In mid 1992, during a chance conversation between then local MP Robert McLennan and Thomas Prag, Managing Director of Moray Firth Radio the idea of community radio in Caithness was born. So in December 1992 some public meetings were held to gauge public interest. The interest was positive, so the seed where sown to get a radio station for Caithness.

Fast forward to Autumn 1993. Links formed with Moray Firth Radio in Inverness, with whom we share a frequency, and a restricted service licence (RSL) was applied for to enable a temporary broadcast in this area. After a couple of frantic months, in October 1993 the first RSL took place! The station was broadcasting from a portacabin in the garden of a local councillors house, Caithness Community Radio Association took to the airwaves for the first time.

Our first "studio"

A review of the four week RSL in November 1993 was judged to be a success and it was agreed to apply for a second RSL for spring of 1994.

Slightly later than anticipated the second RSL took place, in July/August 1994. A temporary studio was housed in Thurso's Scapa House - using equipment borrowed from Highland Council and Moray Firth Radio. Once again after this RSL, we reviewed what had happened, and how we were received by the public. So in early September 1994 it was agreed that the RSL had been a success and a decision was made to go all out to go on air permanently instead of wasting resources funding temporary broadcasts.

Click to enlarge

After a search of places all over the county, in October 1994 premises were secured at Murkle near Thurso, only for us to find out in October 1995 that these premises were unsuitable for what we were planning, so the lease was terminated. This was a let down so now we had to search for premises again.