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M.V.Comet

(Radio Scotland 242m medium wave)

 
 
Radio Scotland’s home was the Comet, a 90ft 500-ton former lightship. She was built at John Brown’s on the Clyde in 1904 and was fitted out as a radio station in Guernsey. Total power output was 20k watts. The stations signature tune was the black bear.
 
 Radio Scotland in Methil Dock
The Comet being towed to it's berth in No.1 dock
 
During the short life of Radio Scotland the Comet anchored off Dunbar, Troon and briefly, Ballywalter Co Down, before returning to Dunbar.
 
Almost 30 disc jockeys followed Paul Young’s 1st broadcast. The last DJ on air was Mark Wesley. 
 
Radio Scotland was on the air from 23:55 on 31st December 1965 to midnight on 14th August 1967 when the Marine Offences Act 1967 legislation came into force. 
 
The Marine Offences Act 1967 made it an offence to help anyone in the operation or assisting in the operation of broadcasting, including transporting people, goods and provisions. It was also an offence being a performer, announcer or to advertise on the radio station.  These offences could carry a term of imprisionment of 2yrs or a large fine.  
 
The act also increased the domestic powers of the British Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1949 beyond the territorial land mass extending it to twelve nautical miles from the coast, therefore these “pirate radio” stations would be breaking the law if they were within 12 miles of land.The act was the death knell of pirate radio stations arround the British coast.
 
The ship was towed into Methil docks on the afternoon of Friday 18th September 1976 where it was moored for two weeks. Captain Willie Fisher and engineer Jack Johnstone were on board while the ship was stripped of its mast and transmitter equipment before being sold to a foreign buyer. In 1969, the Comet was scrapped in Holland.
 
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