On Medium Wave
IC
Radio finally passed its official inspection on 30th November 1978 and
the full medium wave schedule on 301 metres, 999kHz started at 10am on
Saturday 2nd December 1978. The first record played was Crocodile Rock by Elton John, the station's theme. The crocodile, as an emblem, was with
the station from early days after a brain storming session produced the
rather dubious outcome that crocodillia is almost an anagram of call IC Radio.
The start of AM programmes
 John Roddick on air |
Shortly
after starting to broadcast on medium wave Capital Radio decided to interview
Jamie Bell, one of the Assistant Station Managers for a Duncan Johnson
Saturday afternoon show, where they normally featured hospital radio stations.
When you listen to the clip try to work out who is the most professional
and seems to have the best grip on what is going on ...
Jamie
Bell on Capital Radio
 Jon Firth in the studio |
On
the May Day Bank Holiday in 1979 BBC Radio London decided to run a 48.5
hour marathon programme to raise money. The presenter was David Carter
and many people from IC Radio took part as volunteer helpers (which in
my cased helped to ease me into professional radio). While IC Radio was
not broadcasting we carried this programme (which subsequently featured
in the Guinness Book of Records) as a sustaining service.
Jon
Firth picking up from Radio London
 Beer on cornflakes |
Outside
Broadcasts continued apace, mostly from Southside Bar, and mostly presented
by either Harvey Nadin or Karen. In one programme Harvey attempted (unsuccessfully)
to get into the Guinness Book of Records for the number of people that
can be packed into a supermarket trolley, needless to say the attempt
was unsuccessful.
Pack
a supermarket trolley OB
For
the final Sunday before the end of the Summer term in 1979 Harvey decided
to do his breakfast programme (hardly early in conventional terms, 8am
-11am) as a breakfast party open to all from his room in Keogh Hall in
Prince's Gardens. Lots of people turned up and it was a great success,
the highlight of which was the Imperial College Union Deputy President,
Malcolm Brain, eating his cornflakes with beer on them rather than milk.
Harvey's
birthday breakfast party