Virgo cluster radio luminosity function. I.

We determine the radio luminosity function of the Virgo galaxies, separately for the early- and late-types. Late-type galaxies develop radio sources with a probability proportional to their optical luminosity.

In fact their radio/optical (R_B_) distribution is gaussian, centered at log R_B_~-0.5, i.e. the radio luminosity is ~0.3 of the optical one. The probability of late-type galaxies to develop radio sources is almost independent of their detailed Hubble type, except for Sa (and S0+S0a) which are a factor of ~5 less frequent than later types at any R_B_. Giant elliptical galaxies feed "monster" radio sources with a probability strongly increasing with mass.