NO NEWS, JUST RUMOURS
Nothing was heard from the Communicator during May or June, although unconfirmed reports mentioned unidentified tests at the end of June 1987 that may have come from the Communicator. By the start of July, some of the major outstanding debts were reported to have been paid and some restoration work had been carried out below decks. There was speculation over the type of aerial mast that would be used, whether two timber masts similar to the old Radio Veronica masts or a lattice mast like the old Mi Amigo one. Reports of when the ship would again broadcast again vary dramatically from two or three weeks to three or four months! Rumours also mentioned two services, one in stereo.
After being anchored off the French coast, the MV Communicator moved to a position within sight of the Ross Revenge at the end of August. Also around that time, the ship took on full supplies of food and fuel as well as two new 40 metre long aerial masts of tubular, rather than lattice construction. At the start of September 1987, those who'd joined the Communicator club received some of their long promised goods, along with a letter saying that Laser would be back. Over the next few months there were more rumours, mostly contradicting each other. Some said that Laser was dead and that a new station called "Starforce 576" would be operating with a hits format from the ship, along with a second service called “HARMONY 981" with an MOR/ religion mix. Other rumours mentioned shortwave and FM services and a number of former Laser personnel joining the stations.
The old aerial masts were taken down during September 1987, and the ship, that had for a short while anchored in the Knock Deep, had moved further north, near the Galloper sandbank, off Harwich. Quoted on-air dates of September or 1st October 1987, for a return to the air seemed optimistic.