RADIO INTERFERENCE
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The Radio Interference section was part the GPO Radio Services Department. The GPO was the licensing authority and the Radio Service Department started investigating cases of interference around the early 1930's, developing systems for the location and suppression of interference. Radio interference could be in many forms, such as:-
The Wireless Telegraphy act of 1949 had provisions for licensing and the control of radio interference. Prior to 1969 the Postmaster General was the authority responsible to Parliament for the national control of wireless telegraphy, including the investigation of interference to authorised broadcasting. When the Post Office became a public corporation, headquarters control of this radio interference service was taken over by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPT), but in April 1974 the responsibility passed to the Home Office. However, day-to-day operation of the service is still carried out by the Post Office as an agent of the Home Office. Within part two of the act was the statement "Any person who uses any apparatus for the purpose of interfering with any Wireless Telegraphy shall be guilty of an offence under the act". Proving that in court could be difficult. An advisory committee made recommendations to the Minister for regulations that could control interference. Regulations were put in place to stop interference by cars, motors, fridges, medical apparatus etc. The service was free to licensed users. The GPO engineers in the Radio Investigation section were courteous and non-threatening, hoping that those causing the interference would agree to rectifying the issue. The GPO engineers could install suppressors, but these were chargeable to the user. Faulty apparatus was disconnected and the owner advised to get it repaired. The GPO purchased special Radio Interference vehicles, initially using war surplus army radio vans (which were wooden bodied to allow radio signal reception) and then Morris J type vans, Hillman Minx Estate cars, Morris Oxford Estate cars, Ford Anglia Vans, Vauxhall HA vans and Bedford CF vans. Radio interference staff are provided with a 5cwt vehicle to carry the tools and equipment enabling them to deal with the most common and simplest complaints, such as those caused by domestic appliances. In addition each Telephone Area has a 10cwt vehicle fitted with test equipment and a 25ft extending aerial mast to cope with the more complicated interference problems, such as those caused by unwanted signals from radio transmitters, or cases which require the strength of the local television signal to be measured. In 1952 the GPO also took over responsibility for detecting if an un-licensed TV was operating from premises under investigation. But then the Government of the day decided to privatise Post Office Telephones in 1984 and the Home Office took over total responsibility for the Radio Interference service. The Vauxhall HA and Bedford CF vans were replaced with Morris Marina cars and many of the BT Radio Interference staff transferred to the Civil Service. Click here for more information on Radio Interference vehicles
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Last revised: January 15, 2024FM2 | ||||||||