Is pirate radio still illegal?

Is pirate radio still illegal?

The operation of an unlicensed radio station, sometimes called ‘pirate radio,’ is illegal. Illegal broadcasters use equipment which may cause interference and have the potential to disrupt the communications of critical services like air traffic control.

Was KISS FM a pirate station?

The station started as Kiss FM – a 1980s pirate radio station that was to become the UK’s first legal radio station specialising in black and dance music.

Is pirate radio real?

According to director Richard Curtis, the film, though inspired by real British pirate radio of the 1960s, is a work of historical fiction and does not depict a specific radio station of the period.

What were the names of the pirate radio stations?

The first, Radio Caroline, had begun regular broadcasting on Saturday 28 March 1964, off the coast of Felixstowe. Others, such as Radio Atlanta (Frinton-on-Sea), Radio Scotland (Dunbar / Troon), Radio 390 (Red Sands Fort, Whitstable) and Radio London (Frinton-on-Sea), soon followed building up an audience of millions.

What is the penalty for pirate radio?

With the PIRATE Act, the FCC can now act against landlords and property managers who know that pirate radio operators are broadcasting from their premises. The FCC can impose fines of up to $100,000 for each day a violation continues, up to a maximum of $2,000,000.

Why is it illegal to broadcast your own station?

A pirate radio station — also known as bootleg radio, clandestine radio or free radio — is, in simple terms, a station that’s operating without a FCC license. The Radio Act of 1912 made it illegal to operate amateur radio stations over frequencies without a license.

Was Radio Luxembourg a pirate station?

Radio Luxembourg was a multilingual commercial broadcaster in Luxembourg. In the late 1930s, and again in the 1950s and 1960s, it had large audiences in Britain and Ireland with its programmes of popular entertainment, and was an important forerunner of pirate radio and modern commercial radio in the United Kingdom.

When did KISS FM legal?

As time passed by, the station grew increasingly popular, driven by the support of its community, and the incredible shows that its DJs hosted each day. In 1988, a new form of radio license was released, and Kiss FM received one of the first new licenses in 1989. By 1990, Kiss FM was a fully legal station.

Did pirate radios sink?

Radio Caroline sinks March 20, 1980 Pirate station goes down in heavy seas. DUBBED ‘the ship that rocked the world’, pirate pop radio station Radio Caroline sank in heavy seas in the Thames Estuary.

Why did Britain ban rock and roll?

In 1967 the British government made it a crime to supply music, commentary, fuel, food and water — and, most significantly, advertising — to any unlicensed offshore broadcaster. The law sounded the official death knell for most of the pirate stations. Yet the music had made its mark.

When did Radio Caroline stop?

The Radio Caroline name was used to broadcast from international waters, using five different ships with three different owners, from 1964 to 1990, and via satellite from 1998 to 2013.

Is it illegal to broadcast radio waves?

So, as you may or may not know, broadcasting a radio signal on AM and FM bands over a distance of 200 feet is illegal. But there are cities in the US, like Miami and New York City, where unlicensed radio stations are broadcasting to large neighborhoods or even entire sections of a city in an underground community.

What is the best radio to pirate radio?

At the moment FM broadcasting, with all its advantages, is the favourite for pirates. But it’s well worth pointing out that in 1985 at least 25% of radio receivers in Britain can’t even receive FM, so you can’t pick up most pirates on older radios. Another thing, in some hilly areas FM broadcasts have a very bad coverage area.

Is mwmw the best choice for me?

MW can be the best choice for you, especially if you’re in a country area, or in hills or mountains, or only want to broadcast by day and aren’t too worried about sound quality. MW transmitters are also fairly cheap and easy to build, and because you use a crystal there’s no problem with tuning or with “sprogs”.

What is the difference between FM and mw radio?

Though the antenna is a huge length it’s just a roll of wire, and doesn’t necessarily have to be up high, which gives you a quite different, if still limited, range of possible broadcasting sites. MW works by bouncing radio waves back off the stratosphere, not by line of sight like FM.