pirate tv past and present

[radio free king]

i have heard of nova tv but thats about it, does anybody know much about this subject.

[TonyCurrie]

Pirate TV does not have the long pedigree that pirate radio has. There was an attempt in the 60s to transmit "TV Tower" to the East of England from one of the wartime forts, but although I believe a test card was actually transmitted, that was about it.

Chris certainly did attempt NOVA TV because I know Sybil sat in front of a camera at one time, but it wasn't their most glorious moment.

The Americans broadcast television propaganda to the Vietnamese from aeroplanes, and there was a rumour that Caroline TV was going to be broadcast from planes flying over the UK but that - like many of these schemes - came to nowt.

[Mike]

There were several attempts at pirate tv in Ireland
Big D TV and Nova probably being the best remembered but there was also Telefis na Gaeltacht (which like Saor Radio Connemara led to the Govt setting up a legal replacement) Capital TV and Radio Dublin TV never made it beyond initial tests Outside of Dublin there was Boynside TV. Some of the deflector systems used to carry occasional local opt outs as well.

In London there was Thameside TV and Network 21 during the 1980's. The CIA broadcast to Latin America using planes and to Cuba using a helium baloon but Its only in Italy, Greece, Spain, Israel and parts of Eastern Europe that pirate TV has occured on a massive scale

[Mike]

Oh yeah I forgot to mention RLO TV as well although this one is a bit of a legal grey area as it was a satellite channel rebroadcast on UHF by a licenced deflector operator

Mind you said licence didnt cover FM radio transmissions !

[JamesDeane]

There used to be a summer pirate tv station in Ballinamore in County Leitrim.

They had paul williams of the Sunday World on for an interview one night.

It was good craic!

[trev]

Ya, i heard about that leitrim station. what was it's output power? what gear did they use?

[16.db]

see for sale 1000 watt amps can be used for tv transmission
dont know if you would get a good following with all the cable and
dishes see megawatt thread sure he will give you details