Non-stop action

It has been some time since an evening like that! Propagation conditions at the top of the MW band were perfect for listening to the Dutch pirates on Monday. From around 1600 UTC stations started arriving across the North Sea with good signals, and they got better and better with perfect listening conditions right throughout the evening. As Professor Sickbok closed down from his marathon music programme at 0305 Dutch time, he was still blasting in with a powerful signal. And as I write these words I am able to hear Radio Rebelde from Cuba on 1620. There are other stations from the USA coming through on 1630, 1650 and 1670. 

Here are the stations we heard from the Netherlands at our location inland in England . . . 

Monday, January 7, 2013
1646       1558       Vrolijke Mijnwerker 55544-55555 testing
1650       1605       Zwarte Boekanier 34543-35543 music programme
1641       1611       Non-stop music 34533-44544
1633       1630       Vrijevogel 34543 music programme
1655       1638       Non-stop music 55555
1645       1701       Digitaal 44554 qsoing
1655       1713       Turfsteker 34543 qsoing
1646       1714       Soerabaya 33543 qsoing
1656       1720       Vligende Schotel 44544 qsoing
1653       1730       Zwarte Boekanier 45554 qsoing
1647       1732       Noordzee 45554-55544 qsoing
1644       1744       Interpol 43543 qsoing
1646       1802       Baanbreker 34543 qsoing
1641       1803       Blauwe Reiger 43543 asking for report
1646       1844       Blauwe Reiger 34543-44544 qsoing
1640       1850       Pecon 45554 qsoing
1655       1928       Mustang 44544 music programme
1647       1930       Calipso 55544-55555 music programme
1611       2105       Black Power 54554
1655       2108       Black Power 55544-55555 testing modulator
1663       2120       Readymix 34543-44544 music programme
1646       2140       Dageraad 35533-45544 report for Vrijevogel
1640       2150       Monte Carlo 44544-55544 qsoing
1638       2156       Dageraad 35533 qsoing
1655       2158       Houstonpiraat 45544 music programme
1632       2200       Akai 35533-44544 music programme
1656       2215       Vligende Schotel 45544 report for Houstonpiraat
1645       2219       Vrolijke Mijnwerker 55555 qsoing
1640       2237       Professor Sickbok 44544 music programme
1645       2243       Monte Carlo 54554 qsoing
1629       2244       Bluebird 44544 music programme
1655       2256       Vrolijke Mijnwerker 54444-55555 qsoing
1654       2357       Jenverstoker 33533 qsoing
1650       2357       Monte Carlo 54544 qsoing
1647       0003       Noordzee 54544 qsoing
1647       0017       Casablanca 54544 qsoing

Observations

• Strong signals were certainly the order of the day with several stations reaching the maximum SINPO of 55555. Click here to listen to a compilation of recordings of some of the stations heard at this side
  

• Vrolijke Mijnwerker nearly always has a powerhouse signal, and he was booming in tonight. Also very strong were Black Power, Monte Carlo, Noordzee and Casablanca
• Because of the good conditions, many stations were stronger than usual, and it was a treat to hear the likes of Readymix, Dageraad, Akai, Jeneverstoker and Soerabaya coming in better than usual. Bluebird had been busy qsoing the previous evening but was much stronger tonight
• Every now and again we come across a station we haven't heard before. This time, it was Interpol, who joined in a qso around 1645 kHz. He picked the perfect day to switch on his transmitter!
• While qsos are interesting, especially when it comes to comparing signal strengths, modulation quality etc, it is always good to hear some programming. The Zwarte Boekanier was busy playing records at around 1600 UTC, while Vrijevogel was on air for some hours with a regular Monday broadcast. Professor Sickbok and Noordzee both provided the entertainment as we crossed into Tuesday morning, beaming a mixture of music across Europe in the early hours