Making programes in Weymouth harbour is SMR the Worlds smallest ever floating radio station?

SMR text & pictures from Paul Johnson

Additional pictures from our sailing files

Weymouth Town Centre with the lifting bridge access to Marina beyond

Looking seaward from the Bridge

It had been my dream ever since 1993 to hold a radio event from a Trawler at Weymouth Harbour, this ambition came true in 2007 but not from a Fishing Trawler but an Angling & Diving Charter boat Als Spirit

'Als Spirit' is a Charter boat mainly used for Angling & Diving parties but the wheel house is just big enough for a make shift studio

Inside Weymouth Marina

Our team of presenters were Neon Nancy, who is a southern American from Atlanta, Georgia, USA but now lives in Colchester

Nikki, lives in Clacton-on-Sea

And Pete Bryant & myself, from Bristol

Here is a picture of the SMR studio in September 2007, I have since replaced the Mackie mixer with a D & R Airmate

Nikki catching the rays on the back deck

We took to the water on Als Spirit & were well looked after by Skipper Adrian Brown, recording four one hour programmes, we did the first two programmes in the morning, then we set off for some Lunch at The Old Rooms Inn across the Harbour & a pleasent look around Brewers Quey, the quaint shopping centre full of craft shops, gift shops, Tea & Coffee shop, Pub & historic Time Walk

Our yacht centre on finger pontoon in Marina

Neon Nancy enjoying presenting her programme 'live' from Weymouth Harbour

We returned back on board Als Spirit to continue recording two more programmes, the atmosphear was electric, if you cast your minds back to the summer of 2007, you may remember it was a wash out, we were blessed for the SMR event with a glorious day, a very hot day with a beautiful blue sky, Nancy & Nikki took advantage of this by sun bathing on deck

Pete Bryant making a programme contribution

Captain Adrian looks on nervously as Nikki heads edges out to sea!

Some crews of passing boats noticed there was something going on as they say the SMR crew wearing headphones nattering away in the studio mic, it was wonderful to get a few waves from the crews & also from there boats as it made Als Spirit gently sway

'Don't Pay the Ferry Man' a short row across the harbour for the passenger ferry

Evening return to Weymouth after a notable trip around the Bay

Is the sea crooked or is Nikki rockin' the boat again?

It was fun watching the harbour bridge being raised to allow the yacts to pass through to head out to sea or into the marina area, & wonderful to capture some of the harbour sounds on the studio mic while doing links, I will never forget everyones faces on board, everyone looked so happy

Paul Johnson (PJ) - Special Music Radio Weymouth

There's always a Fort

The Skipper rounded the day off for us with a lovely suprisetrip around Weymouth Bay & Portland Harbour, it was wonderful it felt strange as the SMR studio headed out to sea

Supercat link to the Channel Islands

We leave on a rotten day having been land locked for over a week due to bad weather

The SMR programmes were featured a few weeks later on Radio Samantha Bristol Internet station

The notorious overfalls, we're going the other way

SMR began as a hobby distributed free on CD around the world in the 90s & named after my then girlfriend Sabine who lived in Munich, so I called the station Special Munich Radio, after a few years, Sabine moved to another city, so I renamed it SMR Special MUSIC radio

These programmes ended around 1998 I'm looking forward to this years broadcast of Special Music Radio which is in conjunction with Bristol's Internet station Radio Samantha - Paul Johnson

The Weymouth Festival 2008

Over the Bank Holiday Weekend

Dry & sunny on Sunday 25th May 2008

Local Bands provide the musical entertainment

More nautical day on day, PJ in RNLI T'Shirt he'll get out sailing properly soon

Crowds pack the quayside restaurants bars & the bridge

So is SMR the Worlds smallest ever floating radio station?

No it isn't

Radio Essex made a tiny toy boat made of scrap that quickly 'turned turtle' when launched, it was a model boat of sorts & didn't broadcast

But Radio Pamela did transmit from a 18ft pleasure boat in 1965 using valve technology

Above picture of Radio Essex & many never before published from our book 'Making Waves' now available at reduced price Offshore Shop