Up and down

Anybody listening to Dutch pirates over the weekend is likely to have found propagation conditions in their favour during the early evening - that is certainly what I found with signals coming in really well between around 1600 and 1800. As darkness arrived, so the conditions were more volatile, especially on Sunday evening when at one point most stations faded out. Here is what I heard . . . 

Sunday, February 24, 2013

1625       1559       Quintus 35433-45444 music programme. Close at 1642

1611       1602       Zwarte Non 35443 at 1648 music programme

1635       1609       Batavier 34433 music programme

1647       1610       Witte Tonado 35343 (55544 at 2020) music programme

1655       1617       Vuurvogel 25342 (35443 at 1646) qsoing

1671       1824       Viking 34433 music programme

1655       1831       Relmus testing

1620       1846       Eldorado 44444 music programme

1639       2015       Wadloper 44434 music programme

1651       2030       Uniek 33433-34543 music programme

1638       2307       Calipso 55444-55555 testing

1647       2319       Casablanca 45444 qsoing

1653       2325       Jeneverstoker 24332 qsoing

1638       2339       Underground weak signal

1647       0020       Bluebird 35433 music programme

Saturday, February 23, 2013

1652       1701       Uniek qsoing 35543

1625       1701       Batavier 35433 at 1743 (45544 at 1752) music programme

1611       1702       Tower 44544 at 1821 music programme. Close at 0051

1512       1702       Edelkampioen 43533 music programme (started at 1615 after Tempico closed)

1648       1704       Caldera  25442 (34443 at 1834) music programme

1627       1706       Dr Blow 33443 qsoing

1656       1710       Rodester 35333 (45444 at 1735) qsoing

1668       1721       Pontiac  45444 qsoing

1636       1729       Keizer En Keizerin 34333 music programme

1620       1731       Kruik 24432-34433 music programme

1656       1752       Digitaal 34333 qsoing

1630       1825       Lancia 23422-33433 qsoing

1647       1827       Zeewolf 23432-33443 qsoing

1647       1850       Bluebird 32532-43543 music programme

1648       1855       Moby Dick 43433 music programme

1640       2159       Witte Raaf 34433-44444 music programme

1625       0040       Witte Raaf 34433-44444 music programme

1636       0045       Romax 34433 qsoing

Thursday, February 21, 2013

1664       2244       Amigo 35543 music programme

1638       2244       Hot Radio (via Calipso) 55544

1620       2245       Anton 55544 music programme

1629       2245       Babylona music programme

1656       2320       Wilskracht 25432-35333 qsoing

1656       2326       Jeneverstoker 35333 qsoing

1646       2331       Casablanca 45444 qsoing

1647       2345       Noordzee 44444-55555 report for Anton

1653       2347       Monte Carlo 34443 report for Anton

1639       2354       Monte Carlo 34443 qsoing

Observations

• Great to hear British pirate Underground back on MW. He can usually be found with his polka music on shortwave but, using a T antenna, he was back on 1.6 MHz over the weekend. Although his signal was a little hit and miss here, it was hitting the Netherlands well enough and he had a qso with Calipso
• Many thanks to Witte Tornado for the English music during their regular Sunday programme. While the propagation conditions held up, the signal was excellent once again
• On Saturday I heard Edelkampioen for the first time. This station was first active around 20 years ago but has recently returned to the air operated by the son of original pirate, with a little help from his own son. The station made a comeback around three months ago and can usually be heard once a week on 1512. A great example of the pirate bug being passed down from generation to generation
• I first heard Caldera a couple of weeks ago when he was qsoing with 45 watts. He's got a new transmitter now and was trying it out on Saturday afternoon/evening. The signal got stronger as time went by and he was coming in really well by 1830. I'm looking forward to hearing more from this station
• There was a good qso on Saturday evening during which I heard Zeewolf for the first time in a while on MW. I wonder if his regular Friday night programmes on 1647 will make a return at some point?