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First of all for the visitors and most of all American to this page, some info.
Americans mostly do things bigger and ( they think ) better. Radio in the US hasn't changed like the movies... you do that best as well as gun control. Well maybe not the last point, but as for radio... not always bigger!!!
In the US the biggest stations on the AM frequencys are on about 50kw ( or 50,000 watts ) transmission power. Not bad when you think of a 200 mile radius. But over here in Europe things are different! We sometimes like to be heard over 2000 miles away.
If we were to compare cars... hmmm, lets just say that in this case WE drive the cadillacs and YOU drive little cars from Japan... electric cars too!
Here you will read about and see one of the biggest stations in Europe that served the UK and Ireland. Yet even ATLANTIC 252 is small compared to other AM stations in Europe!
Long wave as a Radio frequency is hard for any American to understand as they never heard of it. Infact they dont use it. The only people to use it are the Europeans... Mostly the french. ATLANTIC 252 played the best non stop music in the world. This site has to show and admire ( with your help ) the work done by ALL those who worked on the ONLY UK station to not only broadcast from Ireland but from a quiet country village, Trim Co.Meath.
For those of you who think this site is for anoraks... think again. This site is for ALL those who love radio.
ATLANTIC 252 came into existence as a result of what would be parent station Radio luxembourg closing. After the AM European station closed, CLT ( the parent company ) decided to open a non stop chart music station ( together with the help of Irish state broadcaster RTE ) on Long Wave. The frequency ( 252khz ) was allocated to Ireland in the late 1980's. The idea which came in 1987 would prove to be a good one.
The rest is history.
We give you ATLANTIC 252!!!
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ABOVE: Mornington House where 99% of all shows were broadcsat from. Plus Mark Whelans (Dicky Bow) blue ford car parked outside where it was stolen one day when he was On-Air!! He saw it happen while doing a show!
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ABOVE: Where it began!! The original on air studio or blue studio for the 1989 launch.
BELOW ( first picture ): This picture was taken when Cliff Walker was on-air in the original studio. It seems he has left his sneakers on the cart machines too!! A big thanks to Neal Bowden and Cliff Walker for this picture.
BELOW ( Picture two ) : Studio two (on-air) was used later and right up to the close down. But this picture shows the studio before RCS master control was brought in and new console. Here we see the old soundcraft desk. It was the back up studio when Atlantic launched. |
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FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: American jock, Hollywood Hazes, The pizza man and Alan Doran from production. |
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Katharine Orman behind the new console with RCS doing her gig in studio two in 2000. |
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ABOVE: Rick can be heard today on Irelands 2fm presenting Breakfast. |
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Enough about the jocks for now. Lets get technical ! |
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The front panel of one giant 'HARRIS' 250kw transmitter.Two were used from 6am to 6pm giving a total of 500kw.But they were used at a total of 400kw ( by day).One was used from 6pm to 6am at 200kw to later be reduced to 100kw. Both transmitters are about
the size of two truck containers |
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ABOVE: The openwire feed to the mast had to be fenced off as anyone or anything ( ie: the sheep in the field ) would be killed if they got to close to the high levels of RF.
BELOW: One of the giant valves. One of these green / blue monsters would set the company back 30,000 pounds after 40,000 hours use! But maintenance was never a problem as Tom hand ( chief engineer ) kept over 100,000 pounds worth of parts in stock! |
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It has taken two photos to make this picture. What you see is the 248 metre mast ( almost 1000 feet ) of Atlantic 252. It took a woman from Limerick three months to climb and build it!! A woman you might think! She took over her husbands business after he was killed in a fall. Yet she finished the mast ahead of schedule!!
The RF from this mast was so great that it caused a corona when foggy. In other words the fog would glow around it and in drizzle it would ark out which means a flash in the sky every so often! The fastest climb to the top by any RTE engineer is ( or was up to 1998 ) 45 minutes.
By now you must understand how big this mast is. Futhermore the masts lights are used for navigation by planes to and from Dublin airport!!!
When the mast is shut down the airport is told of the time and for how long.
All and all a very great and beautiful piece of engineering. Power controlled perfectly. Which almost goes without saying... the signs that warn you about getting to close are not there for decoration! They say, DEATH ON CONTACT and thats a promise! This is NOT just about RF, it is about electricty... it is not there to play with!
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Tom Hand takes a stroll up to the base of the giant 248 metre mast. His creation has served him well don't you think? |
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The ATU at the bottom of the mast. It may not look it, but this building is the size of an average garage! The walls are lined with pure copper inside and while in there you can hear the station output ( ie:music ) let alone feel the RF through your body!
BELOW: Part of the control room. The Transmitter building has everything inside to live there if you wanted! ... eh no thanks. The building is of warehouse size. |
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Oh Look! The Pizza-Man is in there with Tom. Whats he doing there? Maybe Tom had some pizza cooking! One thing for sure.. there was enough RF to cook anything, even crows when they flew a little close ( to the mast ) on a foggy morning!!!
It would seem Tom had just about every bird on the menu at some point. The only thing was... you had to like your meat WELL and TRULY done as Tom found not much more than feathers. Maybe we shouldnt have told you that if you love birds. Just think about all those birds that gave their lives for your listening enjoyment and the jocks wages!!! |
