Pirate radio!

Page 1 of 3 [ 41 posts ] Go to page 1, 2, 3 Next

Joined: 9 Oct 2021
Age: 53
Gender: Male
Posts: 303
Location: Northern Nevada, USA

10 Oct 2021, 8:00 pm

Anyone else here interested in "pirate radio" (meaning unlicensed transmission of radio signals)?

I'm primarily interested in local broadcasting in the FM band (88-108MHz), and this has become SO much cheaper and easier than in years past.

Yes, I am aware of the relevant laws (for the USA, anyway), and am NOT looking to be a nuisance to anyone, or to interfere with "legitimate" stations.

Jakki
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 21 Sep 2019
Gender: Female
Posts: 7,987
Location: Outter Quadrant

10 Oct 2021, 8:31 pm

Go for it…. And best of luck.. don’t get caught please. Aren’t you suppose to be on a ship or boat off the coast of the US….. :mrgreen:

_________________
Diagnosed hfa
Loves velcro,

Quote:

where ever you go ,there you are

Fnord
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 6 May 2008
Age: 65
Gender: Male
Posts: 55,571
Location: Stendec

11 Oct 2021, 8:38 am

GadgetGuru wrote:

Anyone else here interested in "pirate radio" (meaning unlicensed transmission of radio signals)? ...

Yes, and as a licensed Amateur Radio Operator and a licensed Radiotelephone operator, I have participated in monitoring and locating illegal transmitters here in the U.S.

_________________
Link to a Listing of DONALD TRUMP's ATROCITIES
Encyclopedia of American Loons: DONALD J. TRUMP
Link to a Timeline of DONALD TRUMP's COUP ATTEMPT
TRE45ON!!

GadgetGuru
Deinonychus

Joined: 9 Oct 2021
Age: 53
Gender: Male
Posts: 303
Location: Northern Nevada, USA

11 Oct 2021, 8:59 am

Fnord wrote:

I have participated in monitoring and locating illegal transmitters here in the U.S.

To me, that sounds like JUST as much fun as operating a pirate station.

_________________
Zen Objectivist, Iconoclastic conformist, Laser-focused dilettante, Skeptical psychonaut, Boy genius and stoopit man, Altitudinous observer of the Sturm und Drang.
Practicing the fine art of Enlightened Self Interest.

Fnord
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 6 May 2008
Age: 65
Gender: Male
Posts: 55,571
Location: Stendec

11 Oct 2021, 2:25 pm

GadgetGuru wrote:

Fnord wrote:

I have participated in monitoring and locating illegal transmitters here in the U.S.

To me, that sounds like JUST as much fun as operating a pirate station.

Not for the radio pirates, I am sure...

_________________
Link to a Listing of DONALD TRUMP's ATROCITIES
Encyclopedia of American Loons: DONALD J. TRUMP
Link to a Timeline of DONALD TRUMP's COUP ATTEMPT
TRE45ON!!

funeralxempire
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 27 Oct 2014
Age: 37
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 16,977
Location: I'm right here

11 Oct 2021, 2:35 pm

The smart kids do it from the back of their mom's Jeep like Christian Slater.

_________________
You can't buy happiness; steal it.
戦争ではなく戦争と戦う

Jakki
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 21 Sep 2019
Gender: Female
Posts: 7,987
Location: Outter Quadrant

11 Oct 2021, 2:49 pm

Fnord wrote:

GadgetGuru wrote:

Fnord wrote:

I have participated in monitoring and locating illegal transmitters here in the U.S.

To me, that sounds like JUST as much fun as operating a pirate station.

Not for the radio pirates, I am sure...

loolz... juggling repeater boxes.

_________________
Diagnosed hfa
Loves velcro,

Quote:

where ever you go ,there you are

Fnord
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 6 May 2008
Age: 65
Gender: Male
Posts: 55,571
Location: Stendec

11 Oct 2021, 3:01 pm

Jakki wrote:

Fnord wrote:

GadgetGuru wrote:

Fnord wrote:

I have participated in monitoring and locating illegal transmitters here in the U.S.

To me, that sounds like JUST as much fun as operating a pirate station.

Not for the radio pirates, I am sure...

loolz... juggling repeater boxes.

When low-end repeater boxes start at $1200 and mass in at about 8 kg., there will be very little juggling involved.

_________________
Link to a Listing of DONALD TRUMP's ATROCITIES
Encyclopedia of American Loons: DONALD J. TRUMP
Link to a Timeline of DONALD TRUMP's COUP ATTEMPT
TRE45ON!!

Jakki
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 21 Sep 2019
Gender: Female
Posts: 7,987
Location: Outter Quadrant

11 Oct 2021, 4:55 pm

hmmm... solid state equipment from china .. low wattage or high wattage amplifiers ... big db gain antennas, or directional beams, can always park oneself on a mountain .
and MODULATION.. please understand Fnord am just poking fun .Not meant to upset .
Ham Radio is a serious business and has a long and "distinguished " history .And saved a great many people over its existence.

_________________
Diagnosed hfa
Loves velcro,

Quote:

where ever you go ,there you are

Eurythmic
Velociraptor

Joined: 1 Jan 2013
Age: 46
Gender: Male
Posts: 464
Location: Southern Sydney, by the beach

21 Oct 2021, 4:25 am

The internet and audio streaming has to some degree reduced the allure of pirate radio.

When I'm in the car I sometimes listen to a local community station, one that prides itself on being somewhat lefter than I am politically, but I enjoy the style of music they always play with minimal chatter and advertising.

I think in setting up a pirate station your biggest challenge will be in getting listeners, people don't generally scan the airwaves looking for new stations. Along with the fact that operating hours can be a challenge, will you be on air 24/7? Who is going to operate the station when you need to sleep or work?

badRobot
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 18 Jan 2011
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Posts: 824

23 Oct 2021, 9:38 am

Eurythmic wrote:

All stations operate more or less automatically. We had shoutcast station running at my university in late 90s-early 2000s, but shut it down when copyright became issue. It was pretty cool to feel like you are running a station, especially talking with listeners, taking requests even though it was just a PC with a cheap microphone and winamp. About the same time I've helped to build a website and setup online streaming for a local FM station and it was kind of weird to find out their broadcasting setup was almost identical, just a slightly better PC and a little more expensive microphone

Rossall
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 20 Oct 2021
Gender: Male
Posts: 554
Location: Lancashire, UK

31 Oct 2021, 12:41 pm

I used to have a 10 watt fm transmitter which I used to use occasionally. We did a station called Party FM from a mates house whilst his mother was on holiday. I also used a 4 watt transmitter I built from a kit earlier when I lived in a technical college halls of residence and in the holidays from my parents house giving out their home phone number for requests. :oops:

Fnord
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 6 May 2008
Age: 65
Gender: Male
Posts: 55,571
Location: Stendec

31 Oct 2021, 3:37 pm

↑ I think just about every tech school has had at least one clandestine (e.g., "Pirate") FM radio transmitter made out of parts found around the electronics lab.

Eurythmic
Velociraptor

Joined: 1 Jan 2013
Age: 46
Gender: Male
Posts: 464
Location: Southern Sydney, by the beach

01 Nov 2021, 7:38 am

badRobot wrote:

All stations operate more or less automatically.

It might be an Australian thing, (legal) stations here must be under the control of a person at all times.

Fnord
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 6 May 2008
Age: 65
Gender: Male
Posts: 55,571
Location: Stendec

01 Nov 2021, 8:30 am

Eurythmic wrote:

It might be an Australian thing, (legal) stations here must be under the control of a person at all times.

It is the same in the 'States. There must be someone to monitor the station, make adjustments, and shut down the station (if needed) either on-site or by remote control.

Amateur Radio repeaters on mountain-tops have either a dedicated phone line or use a series of tones or digital commands through the uplink channel.

Rossall
Veteran
Veteran

Joined: 20 Oct 2021
Gender: Male
Posts: 554
Location: Lancashire, UK

01 Nov 2021, 9:50 am

In New Zealand you can use up to 1 watt to broadcast with a licence:

https://www.rsm.govt.nz/licensing/frequ ... adcasting/

Page 1 of 3 [ 41 posts ] Go to page 1, 2, 3 Next

Jump to:

Pirate radio! Post Reply New Topic

Pirate radio!