Remembering Waterford's Super-pirate of the 1980's!

Some pictures from our archive...

Richard Staines, Clive Derek, Dave Hunt, Ray Sarsfield, Andy Ellis at "Radio Day"

"As they are now" - (L-R) Richard Staines, Clive Derek, Dave Hunt, Ray Sarsfield, and Andy Ellis at "Radio Day" in Amsterdam Nov 2008

Munster Express article 10.01.09

Our thanks to local press including "Munster Express " who gave generous coverage recently to abcthehotfm.com

Waterford Today article 01.09
Our thanks to local press including "Waterford Today" who gave generous coverage recently to abcthehotfm.com

It's a tearful farewell as "ABC The Hot FM" goes silent 3pm 29.12.88

It's a tearful farewell as "ABC The Hot FM" goes silent at exactly 3pm on the 29th December 1988
L-R: John O'Shea, Margaret Power, Roddy Cleere, Billy Power, Timmy Ryan, Neil Butler, Joyce Green, Conor Halpin, Colm Dunphy, Jimmy Ryan, Steven Dee, Darragh Corcoran - in the forground L-R : Andy Ellis's hand, Caroline Roylance, Claire Gardiner, Dave Hunt and Andy McCloskey. More amazing pictures from the station's final day on-air lower down this page.

Stuart Clark and Andy Ellis during test transmission on 1st March 1982

"As they were back then....": Stuart Clark and Andy Ellis during test transmissions for ABC Radio on 1st March 1982

Citronic mixing desk installed during Summer 1982

Citronic mixing desk installed during Summer 1982

More pictures of Stuart Clark on-air during Summer 1982 in the caravan studio in Newtown, Tramore

Clive Derek in the original studio 1982.

Clive Derek in the original studio 1982

hand-painted sign by Robin Ross

hand-painted sign believed to have been painted by Robin Ross in 1983

Vinyl 7 inch on ABC turntable circa 1983.

Vinyl 7 inch on ABC turntable circa 1983

Advertising Rate-Card

Advertising Rate-Card

Mark O'Neill preparing paperwork in the Arundel Square Sales Office (circa 1986)

Mark O'Neill preparing paperwork on the station's electronic typewriter in the Arundel Square Sales Office (circa 1986)

Richard Staines circa 1986

Richard Staines on-air in Arundel Square, Waterford 1986

The offices and studios were over Egans in Waterford 1986-1988. The 80 foot link mast can be seen over the building.

The offices and studios were over Egans in Waterford's Barronstrand Street 1986-1988. The 80 foot link mast can be seen over the building

Andy Ellis with ABC's A.M Optimod unit in Barronstrand St., Waterford

Andy Ellis adjusts ABC's A.M Optimod unit in Barronstrand St., Waterford. Also showing are the station's link transmitter to the A.M site (in Tramore about 10 miles away), and the station's City Centre transmitter which also fed the 103.2 transmitter on Tory Hill, Co.Kilkenny - this in turn fed dependent relays throughout Counties Waterford and Wexford

Flyer for Dungarvan Outside Broadcast

Flyer for Dungarvan Outside Broadcast

Mike Cottee and Stuart Clark set up posters for an ABC Radio Roasdshow at the Hi-B, Tramore, 1982

Mike Cottee and Stuart Clark set up posters for an ABC Radio Roasdshow at the Hi-B, Tramore, 1982

Alan Clifford at an OB set-up in Shaws, Waterford circa 1984

Alan Richards at an OB set-up in Shaws Department Store, Waterford, circa 1984. During the broadcast the band "Bagatelle" appeared and the station gave away a continental holiday in conjunction with Lismore Travel.

Mike Cottee with transmitter valve

Mike Cottee with one of the huge (and expensive) transmitter valves from the Gates 1kW A.M transmitter.

Kevin McCarthy in the on-air studio

Kevin McCarthy in the on-air studio 1987

ABC crew photo shoot for the Waterford Post 1983

ABC crew photo shoot at Tramore Amusement Park for the 'Waterford Post' newspaper 1983

Waterford Post feature 1983

Waterford Post newspaper feature 1983

Waterford Post newspaper feature 1983

Richard Staines in the Barronstrand Street Production Studio with Tascam reel-to-reel, graphic eq, turntables and cassette machines

Richard Staines in the Barronstrand Street Production Studio. Note the Tascam reel-to-reel machines, graphic equaliser, turntables and cassette machines (state-of-the art in 1988!)

Car sticker 1987.

Car sticker 1987.

Roddy Cleere in the Arundel Square on-air studio

Roddy Cleere in the Arundel Square on-air studio

Waterford Post artice 1983
Waterford Post article March 1983

Sales letter 1983
This example of a sales letter (from 1983) to local businesses demonstrates some of the ambition the station had at that time. ABC Radio was now the "South East's most powerful commercial radio station" (and note there was even a "U.K office" address).

Rollercoaster Marathon Charity live OB, Tramore.

Rollercoaster Marathon Charity live OB, Tramore.

ABC Radio Rollercoaster Marathon Charity live OB, Tramore.

ABC Radio Rollercoaster Marathon Charity live OB, Tramore.

Pictured Neil Butler, James Day and Andy Ellis. Presenters actually broadcast live by radio mic in the rollercoaster cars, music was played live from the site and the station was linked via FM to the studio where commercials, news etc were inserted into the programming.

ABC Radio Rollercoaster Marathon Charity live OB, Tramore.

ABC Radio Rollercoaster Marathon Charity live OB, Tramore.

Dave Hunt interviews on-lookers in the Tramore Amusement park next to the rollercoaster.

ABC Radio Rollercoaster Marathon Charity live OB, Tramore.

ABC Radio Car sticker 1983

Tony Murrell in Barronstrand Street 1987

Tony Murrell in Barronstrand Street 1987

Tony Murrell in Barronstrand Street 1987

Business card (inside) 1987
The inside of this business card from 1987 lists all the station's frequencies

Countdown to closure...Dave Hunt, Clive Derek, Richard Staines,

Countdown to closure...Dave Hunt, Clive Derek, Richard Staines,
and Andy Ellis on 29.12.88 minutes before 3pm

Dave Hunt, Steven Dee and Tony Murrell on the final day of ABC The Hot FM

Dave Hunt, Steven Dee and Tony Murrell on the final day of ABC The Hot FM

Andy Ellis, Clive Derek and Dave Hunt (you can just make out Daragh Corcoran and John Sauvage in the background)

Andy Ellis, Clive Derek and Dave Hunt (you can just make out Daragh Corcoran and John Sauvage in the background)

Richard Staines (sitting on the floor), Clive Derek, Andy Ellis and John O'Shea

Richard Staines (sitting on the floor), Clive Derek, Andy Ellis and John O'Shea

It's nearly time...Clive Derek, Andy Ellis, John O'Shea with Billy Power in the background.

Original AM transmitter 1982

Original AM transmitter 1982. Although it looked rather crude and only put out about 40 Watts of signal it could be heard over a fairly large area.

The mighty 1026 1kW AM transmitter

The mighty 1026 1kW AM transmitter. It was a professional American broadcast transmitter by 'Gates'. ABC used this transmitter from Summer 1982 first on 1008kHz, then 1026 kHz until closedown in 1988. In later days the station had an additional A.M frequency of 1116 kHz which was broadcast from Drinagh, outside Wexford Town.