Pirate Radio in Europe - Netherlands

Netherlands

(See also Belgium)

• 1960–1974

Radio Veronica transmitted in Dutch on AM mediumwave (192 meter, 1562 kHz; later 538 meter, 557 kHz) from the MV Borkum Riff and after 1965 from the MV Norderney in international waters off the coast of Scheveningen, and soon became the most popular radio station in the Netherlands. Broadcasts were targeted to the Netherlands only, transmitting power was deliberately kept moderate to avoid interference with international radio stations. Most broadcasts were recorded on shore in Hilversum. The station operated from April 1960 until August 1974, when the Dutch ratification of the Strassbourg treaty came into effect, after which Radio Veronica—then called VOO—became part of the regular Dutch broadcasting system, but was unable to retain its popularity. Radio Veronica is now an independent radio station

• 1964

Radio Noordzee and TV Noordzee transmitted in Dutch from REM Island, an artificial construction resembling an early offshore oil platform. It was built in the Republic of Ireland and towed into a position off the coast of the Netherlands where it was assembled on site. The two stations were short lived and were forcibly closed by an air and sea attack by the Dutch Armed Forces. However, the funds solicited from the project by the REM island project were later used to launch a legitimate and fully licensed station in the Netherlands.

• 1970

Radio Noordzee Internationaal (RNI) broadcasting on AM, FM and international shortwave from the MV Mebo II which was originally anchored off the Netherlands. The ship moved for a time off the coast of south-eastern England where it was jammed by a Royal Navy transmitter. The vessel then returned to the Netherlands. The owners of this station were quite controversial having been involved with the civil war in Nigeria: (Biafra) and a complicated involvement with the sale of electronic equipment that featured in the trial of the men responsible for blowing up a PanAm jetliner over Scotland. The end came for the MV Mebo II when the owners sold their offshore station to Libya as a revolutionary radio station. In the end Libya blew the vessel up and sank it for target practice.

• 1970

Capital Radio aboard the MV King David. No connection to the legal British commercial radio group of the same name.

• 1978

Radio Delmare aboard the MV Martina". This vessel also took a generator to "Radio Caroline" then using the MV "Mi Amigo".

• 1981

Radio Paradijs made test broadcasts only from the MV Magda Maria (Lieve) which was anchored off the Netherlands before the station was forcibly closed.

• 1984

Radio Monique aboard Radio Caroline's MV Ross Revenge. Its successors Radio 558 and Radio 819 may have had the same owners.

• 1980–present

Nowadays, there are a lot of Dutch pirate radio stations, mostly located in rural areas. It has been claimed that currently (2011) approx 50% of all European Pirate Stations are located in the East-Netherlands. Especially the provinces of Twente, Friesland and Drenthe have a lot of pirate stations. Most of the pirate radio stations air the so called "pirate music", traditional Dutch folk music combined with classic English, German and Polka.