Can you buy an FM Radio Licence from a Licence Holder?

[DJ KB]

Hi all,

I'm pretty new here so I do apologise in advance if my questions seem rudimentary. I'm seeking to obtain an FM Radio Channel/Licence in the Essex and London areas, but I don't seem to know how to get it. I'v gone to Ofcom's website and it looked like it's almost impossible to get one. Can I buy one from an licence holder who may want to sell their station? Also, how risky is it to run a Pirate FM radio station? Do they really prosecute people who run pirate FM radio stations in the UK? I would really want to have an FM radio Licence and would be grateful if members can advise me how to it.

Any ideas would be very much appreciated.

Many thanks.

[tokingmenace]

For FM licence in the UK it's really not that simple...

Most of the FM licences are all owned by big national companies / groups - so unless you are mega rich, you have no chance.

A community licence would be the way to go, but I don't think they are currently advertising any as ofcom are concentraiting on the roll out of small scale DAB.

You used to be able to apply for an FM RSL licence 'short term'. Not sure if this is still a thing and the last time I had any involment was over 20 years ago and cost a few grand for a 2 week local fm broadcast.

Your best bet is go online first and then see if you can pay to go on a local DAB Mux legally, or run online and unofficially go on FM as a pirate

[DJ KB]

Many thanks Tokingmenace,

That is very helpful, but it provokes more questions. I'm already running an online Radio Station: how can I go FM unoffically without having issues with 'them'? I would need to install an FM Antena which would be high and visible. Any ideas about how to go unoffical and not be caught?

I ppreciate your contribution Sir.

Thanks.

[fmuser877]

https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/10050053 ... ry_from%3A

and the aerial just looks like a normal fm aerial.
I have used this TX at caravan holiday sites no one noticed it.
range is about 1 mile from my garden and the aerial is not even high up
at top hight about 5 miles.

[Wk-end]

Stream to and laptop with mobile internet, plug into a fm tx.

Job done!

[DJ KB]

Hi everyone,

I need your ideas. Is there an FM Antena that you can hide from dedection? I'm planning to go FM unnoficially, but I'm concerned about the risk of being caught. Any ideas?

Many thanks.

[SoundFm]

Is this some kind of wind up?

[DJ KB]

Not a wind up at all Sir. I'm trying to know a bit more about Pirate FM.

Many thanks.

[mixfm]

google it, surley this is a wind up;

[Wk-end]

Buy a receiver and u good!

[sniperz]

https://vi.aliexpress.com/item/10050053 ... ry_from%3A

and the aerial just looks like a normal fm aerial.
I have used this TX at caravan holiday sites no one noticed it.
range is about 1 mile from my garden and the aerial is not even high up
at top hight about 5 miles.

I thought these ready made Chinese boxes were considered a no-no, have they stepped up in terms of quality? A 5 mile radius for £70 seems ideal, it looks like the usual coax out so presumably could be connected to a more substantial aerial?

[fmuser877]

only a tnc converter and aerial with better cable
but the one it comes with is just like a DAB aerial if put outside.

[Albert H]

Those Chinese boxes are awful. They are all based on amplifying the output of an "FM Transmitter" IC. These ICs were created for very low power operation over a few feet from your CD or MP3 player to a nearby car radio aerial. They're fine for their intended purpose, and the very low power output means that the mess that comes out of them won't go far, so shouldn't cause interference. Unfortunately, you'll find that they smear their mess across the FM band and beyond. The Chinese transmitters just amplify this mess, and are guaranteed to cause interference.

When I was down in London last year, a friend of mine complained that much of his FM radio reception was being wiped out by a nearby pirate. We went out and did a little sleuthing, and with the use of a couple of portable radios with field strength meters, we tracked down the interference source to a house about 600m from my friend's place. We knocked on the door and politely explained the problem to the lad who was operating this "station". We demonstrated that not only was his rig radiating on 97.7 MHz (the frequency he was announcing on air), but also on several other frequencies in the FM band (albeit with reduced field strength),and on several harmonics too.

Later on, we brought 'round a spectrum analyser, and showed the lad that the output spectrum from his rig looked like a hedgehog, with spikes everywhere! One of the bigger spurs was very close to 121.5MHz - the primary aircraft distress frequency. We pointed out that if he caused the slightest interference to anyone legitimately trying to use that distress frequency, he'd be locked up for some time - probably on a trumped-up "terrorism" charge!

He shut down his station, and we put him in touch with someone who can supply him some quality FM pirating gear, and explained also that operating from home was certain to get him into trouble.....

[outis]

Hi everyone,

I need your ideas. Is there an FM Antena that you can hide from dedection? I'm planning to go FM unnoficially, but I'm concerned about the risk of being caught. Any ideas?

Many thanks.

Yes.
Get a normal FM dipole antenna.
Get a black plastic water pipe into which the antenna can fit. A 7 or 8ft pipe 4 in diameter should do the trick.
Put your antenna inside the pipe.
Then place the pipe at a place outside your house like the side of the roof to making it look as a drain pipe.
Try to make the coaxial feeding cable inconspicuous.
It will not fool anyone with radio detection equipment but optically no one would know there is an antenna there and it will not draw any attention from neighbours or passersby.

[sproggy]

Those Chinese boxes are awful. They are all based on amplifying the output of an "FM Transmitter" IC. These ICs were created for very low power operation over a few feet from your CD or MP3 player to a nearby car radio aerial. They're fine for their intended purpose, and the very low power output means that the mess that comes out of them won't go far, so shouldn't cause interference. Unfortunately, you'll find that they smear their mess across the FM band and beyond. The Chinese transmitters just amplify this mess, and are guaranteed to cause interference.

When I was down in London last year, a friend of mine complained that much of his FM radio reception was being wiped out by a nearby pirate. We went out and did a little sleuthing, and with the use of a couple of portable radios with field strength meters, we tracked down the interference source to a house about 600m from my friend's place. We knocked on the door and politely explained the problem to the lad who was operating this "station". We demonstrated that not only was his rig radiating on 97.7 MHz (the frequency he was announcing on air), but also on several other frequencies in the FM band (albeit with reduced field strength),and on several harmonics too.

Later on, we brought 'round a spectrum analyser, and showed the lad that the output spectrum from his rig looked like a hedgehog, with spikes everywhere! One of the bigger spurs was very close to 121.5MHz - the primary aircraft distress frequency. We pointed out that if he caused the slightest interference to anyone legitimately trying to use that distress frequency, he'd be locked up for some time - probably on a trumped-up "terrorism" charge!

He shut down his station, and we put him in touch with someone who can supply him some quality FM pirating gear, and explained also that operating from home was certain to get him into trouble.....

I ain't reading all that
I'm happy for you though
Or sorry that happened

[radionortheast]

Another radio station did take over a community station, Rinse fm acquires Swu fm, you would be subject to all the coniditions costs which go along with it.

it might be better putting it online if you want to reach some listeners, over many areas of the uk no one would hear it, most people use smart speakers, the audience share of fm listening is something that is rapidly going down, its gone down another few % over the past year.
if your allowed you should put the aerial outside and as high as it will go, have it on if you want to hear something yourself, but don’t leave it on, most of the time it will be just an fm aerial that will sitting up in the air not doing anything, fm aerials are quite common.

[Persona Non Grata]

Put your antenna inside the pipe.
Then place the pipe at a place outside your house like the side of the roof to making it look as a drain pipe.
Try to make the coaxial feeding cable inconspicuous.
It will not fool anyone with radio detection equipment

If one was located in a terraced house and the "drainpipe" was right on the property line it could be tricky for them to figure out exactly which house the transmission was coming from ?

Although a rooftop aerial on the "wrong" side of a chimney stack could also confuse them ?