Pirate Radio stations - how serious a menace are they?

[Abdel]

ATCOs,

Is the problem with Pirate Radio stations as serious as this BBC news story makes out?

Abdel

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4402722.stm


Raids shut down pirate stations

Raids on illegal broadcasters have led to 44 pirate radio stations in London being taken off air.
The operation by communication watchdog Ofcom also uncovered drugs and weapons, including firearms.

The raids targeted studios broadcasting on the FM radio band used by the London Fire Brigade and National Air Traffic Services (Nats).

The problem is worst in London which has half of the UK's estimated 150 pirate radio stations.

In total, 53 transmitters were seized and Ofcom has also sent nine warning letters to nightclubs who had advertised on the illegal stations.


The interference makes it more difficult for the fire fighters to go about their daily business of protecting Londoners.
London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner John Anthony


Robert Thelen-Bartholomew, Ofcom's Head of Field Operations, said: "Illegal broadcasting affects safety of life services and has links with serious crime.

"Ofcom will continue to pursue and prosecute those involved in this criminal activity."

John Anthony, London Fire Brigade assistant commissioner, said: "Pirate radio transmissions interfere with, and sometimes entirely disable, the communications systems the London Fire Brigade relies on.

"The interference makes it more difficult for the fire fighters to go about their daily business of protecting Londoners."

And Tim Doncaster, head of radio investigations at Nats, said: "Unauthorised broadcasts on or close to frequencies used by air traffic controllers can interfere with the passing of vital information between air traffic controllers and pilots.

The raid which began on Saturday and ended on Wednesday night was a joint operation by Nats and the Metropolitan Police.
===========================Raids shut down pirate stations Raids shut down pirate stations

[Gonzo]

Yes.

For the past few weeks we've had really bad interference on 118.7 (Air Arrivals) due to pirate radio stations. We've had to use our spare frequency instead. We were told a few days ago that OFCOM had located the offending station and were going to raid it. Lo and behold, we're now back on 118.7 which is free of interference!

[Jetstream Rider]

In parts of East London, I get interference on my car radio on every frequency. Occasionally I can hear intelligible words and it apprears that it is a pirate station.

Have certainly heard the intereference around LHR, especially when flying over a spot in N London. Usually it manifests itself as a buzz which cannot be heard during transmissions but is really annoying in the quiet parts. This happens in a number of parts of the world too. In Turkey I fairly often hear music on the comms channel and the other day I went to ident a VOR and got music instead.

With the closer frequency spacing you get interference too. When listening to an ATIS on box 2 which is close to the ATC freq on box 1, there is often interference.

[Dave Gittins]

Is this abuse caused by a station that thinks it's broadcasting on another frequency and is getting some sort of "echo" onto 118.7 ???

Any station broadcasting on 118.7 is going to get precious few listeners with the average FM receiver only receiving on 88 to 108 ???

Or am I missing somthing technical ???

[NeoDude]

Frequencies have harmonics associated with them. A pirate radio station using the standard FM range will have echoed harmonics further up in the airband.

For example, someone transmitting at 59MHz will also cause a faint harmonic of the transmission to be created at 118MHz.

[Jerricho]

I've just been having a search through the forums for a great thread from some time ago regarding a "Pirate Radioeer" who came on here asking questions about interference with ATC frequencies from such sites.

If I remember correctly (I think the thread was deleted) our little friend didn't take kindly to being told repeatedly what he was doing was illegal. His defence was (and repeated quite often) that he "kept his signals/rigs clean" and monitored them to ensure this was the case. And in almost an honour amongst theives moment he declared it was the other stations out there who were causing the problems, not him, and they should be taken off the air.

He also took major offence when it was highlighted to him that at any stage his equipment could start spewing out interference and cause some major hassle before he could get to it to fix it. It was all just a bit of fun and it couldn't cause many problems........right? :rolleyes:

(Boss Radar - Do you remember this one? It did get deleted, didn't it?)

[av8boy]

Admittedly, I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed, but if I were of the UK I’d start looking for these guys in Cornwall. Say, Penzance?

Dave :confused:

Major General Stanley has all the details

[Lost_luggage34]

I recall that thread very well Jerricho - the guy honestly tried to justify himself in complete ignorance of the wider picture.

Hats off to OFCOM - they don't mess about with such matters.

I had dealings with them some years ago after installing a laser comms device between two buildings in an affluent town by The Thames.

Within 24 hours some guy dressed like Dr Who, and similarly equiped, came knocking as the harmonics from said device were affecting BBC1 reception.

A satisfactory conclusion was found - all very amicable and professional. Unlike these fools with Priate Radio !

[Jerricho]

*Scratches head* Thanks L_L. I didn't think my memory was that bad.

What did happen to that thread?

[kontrolor]

we had a series of ELT reports for more a month. After a thorough search, the police found a pirate TV station, which was triggering signals to ELT satelite receiver.

[Check 6]

In Naples, Italy, the pirate stations block out GPS signals. The government had a crack-down on the illegal stations about 3-1/2 years ago and the problem went away.

I suspect that the stations are coming back because we are starting to see loss of GPS again around Naples.

:*

[Lon More]

Some years ago it was also a big problem in the Netherlands, usually playing accordian music for some reason.
There was a TV doc. in the UK some time ago about these pirates. Their gear is getting very sophisticated and the base is often not co-located with the transmitter. Unfortunately confiscating their gear has little effect as they are often up and running again in a few days.

[PPRuNe Radar]

The thread started a few months ago by a pirate radio operator was unfortunately deleted by the thread starter.

A great shame as it contained a lot of good debate and information on the technicalities and legalities of the situation.

The problem remains a very real one and thankfully is one which the authorities take very seriously and provide resource to combat :ok:

[Farrell]

Ah yes, that really was a classic thread.....

the poster's name was mrhazard...........and I will never forget his spelling either!

(People who flew planes were "avatars")

[Jerricho]

Nice one Duke II. I couldn't remember the guy's name.

I take back all them bad things about you coming in here.

[pilotesam]

A system in place in other parts of the world, including australia is TErrestrial Trunked RAdio (TETRA). IP based t/x encrypted and cannot be intercepted like VHF frequencies and so interference is not an issue. I think police,ambulance and fire services should adopt the technology here too. Now that everyone is switching to DAB radio, wont analogue t/xs be phased out soon?

[Lost_luggage34]

TETRA is used in the UK - I think by all, if not almost all of the UK Police forces.

Not sure about the Ambulance and Fire services.

[pilotesam]

oh yeah - ambulance services cant use TETRA because it interferes with their sensative monitoring equiptment. :oh:

[PPRuNe Radar]

MrHazards radio station

WaxFM (http://www.waxfm.com/home.htm)

[Jerricho]

From the website:

20/06/05 @ 01:22pm

Sorry for the breaks in transmission over the past weekend, we suffered numerous technical difficulties, beyond our control, also if you wasn't picking us up as well as you would normally, every thing will be sorted out for the coming weekend. Wax Fm 102.4

And I wonder what sort of interference THAT caused on other freqencies? :rolleyes:

[Farrell]

God Bless mrhazard - he was a barrel of laughs.

"How is that cos you avatars are using de raydar and stuff that it dussent get jammed by my pierat staysun.
I have a big house and car and a 40k a year job - but i do this for de luv man and why is you slaggin me off like."

[ionagh]

The problem identified is only part of the bigger picture unfortunately.

Pirate FM stations probably cause interference because they are mostly 'amateur' construction without access to test equipment and often running power levels of several kW (especially in Italy and Greece) They produce harmonics and intermodulation products in various VHF and UHF bands.
Unlikely that these would fall within 108-137MHz but it could happen.

What usually happens with such high powers is that any receiver in the vicinity (especially airborne ones) get swamped and blocked.

The idea that TETRA will not produce interference because it is digital coded and encrypted in not true. Interference is cause by RF energy irrespective of whether it is analogue or digital.

Then we have the pirate radio stations who are using the 6MHz HF aeronautical band. Which is probably a bigger menace?

Where we need to get worried is when governments permit the use of Internet via the AC mains. (BPL etc...) If that ever takes off you will truely discover what interference is

:eek:

[Paul Wilson]

I imagine his "technical difficulties" might have had something to do with OFCOM raiding a dozen or so pirate transmitters over that weekend.

"there is a slight technical problm with our equipment" = "It's currently stuffed in the back of OFCOMs van, and we haven't been down to Maplins yet to get some new bits, as da lowered Black Beemer can't get out of the estate coz of the new speed bumps"

[Lon More]

From their website:All Trademarks & Pictures Are Properties Of Their Respective Owners. Copyright 2004/5 WAX FM -
How can something illegal be copyrighted?
Also claims to broadcast to London and surrounding areas - how many (legal) transmitters does it interfere with as well as ATC/emergency services etc.?
Silly little f:mad: wits should have been drowned at birth

[Jerricho]

Farrell me old, you have got a very, VERY good memory my friend...... ;) :)