Sealand – a communications hub?
We’ve discussed a lot of important deployments of satellite Internet — developing nations, rural areas, and mobile platforms, to name a few. Let’s not forget about MicroNations:
Sealand, a tiny ex-British military base used during WWII, sits just off the Southeast coast of England. Since the tiny platform has only a population of 20, no connections to mainland England, and, um, questionable international status, how does Sealand get wired?
From SatNews:
The Principality of Sealand has received a multi-million dollar investment opportunity from a Russian investment group to fund the launch of a new communications satellite. So states the official newspaper of the country, the Sealand News. Such a project would give the independent micro-nation total worldwide Internet freedom plus internationally un-restricted Internet broadcasting, all from the former military fortress/artificial island located six miles off the coast of Britain.
It’s no secret why Sealand would be an attractive communications hub — no taxes, no censorship, no restrictions. For example, Sealand will soon be launching an online casino, promising 100% tax-free winnings. There has also been talk of using Sealand as a hub for media download services.
Pirate Radio is on the list too. Sealand’s own newspaper has the details:
A new Pirate Radio Station is supposed to set up shop in Sealand.
History repeats itself as a group of young radio DJs are negotiating with the Principality over using the former British anti-aircraft platform as the location for their new “Free Radio Sealand”.
Plans are to use the facilities of HavenCo, the internet hosting company with its datacenter located in Sealand, to launch an international internet radio station as well as a terrestrial and digital radio station.
“We’re going to bring back Pirate Radio big time,” said Stuart Turner (21), also known as Lord Stuart of Sealand, a former Virgin Radio DJ. “We’re going back to the roots of Radio Essex when listening to the radio was actually a way of life!”
The Principality of Sealand used to be a Pirate Radio station in the early Sixties: During the summer of 1965 Roy Bates entered the Pirate Radio business and set up his own radio station at Knock John Tower, a former WW2 British naval defence platform in the Thames estuary.
An original wartime radio beacon was converted for use as the broadcasting transmitter and regular broadcasts commerced on 7 November 1965. The enormously popular Radio Essex, later renamed BBMS (Britain’s Better Music Station) was the first Pirate Radio Station to provide 24/7 entertainment and shaped the face of Sixties pop culture as we remember it.
After being convicted of violating British broadcasting law, Roy Bates moved his radio station to Roughs Tower. 2 years later Bates turned Roughs Tower into the Principality of Sealand and became HRH Prince Roy of Sealand!
