UK set to de-criminalize FM transmitters

Even though most FM transmitters barely have enough signal strength to reach the head unit of your car, a post-World War II-era English law that's still on the books has made these devices illegal for Brits to own and operate, as they could possibly interfere with other, legal broadcasts in some sort of Bizarro world. Well now it looks like the UK's Office of Communications, or Ofcom, has finally wised up and is poised to give the transmitters an exemption from 1949's Wireless Telegraphy Act (geez, even its name is antiquated), which currently threatens scofflaw music lovers with up to two years in prison. Ofcom is holding a "public consultation" on the matter until September, so if you're British and sick of being unable to share your Spice Girls and Gnarls Barkley tracks with pedestrians and other motorists, speak up and let your voice be heard.

[Clagsniper @ Jul 16th 2006 8:26PM]

Thank christ! im fed up of worying if im to be nicked for transmitting with my belkin tunecast clone. The law is stupid, and as in my case :P people just blatantly ignore it

[Matt @ Jul 16th 2006 8:38PM]

Probably not the best idea to boost the output on an iTrip I just got. I'll hang fire a bit.

[Shmee150 @ Jul 16th 2006 9:13PM]

I wonder what they will make the maximum legal range?

[Eli @ Jul 16th 2006 9:50PM]

It's been said before, but England's laws are at least half again as stupid as the US.

We're still pretty dumb, but it's nice to have someone to make fun of once in awhile. Also, you have Chavs, we've just got rednecks.

[henryaj @ Jul 16th 2006 10:30PM]

@Eli: Please do bear in mind when you say that "England's laws are at least half again as stupid" that your president thinks it acceptable to waste your tax dollars trying to amend the Constitution to prevent same-sex marriage. You live in a country which condones the unlawful and indefinite detainment without trial and torture of possibly innocent men in Guantanamo. You live in a country with the highest incarceration rate in the *world*.

So don't talk to me about 'stupid laws', you patriotic moron.

[John Doe @ Jul 16th 2006 11:23PM]

Yah in a world full of stupid the US has a PhD in it. I would think most of us Americans would shut up at this point because pointing fingers at any other country they can generally come back with SOMETHING that is at lease 5x to 10x worse. Lets not exacerbate the situation please.

[Alex @ Jul 16th 2006 11:30PM]

Don't be a dick, henryaj. This is an electronics blog, not a politics forum. So stop attacking Bush and the US because it's the cool thing to do, yet you have no idea half the s*** that goes on in our government.

[Liew @ Jul 17th 2006 2:28AM]

We need to have smarter ppl in the office.

[MattUK @ Jul 17th 2006 2:31AM]

The current laws did not prevent them being sold...they fell into the whole legal to sell, legal t buy and legal to use for 'educational purposes', but illegal to use prperly. There are loads of examples like this.
At least it shows that the government is catching up with he times.

[K @ Jul 17th 2006 2:51AM]

First of all, it isn't an "English Law", it's a UK&NI Parliament Act, which means it covers the entire UK. Not just England.

Anyway, I’ve had an iTrip in the UK for over 2 years now. And I’ve yet to be arrested.

[Helvie @ Jul 17th 2006 3:05AM]

@Henryaj - kudos

@Alex - haha 'this is an electronics blog, not a politics [sic] forum' and yet you still attack his political viewpoint. And poorly mind you. For one no one cares about 'half the s*** that goes on in our government' as you so eloquently put it because if its right, it doesnt need to be fixed or even applauded. Instead we should strive to reform the problems that our current administration does have (e.g. Guantanamo Bay, Extraodinary Rendition, Racial Profiling, etc.) Furthermore, your argument that its bad to go against Bush because 'it's the cool thing to do' is absolutely ridiculous for two reasons. 1- if it's really the cool thing to do, the majority of people will be doing it, which means that Bush should be impeached (not that i am against this, but presumably you are...) 2- who cares if it's 'cool'? (e.g. is being anti-holocaust cool?-> most people are, so presumably, it's cool right? ->you don't do things that are 'cool' so therefore, you are pro-holocaust :: Great, you anti-semitic bigot)

Toodle-Doo!

[Browzer @ Jul 17th 2006 3:06AM]

The UK is not alone in this. It is also illegal to "use" TM transmitters in France as well. I bought one through a US site last year and used it for about 5 minutes before promptly putting it back in the box. Not that I was afraid of spending time behind bars but because the thing would only work if I were 300 feet below ground where there were no chance of interference. France has a very packed FM network. There are about 300 radio channels ranging from 87.O to 108.0

[LTM @ Jul 17th 2006 3:10AM]

Totally agree K. On behalf of the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish, It's our stupid stoneage what the hell were they thinking law as well.

[Tk @ Jul 17th 2006 3:43AM]

Great, now those in the UK can also enjoy substandard, crappy audio from their favorite DAP.

[Ron Larson @ Jul 17th 2006 4:10AM]

France has a very packed FM network. There are about 300 radio channels ranging from 87.O to 108.0

Wow! No kidding... Check out this list of 49 stations that transmit on the FM band in the Paris area alone.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_in_Paris.

When you consider that there are 210 possible slots on the FM band, that still leaves you about 150 possible places to set your personal FM transmitter without too much interference. The gaps in the above list are not very large. There looks like there is a good candidate at 90.1

[Lee Richards @ Jul 17th 2006 6:18AM]

Bought an iTrip a few weeks ago. It's now for sale on ebay, as the signal quality was pretty bad. I've now stumped up for a Dension Ice-Link Plus connected directly to my car stereo.

[matt @ Jul 17th 2006 7:10AM]

Can we really not have any article on this site that mentions a country apart from the USA, without some retarded American dick making some ignorant comment and starting off some lame coments slapfight..

Is making stupid comments about other contries the way we show how patriotic we are?

Its not surprising that the reputation that the cliche of the ignorant, stupid, bad mannered, loudouthed "Yank" has survived for so long.

[EuropeanUnion @ Jul 17th 2006 7:56AM]

Unfortunately for the intelligent US citizens out there, the rednecks and ignorati amongst you have gotten the US a reputation for arrogant introspectiveness and for lagging behind the rest of the world on major issues such as "Social and Environmental Responsibility".

Also dubbed as "Canada's noisey, nightmare neighbour!" and "bone-head capital of the world", you only have to witness the attitude of a high percentage of US gamers on Xbox 360 Live, when they hear a European accent to appreciate the bigger picture.

Classic Amercian stupidity I've witnessed in Xbox live...

1) Wow you live in England... have you met the Queen?
2) Your Spanish accent tells me that you're Mexican scum!
3) Ahhh Holland... so you can buy a beer in McDonalds?
4) Everyone in Europe is a peasant!
5) WW2 was an American victory.
6) So which country is Norway in?

So let's just say it's nice when I get to meet your more intelligent countrymen (of which there are many).

[Will @ Jul 17th 2006 10:34AM]

Well let me apologize for all the American idiots out there. But this is a gadget site, so lets get back to the real story. Besides, there are a lot more Americans that are embarrased at this human trash than you think.

Now, maybe not allowing FM transmitters to be used in the UK was a blessing. I have tried to use one with my Ipod, and with my XM radio, and they are both totally worthless. Just buy a head unit with an AUX input and be done with it.

[Tush @ Jul 17th 2006 10:37AM]

Oh how I love stereotyping.

I think we should lay-off America in this discussion. Ok, we're currently doing stupid things and have a bad image in the world.

But hasn't your country been stupid sometime in history? Yes.

There are things I love about America, there are things I dislike. I'm sure you feel the same way about your country.

[EuropeanUnion @ Jul 17th 2006 1:43PM]

Tush wrote...

Oh how I love stereotyping.

But research shows that 100% of all Americans are fat and grumble constantly about stereotypes.

;-P

You make some good comments Tush - I think Europe as a whole wanted to take a stand against some of the cheap shots made at our expense!

No harm done!!!


EuropeanUnion

[Browzer @ Jul 18th 2006 4:13AM]

"France has a very packed FM network. There are about 300 radio channels ranging from 87.O to 108.0

Wow! No kidding... Check out this list of 49 stations that transmit on the FM band in the Paris area alone.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_in_Paris.

When you consider that there are 210 possible slots on the FM band, that still leaves you about 150 possible places to set your personal FM transmitter without too much interference. The gaps in the above list are not very large. There looks like there is a good candidate at 90.1"

Okay okay, I have a tendency to overstate things :)... like my mother always said "I've told you a million times not to exaggerate!" In any case my bad.

However! I'm on 90.1 at the moment and listening to Eric Claption. 90.2 is the same station a little clearer. 90.3 is foggy 90.4 is another channel playing "Oh Happy Days"... 90.5 and 90.6 is the same station with a little more interference. All this to say is that the transmitters in France seem to be a bit too powerful taking up two to three frequences up and down.

Finally, there seems to be 58 stations in the Paris area not counting the suburb stations that sometime overlap... http://www.brume.org/radios/index.php3?mode=searchville&choixville=PARIS

OR... I just bought a crappy transmitter, and should shop for a better one next time.

Take care.

Bz

[Gary @ Oct 12th 2006 11:12PM]

Ive Had An FM Transmitter For About A Year, Bought It Off Ebay. Being The "Ooh, That Looks Cool, Lets Take It Apart And See How It Works" Person That I Am, I Decided To Boost The Range With My Very Amateur, 16 Years Of Being In The Corps Of Royal Signals In The British Army Knowledge :P

Anyway, I Effectivley Set Up A Pirate Radio Station, I Managed To Get It To Broadcast About 2.5 Miles In A Built Up Urban Area :D

Its Cause Of People Like Me That These Laws Exist :D

G