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London pirate radio - news and discussion

ska invita said:
Not been a good year on the FM - my favourite stations all down over the last year, Kool, House, Galaxy and even Rinse all off the FM dial, seemingly for good - Galaxy by court order. Not sure whats happened to Rinse - they've got a license! But just broadcasting silence for about a year now.

Almost exclusively listen to Venture now on the FM. Back to Back signal isn't strong enough in south london....can almost pick it up. excellent station though, worth checking online, Back2BackFM

There's a good dark DnB station called Wax https://www.londonswax.com that's been running of late - 102.8? I forget - but again the signal isn't quite good enough where i am. Just read they're Plumstead based...signal stronger further east

I get S-Dance signal strong. Never knew till recently that the S stands for South! Must be why the signal is so good for me. Unfortunately I don't really like any of their selection. Shame. I love House and DnB and yet what they play doesnt do it for me.
Click to expand...

Kool still seem to be live on TuneIn. I can never work out though which stations are really 'live' or if they're just playing pre-recorded mix tapes. I never hear any MCs on a lot of these stations anymore so I reckon its just a server.

I just want to find a decent station playing old school house, garage and jungle with proper DJs and MCs round the clock. Fine if its online. But nothing legit. Flex FM which used to be good, has become horribly commercial since getting a license so I'm very wary. Plus I prefer the dodgy ads from pirates :cool:
 
skyscraper101 said:
Kool still seem to be live on TuneIn. I can never work out though which stations are really 'live' or if they're just playing pre-recorded mix tapes. I never hear any MCs on a lot of these stations anymore so I reckon its just a server.

I just want to find a decent station playing old school house, garage and jungle with proper DJs and MCs round the clock. Fine if its online. But nothing legit. Flex FM which used to be good, has become horribly commercial since getting a license so I'm very wary. Plus I prefer the dodgy ads from pirates :cool:
Click to expand...
yeah i think if zero talk presume its pre recorded. its so much harder to run a station Live.
Select might do it for you Skyscraper
Think this is the website

Welcome selectukradio.com - BlueHost.com

Bluehost - Top rated web hosting provider - Free 1 click installs For blogs, shopping carts, and more. Get a free domain name, real NON-outsourced 24/7 support, and superior speed. web hosting provider php hosting cheap web hosting, Web hosting, domain names, front page hosting, email hosting...
selectukradio.com
Theyre on the FM too - 99.3

Here's a recent FM scan off another forum:


Code: 
Freq    Name            Signal Level        Notes
                (out of 7)
                Paddington /
                Greenwich   
87.7    Wimbledon        1.5 / 0.5        RSL
87.8    The Rock 926        3.5 / 3.5   
88.0    Pulse            3.5 / 2.5   
88.2    Rude            2 / 0            Blank carrier, appeared late in Paddington, might have gone by the time I got to Greenwich
88.4    Vision            2 / 3.5   
88.6    Back2Back FM        3 / 2.5   
89.4    Citylock Radio        3 blank and        Blank carrier
                1 modulated /
                4   
89.6    Westside        1 / 0            Community
89.8    Station FM        1 / 2            Quiet audio when scanning in Greenwich
90.0    Hot 90            3.5 / 4   
90.2    Point Blank FM        5 / 3            TX freq jolts up and down at regular intervals, noted this time last year too
90.6    UNID            2 / 4            Blank carrier
90.8    Lightning        3 / 3   
91.5    Mega Radio London    4.5 / 5            Blank carrier
91.6    Gold            0 / 1.5   
92.0    Nu Sound        2 / 3            Community
92.2    MetroLoveRadio        2 / 1.5   
92.4    Gold            2 / 1.5            Relay of legal, audio lacks some high end
92.8    Flight FM        3 / ?            Bad audio, knocks RDS out until you get a patch of silence and then BER on RDS Spy goes up to 0%
92.8    Stomp            2 / 3.5   
93.0    Slam Radio        2.5 / 2.5        Blank carrier in Greenwich
93.0    UNID            0 / 1            Behind Slam, playing house mix, noticed while Slam was on blank carrier by notching the Slam carrier out.
93.8    Vibes FM        3.5 / 3   
94.2    True Flavas Live    0 / 1.5   
94.4    Flames            1.2 / 0   
95.1    Origin UK        2.5 / 2.5   
95.4    UK Roots FM        2 / 2.5            Greenwich: Hidden behind On Top
95.5    On Top FM        3.5 / 4   
96.1    S-Dance            3.5 / 3.5   
96.4    Surprise Radio        2.5 / 3   
96.5    Maritime Radio        1.5 / 2            Worse in Greenwich than in Paddington!
97.1    London Soul Radio    2.5 / 3.5   
97.7    SLR            2 / 3   
98.3    RJR London        1 / 0.5   
99.3    Select UK        4 / 3   
99.5    Venture FM        2.5 / 4.5   
99.7    Intent Radio        5.5 / 0            Audio on when I got to London, carrier with RDS by the time I got SDR set up. Might have been taken off by the time I got to Greenwich the next day.
99.8    Supreme FM Live        2.5 / 5            Blank carrier due to link/stream issues?
101.1    Naija            1.5 / 3            Hum
101.2    Unique FM        1.5 @ max        Rig problem - Signal gets stronger for about 1 sec and then goes back to previous level at regular intervals
                .5 @ min /
                1.5 @ max
                0 @ min   
101.4    Flex FM            3.5 / 3.5        Community
101.8    Bizim FM        1.2 / 2.5   
102.0    Concious Radio        3.5 / 5            RDS too low to get PS despite good signal level. Distorted audio.
102.5    Galaxy            2 / 0            Blank carrier, if on at all, might be false positive
102.8    Radyo Umut        1 / 3   
103.6    The Beat        1.5 / 1            Community
104.0    Spice Radio 1        1.5 / 2            RDS very high, comes through despite low signal
104.2    Play FM            0.5 / 3   
104.4    Resonance FM        3.5 / 3.75        Community
105.6    Playback UK        4 / 3            In Paddington - Blank carrier
106.0    GM Radio Online    3 / 3.5   
106.5    Project            2.7 / 3.5        Sounds like it's breaking up in stereo
106.8    Rinse FM        3.5 / 2.5       
107.5    Raw            1.5 / 0            Hidden by Time FM in Greenwich

Project London on 106.5 is an interesting station and unique - deep/tech house, zero chat
 
ska invita said:
yeah i think if zero talk presume its pre recorded. its so much harder to run a station Live.
Select might do it for you Skyscraper
Think this is the website

Welcome selectukradio.com - BlueHost.com

Bluehost - Top rated web hosting provider - Free 1 click installs For blogs, shopping carts, and more. Get a free domain name, real NON-outsourced 24/7 support, and superior speed. web hosting provider php hosting cheap web hosting, Web hosting, domain names, front page hosting, email hosting...
selectukradio.com
Theyre on the FM too - 99.3
Click to expand...

Cheers I'll check them out

:thumbs:
 
cupid_stunt said:
I wonder if someone will launch a pirate DAB multiplex at some point, it has happened in Ireland - FreeDab
Click to expand...
Its oldskool pirate Centreforce that are on DAB that i was thinking of - but it might be legally rather thank hacking it, Im not sure
centreforceradio.com

Centreforce Radio 883 - Global Dance Music Radio Station

Centreforce 883 has grown to be one of the largest independent dance music radio stations globally broadcasting on DAB+, TuneIn Radio and 883TV.
centreforceradio.com centreforceradio.com
eta yeah its legal
 
ska invita said:
Its oldskool pirate Centreforce that are on DAB that i was thinking of - but it might be legally rather thank hacking it, Im not sure
centreforceradio.com

Centreforce Radio 883 - Global Dance Music Radio Station

Centreforce 883 has grown to be one of the largest independent dance music radio stations globally broadcasting on DAB+, TuneIn Radio and 883TV.
centreforceradio.com centreforceradio.com
eta yeah its legal
Click to expand...

Blimey, they are on one of the commercial multiplexes, with coverage right across London and well into neighbouring counties, such as Essex, Kent & Surrey, that can't be cheap.

I know the cost on the Sussex multiplex was around £30k pa, so at a guess I would say at least £50k pa for that coverage.

The London DAB trial mini-multiplex I seem to remember reading costs only £5k pa, but the coverage & signal strength is not so good, I think some of those that use it are ex-pirates, in addition to Radio Caroline, list of stations - Broadcasters - U.DAB
 
ska invita said:
New book...not read it


book-cover.jpg

London’s Pirate Pioneers tells the story of the capital’s pirate radio stations and the people who helped change the British broadcasting system.

From the early hobbyist operations of the 1960s to the big commercial enterprises of the 1980s. From suburban bedrooms to open fields to urban tower blocks. From hippies to soul boys to ravers. The book weaves together a year-by-year account of the developments in London’s radio with the stories of the key stations. It explores the political, social, musical and technological changes that were to influence each stage in their evolution.

Photos from every era take you behind the scenes to see the DJs and engineers at work and the book gathers together flyers and promos from many of the leading stations.

Stephen Hebditch was editor of TX / Radio Today, the most popular pirate radio magazine in eighties London, and has continued documenting the pirates at amfm.org.uk.

See what's covered in the contents and index.
(impressive contents....up to 1990...)
London's Pirate Pioneers: Book Contents

Published by TX Publications. ISBN 978-0-9932652-0-4. 322 pages. £14.95.
Click to expand...
Just ordered this.
Transmitters are such good quality now and cheap too. Ooh.
 
Just made aware of a Radio Thamesmead station - has some good shows on it - such as this On The Wire esque show



rtm.fm

RTM.FM | A Radio Station in Thamesmead

RTM is a radio station based in Thamesmead, SE London, run by the artist space TACO! as a platform for community-produced culture, debate, art and music.
rtm.fm rtm.fm
not pirate, local license, but worth a check
 
skyscraper101 said:
Kool still seem to be live on TuneIn. I can never work out though which stations are really 'live' or if they're just playing pre-recorded mix tapes. I never hear any MCs on a lot of these stations anymore so I reckon its just a server.

I just want to find a decent station playing old school house, garage and jungle with proper DJs and MCs round the clock. Fine if its online. But nothing legit. Flex FM which used to be good, has become horribly commercial since getting a license so I'm very wary. Plus I prefer the dodgy ads from pirates :cool:
Click to expand...

My radio is pretty much locked on to Vision FM, mainly cuz its at the beginning of the FM dial (88.4)...play all sorts mainly house, garage and jungle. Sunday around 10pm they played a BLINDING jungle set 2/3hrs , commercial and lesser played stuff...no MCs though.
 
sovereignb said:
My radio is pretty much locked on to Vision FM, mainly cuz its at the beginning of the FM dial (88.4)...play all sorts mainly house, garage and jungle. Sunday around 10pm they played a BLINDING jungle set 2/3hrs , commercial and lesser played stuff...no MCs though.
Click to expand...

Cool. I'll check it out.
 
Pretty much stopped listening to Rinse now but checking out Reprazent a lot more these days - definitely seems to be the home of fresh, people in their 20s music, which is where new music comes from really. A couple too many grime shows but so much interesting stuff to check out on there. If anyone has any tips for particularly good shows.... im all ears

now theyve moved Josie Rebelle from Sunday mornings ive switched to Brown x Blue
soundcloud.com

Brown X Blue

Reprezent 107.3FM Sunday | Weekly 10AM - 12PM GMT(London) 6AM - 9AM EST (New York) 7PM - 9PM JST (Tokyo) Info & Bookings: infobrownxblue@gmail.com The Home of New Age Smooth brought to you by @Mel
soundcloud.com soundcloud.com
 
Last edited:
Anyone know what's happening with RJR (98.3)? - I'm way off the edge of the radio signal, but not getting it on the internets - nothing on their website to say they are out of action
 
Little bit of 90s radio nostalgia - 10 minutes of SU Corporation radio ads - the most annoying adverts on jungle pirate radio ever! Challenge: listen to all ten minutes :thumbs:
 
ska invita said:
Little bit of 90s radio nostalgia - 10 minutes of SU Corporation radio ads - the most annoying adverts on jungle pirate radio ever! Challenge: listen to all ten minutes :thumbs:
Click to expand...


Aww. I love pirate radio ads. I just came on to ask if anyone knows of any compilations. They make me smile :)
 
ska invita said:
Pretty much stopped listening to Rinse now but checking out Reprazent a lot more these days - definitely seems to be the home of fresh, people in their 20s music, which is where new music comes from really. A couple too many grime shows but so much interesting stuff to check out on there. If anyone has any tips for particularly good shows.... im all ears

now theyve moved Josie Rebelle from Sunday mornings ive switched to Brown x Blue
soundcloud.com

Brown X Blue

Reprezent 107.3FM Sunday | Weekly 10AM - 12PM GMT(London) 6AM - 9AM EST (New York) 7PM - 9PM JST (Tokyo) Info & Bookings: infobrownxblue@gmail.com The Home of New Age Smooth brought to you by @Mel
soundcloud.com soundcloud.com
Click to expand...
Are you still listening to Reprezent? It's not a pirate but I've been loving the enthusiasm for the last few years. The DJs are gradually coming back after the lockdown playlist loops-the BLM one was particularly strong, from Revolution won't be Televised through Strange Fruit to Dave and a lot more. I've no particular favourites atm but I followed Neptizzle to Rinse (most sunday afternoons, 3pm) when he got to 25 and was too old.
 
newbie said:
Are you still listening to Reprezent? It's not a pirate but I've been loving the enthusiasm for the last few years. The DJs are gradually coming back after the lockdown playlist loops-the BLM one was particularly strong, from Revolution won't be Televised through Strange Fruit to Dave and a lot more. I've no particular favourites atm but I followed Neptizzle to Rinse (most sunday afternoons, 3pm) when he got to 25 and was too old.
Click to expand...
yes i try it on a lot....still really need to find a dj or two that i really like...even if i dont always love the music overall overall it just makes me feel good about the next generation
 
ska invita said:
yes i try it on a lot....still really need to find a dj or two that i really like...even if i dont always love the music overall overall it just makes me feel good about the next generation
Click to expand...
exactly. Some of the music is dreadful, I had to turn it off yesterday, but I keep going back because some of it is so good. One of the morning DJs used to do a guest phone-in quiz thingie, the sort of thing I generally can't bear, but she'd tie both of them into such absurd tangles of misunderstanding through youthful ignorance/innocence which were hysterically funny, laughing with her and not at her iyswim.
 
stethoscope said:
This could have been posted in a few places, but thought I'd keep it to the music forum.

Spending some good time flicking through the dial at the weekend, London continues to be utterly crammed with pirate stations - some great, more than some pretty dire.
Click to expand...

I've amassed a lot of tape rips from some of these stations and spent more than a healthy amount of time tagging them up as proper MP3 files to download and listen to and share, as they promote our incredible musical heritage if nothing else. I see other replies to this post saying these stations will never get licenses, including Rinse. But am pleased to see that Rinse FM has just celebrated it's 10th anniversary of legal broadcasting and is now a true community asset.

Please share these cloud folders with anybody and everybody who you believe would be keen to hear - or just people with an interest in archiving social progress.
I can't guarantee I can keep them online forever. I've only recently started uploading two terabytes of recordings to MediaFire so these folders will become fuller as time goes on. Feel free to bookmark and go by the upload timestamps to sort which are newly added if you want to get copies of everything.

https://www.urban75.net/forums/thre...nd-legal-radio-broadcasts-to-download.372564/

Enjoy!
 
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