Pirate radio station raided in north London

A PIRATE radio station operating from a house in Ponders End (Enfield) was shutdown this morning (Feb 4) after a police raid.

Officers from Ponders End Safer Neighbourhood Team swooped on the Alexandra Road address after monitoring the illegal station broadcasting locally.

Officers from media watchdog OFCOM were involved in the operation, after receiving reports of a pirate station interfering with legal broadcasts and containing offensive language.

Around £5,000 worth of equipment was seized, and two men, aged 40 and 51, were arrested on suspicion of broadcasting offences. They are currently being questioned at a north London police station.

(Source: http://www.enfieldindependent.co.uk)

The history of British underground music through cassettes of pirate stations

While pirate radio has existed in the US since the very invention of the medium, it’s had a far more significant impact in the UK. The movie Pirate Radio (the American name for 'The Ship That Rocked') dramatized how pirates forged cracks in the dam that the staid BBC built against R&B and rock n’ roll in the 60s. But British pirates retained cultural influence long after the Beeb embraced rock and commercial stations took to the dial.

In particular, pirate radio was the catalyst for British underground electronic dance music and hip-hop. Though less well known in the US, genres such as Jungle, Garage, Grime and drum ‘n’ bass were catalyzed and popularized by pirates, especially in London.

A new documentary by filmmaker Rollo Jackson tells the history of this music through the path of cassette tape recordings of prominent London pirates in his film Tape Crackers. The film just screened at the Institute for Contemporary Arts in London.

(Read full story at: http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2011/02/03/the-history-of-british-underground-music-through-cassettes-of-pirate-stations/)

Sun Feb 6

4075: Radio Black Bandit. Focus "Hocus Pocus" @ 1645, strong signal, ID finally at 1726. SINPO 54444.

5800: Radio Geronimo SW. Dave Scott giving out contact details, greeting listeners, talking about Alfalima forum @ 1010, playing Fleetwood Mac. SINPO 34333.

5820: Orion Radio. Dutch songs @ 0855, good-strong signal but some fading. SINPO 44433.

5824.5: WNKR. Jonah Lewie "You'll Always Find Me In the Kitchen" @ 1100, testing antenna. Weak signal with fair peaks. SINPO 24332.

6140: MV Baltic Radio via Wertachtal. Pink Floyd @ 0949. Strong signal. SINPO 55444.

6200: Radio Experience. Abba "Dancing Queen" @ 0859. Fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6205: Radio Free Limburg. Weak signal, "You're So Vain" @ 1225, splash from Laser. SINPO 23332.

6210: Laser Hot Hits. Greetings to listener n Belgium, playing dance music @ 1040. SINPO 34333.

6215: Radio King Shortwave (tent). Weak signal @ 0905, music just above noise. SINPO 24332.

6220: Radio Rona Lisa. Another weak signal, music just above the noise, talk and ID. SINPO 24332.

6220: Misti Radio. ID jingles and song "I Want Money" @ 1038. SINPO 24332.

6240: Radio Caroline. Echo IDs and music @ 0943. SINPO 24332.

6250: Radio Marconi. "My Lady of Spain" @ 1148, moved to 6260. Possibly same station as was on 6280 & 6275 earlier. SINPO 34333.

6255: Radio Telstar South. Faded in now, The Beatles "Eleanor Rigby" @ 1340, ID jingle. Good signal but some splash from 6260. SINPO 43433.

6265: Radio Geronimo SW. Now on this frequency @ 1105, Radiohead "Paranoid Android," heterodyne from nearby station coming and going. SINPO 53443.

6280: Unid. Baccara song @ 1120, no IDs heard. Strong signal. SINPO 54444.

6280: Radio Merlin Int. Jackie Frost with oldies @ 1140, clear after other statino moved to 6275. SINPO 33333.

6290: Radio Altrex. "Sylvia's Mother" @ 0910, IDs and greeting Andy and Johan, some ute QRM. SINPO 33333.

6305: Radio Sonic. Dance music, ID jingle @ 0955, good signal. SINPO 44433.

6307: Radio Caroline Int. Jingles IDs and dance music @ 1550. Fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6310: Radio Marconi. Chumbawumba song @ 1615 followed by ID, strong signal. SINPO 54444.

6315: Radio Paardenkracht. IDs @ 1400, song "Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town," fair-good signal. SINPO 34333.

6315: Trans Europe Radio. OMD "Electricity"  @ 1555. Fair signal. SINPO 34333. Moved to 6325 @ 1608 to avoid co-channel QRM. SINPO 34333.

6315: Old Timer Radio. ID jingle @ 1635, country and Dutch music. Very strong signal but beginning to fade out. SINPO 54444.

6325: Farmers from Holland. Low power test @ 1150, oldies, weak-fair signal. SINPO 24332. Moved to 6305, heard @ 1255 with weak-fair signal still. SINPO 24332.

6385: Radio Northpole. Dutch sonmgs @ 1235, ID heard at 1253. SINPO 34333.

6390: Radio Scotland Int. Instrumental tune @ 1000 then song "Come A Little Bit Closer", ID and off at 1005. SINPO 54444.

6390: Radio Pink Panther. Phil Collins "One More Night" @ 1155, weak-fair signal. SINPO 24332.

6390: Top Radio. Meat Loaf @ 1015, ID jingles. Fair signal with good peaks. SINPO 34333.

6400: Unid. Pink Floyd @ 1200. Fair signal with good peaks. SINPO 34333.

6413: Radio Scirocco. Abba "Gimme Gimme Gimme" @ 0952. Fair signal with good peaks. SINPO 34333.

6425: Radio Universe. Signing off @ 0948, fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6547: Central Radio Int. Toto "Rosanna" @ 1350. Good signal. SINPO 44433.

Sat Feb 5

1675: Radio Barones. Usual good-strong signal, heard @ 2315 with Creedence Clearwater Revival ... recently he was heard in Japan, which is quite amazing. SINPO 54343.

4015: Laser Hot Hits. Disco version of "Stop in the Name of Love" @ 0845. Good signal. SINPO 44433.

4070: Radio Bluestar & Radio Continental. Joint programme with Dutch music @ 1855, then ID. Fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6200: Radio Orang Utan. Dance version of "I've Had Time of My Life" @ 0940. SINPO 34333.

6200: Radio Underground. Polka @ 1230, greetings and said had to put new antenna up as other blown down by the wind, Bob Dylan song. Fair-good signal with strong peaks. SINPO 44433.

6210: Laser Hot Hits. Staple Singers "Private Number" @ 1005. Good signal. SINPO 44433.

6219: Bluestar Radio. Rock music @ 1505, IDs and greetings, said will be on 76m this evening. Very good signal and audio. SINPO 54444.

6220: Misti Radio. Blues music @ 0900, weak signal. SINPO 24332.

6220: Trans Europe Radio. ID and email address @ 1340, Blondie "Denis Denis." Fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6245: Unid. Dutch songs and polka @ 0945. Fair signal but some utility QRM. SINPO 33333.

6247: Radio Scotland Int. French song @ 1530, strong signal. SINPO 54444.

6260: Radio Atlantis. Abba "Money Money Money" @ 1215, weak-fair signal, low audio with whistle. SINPO 23332.

6305: Radio Altrex. ID and thanking listeners for reports @ 0855, SSB QRM. SINPO 33333.

6305: Radio Tina (tent). Non-stop jingles @ 1450 but difficult to understand, then animal noises and Black Sabbath "Paranoid." SINPO 23332.

6310: Radio Pluto. IDs and song "In the Heat of the Night" @ 1350, fair signal but quite noisy. SINPO 34333.

6325: Radio Pink Panther. Weak signal, music just above noise @ 0905. SINPO 24332.

6374: Radio Rainbow. IDs heard @ 1540 but signal not that clear with fair bit of noise around the frequency. SINPO 33333.

6385: Radio Experience Int. 10CC "Wall Street Shuffle" @ 0850, fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6400: Radio Low Power. Rock music @ 1200, good signal with strong peaks, some fading. SINPO 44433.

9510: Radio Joystick via Nexus. Dance music @ 0950. Good signal with strong peaks, but quite fady. SINPO 44433.

Fri Feb 4

6210: Laser Hot Hits. Laser 558 recordings with Bad Company "Alright Now" @ 1045. Good signal but lot of fading. SINPO 44333.

6306: Radio Altrex. "Give A Little Love" @ 1035, occasional cow noises! Lot of fading but reaching good peaks. SINPO 34333.

Thurs Feb 3

6210: Laser Hot Hits. OMD "Pandora's Box" @ 0945 and Martin Scott talking about radio in the UK. Good signal. SINPO 44433.

Wed Feb 2

6210: Laser Hot Hits. "Dancing in the City" @ 1000, fair signal, but not as strong as some days. SINPO 34333.

Tues Feb 1

6210: Laser Hot Hits. Abba "Name of the Game" @ 0950, fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6220: Misti Radio. Polka @ 1055, weak signal with fair peaks. SINPO 24332.

6375: Radio Baken 16. U2 "In the Name of Love" @ 0955. Fair signal with occasional good-strong peaks. SINPO 34333.

Mon Jan 31

6210: Laser Hot Hits. Temptations "Keep A Light on in My Window" @ 0925, fair-good signal. SINPO 34333.

6306: Radio Altrex. Rock music @ 0940, fair signal. SINPO 34333. Heard @ 1030 on 6315 playing Kraftwerk. SINPO 34333.

Sun Jan 30

4015. Laser Hot Hits. Laser 558 recordings with Dexys Midnight Runners "Come on Eileen" @ 0950. SINPO 44333.

5820: Radio Saturnus: Dutch songs @ 1000, ID at 1016, fair signal. SINPO 34333.

5820: Radio Quintus. ID and greeting listeners @ 1230, then Osmonds "Crazy Horses." Good signal but fair bit of fading. SINPO 44433.

6200: Radio Orang Utan. "Cotton Eye Joe" @ 0915, followed by ID and greetings to Dr Tim. SINPO 34333.

6210: Laser Hot Hits. Reading emails, playing Beatles "Old Brown Shoe" @ 0905. SINPO 34333.

6215: Radio King Shortwave (tent). Oldies @ 0910, splash from LHH. SINPO 23332.

6240: Time Radio. Meat Loaf song @ 1045. Fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6282: Radio Shadow. "Rhythm of the Night" @ 0925. SINPO 34333.

6300: Radio Waldmeister. IDs in Dutch @ 1020, playing slow music. SINPO 34333.

6300: Radio Marconi. German songs @ 1240, good signal, some fading. SINPO 44433.

6305: Unid. Dutch songs @ 1250, some SSB QRM. Good signal with strong peaks. SINPO 43333.

6325: Radio Pink Panther. Oldies @ 1115, weak signal. SINPO 24332.

6424: Radio Scirocco. Status Quo @ 1100, fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6450: Free Radio Victoria. Jean Michel Jarre "Oxygene" @ 0940, then the Hollies, said was testing audio. SINPO 44433.

6566: Radio Experience Int. ID at 1035, playing oldies, deep fades. SINPO 34333.

Sat Jan 29

4015: Laser Hot Hits. Song by The Byrds @ 0945, fair signal but noise level quite high. SINPO 34232.

6210: Laser Hot Hits. Olivia Newton John song @ 0945. Good signal but some fading. SINPO 44433.

6220: Misti Radio. Queen songs @ 1015, weak signal with fair peaks. SINPO 24332.

6260: Time Radio. "Popcorn" @ 1010, testing new antenna, fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6285: Top Radio. Dance music @ 1245 and ID jingles. SINPO 34333. Moved to 6290 @ 1258 to avoid QRM from North Korea. SINPO 34333.

6301: Radio Bonofox. Sixties music, "Ring of Fire" @ 1300, ID jingle 1313. Fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6305: Radio Sonic. "I Can Hear Your Heartbeat" @ 0905, fair-good signal. SINPO 34333.

6310: Radio Pluto. ID jingles and song "Touch Me," fair signal but fair bit of fading. SINPO 34333.

6325: Radio Pink Panther. Oldies, weak signal @ 1400. SINPO 24332.

6326: Radio Caroline Int. Caroline jingles and dance music @ 1630, het from station on 6325. SINPO 33333.

6330: Radio Scirocco. Dutch songs @ 1600, ID at 1620, utility splash. SINPO 33333. Moved to 6425, heard @ 1635 with SINPO 34333.

6375: Radio Altrex. IDs and greetings, then "Don't Stop Believing" @ 0950. SINPO 34333.

6375: Radio Baken 16. Kinks "Lazy Sunday Afternoon" @ 1255, good signal. SINPO 44433.

6450: Free Radio Victoria. Dutch songs @ 1610. SINPO 44333.

6540: Radio Brigitte (tent). Low modulation making audio difficult to hear @ 1420. SINPO 24332.

6547: Central Radio Int. Santana "She's Not There" @ 1345. Fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6960: Mike Radio. "2468 Motorway" @ 0955, then Hot Chocolate "You Sexy Thing." Fair signal. SINPO 34333.

Fri Jan 28

3905: Skyline International Radio. Sweet "Fox on the Run" @ 2245. Good signal. SINPO 44433.

4035: Unid. Blues music @ 2255, strong signal via Barney's TenTec web receiver (strangely nothing here). SINPO 54444.

6210: Laser Hot Hits. Dave Simpson with The Animals "House of the Rising Sun" @ 1010. SINPO 34333.

6301: Misti Radio. BZN music @ 1000, weak signal. SINPO 24332.

Pirate tests to Japan

Schedule for this weekend's (January 29/30) Japan tests at the Pirate Radio DXing in SW Finland blog. Ten stations have signed up so far ... nine in Europe and one in North America.

For full details click here

Thurs Jan 27

6210: Laser Hot Hits. "Some Kind of Magic" @ 1000. Fair signal but some fading. SINPO 34333.

6220: Misti Radio. Polka @ 0935, weak signal with fair peaks. SINPO 24332.

6566: Radio Experience International. Instrumental music and greeting listeners @ 0940, fair signal with good peaks. SINPO 34333.

Wed Jan 26

6210: Laser Hot Hits. ELO "Turn to Stone" @ 1000, mentioning death of Gerry Rafferty. SINPO 34333.

10 years of Free Radio Victoria

Congratulations to Free Radio Victoria for 10 years on the air!

Tues Jan 25

6210: Laser Hot Hits. Recordings from Laser 558, Free "Alright Now" @ 1030. Fair signal but some fades. SINPO 34333.

Mon Jan 24

6210: Laser Hot Hits. The Police "Walking on the Moon" @ 1010. Fair signal, noisy, conditions still seem to be poor. SINPO 34333.

6960: Atlantic Radio. New Order "Blue Monday" @ 1020. Fair signal but fady. SINPO 34333.

Sun Jan 23

3905: Skyline Radio Int. Greeting Baken 16, playing Jon and Vangelis @ 1550. SINPO 34333.

3905: Radio Baken 16. QSO with Skyline, playing "Mexican Girl" @ 1555. SINPO 34333.

4015: Laser Hot Hits. Baccara "Yes Sir I Can Boogie" @ 0920. Fair signal. SINPO 34333.

5820: Orion Radio. Dutch songs and Offshore Echos ad @ 0910. Fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6005: Radio Gloria via Radio 700. ID and mention website, song "Right Beside You" @ 1025. Fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6200: Radio Orang Utan. Dire Straits "Sultans of Swing" @ 1240, weak signal. SINPO 24332.

6210: Laser Hot Hits. Steely Dan "Go Back Jack" @ 0955, fair-good signal. SINPO 34333.

6220: Misti Radio. Music just above the noise @ 1000. SINPO 24332.

6265: Radio Geronimo Shortwave. Dire Straits song @ 1005, then mention of Geronimo QSLs. Good signal but quick fading. SINPO 44433.

6282: Radio Shadow. Cliff Richard & The Young Ones "Living Doll" @ 0850. Fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6290: Radio Baken 16. Oldies @ 1200, ID but signal fading out. SINPO 24332.

6305: Radio Sonic. Barry Manilow "Copacabana" @ 0845. Fair-good signal. SINPO 34333.

6305: Radio Marconi. Instrumental music @ 1150, ID at 1228, fair signal but struggling with the poor conditions. SINPO 34333.

6315: Unid: Techno music heard @ 1015, weak signal with fair peaks. SINPO 24332.

6315: Old Timer Radio. "Wait Until the Midnight Hour" @ 1510, occasional ID jingles. Strong signal. SINPO 54444.

6320: Farmers from Holland. Dutch music @ 1610,. faded out few minutes later. SINPO 34333.

6375: Trans Europe Radio. Thomas Dolby "Blinded Me With Science" @ 0925. Fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6385: Radio Dutchwing. Polka @ 1505, ID and greeting listeners in Europe. SINPO 34333.

6400: Radio Corona. Polka @ 1115, talk in Dutch with ID, then Dutch song. Good signal but some fading. SINPO 44433.

6425: Radio Universe. "Lady Marmalade" @ 1110, fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6935: Mike Radio. Reading reports and talk about propagation @ 0900, playing last record "It's My Life." Fair signal with occasional strong peaks. SINPO 34333.

6960: Atlantic Radio. Erasure "Oh L'Amour" @ 1045, fair-good signal but quite noisy today. SINPO 44333.

Sat Jan 22

4015: Laser Hot Hits. Ad for FSN news then rock song "Aint Not Love" @ 0855. SINPO 34333.

4070: Radio Black Bandit (tent). Sixties music @ 1605, good signal, some fading. SINPO 44433.

6200: Radio Underground. Steve talking about the weather @ 1140, then Kate Bush "Bambooshka." Fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6210: Laser Hot Hits. Smokie Robinson "Being With You" @ 0850, good signal with strong peaks. SINPO 44444.

6220: Misti Radio. Music heard @ 0845, weak signal just above the noise. SINPO 24332.

6280: Trans Europe Radio. Dance music @ 1020, then off few minutes later. Weak/fair signal and noisy. SINPO 24332.

6315: Old Timer Radio. Dutch songs @ 1545. Strong signal at first but begininng to fade by 1600. SINPO 54444.

6325: Radio Pink Panther. Nena "Anytime Anyplace Anywhere" @ 0945. Weak signal. SINPO 24332.

6385: Radio Dutchwing. IDs and country music @ 0940. SINPO 34333.

6400: Radio Caroline Eifel. Bits of music heard just above the noise level. Weak signal @ 0935. SINPO 24332.

6960: Atlantic Radio. Alanis Morrisette song @ 0920. SINPO 44433.