Publications

Since August 1998 the Surrey Anorak’s Society has produced our own newsletter The SAS Home Pages since renamed SAS Interference. This is printed up to eight times a year depending on what’s happening and time availability.

After a couple of general issues Martin suggested it would be sensible to theme each newsletter to avoid duplication with other radio publications and our discussions at the meet. As you might expect being from a pirate era background, our newsletters have covered offshore radio - Arutz 7, developments re the former Laser 558 ship the MV Communicator, Dutch and English Offshore RSLs and Sealand.

In addition we’ve covered the European Short-wave, and British / Dutch AM pirates and UK FM privateer scene. The latter includes analysis of Ofcom raids and prosecution statistics (now you know why Ofcom avoids publishing current figures) and UK case law. The SAS is recognised by some in official London commercial radio (not just Radio Jackie!) as producing a “fair, balanced and authoritative view” as to the happenings on the unauthorised London FM airwaves.

Over the years we’ve also delved into legal radio producing newsletters on such diverse subjects as the return of Radio Jackie in 2003, UK national commercial radio, analysis of UK commercial radio ownership, changes at Capital FM, Community Radio, Solar Propagation, DAB developments. In 2009 we added film and theatre reviews related to offshore radio. We also re-named the newsletter SAS Interference as obviously the web-site has its own home page!

In May 2011 we've produced a Digital Radio Update - four pages of news and analysis concerning DAB development and in August news of fires at transmission facilities in the Netherlands. A busy time at work and other projects have meant a small gap in newsletters. This will resume in December with an updated London FM listing. An analysis of commercial radio ownership 2011 against 2001 will be delayed until early next year.

Given time we'll scan in and pdf sample past editions of our work on the site. We also invite Surrey Anorak Society members to write about their experiences - like trips out to the ships in the North Sea - or archive material from stations past..