A Mass of Holy Pirates

In June of last year Ireland's regulator ComReg introduced a Wireless Public Address licensing Scheme which  allows religious and community organisations to be licensed to transmit services or events from their public address systems for the benefit of people in local communities.

Two bands of 40 channels each 10 kHz wide between 27.6 and 27.995 MHz were allocated for this purpose.   The base station can run 1 watt AM or 4 watts FM with a vertically polarised antenna.

Many churches throughout Ireland are now using this scheme and, if licensed and operating within the terms of the licence these transmissions, are legal.

However, the Irish Radio Transmitters Society has been notified by the German National Radio Society DARC that transmissions of church services, which seem to be originating from Ireland, have been taking place in the 28 MHz (or 10 metre) amateur radio band. Recorded audio files of such transmissions being made on 28.105 MHz have been provided to the Irish society and to the Irish Regulator.

Members of the Irish society have been asked to listen out on 28.105 MHz at appropriate times for church services in their local areas to see if unauthorised stations can be identified.

The 28MHz band is dedicated internationally to the use of Amateur Radio and use of any frequency within it by churches or other organisations is illegal. This becomes an even greater issue when interference is being caused to stations in other countries.

It has now been established that a Church broadcast is being transmitted on 28.105 MHz FM in the Dublin area. Some further work is required to identify the Church concerned although a Roman Catholic Mass is transmitted at 0900, 1000 and 1100 local on Sundays and at 1000 on weekdays.

Irish Radio Amateurs in the greater Dublin area are being asked to listen on this frequency at these times to see if the location can be positively identified.

Stations located outside Dublin are also asked to listen on the lower end of the 28 MHz band generally to see if any unauthorised activity is taking place in the band in their areas.

Reportof any such illegal activity can be notified to Thos Caffrey (EI2JD) with a copy to Sean Nolan EI7CD at QTHR or to ei7cd at “gofree dot indigo dot ie”.

Reports should include date, time, frequency, possible location of station if identified, beam heading in degrees from true north and other relevant information. If the station is identified from an announcement of local events, details should be given. Should you hear anything, no action should be taken other than forwarding a report as requested.