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3rd August 1958

An atomic powered submarine, the USS Nautilus, crosses the North Pole underwater.

9th October 1958   

Pope Pius XII dies.

5th December 1958 British Motorway system opens with the M6 Preston bypass.





3rd January 1959 Alaska becomes the 49th US state.

21st August 1959 Hawaii becomes the 50th US state.





21st March 1960

A police massacre in Sharpeville, South Africa, left 69 black protestors dead.




January 20th 1961 President John F Kennedy made his inaugural address.

12th April 1961  

Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space.

13th August 1961 East Germany begins constructing the Berlin Wall.





20th February1962 Lt. Colonel John Glenn becomes the first US citizen to orbit the earth.

31st July 1962 Algeria becomes officially independent from France.

5th August 1962

Nelson Mandela is arrested and charged with inciting rebellion in South Africa.

Radio Mercur - Key Dates

1958

1960

1962

11th July 1958

Cheeta leaves port and anchors in international waters off Copenhagen

17th July 1958

Test transmissions start for Radio Mercur

17/18th July 1958

Cheeta’s anchor chain breaks and the ship drifts, running aground off Malmo, Sweden

25th July 1958

Cheeta returns to her anchorage off Copenhagen

31st July 1958

Test transmissions start again for Radio Mercur

2nd August 1958

Radio Mercur begins official programmes from 6.00pm

14th August 1958

Panamanian authorities threaten to withdraw the Cheeta's registration

25th August 1958

Cheeta's registration withdrawn by Panama

1st September 1958

Radio Mercur changes frequency to avoid interference to a Swedish station

1st February 1959

Radio Mercur in financial difficulties and saved by loan from banker Alex Brask Thomsen

1st August 1959

A public opinion poll shows after one year on the air Radio Mercur was attracting an audience of 38% of Copenhagen's population

31st January 1961

Radio Mercur starts test broadcasts from a new ship, Cheeta 2

1st February 1961

Regular Radio Mercur programmes broadcast from Cheeta 2

7th April 1961

Radio Mercur makes the first stereo broadcasts from Cheeta 2

1st July 1961

Cheeta, the original Radio Mercur ship taken to a port in Norway and used as a cargo vessel

1st November 1961

Cheeta returns from Norway to anchor off Zeeland

25th November 1961

Broadcasts of Radio Mercur (West) start from the Cheeta

14th December 1961

Cheeta's new mast collapses during a storm, after repairs Cheeta and Cheeta 2 swap anchorages

12th February 1962

Cheeta in difficulties during a storm, towed into port and impounded by the authorities

 **  February 1962

Lucky Star takes over broadcasts of Radio Mercur (East)

10th July 1962

Radio Mercur (West), from Cheeta 2, ceases transmissions prior to legislation being introduced

31st July 1962

Radio Mercur (East) closes at 12 midnight as legislation comes into effect

13th August 1962

Unofficial transmissions start from Lucky Star using old programme tapes

15th August 1962

Lucky Star boarded by police and impounded

1961

1959



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