Bittersweet free radio memories of April Fool's Day & Easter

Well, it is that time of year again when April Fools Day (almost) coincides with Eastertime, which back in the day represented some interesting listening times for those of us who enjoyed shortwave free radio from the UK.

Some of the more elusive and ephemeral stations operating during the late 1980s until the latter part of the 90s would also be intriguingly named. Who could forget Voice of the Leek, Groovy Granny, Wee Guy Radio, and Voice of the Gout Sufferers?

Some of the above were synonymous with the 1st of April, whilst others would pop up seemingly on a whim. For example, Wee Guy would materialise on April Fool's Day, I believe on one occasion 'mysteriously' hijacking the multi-frequency transmitters of Radio Fax. Those that know, know. 

The allegedly Welsh-leaning Voice of the Leek was sadly jut a little before my time, although the recordings I've since heard bring into question whether broadcasts actually emanated from the principality. However, so what? A dose of harmless levity does us all good. 

Groovy Granny ran during the latter stages of the 1990s until I believe the very early years of the millennium. As ever, I'm happy to be corrected by those with greater knowledge than mine. The broadcasts were not particularly my cup of Darjeeling, but I say well done for trying something different, however niche. 

As with Wee Guy Radio, Voice of the Gout Sufferers had an alter ego, the venerable Alan Hayes of Scotland's Radio Gloria International which itself was always a good listen. However, I was probably in my mid-teenage years when I last heard Alan on 48 metres. VOGS would generally pop up to QSO with Weekend Music Radio, whose live broadcasts had that special something that is sadly lacking from pre-recorded material, although Jack Russel is the consummate creator of loop programming. 

Eastertime obviously brings a four-day weekend, and subject to conditions ample opportunities to hear free radio favourites. Live Wire Radio, Radio Confusion(latterly Subterranean Sounds), Britain Radio International, Ozone Radio(Eire), Radio Orion, and West & North Kent Radio are the names that instantly spring to mind of stations who could almost be relied upon to be there on demand at some point over Easter. 

Were they great days? Well, then I was in my teens but now am in my late forties, so what sounded new, exciting, and edgy back in the day might not do to a cynical adult now staring down the barrel of becoming 50. However, in the moment, listening to UK-based free radio stations on shortwave and as with the 1989-1992 rave scene will always be something I fondly remember. Yes, I was an early starter. 

Fast forward to today and whilst I haven't tuned in at all during 2026 and am now unlikely to do so again, I wonder what became of the operators of those short-lived but fun stations, as well as the operators behind stations analogous with my heyday of listening, periods of time I would narrow down to be 1990-1992 and 1994-1997. 

Has free radio really changed much in the last 30 years? Insomuch that the ideals behind unlicensed broadcasting remain the same I would assume not so much, but technology has changed us all, as well as the way radio programmes are put together, broadcast, and listened to. 

I would also suggest that the average age of operators is much higher than it was in the early 1990s, with some of those who were then active and indeed 'around' during the 1980s still going strong, but it no longer seems to be a hobby that a younger person would enter into. In that sense the future of free radio is uncertain but who knows, all it might take is for a broadcast to go viral on TikTok for a new generation to become aware of the scene. Moving with the times is not a phrase I care for, but doing so might just give shortwave free radio a shot in the arm.

My best wishes to those still out there in free radio land. As ever, memories and links to recordings & QSL cards from the 1990s are welcome in the comment section.

Supermarket Soundtrack 2026: More Reasons to Shop at Morrison's?

Post-Christmas gloom is never more evident than in the supermarket. The realisation that festive shopping won't stretch any further than the first few days of January ensures a reluctant return to the emporia we'd quite happily never visit again.

Paranoid overbuying by supermarkets means there are bargain to be had in the first week of January - whether anyone wants them or not! Really, though, there are only so many tubs of Celebrations and Pringles one can bear to look at, even at low low January prices, but represent an early threat to any New Year's Resolutions.

So, back to Morrison's we went, for what would be a drawn out 'big shop'. However, despite my reservations about choosing what is obviously a fading supermarket over the nearby behemoth Tesco and notwithstanding a butcher with very vocal Tourette's Syndrome, Morrison's 'Radio' is usually a good listen. And so it proved.

For those with an ear for these things, all supermarkets as well as the likes of Superdrug and Home Bargains play tracks that should you stay for a certain length of time are almost guaranteed to be heard on every visit. Whilst some gems were heard in Morrison's, some 'old favourites' were never far away:

Future Islands - A Dream of You and Me

The Box Tops - The Letter

Sam Sparro - Black and Gold

The Clash - Rock the Casbah

Take That - Pray

George Harrison -My Sweet Lord

Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity

Tina Turner - What's Love Got to do With It

Yes - Owner of a Lonely Heart

Toni Basil - Hey Mickey

Cher - Shoop Shoop Song (It's in his Kiss)

Olly Murs - Wrapped Up

I was somewhat reluctant to include some of the more egregious of the above but as ever, remain steadfast in reporting 'the warts and all' of supermarket muzak. 

Of the aforementioned I would say that Hey Mickey is my guilty pleasure, whilst anything by Olly Murs and Take That should come with a health warning. By the way - Toni Basil is now 82!

In conclusion, I would give Morrisons' a better-than-average 8 out of 10 for who/whatever chooses its aural entertainment. As always, other supermarkets are available. 

What are the Constituent Parts of Free / Pirate Radio?

An interesting debate has arisen on the Shortwave DX Blog as to what free radio quintessentially amounts to; what if anything, its definition can be concluded to be. 

As you can imagine opinions differ, and whilst I don't pretend the following to be an exhaustive list of the variables from which one can decide what at heart constitutes a true free radio station, here goes:

• A station using its own transmitter, studio, and antenna from a remote location such as a private dwelling, or out in the field.
• An individual or collective who record programmes to be broadcast from facilities not of their own. These could belong to another free radio (unlicensed and technically illegal) station, or an operator licensed to broadcast on for example shortwave.
• An established free radio station previously known for using their own broadcasting equipment and location but who are now letting a relay operator take the strain. This might be a station who had previously broadcast for many years but left the scene, only to return but without the hitherto means or personal circumstances to get on air. I would say Weekend Music Radio is an example of this.
• Legal stations from mediumwave, FM, DAB, or online-only relayed onto shortwave by usually unknown operators, often without the legal station's knowledge and for no apparent reason than perhaps to test a rig and antenna without divulging their own identity. 
• A usually active free radio station synonymously known for broadcasting by way of their own equipment but using the facilities of another free radio station, identity known or otherwise.
• A operator known for being relayed by another, but who eventually goes the whole hog of acquiring / constructing their own rig and antenna.

There have been numerous examples of the above, albeit some more than others. The debate stemmed from Free Radio Service Holland simultaneously broadcasting on five frequencies for their recent Christmas programme.  This is a station of significant vintage, albeit one that now only broadcasts a couple of times a year, and nowadays allegedly via the facilities of an unknown operator(s). I believe the same can be said about Radio Titanic, in theory active for 50 years, but only fleetingly on air in recent times. This then precipitates another debate: can a station realistically say it had been broadcasting for a certain length of time if it only takes to the air once a year, using its own transmitting equipment or otherwise? Some stations may have broadcast more times in two years than others have done in fifty, but would otherwise be considered differently.

I have previously interchangeably used the terms Free Radio and Pirate as synonyms of each other, but can a pirate station be called as such if it doesn't take the attendant risk of having its own transmitter and antenna? Having rethought the issue, to me at least, free radio seems to be a more appropriate title for those who don't run the risk of being visited by the authorities. 

What, then, is a free radio / pirate station? As a purist, I regard it as someone who takes the risk of broadcasting their own live or pre-recorded programmes via their own(ed) equipment. Now, that doesn't man that the aforementioned won't consist of monotonous non-stop music; I do not see a link between great programmes and how they are broadcast, but an extra cachet is certainly attached to those who transmit their own programmes, even if some relay 'stations' can sometimes sound better. Perhaps in these instances the operator is more relaxed knowing he cannot be raided at any moment! As I have said in a previous post, it was rare for a station operator to have reached technical mastery whilst having charisma behind the mic, spinning great tracks and even taking calls live on air. Live Wire Radio would be the obvious example from the 1990s who ticked all the aforemtioned boxes. 

I fully understand that for some, great programming trumps all other variables attached to being involved in free radio, an attitude I have some sympathy with. However, to me at least, authentic pirate radio starts and ends with the mystery of the person behind the mic broadcasting from an unknown location having first constructed / bought their own transmitting equipment, and back in the day having a remote Salisbury / Wuppertal / Merlin, Ontario-type maildrop. Nowadays in most cases the latter is replaced by an email address. 

I am sure there is some satisfaction of hearing themselves on air derived by those who send tapes to Shortwave Radio in Germany or similar, but call it pirate or free radio, only stations true to the component parts of what to me the genre consists of made the scene so compelling in the 1990s. Again this is a highly subjective strand of the hobby with no right or wrong answers but simply opinions, none of which in the end matter a jot.