Laser Hot Hits History 4

Laser Hot Hits - History (4)

Despite all these confident and reassuring words about new backers and massive cash injections Laser Hot Hits stayed silent for many weeks after the Easter 1987 closedown and all but one of the broadcasting staff left the ship during this time.

A significant piece of British legislation affecting offshore radio stations came into effect on 1st October 1987. The Territorial Sea Act extended the then three mile British territorial limit to twelve miles and, as a consequence, the two radio ships positioned off the coast (Radio Caroline’s Ross Revenge and the Communicator) were forced to find new anchorages further out to sea.

The legislation was not primarily directed at the offshore radio stations, it was enacted to bring Britain in line with most other European countries and to assist HM Customs and Excise in their battle against smuggling, particularly in the area of drugs enforcement.

The effect for the 1980’s offshore stations was that the sandbanks in the Knock Deep Channel, which provided a sheltered anchorage for the radio ships, would now actually count as the starting point for the new twelve mile limit, putting the Ross Revenge and Communicator well inside the new British territorial waters.

The Communicator was the first radio ship to move once the new legislation had been enacted, although the provisions did not fully come into effect until 1st October 1987. Although Laser Hot Hits was off the air at the time the Communicator moved from the Knock Deep on 23rd May 1987 to a position off the French coast.

Throughout the summer of 1987 the Communicator remained at anchor and silent off the Sandettie sandbank, off the north west coast of France. Then at the end of August 1987 she was moved, first to a position seven miles from Harwich and eventually back to the original Knock Deep anchorage (shortly to become within British territorial waters). These moves were made to enable potential new owners to inspect the vessel for use as a base to house two new offshore radio stations - Harmony 981 -an automated station broadcasting a middle-of-the-road format of all pre-recorded programmes and Starforce 576 with an all American pop music format, similar to Laser 558.

While at the Knock Deep the Communicator was refuelled, stocked with supplies and some former Laser engineers went on board to repair the engines and generators. At this stage it was planned to take the vessel to the Mediterranean and fit her out properly for her new role. However, the new owners decided instead that they wanted the twin radio stations on the air as soon as possible so engineering work was carried out at sea.

With the Territorial Sea Act coming into force on 1st October 1987 the Communicator was moved on 30th September 1987 from the Knock Deep to the southern part of Inner Gabbard, 20 miles off Felixstowe. However, after about ten days a storm blew up and it became apparent that this exposed anchorage would be too rough for the vessel during the severe weather conditions likely to be experienced throughout the winter months. So the Communicator sailed to a more sheltered position near Felixstowe, later moving back again to the Knock Deep, where she remained for some time - just before the hurricane of 15/16th October 1987.

All storm damage on the Communicator had been repaired and broadcasting equipment was functioning again by the end of October 1987. The 576kHz transmitter was run on a dummy load with a test transmission during which DJs Blake Williams and Johnny Lewis presented a programme using the call sign Radio Sunk on 31st October 1987 - the ship was by this time anchored near the Sunk Head Lightship.

Unfortunately although all the engineering work had been completed plans for the twin stations - Starforce 576 and Harmony 981 - from the Communicator had come to nothing due to financial problems. In mid-November 1987 with only two crew on board and reports of more severe storms on the way it was decided to take the radio ship to a more sheltered anchorage at Shipwash, but after 24 hours she was again moored at the Cork Anchorage two miles off Felixstowe, waiting to enter Harwich.

1988

In early January 1988 the Communicator’s Panamanian owners placed some guards on the ship, fearing that the vessel may be moved or sold. Then on 12th January representatives of one of the backers of Harmony 981, Steven Morgan, reclaimed the ship. A new plan was announced - to sail the Communicator to the Balearics and broadcast music programmes to the holiday islands. However, the ship was found not to be in a sufficiently seaworthy condition to undertake the voyage and nothing came of this plan.

The Communicator finally sailed into Harwich again on 3rd February 1988. The vessel had lost her anchor in a storm and with only two crew members on board and a shortage of fuel the decision was made to enter port. The ship was almost immediately declared unseaworthy by the authorities. On 5th February 1988 the Communicator was moved to Edwarton on the River Stour and studio equipment was removed from the ship, while the DTI also boarded the vessel and cut all cables and wires leading to and from the transmitter and aerial. Finally on 6th February the Communicator was taken to the Mistley Marine Salvage and Breakers yard at Shotley where she was beached in the mud, having no anchor of her own to enable her to remain in the River Stour itself.

That marked the end of Laser Hot Hits, but the Communicator herself did serve as a radio ship again, housing a number of licensed stations in Holland and in Scotland until 2004.

(For more information about the Communicator’s roles after Laser Hot Hits visit the Ships and Sea Structures Gallery on the Second Floor)