Moray Firth Radio On Air - MFR 1107 kHz medium wave 271 meters 97.4 MHz VHF FM

MORAY FIRTH RADIO - ON AIR ON 23rd FEBRUARY 1982

One bungalow on the newly built, grey pebble-dashed Scottish housing estate is slightly larger than the rest. It is the home of Moray Firth Radio. Based in Inverness, the 34th ILR station in the UK and the sixth in Scotland, MFR started broadcasting on 23rd February 1982. [As the IBA notes] MFR was called both the smallest and largest of the ILR stations; it had the smallest number of staff but could be heard within an enormous area extending around the coast from Wick in the north to Banff in the east, and a population of a mere 150,000.

The Moray Firth Radio team on the eve
of the station's first broadcast in 1982.

The station opened at 6.30 a.m. with a welcoming announcement followed by the record 'Somebody is Out There'. Local minister., the Revd Robert Logan had prepared a special blessing. Andy Stewart turned up mid-morning with characteristic tartan enthusiasm and being Pancake Tuesday, he was immediately called upon to toss a pancake while on air in the studio (a feat needing much skill to avoid disaster at the controls!). Soon newsroom staff were out getting vox-pop reaction to the new venture. Chief executive Thomas Prag 'faced' his audience by opening the phone-in lines. He was eager to explain what the station had to offer, and to hear likes, dislikes and suggestions.

The national and international news comes from IRN (Independent Radio News) in London. Local news is collected, collated and read by Moray Firth's own reporters.

All residents can contribute. When a lady came to discuss goat keeping she brought her an animals Into the studio. Small is beautiful for ILR in North-East Scotland.

A piper participates in a live outside broadcast -
by courtesyof a reverse charge call
from the nearest telephone box!

A Moray Firth's Roy Gregor interviews the local inventor
of a peat cutting machine.

IBA coverage map showing the very large geographical area served by Moray Firth Radio

Moray Firth Radio broadcast via transmitters owned and operated by the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA). The medium wave / AM transmitter was installed by the IBA at a new site at Tarbat Ness transmitting on 1107 kilohertz / 271 meters with an e.m.r.p of 1.5 kilowatts.

The VHF / FM transmitter was installed at the existing ITA / IBA mast at Mount Eagle using a frequency of 95.9 MHz with an effective radiated power of 1.4 kilowatts.

2009: During the 1990's MFR had added additional FM transmitters to greatly extend coverage across north east Scotland. Additional transmitters serve the areas of: Keith and Elgin; Fraserborough; Cairngorms; Thurso and Wick.

MFR is also one of the few remaining stations to simulcast on FM and AM. A situation probably allowed due the difficult terrain that the station has to cover.

MFR was no longer a truly independent radio station, first having been swallowed up by Scottish Radio Holdings which was subsequently subsumed by EMAP radio which was itself sold to Bauer Radio - a massive radio conglomerate.

Moray Firth Radio VHF / FM coverage

Moray Firth Radio - Ofcom coverage map

Moray Firth Radio Medium Wave / AM coverage

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