Pirate radio in the United Kingdom A number of DJs of the newly created pop music service BBC Radio 1 came from pirate stations. The UK Government also closed the international waters loophole via the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act of 1967, although Radio Caroline continued to broadcast (with some sizeable off-air periods between 1968 and 1972 and 1980–83) until 1990. The 1967 Marine Broadcasting Offences Act officially outlawed offshore stations, but unlicensed radio continued, moving from ships and sea-based platforms to urban areas in the latter part of the 1960s (they were already illegal under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949). During this period, home-made medium wave
Pirate radio in the United Kingdom south west London. In London pirate stations emerged that, for the first time in UK radio broadcasting, focused on particular music genres such as Radio Invicta (92.4 FM) Europe's first soul station, started in 1970. Horizon Radio (94.5 and 102.5 FM) broadcast from 1981 until September 1985 and was also known for soul music. During the 1960s and 70s Birmingham was the home of a music scene comparable to that of Liverpool, and a number of pirate stations arose there, including Mix FM, Real Radio and the Peoples Community Radio Link (PCRL), which began broadcasting in 1985 on 103.7 FM