BANDSCAN THREAD

One More Toy

Is listening to pirates still technically illegal?

Are there many active on mw or sw anymore?

Used to listen to laser hot hits on short wave about ten years ago, must breaks out the sw receiver and have a listen!

marno21

One More Toy wrote: »

Is listening to pirates still technically illegal?

Are there many active on mw or sw anymore?

Used to listen to laser hot hits on short wave about ten years ago, must breaks out the sw receiver and have a listen!

Last time I checked Laser are still going strong on 4026kHz.

radioguru02

marno21 wrote: »

Last time I checked Laser are still going strong on 4026kHz.

where can that be picked up

Fuzzy Clam

marno21 wrote: »

Last time I checked Laser are still going strong on 4026kHz.

I think that's from the UK now.
Occasionally they are relayed on 6205 off the web stream which is not in parallel with 4026.

Fuzzy Clam

pirateradiohed wrote: »

where can that be picked up

Much of Europe.
Easy to pick it up in Ireland at the right times of day on a decent SW radio.

Fuzzy Clam

One More Toy wrote: »

Is listening to pirates still technically illegal?

Are there many active on mw or sw anymore?

Used to listen to laser hot hits on short wave about ten years ago, must breaks out the sw receiver and have a listen!

Never was illegal.
There are about 3 SW pirates still on from Ireland inc "God" on 6295 on Sundays. About 3 or 4 from the UK and plenty from The Netherlands. Also at least one from Germany and Italy and possibly France.

marno21

Fuzzy Clam wrote: »

Never was illegal.
There are about 3 SW pirates still on from Ireland inc "God" on 6295 on Sundays. About 3 or 4 from the UK and plenty from The Netherlands. Also at least one from Germany and Italy and possibly France.

Who are the others?

Any idea where they're transmitting from?

Fuzzy Clam

marno21 wrote: »

Who are the others?

Any idea where they're transmitting from?

I'm not going to say exactly on a public forum but the LHH relay on 6205 and the God relays are from the west side of the country. 6205 also is putting out a Teneriffe pirate most days, either Energy FM or Atlantis Radio
There's another from the midlands but again, is mostly only a relay station.
A couple have gone by the wayside the last few years. Premier and Atlantic.
The UK has GSV (Good ship Venus) and WMR (Weekend Music Radio) who share the same TX in Scotland. Also Focus radio Int. and I think Merlin are still on. There's another UK station that only comes on the odd time.

radioguru02

how about am lw mw and vhf

One More Toy

Jolly Rodger still on the go?

radioguru02

any1 no if there are any pirates on uhf lw mw or any other bands

marno21

pirateradiohed wrote: »

any1 no if there are any pirates on uhf lw mw or any other bands

No long wave pirates.

There was a UHF TV pirate around here (Millstreet) but I believe it's off the air these days. You can include the deflectors in that list if you wish.

No medium wave pirates to my knowledge but there are still some in the continent using the 1611-1710kHz band.

radioguru02

marno21 wrote: »

No long wave pirates.

There was a UHF TV pirate around here (Millstreet) but I believe it's off the air these days. You can include the deflectors in that list if you wish.

No medium wave pirates to my knowledge but there are still some in the continent using the 1611-1710kHz band.

so if i were to source a radio for pirates are fm and sw my priority? and thee 1700 band you mentioned, what is the name of the band

TallGlass

pirateradiohed wrote: »

so if i were to source a radio for pirates are fm and sw my priority? and thee 1700 band you mentioned, what is the name of the band

I would imagine LW or MW. Just get a radio with everything from short to long, IE a DAB radio covering FM, AM, SW, MW & LW.

radioguru02

TallGlass wrote: »

I would imagine LW or MW. Just get a radio with everything from short to long, IE a DAB radio covering FM, AM, SW, MW & LW.

why a dab

TallGlass

pirateradiohed wrote: »

why a dab

Mate, I am starting to wonder if your just taking the mick at this stage.

But in the interest of your question.

DAB is one of the newest* broadcast technologies and is due to replace FM and would be considered its digital counterpart. So for future proofing, I would get a radio that can do DAB.

* and I use that term lightly.

radioguru02

TallGlass wrote: »

Mate, I am starting to wonder if your just taking the mick at this stage.

But in the interest of your question.

DAB is one of the newest* broadcast technologies and is due to replace FM and would be considered its digital counterpart. So for future proofing, I would get a radio that can do DAB.

* and I use that term lightly.

wo just to make it clear i no what dab is, was thinking of pirates only and was just wondering why I would need dab for scanning for pirates. cheers for the comment before the answer

TallGlass

pirateradiohed wrote: »

wo just to make it clear i no what dab is, was thinking of pirates only and was just wondering why I would need dab for scanning for pirates. cheers for the comment before the answer

No problem !

DAB is just as much a pirate option as any of the others, just hardly anyone has the receivers. So not much point launching a seriously expensive TX onto the DAB system with quite limited coverage.

TallGlass

Anyway, here is a snapshot from the past !

1996 (well as it as busy little dial then !)

AS OF 13th October 1996

1. 87.7FM Super Q link see 99.4
2. 87.8FM Energy FM
3. 89.8FM Vibe FM link freq.
4. 92.0FM Freedom FM
5. 92.5FM Mystery FM
6. 94.2FM ABC Radio
7. 94.6FM Pure FM
8. 95.5FM Heartbeat
9. 96.0FM Walkinstown Local Radio
10. 96.6FM Mix 96
11. 98.7FM Power FM
12. 99.15FM Pulse FM link freq.
13. 99.4FM Super Q
14. 100.0FM Radio Dublin (30 years on air this month)
15. 100.4FM Radio Sylvia
16. 100.5FM Club FM link freq.
17. 100.7FM Urban fm
18. 101.8FM United Christian Broadcasters Satellite relay
19. 102.5FM Radio Caroline North Dublin's Local Radio
20. 102.9FM Real FM
21. 102.9FM Rythem FM
22. 103.2FM Pulse FM (see 99.1)
23. 105.3FM Spectrum FM (was 105.4)
24. 105.3FM Jazz FM
25. 105.7FM Mix 106
26. 106.0FM D.L.R.
27. 106.4FM Club FM (see 100.5)
28. 106.9FM unid
29. 107.0FM Energy link freq.
30. 107.1FM X FM
31. 107.5FM Spectrum link Freq. see 105.3

end of the road

TallGlass wrote: »

Anyway, here is a snapshot from the past !

1996 (well as it as busy little dial then !)

AS OF 13th October 1996

87.7FM Super Q link see 99.4
87.8FM Energy FM
89.8FM Vibe FM link freq.
92.0FM Freedom FM
92.5FM Mystery FM
94.2FM ABC Radio
94.6FM Pure FM
95.5FM Heartbeat
96.0FM Walkinstown Local Radio
96.6FM Mix 96
98.7FM Power FM
99.15FM Pulse FM link freq.
99.4FM Super Q
100.0FM Radio Dublin (30 years on air this month)
100.4FM Radio Sylvia
100.5FM Club FM link freq.
100.7FM Urban fm
101.8FM United Christian Broadcasters Satellite relay
102.5FM Radio Caroline North Dublin's Local Radio
102.9FM Real FM
102.9FM Rythem FM
103.2FM Pulse FM (see 99.1)
105.3FM Spectrum FM (was 105.4)
105.3FM Jazz FM
105.7FM Mix 106
106.0FM D.L.R.
106.4FM Club FM (see 100.5)
106.9FM unid
107.0FM Energy link freq.
107.1FM X FM
107.5FM Spectrum link Freq. see 105.3

106.9 was probably that vibe fm who's link was on 89.8. certainly a busy dial back then though. as far as i know radio dublin started a lot earlier then 1986, 1966 i think? interesting to note those which survived until the 2000s.
freedom 92 fm, Walkinstown Local Radio, power fm, radio dublin, Radio Caroline North, Jazz FM, dlr (later became hits 106) x fm.
freedom, Walkinstown Local Radio, and Jazz FM all died in the 2003 raids. power fm, x fm and radio dublin left before the raids i think?
hits 106 left us in 2001. Radio Caroline North left us a bit before light fm launched i think.
freedom, x fm, power fm and jazz fm were great stations, and would still be great to have on our airwaves today. power fm and jazz fm would certainly be worthy candidates for community of interest licences in my opinion.

marno21

end of the road wrote: »

106.9 was probably that vibe fm who's link was on 89.8. certainly a busy dial back then though. as far as i know radio dublin started a lot earlier then 1986, 1966 i think? interesting to note those which survived until the 2000s.
freedom 92 fm, Walkinstown Local Radio, power fm, radio dublin, Radio Caroline North, Jazz FM, dlr (later became hits 106) x fm.
freedom, Walkinstown Local Radio, and Jazz FM all died in the 2003 raids. power fm, x fm and radio dublin left before the raids i think?
hits 106 left us in 2001. Radio Caroline North left us a bit before light fm launched i think.
freedom, x fm, power fm and jazz fm were great stations, and would still be great to have on our airwaves today. power fm and jazz fm would certainly be worthy candidates for community of interest licences in my opinion.

Were link frequencies widely received?

TallGlass

I just think it's quite funny how 20 years later how many licensed stations we have now yet the variety has diminished, to me the BCI has failed in regulation. You've nearly every station playing stuff they shouldn't be playing and its sad because there just doing so to keep there head above water cause of regulation.

And still 20 years on and not a licensed Dance station, bizarre !

I have said it before and will say it again, Pulse FM (RTE) should be put on FM. It's a brilliant station.

end of the road

marno21 wrote: »

Were link frequencies widely received?

i don't know unfortunately.

i never actually understood the whole using different frequencies for linking. i should imagine there was a good reason for it however.
isn't the practice dead now? i think the 2000s saw it die out?

end of the road

TallGlass wrote: »

I just think it's quite funny how 20 years later how many licensed stations we have now yet the variety has diminished, to me the BCI has failed in regulation. You've nearly every station playing stuff they shouldn't be playing and its sad because there just doing so to keep there head above water cause of regulation.

i agree. 1 community of interest licence in dublin, 1 in cork. plenty of room for more. having specialist services under a community of interest licence, removing the burdins of providing coverage of anything outside the community/genre of music they represent, would be a good asset for the cities.

TallGlass wrote: »

And still 20 years on and not a licensed Dance station, bizarre !

no point now tbh. the time has passed i think. dance music is best served by the pirates all though i wouldn't be against rte pulse coming on fm (more chance of me becoming taoiseach though) . even the youth pirates (ABC power104, radio friendly, pulse103) were a mix of dance/pop/r&b anyway.

TallGlass wrote: »

I have said it before and will say it again, Pulse FM (RTE) should be put on FM. It's a brilliant station.

just a shame it can't use 103.2 though!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh well!!!!!!!!!!!

radioguru02

are phever and 90s both still on 2 freqs

marno21

Any hypothetical dance station would have to be non profit. If it was a commercial entity it would become another generic mess like the rest after a while.

Dance music will forever live on the Pirates as far as I can see. Pity there isn't more of them. Surprised there isn't more in Cork, radio market in Cork is as stale.

TallGlass

marno21 wrote: »

Any hypothetical dance station would have to be non profit. If it was a commercial entity it would become another generic mess like the rest after a while.

Dance music will forever live on the Pirates as far as I can see. Pity there isn't more of them. Surprised there isn't more in Cork, radio market in Cork is as stale.

Exactly why RTE should be putting there offering of FM, instead they put the likes of Lyric FM on about 100 frequencies nationwide, put that stuff on DAB.

Sorry no disrespect, but it's like this Spirit FM station, should be on DAB only or online no need for it on FM, let alone 5 FM frequencies.

IMO, it could do some linkers into 2FM and get the traction up on that station.

Declan A Walsh

end of the road wrote: »

i don't know unfortunately.

i never actually understood the whole using different frequencies for linking. i should imagine there was a good reason for it however.
isn't the practice dead now? i think the 2000s saw it die out?

I am not an expert in these matters, but I think it was all to do with wider coverage reach.

A number of pirates in the '80s and in the '90s would have had transmitters up around the Dublin Mountains, but their studios (i.e house or shed!) would be in a different location.

So, such a pirate would have a studio link - as I say I'm not technically minded! The main frequency that the majority of listeners would hear would be that transmitter up around the mountains - this would give the wider coverage. Sometimes, depending on where the studio was located, the studio link might be picked up in areas where the transmitter frequency could not be picked up. I'm sure there were other technical issues at play too!

For example, '90s pirate Coast FM broadcast from Ballybrack. It's main transmitter around Three Rock served most of Dublin, but its studio frequency served Ballybrack, Shankill and even North Wicklow. I think Simon Maher's successor to Coast FM - Spectrum - did something similar. I can remember picking up Coast FM and then Spectrum on their main transmitter frequencies between Dundrum and town, but picking up their studio frequencies in Shankill, when I lived there!

JDxtra

Links were used because they were relatively easy ways of getting your signal from studio up to the hills. Far more options these days, but back in the '90s that was the simplest way.

radioguru02

marno21 wrote: »

Any hypothetical dance station would have to be non profit. If it was a commercial entity it would become another generic mess like the rest after a while.

Dance music will forever live on the Pirates as far as I can see. Pity there isn't more of them. Surprised there isn't more in Cork, radio market in Cork is as stale.

well klub has a massive audience well seem to, dhr 104.9 not as big. if klub could play a little bit more underground itd b gr8, theyre running 750w from a 1kw transmitter. any update on hazard