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PIRATE TV STATIONS: THE NEW CB ??

unit_399

EL CAPO
Jun 17, 2008
2,122
3,024
273
ALEJANDRIA, COLOMBIA SA
When the switchover to digital TV is complete, and stations discontinue broadcasting analog signals, I expect to see a LOT of pirate tv stations pop up. Video recorders, camcorders, etc., with channel 3 & 4 rf outputs could easily serve as the basis for a low power station, and high gain beam antennas are readily available. Theoretically, mobile operation would also be feasible. AND we're not talking fuzzy slow-scan stuff here...We'd be looking at high quality color with stereo sound. Maybe, unwittingly, the FCC has created " Citizens Band Tevevision."

Anyway, it sure looks like fun to me. Wonder where I can buy a tv linear amp and a 100 channel rf output adaptor?????

- 399
 
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When the switchover to digital TV is complete, and stations discontinue broadcasting analog signals, I expect to see a LOT of pirate tv stations pop up. Video recorders, camcorders, etc., with with channel 3 & 4 rf outputs could easily serve as the basis for a low power station, and high gain beam antennas are readily available. Theoretically, mobile operation would also be feasible. AND we're not talking fuzzy slow-scan stuff here...We'd be looking at high quality color with stereo sound. Maybe, unwittingly, the FCC has created " Citizens Band Tevevision."

Anyway, it sure looks like fun to me. Wonder where I can buy a tv linear amp and a 100 channel rf output adaptor?????

- 399
looks like a pink slip waitng to happen :blink:
 
i have to admit , the idea sounds intriguing .
i could broadcast dvds of Pink Floyd , Joe Satriani , etc

to my neighbors , lol

what is the legality of this ?
im not familiar , is there an exemption for lower power ?
i thought i had heard that the spectrum to be freed up from the switch to digital
had already been promised to another entity .
anybody know for certain ?

thanks
 
I am sure you stand amuch better chance of getting busted doing that then talking on an Export radio with a linear across the street from the police station. The FCC has staff assigned to TV bands unlike cb.

Free radio Berkeley, what a freaking idiot. Berkeley is full of tree hugging bleeding heart liberal clowns.
 
I am sure you stand amuch better chance of getting busted doing that then talking on an Export radio with a linear across the street from the police station. The FCC has staff assigned to TV bands unlike cb.

Free radio Berkeley, what a freaking idiot. Berkeley is full of tree hugging bleeding heart liberal clowns.


LOL , thats what i thought !!!!!!!

Pink Slip Waiting to happen !

73's
 
Google and Microsoft have lobbied vigorously for use of unused TV channels called "white spaces" for wireless internet access.

Currently wireless microphones used in live performances can be found on unused TV channels. Even today, you could pirate those unused TV channels. But i think if the analog broadcasts really do go silent on feb 17, then there should be a long time window before anything else shows up on those vacated frequencies. The stations transmitting digital have already set up on other UHF channels.

Public safety has dibs on channels 14 to 20 on UHF, but i can imagine VHF-LO ch2-6 being vacant for some time.
 
I think if the analog broadcasts really do go silent on feb 17, then there should be a long time window before anything else shows up on those vacated frequencies.
Public safety has dibs on channels 14 to 20 on UHF, but i can imagine VHF-LO ch2-6 being vacant for some time.

There are literally BILLIONS of tv sets out there that will pick up whatever is broadcast on these unused channels. I believe that the freakos with some "message" to get across will be all over this, and the FCC will be all over them. But I think that Joe Schmo, who just wants to talk around his neighborhood will have no problem as long as there is no interference with other licensed broadcast services.

I have the makings of a really good station just lying around here in my shop and I'll bet that most of you on this forum do too.

AND... the more I think about the idea, the more I like it.

- 399
 
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I am sure you stand amuch better chance of getting busted doing that then talking on an Export radio with a linear across the street from the police station. The FCC has staff assigned to TV bands unlike cb¨

After feb 17, this will no longer be a tv band. And I agree with 399, I like this idea too.
 
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Here in Colombia, there are no broadcast stations on chans 3 or 4. So tonight, I put "THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM" into my CD player , selected spanish language, hooked my tv beam antenna to the RF output (set on CH. 3). and pointed the beam toward Alejandria (about 30 km away). After starting the movie, I drove to Alejandria and went to our apartment. I turned on our tv, clicked on Chan 3, and there was the movie, clear as crystal.

I have no idea how many people in town saw the movie, but I'm sure a lot of people did.

THIS IS SOOOOO COOL !!!

I told my wife to tell everyone to tune in tommorrow night. I'm going to try a short live segment ,followed by ,"Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings."

I'll post tomorrow night to let you know how it went. If this works here it will probably work in the US too. MAYBE with a little power I can beam a signal up tjere. Time will tell.

- 399
 
Here in Colombia, there are no broadcast stations on chans 3 or 4. So tonight, I put "THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM" into my CD player , selected spanish language, hooked my tv beam antenna to the RF output (set on CH. 3). and pointed the beam toward Alejandria (about 30 km away). After starting the movie, I drove to Alejandria and went to our apartment. I turned on our tv, clicked on Chan 3, and there was the movie, clear as crystal.

I have no idea how many people in town saw the movie, but I'm sure a lot of people did.

THIS IS SOOOOO COOL !!!

I told my wife to tell everyone to tune in tommorrow night. I'm going to try a short live segment ,followed by ,"Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings."

I'll post tomorrow night to let you know how it went. If this works here it will probably work in the US too. MAYBE with a little power I can beam a signal up tjere. Time will tell.

- 399
Fantastic!
You now need to collect some advertizing dollars and run a few local ads!
 

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