Pirate radio

The term pirate radio lacks a specific universal interpretation. It implies a form of broadcasting that is unwelcomed by the licensing authorities within the territory where its signals are received, especially when the country of transmission is the same as the country of reception. When the area of transmission is not a country, or when it is a country and the transmissions are not illegal, those same broadcast signals may be deemed illegal in the country of reception. Therefore "pirate radio" can mean many things to many people. Pirate radio stations are sometimes called bootleg stations.

See also

AMATEUR PIRATE RADIO: Pirate amateur radio operators in the United States are rare, but they do exist. Since they would be shunned by their fellow hams, they don't publicize their illegal status. Amateur radio operators use the term bootleg to describe illegal equipment or operators. In the early days of Citizens Band Radio a license was required and many operators simply didn't bother to get one. Many bootleg CB operators also used transmitters that radiated more than the four watts allowed or operated on frequencies that were not authorized for CB operation.

Related Topics:
Amateur radio - Citizens Band Radio

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• (In the UK different laws and regulations apply.)

COMMUNITY RADIO: In the USA Community radio is often used to describe licensed low power stations serving particular communities. It is also used by unlicensed pirate radio stations using very low power to describe their activities and by other stations seeking to obtain licenses for such operations. See also Micropower radio.

Related Topics:
Community radio - Micropower radio

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• (In the UK the term "Community Radio" had a particular point of reference to a plan proposed in the 1980s to licence previously unlicensed land based pirate radio stations, but that plan was aborted prior to being implemented. Today the term "Community Radio" is often used in the UK in conjunction with RSL for legally licensed low-power stations. A Restricted Service Licence "RSL", is granted by governmental regulators for low power and short duration transmissions serving a local community or special interest attraction.)