Pirate Radio, Interference and Dawn of VHF-FM

watty wrote: »

Fascinating history
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1949/mar/28/bbc-transmissions-reception

The Station in question wasnt a "Pirate" nor was it "Russian" it was actually based in Latvia.

Furthermore the station in question was actually operating on a frequency assigned to it under the international agreement in force at the time unlike the station in Britain which wasnt. (The BBC Third programme was assigned a frequency under the Copenhagen plan but this didnt come into operation until 1950).

So in 1949 there was no (major) pirates in either Britain or the Soviet Union (Mr Stalin was hardly the sort to adopt a liberal policy on such things). There was a broadcaster operating in breach of international agreements however. Its name was the BBC !!!

watty wrote: »

Whatever the reasons and who was in the right and wrong, the "interference" was used as the justification to launch VHF-FM

While nighttime co-channel interference on AM was (and still is) a problem in Britain (and Ireland) Our geographical position (among other things) meant that unlike some of our neighbours on the continent (particularly Germany) we actually escaped the worst of it.

Paradoxically this amounted to as much of a curse as a blessing for us because there was less impetus for us to roll out FM broadcasting (and subsequently phase out the wasteful practice of duplicating services on AM and FM) sooner. (Seemingly the situation in Australia was very similar)

BTW is this not more of a "Broadcasting history" thread ?

There were pirates (landbased and offshore) in(/near) the UK in the 1920's

Some people claim Marconi was the World's first pirate*. Dont really agree with this interpretation of history (my moneys on this guy ) but then again The "interference with air traffic control" argument was originally used against his 2MT station !

A certain Mr Baird was not above making the occasional unlicensed transmission either !

In the US a Nathan Stubblefield allegedly pioneered inshore broadcasting. The first UK offshore broadcast was in 1907 however it hardly qualifies as a "pirate" given that the Royal Navy were responsible ! Some people claim that the RMS Titanic was equipped for broadcasting (Im pretty sceptical on this one).

Licensed amateur radio operators in the UK were originally allowed to make broadcasts (including music/records) but this was "temporarily" outlawed c. 1921. Time for a review ???????

* on the other hand he way have been Ireland's as a station he had set up in Dublin for the 1923 spring show was told to close down because it wasnt licensed. This guy may have been the second (Limerick 1934)