Radio Moments - Clips

As Capital Radio launched, its AM wavelength, 539m, was not to be its permanent home. Capital and LBC had been allotted a temporary place on the dial. The then regulator, the IBA (which back then owned and maintained the transmitters) could not erect the transmission masts on the intended site so it made hurried arrangements by installing low power transmitters and hanging an aerial between two chimneys at the Lots Road power station and launching on 539m. Eventually, with the paperwork done, Capital moved to 194 and hear, hear that 194m wavelength being tested in readiness.

A slice of life from commercial radio in the mid-seventies. 'Mid morning' shows like this were aimed at housewives, respectfully termed 'ladies' by Len Groat on this 1975 programme segment. It is lovingly laced with the finest PAMS jingles, which attracted more than a frown from the regulator and musicians union, but a grin from ear to ear from all anoraks.

In the early years of commercial radio, the regulator, not the stations dirtied its hands with the business of transmission. The stations were merely programme contractors, delivering the broadcasts in immaculate quality to an expensive transmitter, owned and operated by the IBA. Consequently, the test transmissions were made 'on behalf of the IBA', and strict instructions were given on what could, and could not, be said until the station went live officially. Often they alluded to a Hampshire IBA address; a fitting start for 'local' radio. Here, hear the test transmissions from Radio 210 (Thames Valley Broadcasting), later 2-Ten FM and now Heart.

There was no ebay, no message boards. Apart from shouting out the window, there was no way of swapping a trestle table for a pram apart from radio. Many stations accordingly adopted 'swap shops' where listeners were invited to phone in and offer their wares. Many such shows amounted simply to 'talking classifieds', comprising a list of callers egged on by a cheery presenter to describe what was surplus to requirements in their home or garden . Very few made much entertainment from it, not even an inch of irony. Listeners willingly gave out their home phone numbers and even addresses on air in those innocent days.

Here, enjoy Louise Churchill valiantly chatting on Plymouth Sound's 'Tradio' in 1975 to whomsoever called, whether or not they actually wanted to take part. Enjoy 'Wilf', whose electricity had gone off in those days of power cuts and industrial strife. (Many thanks to Les Sheehan for preserving this for the Nation.)

In the early years of commercial radio, the regulator, not the stations, dirtied its hands with the business of transmission. The stations were merely programme contractors, delivering the broadcasts in immaculate quality to an expensive transmitter, owned and operated by the IBA. Consequently, the test transmissions were made 'on behalf of the IBA', and strict instructions were given on what could and could not be said until the station went live officially. Some stations, like Trent or Beacon had music flow and presenters making informal announcements, other stations were more formal.

Here, hear Plymouth Sound go to considerable pains to explain each programme. As on many stations, the Programme Controller seized the mic, in this case, David Bassett.

In the early years of commercial radio, the regulator, not the stations dirtied its hands with the business of transmission. The stations were merely programme contractors, delivering the broadcasts in immaculate quality to an expensive transmitter, owned and operated by the IBA. Consequently, the test transmissions were made 'on behalf of the IBA', and strict instructions were given on what could, and could not, be said until the station went live officially. Here, hear the test transmissions from Radio Victory from Portsmouth, the station the IBA was to close down just a few years later.

"Goodness only knows what you'll hear out of your radio". In November 1978, frequencies on many stations changed to avoid night-time interference. The UK's medium wave (AM) frequencies moved to 9 kHz spacing. Many BBC stations shifted around at the same time, meaning Radio3 moving to 1215 kHz, which had been hitherto occupied by Radio 1. Relish in this beautifully-delivered, puzzled continuity as the station prepared to switch.

In November 1978, frequencies on many stations changed to avoid night-time interference. The UK's medium wave (AM) frequencies moved to 9 kHz spacing. Many BBC stations shifted around at the same time, meaning Radio 4 moving to its now familiar Long Wave frequency from Medium Wave. Here, enjoy its crackly medium wave farewell from David Symonds

Another fond look back to this week in radio history, for the week ending 13th March 2015, as heard at the end of the week's RadioTalk podcast from Radio Today.

He’s very much a man of his time, yet the skills Zane Lowe deploys are simply good old radio as it has always been.

Whilst he can call upon frenetic energy, and his defining music curation, he also engages, with his story-telling and single exclamations forming pictures in full colour. Together, words and music fuse from this authentic broadcaster forming an incredible sense of presence and of occasion.

His career in radio began at Xfm, before jumping to BBC Radio 1 in 2002. Here, enjoy his last show on BBC Radio 1 in March 2015, before leaving for a career with Apple, an interesting move for him and for the medium itself