Newspaper-article: Saturday 22^nd of august 1992 <

SCHAGER RADIO AMATEUR FROM ILLEGAL TO LEGAL AFTER TWELVE YEARS

"Music is the love of my life, and my life is my music".

With these words will radio disc jockey Gerlof Elzinga, when the clock strikes eleven o’clock, close down his own illegal radiostation "Titan-Weekend-Radio-Schagen".

Twelve years long Gerlof has been broadcasting Dutch and Austrian Folk music through the airwaves. But his listeners should not be saddened by this message, because the listeners will be able to hear Gerlof on the legal radio station "Schagen-FM" as from the 29^th of august.

During twelve years "Titan Radio" was one of Schagen’s amateur broadcasts.In the summer of 1980 Gerlof decided to start. In this period the 27 MC was very popular, but Gerlof wanted a more professional touch. Once on the way he soon found out the important listening hours which were the Saturday- and Sunday evening, when dedicated listeners stayed home to listen to their music in the Dutch language. When I started getting request for songs I didn’t have, at this moment began a donationship for regulars of "Titan Radio", 10 Dutch guilders per year (about 5 US$$), which covered the cost of music and equipment.

In the middle of the eighties there was a boom in pirate stations such as "V.R.O" and "Aurora", which became a favourite with listeners because "Titan Radio" was the Trent setter. "Titan Radio", was the only one which came out on roses. One by one the other radiostations were arrested and taken out of the air by the Dutch Radio Control Service together with the policemen, but "Titan Radio" was never approached. Maybe it was because I never kept it a secret where I was broadcasting from. So the RCS were always able to find me and take me of the air. Maybe it is because I never advertised on "Titan Radio" as contrasted with the other pirate radiostations.

After twelve long years an end came to "Titan Radio". How and why Gerlof said: "After being well known in the region for twelve years the time has come to do or die. The chance of surviving along side of radiostation "Schagen-FM" would be small that’s why I decided by freedom of choice to stop".

But Gerlof will carry on. On Saturday the 29^th of august he will broadcast his first program on the legal station "Schagen-FM".

No tears.

Before we reach this point, "Titan Radio" will try to perform a 12-hours illegal marathon broadcasting.

Gerlof will give his listeners a chance to be life in the broadcasting for reactions about "Titan", when many prizes can be won.

The local radio broadcaster say’s goodbye to his faithful listeners. It is not going to be an emotional end, because Gerlof can be heard next Saturday on "Schagen-FM" at the same time.