Pirate Radio

[Twocky61]

Radio Caroline is probably the most well known of Pirate Radio stations. They would transmit just off the three mile limit off the coast of Frinton Essex from their ships The Ross Revenge & THe Mi Amigo. Radio Caroline now stream online.

Other Pirate Radio stations include Radio London which gave us Kenny Everett, Radio Jackie based in London which now has a full broadcasting license which is a sting in the tail as they are now no longer pirates, Merseyside Alternative Radio also currently streaming online plus FM in the Merseyside area.

BBC Radio One was inspired by Radio Caroline as the BBC realised they were being left behind by the pirates as their Home Service station did not fit in with the taste of the youth of the day.

Other than Caroline we also had Radio Luxembourg on 208AM & recently Atlantic Radio 252 the only station of the like on Long Wave

So who would like to see the pirates return to our radio airwaves? I know I do. Of course there are many unlicensed stations streaming only online.

Currently the cost of a radio license is £20k (YES twenty thousand quid FFS) for a month Restricted Service License & obviously much more for a permanant license. So why pay that sort of money to the Radio Authority when you can easily be a pirate either on air or online?

[angliaknight]

Re: Pirate Radio

There's a great audio clip on youtube of the day Caroline was raided by Dutch government officials and pulled the plug, this is without doubt the most dramatic piece of live radio i have ever heard, if you haven't heard this before , find it, i guarantee you'll never forget it.Loving awareness is free.

[Richard1978]

Re: Pirate Radio

I've heard Radio North Sea was raided by some heavies hired by one of the owners after a dispute with someone else who had an interest in it.

[amethyst]

Re: Pirate Radio

The Film the boat that rocked 2009 was about 1960s pirate radio,it was funny

[angliaknight]

Re: Pirate Radio

Enjoyed listening to the commentary by dj Charlie woolf on Laser 558 depicting the coverage of them by the DTI who towards the end were watching how they were obtaining supplies, and did all they could to stop it.
Radio North Sea International as mentioned above was another of my faves.
Even my Dad would tune the radio to a pirate station on Sunday lunchtimes in the '60s to listen to Radio 390 playing 2 hours of Jim reeves songs! don't think they broadcast from a ship, reckon they were on an old second world war fort out in the Thames estuary.
As a kid in the '60s my little transistor radio went to bed with me and i would surf the air waves, even the short wave band where i would find strange broadcasts featuring a female voice speaking only numbers, much later i found these "numbers stations" were for spys etc, weather they still broadcast these today i don't know, but that's another one for you to google, have fun.

[zabadak]

Re: Pirate Radio

When working in That London in the mid 80s, I worked night shift and we had the radio tuned to Radio Laser

[Richard1978]

Re: Pirate Radio

TV Cream used to have a list of Pirate stations, Radio Jackie was one of many 1980s stations in London.

London Greek Radio was another, which was once raided by the police on air & listeners got to hear the whole thing, including a Stavros soundalike trade insults with the police.