Solar Radio
Listen to Solar Radio
You can hear Solar Radio on DAB Digital Radio, Radioplayer UK and online
Facts and stats
Solar Radio was ‘born’ when veteran broadcaster and avid soul music fan Tony Monson evolved a plan to raise a phoenix from the combined ashes of London pirate stations JFM and Horizon. Solar was an acronym of ‘Sound Of London’s Alternative Radio’, and built a DJ roster and twenty-four-hour programme schedule which would continue the crusade to promote soul and related music styles on the airwaves of Greater London.
The station was an instant success and with its non-stop campaigning to be awarded a legal franchise it may well have paved the way for the eventual deregulation of the radio airwaves. JFM and Horizon had started this campaign and Solar continued it until 30 September 1985, when the station voluntarily went off the air in order to be allowed to submit a licence application.
In 1998 things began to move when an opportunity arose for the station to lease airtime from the classic rock satellite station EKR. On 1 October 1998 a new station was launched as Solar FM – broadcasting soul, funk and jazz across Europe from 10pm to 6am nightly on a sub-carrier of Challenge TV.
On 1 June 1999 Solar began broadcasting twenty-four hours a day on a sub-carrier of MTV, reverting to the original call-sign of Solar Radio. With the advent of twenty-four-hour broadcasting new DJs came on board and some original Solar DJs also returned to the station.
The analogue satellite service continued until August 2000, and in September the next major milestone was reached with the switch to Sky Digital, on which platform we continue to broadcast to the UK and Europe as a free-to-air service on Sky channel 0129.
Since Autumn 2015, Solar Radio is participating in the small scale DAB Digital Radio trials in London and Norwich.
| Editorial area | UK |
|---|---|
| Format | Dance/Urban |
| Most played | Mary J. Blige, Luther Vandross, Quincy Jones feat. Barry White, James Ingram, El DeBarge & Al B. SureRadiomonitor |
| Launched | 1 September 1984 |
| Former names | Solar FM |
Contact Solar Radio
| Postal address | P.O.Box 49300, London, SE12 9XU |
|---|---|
| Telephone: reception | +44 870 745 1879 |
| Telephone: studio | +44 845 223 0129 |
| Telephone: studio | +44 845 223 0129 |
| Official website | solarradio.com |
| Main email | info@solarradio.com |
Social media
| @solarradio (9,507 followers) compare | ||
| TuneIn | < |
Latest news stories
Mobile apps
| iOS | Solar Radio ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
|---|
People
Barrie King Presenter
Brad Lee Presenter
Clive R Presenter
Colin Hughes Presenter
Dave Brown Presenter
Dez Parkes Presenter
Gary Spence (2) Presenter
Joey Coyne Presenter
Junior Giscombe Presenter
Kev Roberts Presenter
Kev Hill Presenter
Kevin Beadle Presenter
Lawrence Pragnell Presenter
Lawrence Gibbard Presenter
Les Adams Presenter
Malcolm Pragnell Presenter
Mark Bicknall Presenter
Mark P Presenter
Mike Stephens Presenter
Mike Howard Presenter
Nick Adams Presenter
Paul Phillips Presenter
Paul Collins Presenter
Peter Terry Presenter
Raj Selli Presenter
Renna McDonagh Presenter
Renna McDonagh Producer
Roger St Pierre Presenter
Roni O'Brien Presenter
Sean Sax Presenter
Steve Hobbs Presenter
Tony Rodriguez Presenter
Tony Monson Presenter
Tony Monson Chairman
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This is a user-edited website. Thank you to Renna M, Martin P and James C for their edits on this page. See the changelog, or edit it yourself.