a distinctive sail at her stern. The 154 feet mast supported a "vertical bird cage" antenna, which was powered by an American RCA transmitter, type BTA10J. On-board power was provided by two 50kva Dale Marine generators, and the ship had a 240h.p. engine which meant that she could be manoeuvred under her own power. After six months of planning, it was hoped that the newly acquired ship, Oceaan 7 would set to sea and begin broadcasts off the north-yorkshire coast on April 1 1966, however due to late arrival from the USA of vital equipment, this was not to be. Then on the morning of April 2 1966 disaster struck! While riding out a force-7 gale, heavy seas claimed about 30 meters of the aluminum antenna mast which came crashing down. The ships propeller became fouled, and a distress call was put out. Luckily the crew were able to free the propeller and with the aid of two small craft, the Oceaan 7 limped back to port. The ship was eventually towed by tug to Grimsby where it was to be several weeks before the repairs were completed. Finally, with the ship back at her Scarborough anchorage, transmissions started on June 4 1966, on 1115khz medium-wave with the transmitter putting out about 10kw.
