These propagation conditions are frustrating. The other night they were so bad I thought there was a problem with the antennas outside. The general level of noise at the top of MW and right across SW has been pretty high for the last few days as well, making listening far from as enjoyable as it can be. But things can change pretty quickly.
I switched the radio on this evening, for example, at around 2030 local time. Stations like Meteoor, who would usually be very strong were coming in okay but nothing special. All in all, I nearly switched off and headed to bed for an early night. And then, at around 2200, the signals started to increase and Meteoor and the others on air started to pick up to the strengths I would expect from them.
Right now, at around 2330 I'm listening to Utopia on 1620. It's been a good while since I heard him, and over 20 years since I spent a few days in a tent in his back garden!
Here's what I heard tonight, along with some other recent listings . . .
Thursday, February 5, 2015
1645 2040 Northcoast 35333 music programme
1611 2049 Meteoor 35333 music programme
1640 2050 Veronica 35333 music programme
1657 2105 Kristal 45333-55444 music programme
1615 2111 Desperado 24222-34333 music programme
1611 2134 Blauwe Piraat 24222 report for Meteoor
1645 2135 Wadloper 45444-55444 music programme
1620 2141 Meteoor 35333, 45444 at 2206 qsoing
1620 2145 Blauwe Piraat 25222 qsoing
1620 2149 Anton 35333, 45444 at 2212 qsoing
1620 2237 Utopia 45333-45444 testing
1629 2241 Belladonna 24222 music programme
1630 2305 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 54444 report for Kristal
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
1620 1820 Zonnester 35333-45444 qsoing
1620 1831 Blauwe Piraat 35243 weak signal qsoing
1620 1854 Monza 35232-35333 qsoing
1476 1917 Rietvink 23442 music programme
1620 2046 Batavia 35333-45344 music programme
1640 2047 Digitaal 34333 music programme
1638 2100 Twentse Adelaar 25222 music programme
1643 2115 Wadloper 45434 music programme
1650 2253 Jan De Roos 35333 Music programme
1630 2254 Anton 45434-55444 music programme
1632 2304 Toulouse 44444 report for Anton
1630 2322 Monte Carlo 34333-44444 qsoing
Monday, February 2, 2015
1640 1748 Digitaal 35232
1648 1755 Zwarte Boekanier 35232-35343 asking for report
1629 2129 Witte Raaf 35333 music programme
1636 2155 Topedojager 35343 music programme
1625 2257 Black Devil 23422-45434 music programme
1628 2301 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 44444 music programme
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
1636 1812 Nooitgedacht 35333 music programme
1636 1843 Havanna 55444 report for Nooitgedacht
Friday, January 30, 2015
1620 1822 Sterrekijker 35333 music programme
1629 1845 Belladonna 22322 music programme
1620 2202 Calipso 55544 music programme
1629 2203 Twentana 35333 music programme
1643 2203 Wadloper 45444 music programme
1668 2204 Armada 55444 music programme
1646 2206 Uniek 33433-45434 music programme
1611 2214 Turftrekker 44444 music programme
Thursday, January 29, 2015
1629 1709 Zwarte Boer 32342, 34333 at 2024 music programme
1611 2005 Malibu 33333-44444 music programme
1617 2006 Digitaal 45444 music programme
1620 2006 Johnny Camaro 33433 music programme
1640 2008 Vrolijke Fluiters (Batavier+Zwarte Panter) 35333
1656 2025 Nachtzwerver testing
1705 2055 Aeneas qsoing from Greece
1655 2110 Turfsteker 25222-35333 testing antenna
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
1643 2034 Wadloper 45444-55555 music programme
1652 2035 Batavier 35343 music programme
1620 2040 Zwarte Golf 43443 testing modulation
Sunday, January 25, 2015
1616 0035 Barones 55444 music programme
1648 0036 Moby Dick 55444 music programme
1627 0037 Digitaal 44444 music programme
1636 0040 Keizer en Keizerin 34433 music programme
1665 0040 Polkaman 35333 music programme
1632 0103 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 55444 report for Moby Dick
1636 0128 Jeneverstoker qsoing
1611 2053 Jamaica 54434 qsoing
1647 2054 Witte Tornado 35333-55444 music programme
1640 2055 Wadloper 45434 music programme
1625 2104 Soerabaya 25322 testing
Friday, January 23, 2015
1620 1605 Sterrekijker 25332, 35333 at 1840 music programme
1636 1655 Digitaal 35333 music programme
1629 1833 Twentana testing antenna
1655 1835 Columbia 35333-45444 asking for report
1646 1840 Kaaiman 35333 report for Columbia
1629 1858 Belladonna 22432 music programme
1656 1900 Skywire weak signal
1627 2005 Titanic 44444 testing
1645 2018 Kristal 54444 music programme
1635 2018 Eldorado 45434 report for 1604.
1539 2033 Batavia 32422 music programme
1640 2040 Wadloper 44444-55555 music programme
1620 2107 Akai 44444 report for Sterrekijker
1620 2111 Jamaica 55544 report for Sterrekijker
1627 2134 Zwarte Diamont 43433-45444 report for Musky
1620 2138 Spanningzoeker 54444 qsoing
1646 2206 Uniek 34433-44444 report for Kristal
1611 2217 Batavia 45434 music programme
1655 2230 Batavier 25222-35333 music programme
1622 2232 Soerabaya 23322-34433 testing
1630 2255 Pandora 55555
1622 2256 Digitaal 45444 report for Soerabaya
1629 2313 Pioneer 33433 from Rotterdam
1620 2325 Soerabaya qsoing
1680 2337 Alex Warner very weak qsoing
1635 2338 Stem Van Twente 45444 qsoing
1680 2349 Digitaal 45434 qsoing
1680 0002 Stem Van Twente 45434 qsoing
1640 0006 Stem Van Twente 45434 qsoing
Friday, January 16, 2015
1620 1835 Titanic 35353-45454 report for Sterrekijker
1645 1850 Kaaiman 25242 testing
1650 2100 Kristal 45343-45444 music programme
1660 2110 Kristal 35333 calling for qso
1630 2125 Soerabaya weak signal asking for report
1640 2131 Wadloper 34443-45554 testing
1650 2311 Batavier weak signal music programme
1630 2312 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 45434 music programme
1656 2314 Nachtzwerver 25222-35443 music programme
1638 2327 Calimero 45334 testing
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
1620 1723 Jamaica 55555 qsoing
1630 1725 Wegpiraat 35343-45454 qsoing
1620 1727 Monza 35443-45454 qsoing
1660 1745 Digitaal small signal testing
1620 1750 Marskramer (Friesland) 35333 music programme
1644 1820 Pecon 45444
1611 1822 Texas weak signal testing
1636 1857 Baanbreker 34443
1629 2154 Mustang 35333, later 45434 music programme
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
1620 1728 Admiraal 25322 qsoing
1627 1749 Admiraal 25322 qsoing
1620 1753 Moonbreaker 25332-35333 qsoing
1651 1845 Turfsteker 24422 qsoing
1651 1847 Baanbreker 24422 qsoing
1641 1857 Baanbreker qsoing
1611 1907 Malibu weak signal
1638 2220 Calimero 35333-45444 music programme
1630 2326 Pandora 35333-45444 music programme
1623 2338 Snowman 24222 qsoing
1622 2347 Rebel weak signal qsoing
1623 2352 Amigo 33343 report for Pandora
Monday, January 12, 2015
1636 0913 Havanna 25342 music programme
1622 2122 Soto 25222 music programme
Saturday, January 10, 2015
1638 1730 Osaka (Twente) 25332 qsoing
1476 1731 Edelkampioen 33433 music programme
1638 1733 Spanningzoeker 45434 qsoing
1640 1749 Bonte Specht weak signal music programme
1622 1822 Aktief 35333-45444 qsoing
1476 1827 Coberco report for Edelkampioen
1620 1844 Nova 4 45333 music programme
1622 1849 Amigo 24322 report for Nova 4
1665 1858 Polkaman 25222 music programme
1620 1948 Moonbreaker 25222 music programme
1611 2121 Barones 54444-55544 music programme
1620 2121 Zonnester 45444-55544 music programme
1625 2122 Yogi 35343 music programme
Observations
- One of the strongest stations on the air this evening was Wadloper on 1645 kHz. It's been snowing at the location of the Pier Clan, and no doubt the transmitters will have been helping to melt a little bit of the white stuff . . .
- Interesting on Wednesday evening to hear Zonnester on air. I've pretty much heard him only on Sunday mornings over the years, so to catch him cropping up midweek for a qso was a novelty
- On Monday there was an appearance from Nooitgedacht on the 1636 kHz frequency he has been using ever since I started listening to the MW pirates over two decades ago. It was a nice step back in time as he played many of the tunes I will always associate with him. Nice to hear Havanna switch on his transmitter for a qso after the broadcast as well
- This Friday evening has the promise of being a busy one if January 23 is anything to go by. That's a pretty long list of stations above on a night when conditions were good and lots of pirates were standing by to switch on. An interesting catch that particular night was Alex Warner, who can occasionally be heard on SW and was having a crack at MW with ten watts of power into an inverted L antenna. The signal was pretty weak here but somewhat better in the Netherlands and Germany
Yes, Nooitgedacht on 1636 takes me back to the nineties. Always a good signal and easy to identify.
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