thumping dance music distracts pilots in Birmingham

[stargurl]

Pilots flying into Birmingham were welcomed with the sounds of an illegal radio station as they tried to speak to air traffic controllers.

Communications watchdog Ofcom was called in to track down the pirate broadcasters after two pilots complained of the musical interference.

Ofcom seized radio equipment after tracking it to a tower block in the Highgate area of the city.

A spokesman said such broadcasts could pose "significant" problems.

He added that passenger safety was not threatened.

The spokesman told BBC News: "The pirate radio station was using a very poor-quality transmitter.

"It was so malfunctional it was transmitting on two frequencies at the same time.

"We went out and within a matter of hours we found the transmitter at fault and dismantled it.

"Unfortunately, people don't transmit from the same location as the equipment.

"They don't sit next to it with a bag of records. They connect to it remotely from their studio.

"It's a lot harder to find the studio than the transmitter and that's why we haven't made any arrests yet."

He added that they were still investigating the case and were "confident" of finding those responsible.

A spokesman for National Air Traffic Services described the illegal broadcasts as a "minor problem", and added: "It shouldn't happen, these are protected frequencies, but we do have reserved frequencies we can switch to."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/engl ... 508319.stm

[stargurl]

London - British police have moved to swiftly shut down a pirate radio station after pilots complained that thumping dance music was drowning out instructions from air traffic controllers as they landed at a nearby airport, a report said on Tuesday.

Pilots landing passenger jets at Birmingham airport in central England reported hearing loud bursts of "garage", a cutting-edged form of dance music characterised by frantic beats and prominent, repetitive baselines.

Police, along with officers from government communications watchdog Ofcom, traced the rogue signal to a pirate radio station transmitter attached to the top of a city centre tower block, the Guardian newspaper reported.

The pirate station's studio and the DJ playing the offending tracks were thought to be based nearby, but had yet to be found.

"This is not just some guys having a bit of fun and trying to get their break in radio," an Ofcom spokesperson said.

"This has the potential to cause massive problems for essential services."

However, a spokesperson for National Air Traffic Services said no flights had ever been put in danger.

"These were short bursts of interference which did not upset our operations or instructions to pilots," she said.

"It did not threaten safety because we have got safety procedures in place and we can switch to other frequencies if we have to. We did not need to in this case." - Sapa-AFP

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id ... 6&set_id=1

[Loopz]

I would be offended if i heard Garage on ANY radio station but imagine trying to land a plane listening to that crap

[discocyst]

it was in Highgate... say no more!!

[Kagey]

I would be offended if i heard Garage on ANY radio station but imagine trying to land a plane listening to that crap

well i was enjoying my coffee before the screen wanted to wear it

[hippy dave]

"garage", a cutting-edged form of dance music

[hippy dave]

...i thought the phrase "cutting-edge" was only related to garage in that it's what i use on my wrists when i hear any

[stargurl]

imagine trying to land a plane listening to that crap

[davemacfrombath]

Alltogether now:

'Craig David all over your <CRASH>...'