Radio Caroline and the MV Ross Revenge

It's true that Radio Caroline has been broadcasting since 1964, but it's only been broadcasting from the Ross Revenge since 1983.

Radio Caroline's first ship was a former Danish passenger ferry, called the Fredericia, which was renamed MV Caroline when the radio station began using it. In July 1964 – four months after begining broadcasting – Caroline merged with a rival station, Radio Atlanta. Subsequently the Fredericia (having now apparently reverted to its previous name) sailed into the Irish Sea and began operating as Caroline North, while Radio Atlanta's ship, the Mi Amigo, remained in the Thames Estuary as Caroline South.

The Mi Amigo sank during a storm in March 1980, putting Caroline South off the air. Broadcasts began again in August 1983, from the Ross Revenge – which had previously belonged to Ross Fisheries, one of Caroline's long–term backers.

Radio Caroline's 27 years as an unlicensed offshore broadcaster came to an end in November 1991, when the Ross Revenge lost its anchor in a storm and drifted on to the Goodwin Sands. The ship was salvaged and brought into harbour in Dover. It is now classified as a hulk, unable to operate under its own power, and must be towed.

Radio Caroline was off the air for most of the 1990s, except for occasional low-power broadcasts of one month under special licence. These were broadcast from the Ross Revenge, which was anchored at various locations in the Thames Estuary.

Since 1999 Radio Caroline has been broadcasting online and via satellite. In 2017 it was one of five community radio stations to be awarded licences by Ofcom for medium wave (AM) services, serving Suffolk and northern Essex.

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