Finnish pirate radiostations (Free Radios) usually operate on the 48 meter band 6200 - 6300 kHz. Many stations can also be found on FM-band 88 - 108 MHz locally. On short wawes frequencies outside 48 meter band are used only seldom, but sometimes you might hear stations around frequencies 7360-7390, 9980, 11400 and 15040 kHz.

FM-stations can be on the air almost anytime, but the best time to listen to FM-pirates is to switch on your radio at weekends around 2100 - 2400 local time. Short wawe stations have a tradition to be on the air at Sundays around 1100-1300 local time. Nowadays stations have also been on the air at weekend nights after midnight. Best night to try is the night between Saturday and Sunday.

Most stations answer friendly to listeners letters and reception reports. You should remember to enclose 2 IRC's or 3,50 FIM postage stamp to cover the mailing costs. If you need any technical advice, the best stations to write are Meteor, Mayday and Diablo. Questions about starting and running your own station can be send to any station. The main addresses are P.O.Box 220342, D-5600 Wuppertal 22, Germany and P.O.Box 82, SF-40101 Jyväskylä, Finland. If you use the Jyväskylä-box, please don't write "Radio" on the envelope. Preferably use only station initials.

Most stations transmitt only music for younger generation (pop, rock and disco) and small bits of talk. Some stations and DJ's use heavily effects, jingles and echo. Only few stations have longer spoken parts in their shows. One of them is Radio Meteor, who have sometimes good piratenews and -info in Finnish language.

The amount of stations has been raising all the time since the "recession" in the early and mid 1980's. New stations appear both on FM and SW all the time, but too many of them disappear or quit pretty soon.

This is what you can hear

Radio Meteor, Wuppertal and Jyväskylä boxes. The station has been founded already in 1980. The founder, DJ and operator of the station is Rick Random. Today the station broadcasts with the power of about 60 watts. Valve transmitter. The most frequent frequency to try is 6239 kHz, but you should also listen to 6274 and 7360-7390 kHz.

Radio Mayday, Wuppertal and Jyväskylä boxes. This station has been founded in 1988 by Frank N. Stein and The Technician. Programs are presented by Frank and Susan Stein (the only female pirate-DJ in Finland). Station broadcasts mostly on 6274 kHz, but also 6240, 6258 and 9980 kHz can be used. Transmitting power can be anything between 15 and 90 watts, as Mayday has many transmitters to use. With 90 watts Mayday has also been heard in Canada, North-America.

Radio Scanwood, Wuppertal and Jyväskylä boxes. Scanwood started broadcasting in 1980 and it uses many frequencies on 48 mb. It has been on the air very seldom lately. The DJ uses name Mister X.

Radio Bristol, address is not known. Last known address was P.O. Box 41, 7700 AA Dedemsvaart, Holland, but this box doesn't seem to operate any longer. Bristol has also been founded in 1980. Nowadays the station transmitts very irregulary, mostly at Christmas time, on 6233 kHz. Other 48 mb frequencies may also be used.

Radio Diablo, Wuppertal and Jyväskylä boxes. Diablo started broadcasting in 1991. It transmitts anywhere on the 48 mb mostly at weekend nights. The transmitting power is around 20 watts. Valve transmitter. One of the DJ's is Jack The Ripper.

Voice of the Free Radio (VoFR), Wuppertal and Jyväskylä boxes. The operator Tom Collins founded this station in 1989. The DJ's include Tom, Lasol and Saigon. The best frequency to listen to is 6240 kHz. At the moment the transmitting power is 17 watts from a valve transmitter to a half-wawe horisontal dipoleantenna.

Radio Relax, Wuppertal and Jyväskylä boxes. The same operator has been transmitting with many different names since the late 1970's and "Relax"-name has been used since 1989. The operator and DJ is Robert Eb. Nowadays the stations is on the air very seldom, but it might be heard on the 48 mb with 15 watts of power.

Right-Wing Radio (RWR), Wuppertal and Jyväskylä boxes. This station has been founded in 1985 and operated on FM (95,9 MHz FM Stereo 150 watts) and SW (6225 kHz 15 watts) in Jyväskylä untill 1988 when it was raided. RWR is still on the air on 48 mb via relays few times a year. Many DJ's, for example Tex Willer, Saigon, Simon Heel, Radio-Rambo, etc.

Radio Milliwatti, Wuppertal and Jyväskylä boxes. Milliwatti has been founded in 1990 by DJ Lasol. It has been broadcasting on FM 106 MHz and it has been planning SW-transmissions, but the future is uncertain. The transmitting power has been around 1-4 watts.

Jolly Roger Radio, Wuppertal and Jyväskylä boxes. This station has been founded in 1989 and it has been transmitting on FM in Central-Finland. Low power, less than 10 watts. The future of this station is uncertain.

KISS FM, Wuppertal and Jyväskylä boxes. KISS FM was started as a very big operation in 1989 to continue the work of RWR and it used to broadcast on 95,9 MHz in FM Stereo with a high quality PLL-crystal oscillator transmitter in Jyväskylä. DJ's were Tex Willer, Pale and Radio-Rambo. The station is inactive now, but as all of the equipment is still in town, the station may reappear.

Radio Aallot, Jyväskylä box. This station started in 1990 and it transmitts on 104,5 MHz in Päijät-Häme. The transmitting power is 10 watts and the transmitter is a high-quality one made by Veronica FM, UK.

Radio Rupikonna, no address known, but can be reached via Jyväskylä box. Operates on FM in Pori, West-Finland.

Radio Decline, no address known, but can be reached via Jyväskylä box. Operates on 6140 Khz and 48 mb in Pori, West-Finland. High power, but irregular.

Radio Galaxy, no address known, but can be reached via Radio Milliwatti. The station has been founded in 1991 by operator and DJ Mega Hertsi. Operates in Jyväskylä on 96 MHz FM. The transmitting power is 15 watts and the transmitter is a high-quality PLL- crystal oscillator Veronica FM-transmitter. Other DJ's are Saigon and Lasol. Plans to switch to FM Stereo and will also start SW-transmissions with the help of former Radio Royals (operated around 1981) operators.

Radio Bonanza, Jyväskylä box. Bonanza has been founded in 1991. It operates irregulary on 48 mb with 15 watts of transmitting power. The operator and DJ is Jack Killian.

Radio Wega, Jyväskylä box. This Wega has no connections to former Radio Wega, who operated in Jyväskylä in 1989. This one has been found in 1991 by the operator and DJ Mega Watti in Kouvola area. Station operates on 96,3 MHz in FM stereo with 150 watts of power. The driver transmitter is a 35-watts PLL-crystal oscillator Veronica FM-transmitter, stereoencoder is from Holland and the 150 watts linear amplifier is ex-Radio Nova (Rauma, Finland 1983-84).

Metsäradio, Wuppertal and Jyväskylä boxes. "Forestradio" has been found in 1992. They operate on 48 mb mostly on 6240 kHz. The station uses modern radioamateur transceivers (AM-mode anyway), so they can use almost any frequency and power they want.

Radio Matilda, Wuppertal box. A special station name which is used when Finnish pirate operators are having meetings and joint transmissions on SW. Stations who have been taking part in Matilda-transmissions are: Mayday, Voice of Free Radio, Diablo and Right-Wing Radio. The frequencies have been 6205, 6240 and 6275 kHz at the same time in SW stereo = left and right channels on different frequencies. Plans to appear 1-2 times a year.

Studio 7, no address known. Operates in Jyväskylä on FM in frequencies above 100 MHz. Old station, but low power and irregular transmissions.

Radio Mega, no address known. Has been founded in 1991. The station operates on 91,2 MHz in Kotka, South-East Finland. The transmitting power is about 10 watts, sometimes in stereo. Mega is related with Radio Wega.

Radio Vapaa Perämeri, no address known. This station has been heard in 1992 in northern Finland in Oulu-area on FM. Large coverage = high power.

Radio Nightmare, no address known. Operates in Kouvola area on FM 96 MHz (4 watts), SW 6240 kHz (40 watts) and SW 7379 kHz (40 watts). Operator is DJ Freddy Krueger. Irregular transmissions.

Hell's Chest, no address known. This is a TV-pirate operating in Kouvola area on channel 23 with 6 watts of transmitting power. Station was raided in 1992, when part of equipment was lost, but no operators were caught. The station will be back on the air soon and it is related with Radio Nightmare.

Unidentified stations, no address known:

• Broadcasts in East-Finland in rural countryside. Station operates in 88,2 MHz FM Stereo. Transmitting power now is 4 watts, but should be soon 50 watts. The operator and DJ is Tuho. The station is also starting TV-piratetransmissions on channel 2.
• Broadcasts in Jaala in Kymen lääni-area in 99,8 MHz FM. Unstabile transmitter, but high power and large coverage.

Listen out for Finnish pirates as they are not so hard to hear as you might think. If you have problems in identifying the stations you heard, you can always send a cassetterecording for inspection to Free Radio Campaign - Finland (FRCF), P.O.Box 82, SF-40101 Jyväskylä, Finland. Remember the return postage.