RADIO FREE LONDON (RFL) Originally 203, then 255 METRES A.M. latterly 92.3FM
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Radio Free London North (1969) 
(download 54kb) or streamed audio!
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Radio Free London South (1969) (download 89kb) or streamed audio!
Address 23 Greek Street, London W1, from the mid 70's 148 George Lane, Lewisham, London SE13
Following the Marine Offences Etc. Act of August 1967. The airwaves of Britain fell silent. There was Radio One of course, on 247metres, but this one station hardly catered to the needs of all offshore radio listeners of the previous several years. The next time the Jolly Roger would fly on the airwaves the signals would emanate from not the sea but land...
Radio Free London was without doubt the first illegal station to attempt a music-based format in Britain. (Of course a music-based format would mean the transmissions would last for several hours making the AM broadcasts very easy to detect) Like all the early clandestine broadcasters, transmissions took place from the comfort of flats and houses but this often resulted in poor signal coverage.
Although several attempts had been made to get RFL on the air in the early part of 1968, the first transmission with any degree of signal strength and quality took place during the Free Radio Rally of August 1968, to commemorate the passing of the Marine Offences Etc. Act and broadcast from a third floor flat in Kensington. With the aerial strung between the chimney of the flat and the top floor of a block of flats opposite, the station achieved good coverage and was well received by fans at the rally in London’s Trafalgar Square.
Presenters on the day included Michael Christian, Andy Archer, Spangles Muldoon and various others. The station tested in the early hours of the morning and broadcast as advertised between 8am and 5pm but due to the euphoric Spangles continuing to air the many requests that the station was receiving, the station fell silent at 5.20pm when it was raided by the Post Office.
RFL continued to broadcast but was raided again on March 12th 1969. These early raids were little more than an inconvenience with fines of £10 to £30 pounds and confiscation of equipment.
Although the station were at their most popular around Christmas 1968, the different camps in the station decided to go their own way and for a period of time there were two (sometimes three!) RFL's broadcasting in the North / South London area.
Radio Free London North was operated by Jason Wolfe, Bud Ballou and Peter Chicago (later the famous engineer 'Chicago' of RNI and Caroline fame) and broadcast on Sundays on 255 metres with Radio Free London South, also broadcasting on the same wavelength and featuring station 'original' Michael Christian. Occasionally a Radio Free London 'South East' could be heard picking up transmissions after the other stations had closed!
The programmes for each station were recorded in the same studio so that music would not be duplicated and the transmissions would alternate hour by hour to avoid detection.
By the early 70's (with a resurgence in offshore radio) RFL closed largely due to lack of interest shown by operators and the indifference of the general public. Despite RFL's campaigning, legal commercial radio seemed as far away as ever. RFL fell silent.
The station callsign did not die however and was reactivated after a few years by a number of enthusiasts who relocated the station to FM. (which was higher quality and had proved to be more difficult for the radio interference department to track.)
With a mailing address of 148, George Lane, Lewisham, London SE13, transmissions were on Sunday evenings and public holidays (around 1977/78) and featured DJ's Andy Allman (ex LMR) John Dawson, Kenny Myers and more. The format was largely quality rock music.
Radio Free London broadcast one high powered transmission from Epsom, Surrey, on Christmas Day 1977. A full kilowatt was planned but transmitter problems at the last moment confined the station to about 200 watts. The station was tracked down by a number of other free radio operators (Radio Shelia and Radio Telstar South) who, missing their Christmas dinners, extended RFL's planned live transmission schedule by taking turns at the programmes themselves!!!
To today and some 31 years on, Radio Free London continues to broadcast and at the time of writing (New Years Day 1999) can be heard in London on 819Khz AM and 3Megs on SW, allowing the station to be heard throughout much of Europe. RFL can proudly claim its place in British radio history as the first notable clandestine pop pirate. (Post M.O.A.)
I am indebted to long time RFL presenter Kenny Myers for bringing to my attention the fact that RFL is alive and well and continues to broadcast in 1999!!
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