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Use an iPod Mini to Broadcast Pirate Radio 558

Posted by pudge from the mmmm-pirates dept.
StJefferson writes "Ever want to silence the urban assault vehicle beside you at the stop light, pounding out gangster angst at orthodontia-rattling volumes? Now you can, and here's how, courtesy Engadget."
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Use an iPod Mini to Broadcast Pirate Radio More

Use an iPod Mini to Broadcast Pirate Radio

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  • From the no-shit-sherlock dept. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by American AC in Paris ( 230456 ) * on Friday July 02, 2004 @02:59PM (#9595124) Homepage
    Hey, I know! Let's find motorists with sociopathic tendencies and piss 'em off! What could possibly go worng?

    This isn't even a clever hack. 'Take your iPod antenna and put an even bigger antenna on it! Then--get this--find somebody listening to a radio and use your iPod to broadcast on the same station that radio is tuned to! Pwn3d! OMGWTFBBQ!'

    • Re:From the no-shit-sherlock dept. (Score:5, Funny)

      by Jbrecken ( 107271 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:02PM (#9595155)
      Then--get this--find somebody listening to a radio and use your iPod to broadcast on the same station that radio is tuned to!
      It's just like Mr. Microphone!
      "Hey Good Looking! We'll be back to pick you up later!"
    • Yeah... don't quite get the excitement over this one. This type of thing has been done for quite some time. There's much much better hardware available for this type of tomfoolery. Although I guess now that it's with a iPod it makes it newsworthy.
    • He's right on - this isn't a clever hack, it's inane.
    • > What could possibly go worng?

      Er, possibly... go wrong. Heh, that's the first thing that's ever gone wrong.

    • Re:From the no-shit-sherlock dept. (Score:5, Interesting)

      by mc6809e ( 214243 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:31PM (#9595443)
      Hey, I know! Let's find motorists with sociopathic tendencies and piss 'em off! What could possibly go worng?

      You're not kidding.

      I live on a street where these assholes like to drive up and down while bassing. Well, one day, I got really pissed. I'm trying to work in my den on a project and the constant noise just won't stop.

      So finally I follow one of these guys to see where he ended up. I honked my horn rythmically as I drove by.

      Next thing I know the guy is chasing me around trying to run me off the road. I called 911 and get, I not am sh1tting you "we're really busy right now" and I'm asked to call another number where I'm put on hold listening to how my city has this great new newsletter. "Please download Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the newsletter".

      Finally someone comes back on and tells me I might as well drive to the police station. Hey, great idea. Lots of police there. Well, that doesn't stop him.

      I sit in the police parking lot for 30 minutes while this guy tells me how I'd better not do that again or I'll be sorry. He is insane.

      Oh, the FIRST time I followed someone, they took me into da'hood where I drove through what looked like a riot and was almost hit by a driver fleeing police. You'd think I would have learned the first time.

      The really depressing thing is realizing that I'm essentially powerless. People can be a55holes and threaten your life and you can't do anything. Why? Because I have to follow the law while they have nothing to lose.

      I later went back to look at the laws in my state governing self-defense. They are totally impractical. The legal system is set up in such a way that you really have to let the animals control the streets.

      • I later went back to look at the laws in my state governing self-defense. They are totally impractical. The legal system is set up in such a way that you really have to let the animals control the streets.

        That really is wonderful. Then the judge or the police say useful things like, "well you shouldn't take the law into your own hands" or "don't bother them and they won't bother you" and the ever popular "just ignore them."

        Small wonder there's so much gun violence in this country. We can't stand each o

      • 911 abuse, noise ordinances, police reports, etc. (Score:5, Informative)

        by SuperBanana ( 662181 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @04:00PM (#9595684)
        I called 911 and get, I not am sh1tting you "we're really busy right now"

        It's called prioritizing. "Deal with shooting or deal with guy who's being followed by some teenager punk. Hmm." "I am not sh1tting you", 911 is heavily abused. Sample calls, according to dispatchers I've spoken with: "Hi, do you know the number for ____?" "I lost my dog..." "Can you give me directions to...", then the ever-popular hangups, which of course they have to investigate, tying up an officer's time. Then there are shut-in bitches who tell war+peace about the neighbor's [dog barking/yard mess/porch lights on/you name it]. The list goes on, and on, and on.

        Most police departments are also pretty short-staffed these days. Bush is mostly responsible on two counts; 1, for cutting back on federal funding for local emergency staff- police, EMS and fire all have been hit hard in almost every town throughout the US. 2, a large percentage of Guard and Reservists are (surprise!) also town/city fire fighters, police, EMS, etc.

        I later went back to look at the laws in my state governing self-defense.

        How about looking up the noise ordinances, instead? Most cities and towns have 'em. NY, for example, is getting very tough on noise complaints (I believe you dial 311, ie the non-emergency number?) Borrow a neighbor's video camera (they'll be happy to oblige if it's annoying them as well) and videotape the clown going by- be sure to get a closeup of his face, and his plates. Call the NON EMERGENCY ie business number for the local station, ask to set up an appointment with an officer or detective. Problem solved and out of your hands.

        Next thing I know the guy is chasing me around trying to run me off the road.

        Um- duh. Get away from him, file a police report later with the plates and vehicle description. You've also hit upon why I carry a Bronx Calling Card, aka 3-D-cell Maglight, in my front door pocket. I have been doing so ever since someone told me they'd "fucking kill me" at a stoplight when I told him he his highbeams were stuck on. This was, incidentally, in downtown Larchmont, NY(very swanky neighborhood), the guy was not driving a riced out POS, and he was white.

        One of many reasons I moved out of NY state- everyone's a prick out to kill you at the drop of a hat.

        • They are too busy chasing me down because I don't have a front license plate.

          I've been pulled over twice in the past seven days so I think it's time to finally give in and install a bracket and the plate.

          The second officer was very authoritative but seemed respectful enough so I asked him what the purpose of a front plate was and if it was suppossed to make it safer for officers. His response was something like, I have no idea, I think they're silly but the law states you have to have it so you do.

          Seemed
          • It's not to give police officers something to do, it's to generate income. A ticket (especially since a large percentage are paid by mail with a guilty plea) is money in the bank. One officer in a radio car could generate hundreds of dollars per shift (with a "good" speed trap, per hour) writing tickets for traffic infractions. A burglary investigation, however, does nothing but cost money - in fact, it's made even worse if they actually catch the person since they then have court time, probation time an

        • Re:911 abuse, noise ordinances, police reports, et (Score:5, Insightful)

          by Alaska Jack ( 679307 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @05:28PM (#9596269) Journal

          You have GOT to be shitting me.

          Bush is mostly responsible on two counts; 1, for cutting back on federal funding for local emergency staff- police, EMS and fire all have been hit hard in almost every town throughout the US.

          "cutting back on FEDERAL funding for LOCAL emergency staff"

          While you were smugly typing in your oh-so-wise critique of Bush, did it ever even occur to you how inane this is? It's the central frickin' principal of federalist government, you idiot!

          Also, as far as the Guard and Reserve go, did it ever occur to you that this would happen, and has, WHENEVER Guardsmen and/or reservist are activated? Including World War II? Would you have said "It's all Roosevelt's fault?" I mean, really, what would you suggest, telling policemen and emergency responders that they can't serve in the Ready Reserve? Vice versa? Disbanding the reserves?

          Sorry to go ballistic, but it's not too far off to say that people like you are what's wrong with this country. You have no clue (or just don't care) about the principles of limited and local government on which this country was founded. You just want more, more, more from an increasingly centralized, monolithic government.

        • I'd like to create a corollary to Godwin's Law, called Skater's Corollary:

          "As a /. discussion grows longer, the odds someone will somehow blame George W. Bush for the current topic approach one."

          --RJ
        • You've also hit upon why I carry a Bronx Calling Card, aka 3-D-cell Maglight, in my front door pocket.

          WTF is a three dimensional flashlight?

          oohhhhh....

      • Re:From the no-shit-sherlock dept. (Score:3, Insightful)

        by Anonymous Coward

        What I don't get is that someone actually thinks a Basshole is actually listening to the radio. Really. If you have such incredible musical taste that you feel duty-bound to share it with others, by force even, are you really gonna let your selections blow in the whims of the FM dial?

        Any Basshole who thinks he's worth his boom tubes who gets snarked by some yuk with an FM-broadcasting iPod deserves what he gets.

      • Ingredients:
        • MASH-style Public Address horn speaker on your eaves (or possibly pole-mounted in your yard)
        • Large, power-hungry amplifier
        • Barry Manilow CD
        Writing the procedure is left as an exercise to the reader.

      • Re:From the no-shit-sherlock dept. (Score:5, Insightful)

        by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 02, 2004 @04:21PM (#9595836)
        so... let me get this straight...

        You pick a fight with a badass, then, when he takes you up on it, you realize, "Oh my god! I forgot! I'm a big fucking pussy!"

        What are you going to tell the police? "I provoked this asshole, now he wants to fight."

        Police arrest you both for fighting or just wasting their time.

        Ignore annoying people-- or run the hell away from them-- do not poke them with sharp sticks.

        Or, you know, maybe call the cops with a noise complaint.

        Chill out with this self defense crap, Travis. The guy was not threatening you-- he was annoying you. Then you decide to *follow* him and act all crazy honking your horn and shit. What do you expect him to think? What do you expect him to do?

        If that guy who chased you to the police station *had* gotten his hands on you, there's no way in hell you'd win with self-defense, even *if* your candy-ass won the fight. Because *you* started the fight. *You* got out of your house and followed a complete stranger to his house (is that legal?-- stalking?). *You* started acting crazy toward him with your horn-honking. *You* were a willing participant in whatever shit was going to go down next-- just because you hadn't thought it through doesn't mean you weren't.

        Read this page [nononsense...efense.com].
        • "If that guy who chased you to the police station *had* gotten his hands on you, there's no way in hell you'd win with self-defense, even *if* your candy-ass won the fight. Because *you* started the fight. *You* got out of your house and followed a complete stranger to his house (is that legal?-- stalking?). *You* started acting crazy toward him with your horn-honking. *You* were a willing participant in whatever shit was going to go down next-- just because you hadn't thought it through doesn't mean you we
      • The really depressing thing is realizing that I'm essentially powerless.

        Yeah, it's getting so you can't even follow around gangsters in your car honking angrily at them without them chasing you back anymore.

      • Tell the RIAA (Score:4, Funny)

        by bezuwork's friend ( 589226 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @11:10PM (#9597784)
        Just tell the RIAA. These guys for sure don't have a license to publically perform the music they've bought.

        Since they probably sink all their dough into their cars, they might lose their cars in the settlement. :)

    • Yeah, not to mention (Score:3, Insightful)

      by autopr0n ( 534291 )
      Most of these guys are probably listening to CDs. Who the hell would spend thousands on a sound system and use it to listen to the radio. I've never heard any loud bass that matched anything on the radio.

  • Jesus, and you thought Spam was bad... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Skyshadow ( 508 ) * on Friday July 02, 2004 @02:59PM (#9595127) Homepage
    So, how long before we're driving down the highway and suddenly all of our radio stations turn into debt consolidation or penis enlargement ads? Hell, with all the traffic traveling in groups like it does, you could be stuck like that for *hours*. Might be time to update the CD collection or install an XM antenna...

    As a side note, living in Oakland I've developed the viewpoint that it's far better to just ignore the boom cars and go about your business. It might be cool with the wannabes in Nebraska, but around here you're just begging to need an appointment with your local auto body shop to get a bunch of 9mm holes Bondo-ed.

    • "So, how long before we're driving down the highway and suddenly all of our radio stations turn into debt consolidation or penis enlargement ads?"

      Come visit the DFW, Texas area. That's exactly what's on the radio, all the time. You get about 2 songs an hour, the rest are adverts for enlargements, sex toys, cheap pills, and debt-dodging.

    • Re:Jesus, and you thought Spam was bad... (Score:4, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:06PM (#9595205)
      I'm going to make a track of nothing but siren noises. That way people who are listening to the radio in their car will pull over to let me pass.

    • Re:Jesus, and you thought Spam was bad... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by evilviper ( 135110 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:21PM (#9595358) Journal
      how long before we're driving down the highway and suddenly all of our radio stations turn into debt consolidation or penis enlargement ads?

      Won't happen. An FM broadcast can be tracked down easily, and you wouldn't be affecting a large enough number of people to make it worthwhile.

      Might be time to update the CD collection or install an XM antenna...

      You'll be more susceptible to unauthorized broadcasts with satellite than with terrestrial... once people get their hands on them. If this becomes popular, I'm sure they will start being sold.

      It might be cool with the wannabes in Nebraska, but around here you're just begging to need an appointment with your local auto body shop to get a bunch of 9mm holes Bondo-ed.

      Get a gun of your own, and a continuous-loop camera in your car.

      The big difference between Nebraska and Oakland is that the public in Nebraska wouldn't put up with that. If you are willing to just close your eyes, and pretend that nothing is happening, it won't ever stop. Sometimes people really do resemble cattle.
      • You'll be more susceptible to unauthorized broadcasts with satellite than with terrestrial... once people get their hands on them. If this becomes popular, I'm sure they will start being sold.

        Why, pray tell, is it easier to make unauthorized broadcasts on satellite radio band than any other band?

        -Jesse

        • Power budget analysis:

          • five meters away instead of 37,000 km: +137 dB
          • penalty for off-axis antenna: -20dB
          • Forcing you to listen to my audiospam instead of XM: Priceless

          The satellite might have a few dB of advantage considering relative power, but I think the EIRP of those birds is pretty low ... certainly less than +50dBm ... so even if I'm using a true QRPppppp (say one milliwatt) transmitter, I've still got 67 dB on the satellite

  • Haha (Score:5, Funny)

    by arieswind ( 789699 ) * on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:00PM (#9595130) Homepage
    Haha, I've already got my "*beep* *beep* *beep* This radio station's music playing rights have been revoked because of repeat violations of the musical taste law. We are sorry for any inconvienience you may suffer *beep* *beep* *beep* silence....." track made up. With a 50 foot radius on my iTrip, theres no end to the possibilities >:)

  • great idea, but would never work... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by AmigaAvenger ( 210519 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:00PM (#9595138) Journal
    Ever want to silence the urban assault vehicle beside you at the stop light, pounding out gangster angst at orthodontia-rattling volumes?
    yeah, great idea for 1% of vehicles listening to 'gangster angst' that aren't listening to CD's... most vehicles that you pull up to and cause your own car to shake aren't going to be listening to radio. lower end frequencies aren't there compared to CD.
    • Except most people with a sound system powerfull enough to do that likely have a large disc changer in their trunk, broadcasting over short range to their car radio. You could always just broadcast over a slightly larger range and interfere with that signal.

      (As an aside, I've actually had radio stations I was listening to fade partially out and started hearing whatever someone driving past me was playing because of this).

      I think if stuff like this starts happening on a larger scale, we might start seeing

    • Re:great idea, but would never work... (Score:5, Funny)

      by Snorklefish ( 639711 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:08PM (#9595223)
      Agreed... But imagine the look on some snot-nosed punk if you DID turn his bad-boy bass into ABBA's greatest hits.

    • Re:great idea, but would never work... (Score:5, Funny)

      by kzinti ( 9651 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:14PM (#9595293) Homepage Journal
      Agreed. An iPod mini with a tiny FM transmitter seems an underpowered solution to this problem. A better answer would be a directed electromag pulse to burn out the electronics in the gangsta's CD player, his amps, AND his car's ignition. Then you just need the middle-finger salute as you drive off, leaving him in befuddled silence. HA!

      • Re:great idea, but would never work... (Score:4, Funny)

        by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:29PM (#9595424)
        A better answer would be a directed electromag pulse to burn out the electronics in the gangsta's CD player, his amps, AND his car's ignition. Then you just need the middle-finger salute as you drive off, leaving him in befuddled silence. HA!

        But that would leave us at the mercy of half-feline genetically altered supersoldiers who ride bikes and deliver packages. Granted, they are extremely cute and can get into positions even gymnasts have trouble with...

        Forget my objection, I'm with you all the way.

    • Re:great idea, but would never work... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by bcrowell ( 177657 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:16PM (#9595315) Homepage
      I have an iPod and an iTrip, and the article doesn't make much sense based on my experience. The iTrip is an extremely low-power device, and even when you're using it the way it was intended, to broadcast to your own car's antenna, it's actually too weak to override a commercial station. That's why the iTrip isn't all that great in an urban environment, where the whole commercial FM spectrum is packed with stations like sardines in a can.

      First, to become your own pirate broadcast station you'll need to increase the range and signal of your iTrip mini. Turns out, there is an antennae built inside the iTrip mini. All you need to do is remove the top sticker-like protection which hides the antennae and then using tweezers or your fingernail, pull the antennae out. We've found a 20% to 30% increase of range on average.
      Huh? A 25% increase in range is only equivalent to a 50% increase in power (the inverse square law). I can't see how a 50% increase in power is going to matter, when our iTrip has never been able to override even the weakest station on the dial.

  • YAY! (Score:5, Funny)

    by theJerk242 ( 778433 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:01PM (#9595144) Homepage Journal
    Alright! A whole new way to piss people off behind the wheel! My fog horn idea is nothing compared to this! ;)

  • no, (Score:2, Insightful)

    by JeanBaptiste ( 537955 )
    the people playing gangsta rap at insane volumes are NOT using the radio to do it. CDs and/or mp3s.

    • Re:no, (Score:3, Funny)

      by mfifer ( 660491 )

      the people playing gangsta rap at insane volumes are NOT using the radio to do it. CDs and/or mp3s.

      Plus, they're not the ones who annoy me...

      It's those commies and their NPR...

      ;-)

  • A better title... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Kenja ( 541830 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:02PM (#9595149)
    "You can use radio waves to transmit music!"

    After all, this can be done with just about any source. An iPod is not required. In fact you can get parts to make a much stronger FM transmiter at radio shack for far less that can be used with any MP3/tape/record/8track player.

    • Yeah, it's your run of the mill iPod your Slashdot! [slashdot.org] article.

      I understand that they are a great device and I have even thought once or twice about buying one but I certainly don't think that every article that gets put into the queue with an iPod in the title should be accepted.

      Let's show some class and end the blatant iPod advertising.

  • Atricle Text (Score:4, Informative)

    by PalmerEldritch42 ( 754411 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:03PM (#9595161)
    It is getting slow now, so in case of /.ing, here is the text:

    How-To Tuesday: Make your own Pirate Radio Station with an iPod

    Posted Jun 15, 2004, 11:07 AM ET by Phillip Torrone

    Related entries: Portable Audio, Wireless

    This was going to be "How-To increase the range of your iTrip mini". But after playing around with the new iTrip mini, the FM broadcasting accessory for the iPod (our review here) our little minds got working on some ideas. We thought we might be able to make the range of Griffin's iTrip mini a little better if took it apart and exposed the antenna, turns out we could. And then we thought, hey- we could use a couple iPods to broadcast something we wanted to get out there, perhaps not "should" that is, but could. So that was our motivation, and here's the How-To.

    Ingredients:

    * 1 iPod mini

    * 1 iTrip mini

    * Optional: Addition iPods, iTalks and iTrips

    Getting Started

    First, to become your own pirate broadcast station you'll need to increase the range and signal of your iTrip mini. Turns out, there is an antennae built inside the iTrip mini. All you need to do is remove the top sticker-like protection which hides the antennae and then using tweezers or your fingernail, pull the antennae out. We've found a 20% to 30% increase of range on average. This likely voids the warranty, so there, we said it.

    Next up, if you're using the iTrip mini, then you know that you can install all the stations on the dial to broadcast on. At first we we're really sure we'd ever use them, but now we have good reason. So make sure you've installed all the stations, on the go you might need them to switch to. Remember, the iTrip is a FM broadcasting device, intended to broadcast 10 to 30 feet to a FM radio.

    Next, choose your broadcast, it can be any song or a spoken word MP3, don't worry we have a few suggestions. A lot depends on the situation you're in.

    Pirate Broadcasts

    We usually keep a couple tracks of silence ready to go, ever get stuck at a stop light for like 10 minutes and the dude in the next car is blasting the radio? With the super easy iPod interface you can quickly get to the station he's on and send over whatever you want, a couple gentle ocean waves or birds usually works out great.

    If you've ever gone to the Gym, or starred in to one from the outside- you'll notice the TVs are muted and set to broadcast on specific FM frequencies, folks then tune in their radio headsets to whatever station to listen to the audio as they exercise. Now we're not suggesting you go around and broadcast over CNN or anything, but we think broadcasting "Aliens have landed today, the President and UN will be making an announcement immediately" could be quite fun. We'll be trying this out with our gym pals who are usually up for a good gag.

    There are other times where you simply need to broadcast back. Let's say you're at the park, enjoying a nice quiet day with your family- then comes along someone blasting the radio. We've found broadcasting a silent track tends to work nicely, sure you need to be within 30 to 40 feet, but no one will even suspect that their FM broadcast is getting usurped by you.

    Advanced Pirate Radio Broadcasting techniques

    We've also discovered another fun example. If you use the iTalk, Griffin's voice recorder accessory with 2g/3g iPod you can record your pirate broadcast on the fly, pop in the iTrip and start broadcasting. Usually pretending to be an omnipotent being and asking folks to build a water proof car, drive across the English Channel with two of every gadget gets some interesting reactions.

    Now, if you really get in to this- you could easily increase the range even more, google around for ways to do this- we're working on a few and will let you know too. You can additionally use multiple iPods, when you're broadcasting something like a silent track, you and a pal can cover more area and really surround the FM receiver. And finally, there are also a lot of other things which use FM that you can discover and broadcast to, happy hunting.

    This concludes our broadcast. Send comments and ideas to torrone@gmail.com

  • that's what I love (Score:5, Funny)

    by Savatte ( 111615 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:04PM (#9595173) Homepage Journal
    urban assault vehicle beside you at the stop light, pounding out gangster angst

    This is why I come to slashdot: news without bias or snide remarks

  • But it's just FM Radio (Score:4, Insightful)

    by TexasDex ( 709519 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:05PM (#9595184) Homepage
    It's a shame that this doesn't work to silence CD players and tape decks. Or sattelite radio, for that matter.

  • You could be a fool much cheaper back in my day (Score:3, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:05PM (#9595186)
    These kids gotta spend iPod levels of bling to best good old Mr. Microphone.

  • the article (Score:5, Informative)

    by jdkane ( 588293 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:05PM (#9595189)
    Use the cached Google version [google.ca] while the site is being /.ed.

  • Naw, I just (Score:5, Funny)

    by confused one ( 671304 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:06PM (#9595201)
    use my portable directional EMP generator that fries their rig. Then I can enjoy the silence while pointing and laughing as I drive away.

  • directed EMF pulse *much* better (Score:3, Funny)

    by l2b ( 40934 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:07PM (#9595219)
    it will kill all electronics in its path - regardless of radio, CD, tape, 8-track ;-)

    [EMF=elecro-magnetic frequency]

  • Great way to get yourself shot. (Score:4, Insightful)

    by downbad ( 793562 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:07PM (#9595220)
    "Hey, there's one of those nerds with white headphones and a 5ft. antenna sticking out of his gameboy."

    Not to mention the fact that it's probably illegal. DMCA, FCC, RIAA - need I go on?

  • Hey! (Score:3, Funny)

    by karniv0re ( 746499 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:08PM (#9595225) Journal
    Ever want to silence the urban assault vehicle beside you at the stop light, pounding out gangster angst at orthodontia-rattling volumes?

    What if I am that guy?
  • Must be running their server off an iPod mini.

  • Hmm... (Score:2, Insightful)

    by thephotoman ( 791574 )
    There are definite legal issues with that. I advise not getting caught.

    However, I generally find that most people who drive in my area use CDs or MP3s, as the radio simply sucks in this area. While they may play Viagra and penis-enlargment ads in D/FW, in Houston, they just babble incoherently...or play nothing but Britney Spears or Crap-Country. Even more, they're killing our sole classical station to make way for a Christian contemporary station (something else we don't need). Given this situation,

  • You are missing the potential (Score:3, Funny)

    by kabocox ( 199019 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:15PM (#9595302)
    I'm surprised that /. isn't using this as a means to pick up girls. You'd want to pick out the one or 2 stations that you like, then during the breaks between songs, insert your "dating ad."

    Remember to do this to only the stations that you like!
  • Take the iPod and an RF amplifier and plug it into some unsuspecting soul's power jack, in range of another unsuspecting soul's WAN. Send it a music stream via some distant proxy server. Presto, a pirate radio station that'll broadcast for weeks, if not months, before it was discovered, and the FCC would almost certainly never trace it back to you.

  • heh (Score:3, Funny)

    by NanoGator ( 522640 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:19PM (#9595338) Homepage Journal
    "Use an iPod Mini to Broadcast Pirate Radio"

    Heh. I love stories like this. Makes me feel like Evil MacGuyver.

  • Out of curiosity... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Gyorg_Lavode ( 520114 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:23PM (#9595373)
    ... how many people with those huge stereos didn't have the money left over for the CD player and so are actually using the radio? (Not many.)

  • I only just bought my IPOD and had to RMA it (Score:3, Funny)

    by Typingsux ( 65623 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:24PM (#9595381)
    It overheated when Slashdotted.

  • Uhhhh.... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by caffeineboy ( 44704 ) <skidmore.22NO@SPAMosu.edu> on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:28PM (#9595413)
    How the fvck did that get posted?

    Let's forget about the fm capture effect for a minute (the most powerful station on a signal will be the only one de-modulated) and think. Don't most people with loud amps just have a CD player with "Ultrabass volume IX" or something rather than actually listening to the radio?

    Is this slashdot or some shitty zine put together by highschool age "hackers"?

  • This isn't anti-sound. (Score:5, Informative)

    by kabocox ( 199019 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:31PM (#9595445)
    What the poster really wants is anti-sound.
    Silence Machine Article 1 [techtarget.com]

    Silence> Machine Article 2 [newscientist.com]

  • not pirate radio (Score:5, Informative)

    by akb ( 39826 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:45PM (#9595549)
    To call this pirate radio is insulting to real radio hackers. Increase the iTrip's range 20 or 30 percent, ooooh wow. That's what a whole 100 feet? When you can get 20 mile range by putting a hand made antenna in a tree connected to a hand soldered rig causing no interference to any other spectrum users (like you can learn to do from these [freeradio.org] people) I'll be more interested. And I won't care whether or not it involves purchasing the current fad consumer device like the iPod.

  • RIAA (Score:3, Funny)

    by awhelan ( 781773 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:50PM (#9595588) Homepage
    Watch out, you could get in trouble if you broadcast into the car of someone working for the RIAA. Since you probably aren't paying royalties on pirate radio, insted of suing you by IP address, they'll try to sue you by your license plate number.

  • I call Shenanigans! (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Beardo the Bearded ( 321478 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:56PM (#9595645)
    Sorry, folks, but if you put your little iPod transmitter up against the giant commercial transmitters, the giant commercial one is going to win.

    Bear with me, I'm not going to go into details when I can't draw pictures.

    If you have two signals at the same frequency arriving at the radio at the same time, they'll overlap, not cancel. Let's say you're broadcasting the "blank" signal at, say, 100 MHz. The radio will receive a constant 100MHz signal.

    The way FM works is by changing the phase of the broadcasting signal in relation to the unmodulated signal. So, you'll get the silent signal (which will be unmodulated) and the real signal (modulated). The radio will process BOTH signals - they use processors to decode the signals. I don't know if you know this, but they're kind of fast now. They can handle multiple singals.

    If you broadcast another audio signal, you'll get the two audio signals overlapping. Keep in mind that you're putting your tiny little iPod wire up against a great big dirty commerical broadcasting antenna. If you win, I'd wager that the Feds are going to want to ask you a few questions.

    They haven't done this in real life. If you say you have, then you're lying. Of course, I'm just an Electronics Engineer - what do I know?

    What's next, accepting articles from weekly world news? This isn't fark.

    • Re:I call Shenanigans! (Score:3, Insightful)

      by Anonymous Coward
      Ever here of the inverse square law, and the FM capture effect? At close range you only need a tiny signal to swamp a moderately distant commercial station, and the FM capture effect means that the signal that is slightly stronger, will be the one that you hear, not the sum of the two signals.

    • Re:I call Shenanigans! (Score:4, Informative)

      by chmod ( 46600 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @05:17PM (#9596191) Homepage
      I'm sorry, but thanks for playing our game. Your description is completely incorrect my friend. FM has the "capture effect" wherein only ONE signal can be properly decoded.

      Which ever signal is strongest at the receiver will "win" and be heard. If the signals are too close in strength, you won't get either properly.

      With a commercial transmitter putting out several KW's but being 50 miles away and you putting out 100MW but being several yards away it is quite possible you will win out.

      BTW, this is exactly what these products do. You don't need to be on an unused frequency (trying finding one of those in the Bay Area) Of course it helps quite a bit if the commercial signal is weak and easier to overcome.

  • What the? (Score:4, Funny)

    by zifferent ( 656342 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:58PM (#9595666)
    This already happened to me!

    I was driving along Tuesday listening to NPR and all of a sudden rap started coming out my radio.

    I thought this was odd, because it cut in suddenly and clear as a bell.

    I then noticed that the closer I came to the Cadillac in front of me the clearer the signal became, and at certain distance from the car NPR would cut back in.

    I just thought it was some new annoying technology that I hoped wouldn't catch on too soon.

    It's a great way for kids to annoy other people with their music without the cops catching on and citing them for noise ordinances.

    Small world.

  • Or if you are into 802.11 mesh systems (Score:3, Interesting)

    by LWATCDR ( 28044 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:59PM (#9595669) Homepage Journal
    How hard would it be to add one of those mini fm transmitters to each node of an 802.11b mesh. Instant community radio.

  • FM radio, I think not. (Score:3, Insightful)

    by sleighb0y ( 141660 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @03:59PM (#9595673) Homepage
    The idea that you are going to foil someone blasting their music in most cases is absurd. Who spends the money on an aftermarket sound system, only to listen to FM radio? Nobody wants to hear the latest furniture store jingle blasted at them, and who are they going to impress with that anyhow?

    A better use would be to take this in a store that plays a radio station acorss their PA sytem (non sat-based radio of course).
    • If you output enough wattage it overwhelms the receiver and bleeds over into the audio amplifier. So this technique would be valid with more power.

      Ask any CB'er who has a linear amp. ;-)

  • How about an EMP? (Score:5, Funny)

    by erroneus ( 253617 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @04:07PM (#9595746) Homepage
    If my goal was to shut those loud-assed rude-some-bitches down, then why not do it right? Shut your car off and set off a huge EMP to kill his equipment?

    Sounds like fun doesn't it? Sure does... now how can I create an EMP big enough to do it? Anyone got plans and a parts list for Radio Shack?
  • "Pirate Radio" implies a high-powered transmitter (such as from ships off-shore or moving vehicles) trying to evade detection, being used to beam signals in an area at strength levels far, far in excess of the unlicensed threshhold.

    This type of transmitter generates at or below the 100 mw permitted for completely unlicensed radio transmissions by FCC regulations. It is not "pirate" as this form of unlicensed radio transmitter is completely legal.

    • 100mw is not permitted for FM unlicensed radio transmissions per part 15 of the FCC regs. For part 15 they go only by field strength at a certain distance from the antenna. 100mw into anything better than a dummy load will be way over the limits. Even the 25mw transmitters sold by Ramsey Electronics will exceed the limits in most cases.

  • Better Solution - SPARK GAP TRANSMITTER (Score:5, Funny)

    by SCUBA Instructor ( 667786 ) on Friday July 02, 2004 @05:42PM (#9596360)
    Your're not gonna silence the other guy's loud car stereo, instead you're gonna launch him about 40 feet into the air! The FCC might tend to frown on you if they see you doing it; If you want to rule the airways for several blocks around your vehicle on all frequencies AM and FM simultaneously, and even screw up the guys CD audio, just build a spark gap transmitter and transmit either CW or voice (if you could call it that). The more RF output power the better! You could even connect a dynamotor to your auto fan belt (run it in tandem with your generator) and pump out 1000 watts+ RF! Then you'll bring the whole bay area to its knees! I think you might want to place your iPod in a well shielded box or just leave it at home while using the spark gap. This is technology from the 1920's !! Here's a sample schematic: http://w1.859.telia.com/~u85920178/tx/sparky.htm Oh yeah, be real careful - RF burns are no fun.

  • Ummm... what? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by emtboy9 ( 99534 ) <jeffNO@SPAMjefflane.org> on Friday July 02, 2004 @10:07PM (#9597583) Homepage
    Sorry, but I am failing to see where this is either cool, tech, neat, different, or even anywhere remotely newsworthy.

    Sorry, but I was a little disappointed. I went to the site expecting to find perhaps some hardware hacking info on the iTrip for boosting its output, or something like that... but come on now... has slashdot really gotten to the point where "if you pull the antenna out of the case, your signal will improve!"

    I mean, really. That whole thing did not take any bit of genious, or even the slightest bit of creativity. Geez... thats what the iTrip is for. Broadcasting... and it isnt the best around for that either... there are better version, and in fact, you can even get fm broadcaster kits with a good deal more transmit power than the iTrip has...

    But still, I dont see whats so special here. They are using an iPod and an FM broadcaster to do exactly what they were meant for... nothing new or special here.

    Maybe just a slow news day or something...

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