19-08-2019, 01:14 PM
Yes, it was illegal to listen to police transmissions in the UK because they weren't authorised broadcast transmissions but I think PC Plod would have a hard time catching someone!
No doubt the Swiss did something similar to the UK but we had to go one step better!
Basically, when FM broadcasting started, HMG told the BBC that they'd already got three stations so would't need any more!* So the BBC duplicated the existing Light & Home services and the Third Programmes (today's R2, R3 & R4) and HMG grabbed all the remaining bandwidth and, no doubt, charged the police forces they gave it to for its use.
Of course, it never dawned on the politicians and civil servants that, one day, portable VHF/FM receivers would become easily available allowing the lower life forms to get plenty of advance warning of any police interest in their activities!
* This policy severely handicapped the widespread use of FM receivers because the only way that the BBC could promote VHF was as being 'Interference Free'!
Interference levels, in the main, were quite low in those days so the public saw no reason to splash out considerable sums of money to listen to the same programmes they already had. Therefore, sales levels were low which meant that prices remained high - obviously a far cry from events in Germany!
No doubt the Swiss did something similar to the UK but we had to go one step better!
Basically, when FM broadcasting started, HMG told the BBC that they'd already got three stations so would't need any more!* So the BBC duplicated the existing Light & Home services and the Third Programmes (today's R2, R3 & R4) and HMG grabbed all the remaining bandwidth and, no doubt, charged the police forces they gave it to for its use.
Of course, it never dawned on the politicians and civil servants that, one day, portable VHF/FM receivers would become easily available allowing the lower life forms to get plenty of advance warning of any police interest in their activities!
* This policy severely handicapped the widespread use of FM receivers because the only way that the BBC could promote VHF was as being 'Interference Free'!
Interference levels, in the main, were quite low in those days so the public saw no reason to splash out considerable sums of money to listen to the same programmes they already had. Therefore, sales levels were low which meant that prices remained high - obviously a far cry from events in Germany!
