The first transmitters

FRS-Holland started with one 10W transmitter back in August 1980. That rig was used in the 48 mb on 6250 kHz, FRS’ first fixed frequency. But already 4 months later a second outlet was put into service in the 41 mb, initially on 7325 and not much later permanently on 7315 kHz. Having two transmitters, Peter Verbruggen felt is was more conformable to have both in some kind of box. So he started looking for a solution which eventually came from Frankie Fanatic. His father had a large wooden trunk which was – in his eyes – suitable to house both 10W transmitters. And so the FRS people suit the action to the word. Result: a former wooden WWII trunk (!) with two 10W transmitters once constructed by EMR’s Barry Stephens. There was one slight problem: the inside lid had to be bored twice, otherwise the two 807 valves wouldn’t fit. If you have QSL #1 of the FRS Transmitter Series you can easily watch the result.
Till January 1983, the wooden trunk faithfully protected both rigs against the weather elements at the secret FRS site. It was in 1984 when we all were completely astonished when the wooden trunk showed up on Dutch television. A weekly current news affair programme covered an item about pirate radio and examples of confiscated equipment were shown. This is how we learnt the RCD had not destroyed our equipment. During two other occasions the FRS transmitters showed up on Dutch TV as well. From at least one occasion there is a brief video recording.

Museum Nederhorst den Berg

From certain sources we learnt that there is a kind of little museum at the RCD Headquarters in Nederhorst den Berg where several unique transmitters that were confiscated are stored including our trunk.
It was in July 1994 that Joop ter Zee & Peter Verbruggen wanted to go to De Hague where they would meet good old Gerd. Reason for the De Hague trip was the PTT exhibition “On the air, off the air” which was all about illegal radio broadcasting equipment confiscated by the RCD, a PTT division. They hoped that the former FRSH transmitters were part of that exhibition and took the 200 km drive into the bargain. They were just too curious… January 16th 1983 FRS-Holland was raided and a wooden trunk containing the two 10W shortwave transmitters had been confiscated. As soon as they heard about the exhibition in De Hague, they planned a trip finding out whether the wooden trunk was among the exhibits. Saturday July 23rd, a very hot day with 30+ temperatures Joop and Peter drove to De Hague with some expectations and a large cool box full of tins with cola etc. They reached De Hague early in the afternoon and nearly 15 minutes later they met Gerd in the museum. The exhibition was on the second floor; a few minutes later they caught sight of a large brown trunk. It really seemed nothing had changed since 1983. Inside the trunk two complete built-in 10W transmitters, each one having three valves: an ECC82, an 807 and an 6L6. Even the X-tals, modulation wire and SWR metre were inside. Strange to face a piece of FRS nostalgia – no doubt THE piece of FRS nostalgia! – after a period of 11 years. Once this wooden trunk was the heart of the station ‘cause it were the transmitters inside largely contributing to FRS’ success in their early years. “With a power of only 10 watts” … remember that 1980 jingle. Of course there was much more stuff to be looked at. The FRS trio discovered that Dutch pirates can be very inventive people when looking how some transmitters were hidden (for instance in a vacuum cleaner or a cookie tin). July 23rd 1994: it was a very special day, a remembrance which won’t fade out. In the mean time all the equipment is moved back to Nederhorst den Berg. We think it is still there …

wooden trunk on Dutch TV

In 1983 Dutch main national channel aired a weekly current affairs programme entitled ‘Brandpunt’ which means: focal point. In one of the episodes there’s a 27 minute item about the then Dutch RCD ( responsible for tracking down illegal radio stations within the Netherlands in the 70s & 80s). Much to our surprise the original wooden trunk with the two 10W rigs was showed for a few seconds. It start shortly after 09:50 minutes.