Well I have acquired one 100 watt TV translator and two 100 milliwatt TV translators. Basically a translator takes a signal from an antenna pointing at a main TV transmitter tower before shifting the frequency up slightly before amplifying that signal and pumping it out of an antenna. For example, the main TV transmitter transmits a TV channel on VHF channel 4 which is 177.5 MHz. The translator then up converts the input from Ch 4 up to Ch 8 which is 205.5 MHz. The original TV broadcast is unchanged. The translator can convert to what ever channel the operator chooses or even convert from VHF to UHF or from low band VHF to high band VHF. Finding a modulator for the weird low band VHF system here in NZ is near impossible as our channel allocation doesn't match the rest of the world. Then again this is true in most countries. High band VHF and UHF is somewhat standardised worldwide, UHF more so.



They normally are used to extend the reach of a TV network which is fine until you want to make a pirate TV station from it. You can feed it by simply taking an RF modulator, tuning it to Ch 4 and hooking it up to the input then hooking up a video source such as a DVD player or laptop and cranking the output power up to full. Then comes the task of finding a vantage point up high preferably between the target area and the local VHF analog TV transmitter tower which is easier said than done.



Anyway we will be broadcasting in analog PAL B format sometime soon. I have to either find or build a transmitting antenna for VHF and buy a VHF modulator. Everything else is piss easy. Strangely pirate TV has always been an obscure topic compared to pirate radio. Hopefully I can take advantage of the analog switch off and target those who cannot afford to switch to digital TV. Regular TV is total shit these days anyway, mostly cooking and home renovation shows in amongst the bullshit reality TV that the younger generation and the "sheep" can't get enough of.



Pics to follow.