Pirate channel company PBC (Pirates Combination Brabant) has been illegally broadcasting radio from the Sint Willibrordus Church in Mill for months. Radio pirates secretly placed a transmission tower in the church tower. The mast was removed on Monday by the National Digital Infrastructure Service (RDI). Pastor James Gerald Joseph was not aware of any harm: “They lied and cheated the sexton.”
The radio pirates walked into the church in December and pretended that they were carrying out work on a mast that was already on the roof. The sexton was present at the time. “They asked if they could climb up to the tower to inspect something,” said Pastor James Gerald Joseph. “According to the sexton, they said they would get another permit and it seemed credible. So they went upstairs with his approval.”
The so-called inspectors had to make an effort for this: they climbed more than two hundred stairs and some shaky ladders. They also had to go through a door that is normally closed. “Because the sexton was there, it was open that day,” the pastor said on Friday, as he showed the route the radio pirates had taken.
He has more trouble getting to the top than the radio pirates: he tries more than ten keys and has to go back down twice to finally open the door upstairs with the right key. “I rarely come here,” he explains, still panting.
“We now know that we have to be careful and make sure that no one just comes in.”
That is partly the reason why they didn’t notice anything at all in church all those months. “The radio pirates placed the mast at the very top of the building, you don’t often get that high. And there is already a mast, so it is not so noticeable.” A smile escapes him: “Life is full of surprises. You think you have everything under control, but there are always people who handle something like that smartly.”
The radio pirates did not make radio from the church but from another place. They used the mast purely to spread the signal. Their church adventure came to an end on Monday. The National Digital Infrastructure Service (RDI) discovered the transmission tower and immediately removed it. “All’s well that ends well,” says Gerald Joseph. “But we are certainly not happy that this happened. It is illegal and they did it without official permission. They lied and cheated the sexton.”
He does not yet know whether the church will press charges against the people who installed the transmitter. “We are waiting to see what will happen from the RDI. If necessary, we will report it.” To prevent this from happening again in the future, checks are carried out more often within the church. “We now know that we have to be careful and make sure that no one just comes in.”
National Digital Infrastructure Inspectorate (RDI)
The National Digital Infrastructure Inspectorate (RDI) ensures that everyone can use the airwaves in a safe and fair manner. Legal channels have to pay to broadcast. Because illegal transmitters can disrupt emergency or aviation frequencies and cause nuisance and damage, they are detected by the RDI.
RDI says it checks this almost continuously. This is done by inspectors and remotely. The basic fine for illegal broadcasting over the air is 7,500 euros. There is no longer any advance warning. In addition, the RDI also takes criminal action and confiscates the equipment.
