There haven’t been that many big-screen films made about pirate radio. The only ones that come to mind, except for the slew of documentaries produced in the last decade or so, are On the Air Live with Captain Midnight (1979 – extra-cheese, please!), Sir! No Sir! (2005 – more of a documentary about internal military resistance to Vietnam, it highlights the role of Dave Rabbit and Radio First Termer quite prominently), and, probably the best-known of the bunch, Pump Up the Volume (1990 – a cult classic).
None of the above movies (save for the documentaries) are big on facts; to wit, the FCC does not chase people around broadcasting from Jeeps in big orange bread trucks with “F.C.C.” stenciled on the side of them. Continue reading “The Next Best Thing Since Pump Up The Volume?”
Tag: radio caroline
Classic British Ex-pirate Pays Ransom, Expands Audience
The legendary Radio Caroline has for years been engaged in rebuilding itself, in hopes of perhaps securing a broadcast license and even, just maybe, broadcasting again from studios onboard one of its former ship-homes. It claims to have taken a major step toward this recently when it secured the rights to be heard over Sky Digital, the dominant satellite TV provider in the U.K. Sky dwarfs its cable and satellite-based competitors, reaching some 29 million British homes. Caroline is now heard on Sky Digital channel 0199, in homage to the original pirate station’s broadcast wavelength of 199 meters (~1510 KHz). Continue reading “Classic British Ex-pirate Pays Ransom, Expands Audience”
More Audio Online
As the Truthful Translations counter up top shows, there’s now one cut online for every day of the year. Central to this particular update is the prolific Scott Walmsley, who’s also done up a Celebrity Speech collage on everybody’s favorite TV blowhard, Bill O’Reilly (described by Walmsley as “a major f*ck head”).
There’s also new free media-themed music online: Brooklyn-based Gun Street Radio pays homage to Radio Caroline while SD punks Cheap Sex screams foul about the FCC’s ongoing anti-indecency crusade.
KHz and MHz Meet H2O
Listening to pirate radio is a risk-free adventure. Whether the fun can be found on AM, FM or shortwave, all it takes to find a pirate is a decent radio receiver and some determination to find one.
Being a radio pirate is a bit more risky – there’s the chance of getting caught and prosecuted by the authorities, and there’s constant pressure to avoid that fate.
Some pirates simply broadcast sporadically; others change frequencies to avoid detection. Those more serious about staying one step ahead of a bust will even take their operation mobile, moving around in a truck or van to keep the radio cops guessing.
But the most gutsy move a pirate’s ever taken is to get a hold of a ship, fit it out with all the gear, and set sail for the high seas. They’re the offshore pirates, and they’ve presented the biggest challenge to broadcast laws: how can you crack down on a pirate when they’re physically outside your reach? Continue reading “KHz and MHz Meet H2O”