RED SANDS RENDEZVOUS
Between 3rd June 1964 and Februari 1965 Radio Invicta. Between March 1965 and 22nd September
KING Radio on 236 mtrs medium wave and between 22nd september 1965 and 28th July 1967
Radio 390 on 390 mtrs medium wave.
The key word for the stations from Red Sands was sweet music and an easy listening format.
Invicta and KING drew some 20000 listeners and used home built transmitter and studio
equipment. The moment 390 started broadcasting it was quite clear that this time the Red Sands
station was to be succesful. They invested in new transmitters, built proper studios with good
equipment and a 300 ft aerial was built on the towers.
Ted Allbeury was general manager for 390 and responsible for the way 390 was programmed.
No pop from Red Sands but Red carpet music, the light and easy sounds, lots of instrumental sound
and specialist music like classical, Hammond organ, Jim Reeves shows.
There were no deejays on 390 but programme producers and programme presenters.
No bannerline instant hot news but 390 newscasts. No jingles but a very nice interval singnal live
from the studio.
What a superb radio station, the classiest of them all, I am still listening to dozens of hours of
recordings from 390 today.
Invicta rate card for 1964
A personal reply from the chief engineer to a listener
Even in Holland folks were listenig to Invicta. After the tragic death of stationowner Tom Pepper.Invicta was sold and renamed in KING, the format was the same, light and easy listening and
specialist programmas.
Nice QSL card, in Dutch ,,hartenkoning"
About 20000 listeners in parts of Kent and Essex.
A nice variety in programming. Tipical for the fort based stations.
Lars must have been a good DXer.
And Wim in Amsterdam was still listening......
......to the sounds from Red Sands.
390 wasn't only a socalled housewife station, listening to the old tapes of their requestprogram
it's clear the whole family was tuned in.<and turned on>
The all new 300ft aerial tower gave 390 a stunning signal, the best of all offshore stations.
Jonathan Hall, in his right hand the hammer for the xylophone used for the 390 interval signal.
There was a seven channel audio mixer, two Gates turntables and two spotmaster cartmachines.
Also two reelto reel recorders were used in this studio. Studio two had the same ingrediants.
Late 1965 program scedule.
And even Lars in Sweden was still listening
390 London address.
Radio 390 catering onboard the Red Sands, a bit different from the Radio City lunchtime table.
390 power house.
390 presenter taking a shot at the format clock.
Alarm bell codes on the fort.
390 presenters took a lot of time for choosing the right kind of music for their programmes
and were assisted by producers.
World war 2 generators now used for broadcasting beautiful music.
Kitchen onboard.
Edward Cole, notice the distance between presenter and microphone.
In the late 90s Edward Cole and Hans Knot.
Living and sleepingconditions on the fort were excellent compared with the radioships.
Even time for a good book.
Alan West, Edward Cole and Hans Knot discussing the Radio 390 days in the 60s.
Robin Banks visited the deserted Red Sands tower in 1977.
1980s
In the background the Kent/Essex coast.
For more seafort photos go to http://www.redsandsonline,co.uk Red Sands Project AM 1278 Khz
At least one of the Red Sands Towers should be restored and made available for 390 RSL
broadcast in the future.
Note:
Photo Bessboroughplace, Edward Cole&Hans Knot, Allen West, Edward Cole& Hans Knot
made By Rob Olthof Holland.
Photo close up 390 Red Sands< the last picture on this page> made by Bob Le-Roy U.K.