Editorial

The usual excuses

Yes we're back! Welcome another edition (at long last) of Radio Today, the radio listings magazine.

Why the name change? Well, we felt that we'd come a long way since our humble beginnings, and the name "TX" didn't explain what we did very well. So, we've become just 'Radio Today'. This name was meant to usher in a whole load of changes. We'd planned to introduce new features, add more pages and improve the design quality in this issue, but fate has conspired against us — we've run up against more problems getting this issue out than for the entire 14 issues before.

First of all, back in May the old computer used preparing the magazine decided to go all loopy and destroy the majority of the issue that was stored on it, all ready for printing out and pasting up. So, the opportunity was taken to buy a new, more powerful system, which caused a delay as everything had to be transferred to the new system.

Then, a fault on the computer meant that it had to be returned to the supplier. And thanks to a certain newspaper owner's courier company what should have taken 2 days took considerably longer. After most of the pages had been prepared with super new publishing software, it was learnt that another newspaper owner's software company wouldn't have the software to get the pages from the screen onto paper in time for the issue after all. Everything had to be redone yet again manually. The third time...

Sorry if I've bored you with our problems, but I wanted know that we've not been idle. Barring any more problems, next issue should see everything working smoothly and the arrival of the postponed improvements. This issue will be late September — for more details of the contents turn to page 27.

Finally, a welcome to Ken North to the TX Team. Happy reading to all or you, and we all hope to see some of you at the Caroline Movement's 'Driftback 20' event.

Steve Hamley

A Quick Introduction To Pirate Radio

WHAT IS RADIO TODAY? Radio Today is a radio listings magazine covering unlicensed radio, offshore radio, community radio and soon BBC, Independent and overseas radio as well.

WHAT'S IN RADIO TODAY? In each issue you'll find full details of what's going on at the moment, along with background articles looking at radio in general and alternative radio in particular.

WHAT ABOUT THE LAW? Broadcasting without a license is illegal and at present there aren't any licenses to be handed out. To try and stop illegal broadcasters, the Government has its own 'Airwave Police'. They work by tracing stations, confiscating the equipment being used and trying to prosecute the people involved.

WHO DOES THIS? This work is carried out by tracking squads from the Radio Investigation Service, otherwise known as the RIS. This is a part or the Radio Communications Division of the Department or Trade and Industry — whose initials DTI you'll find liberally sprinkled in the pages of Radio Today as a general description for the people try and stop the pirates.

HOW DO THEY WORK? The DTI traces stations on the air using triangulation methods and then raid them. Most stations use remote transmitters at unmanned sites {either rented premises or on top of council tower blocks) with a complex series of hidden links to a secret studio. This means that usually just the main transmitter will be taken. Raids do occur at studios too, but it takes much longer to find them so raids are less frequent.

HOW EASY IS IT TO TUNE IN? First, a warning. Listening to an unlicensed station is against the law, although that doesn't stop several million people doing so every week. The offshore stations that operate on the medium wave (MW/AM) can be received on most medium wave radios. Most land-based pirates broadcast on VHF/FM with varying power levels. The major stations, like LWR and TKO, are on the air 24 hours a day and can be picked up on any normal radio throughout London. There is a wide range of smaller stations, sometimes on the air for just a few hours a week to a specific part of London. You'll find all the details in AM/FM along with a whole lot more.