Considering the government has access to the NSA's mega complex which currently estimates to have 5 times the computer power of the rest of the world combined.. I don't trust or like to use the Internet in regards to my search for other lovers of freedom or my quest for freedom based news. So do any of these ilegal radio stations still exist?
I come into a lot of contact with various "internet firms". I've also just finished closing my site and I'm trying to put together a class action suit against google for their "advertising" fraud. Scarry shit these Internet companies when you dig scratch below the surface. So in short, not only do I want to find some good old fashioned pirate radio stations but I want to start my own not-internet dependant broadcast. (I'm going to have to reseach what equipment I need)
I have a "how to" manual at home for pirate radio. Will try to remember to look for it... From what I've heard, most/many operate just below the 40 meter Ham band, either using AM or one of the sidebands. The book I have was online somewhere and is a fun read.
A lot of people see radio as an unimportant medium nowadays. But radio is done without having to relay through a third party's equipment. That said, to a degree on the HF bands it's sort of "message in a bottle" communication- the signal goes out and lands who knows where... wherever the ionized layers of the atmosphere magically carry it. But no cell towers or anything are needed- the receiver picks up the sender's direct signal. I could tell a few stories about why I love/loved radio... There used to be a licensed FCC station in my hometown that practically was pirate radio. But very local. They gave constant disclaimers on content and said Fuck a lot. Reggae was the default standard music. Legends abound about the station- a programmer bragged that he'd sold a half bag after announcing he an extra half bag, on the air, if anyone needed one (someone called in off-air). Supposedly they ran up more than $50,000 in phone bills to revolutionary guerrilla groups in Africa, from just a few programmers. Bomb threats and harassment were endured constantly (while taking a tour they let me answer a random call, and it was a threat... I passed it on to the crew who worked there and they laughed in unison... nice welcome... it was ceaseless). They had a soundboard that was used in some role or other at Woodstock, and other equipment of local lore. The people hanging out there were a fascinating mix. Black revolutionaries, gay activists, hippies who did folk and old time music shows, two quiet girls making out on the couch, two guys talking excitedly about Donovan. It was totally counterculture, yet a real eye-opening example of just how diverse and varied the interests of said "counter-culture" really are/were (this was late 1970s). The station almost lost its license finally... I guess that was the early 1980s by then. Reagan era. It's a whole different station nowadays. Not sure why I posted all that, since it wasn't real pirate radio, was not on a band with much "skip," and I didn't even spend a lot of time there to say much of it. But to me it was a kewl peek at the power of radio to bring diverse but allied people together in that pre-Internet time. Under the radar community programming. Radio remains interesting. It's the one true peer to peer technology we have. The manual I had on pirate radio is online, and there are others too... http://www.scribd.com/doc/51386615/Pirate-Radio-Manual
I've been running a pirate radio station for years. I started with a Ramsey transmitter at a 10-watt amplifier on FM (stereo of course). I now use a 7 watt Chinese all-in-one transmitter (CZH-7C) that gives me better fidelity and range. My antenna is at the top of a 100' high loblolly pine. Most of the time I am only broadcasting web radio stations I like so I can hear them all over town when I drive. My following is very small. BUT, when the shit hits the fan, I'm prepared to be the voice of trade in this little town. Jal
I think the problem is if you get a big station, they find you in about two seconds with trangulation. But that's pretty neat, jal. Originally this was solved with true pirate radio, using old ocean going vessels to broadcast from international waters. But even then they had governmental problems.
What I have considered is building a repeater and locating it remotely, on a hill. The transmitter and receiver would easily fit in a metal box the size of a tool case or key locker. I'd mount it to a pole and add a 15 watt solar panel and a charge controller to keep a AGM or other deep cycle rechargeable battery. Basically the receiver either runs constantly or on a timer. When you want to access it you use a tone control. The DTMF for a touch tone pad would work. That would switch the transmitter on and it would broadcast whatever was coming into the receiver. So you can be sitting remotely with a very low power transmitter broadcasting to a repeater on a pole that looks like any other instrument on a pole with a solar panel and a weird antenna. Naturally if I broadcast pot prices or songs with los of foul words or I try to start a neo-Nazi call-in show, I expect the station to be sought, located and dismantled. I also expect to be out a few hundred bucks. But imagine a bunch of these along an interstate corridor. Broadcast during both rush hours and recharge between them. Jal
We're expecting an ice storm tonight. That means nobody driving around trying to find a strange transmitter. I will begin broadcasting the moment the temp drops below 32F. I usually start the show with I wanna see your pussy by Lords of Acid or Cherry Pie by ICP. Anyone searching for a station can't miss it. I use a text to speech website for my voice over parts. The rest is uncut, uncensored music and some comedy by Sam Kennison and Richard Pryor. So anyone trapped in their home by snow with no cable will at least have some good FM programming!! Jal
Great idea Jalesto! Once I finish my quadcopter project, I'm gonna look into doing something similar.
I don't know about the complexity of IT accessibility, though the simplicity of a desire for authoritarianism - for which Big Brother (ism) is all around does give rise to/for it to occur. Back in the day - Pirate Radio rode on the crest of Rebellious and Youthful wave desiring change - the fact is the devil floated within the tide - and there is always order within chaos - if it is to achieve longevity. Pirate/Freedom Radio will always be there, if there is the desire! it's long term sustainability of conscience however, is, I feel questionable
I am bothered by the "Im just black" statement of yours..... i do not see color like that........i am trying to see you.....whoever......whatever person that you are inside.