Sunday, March 29, 2015

Birthday time

On Friday I celebrated my 38th birthday, which means I've now been listening to the pirates for 26 years! We had a nice family day and even a radio cake and pirate balloons! And one of my presents was the KPO receiver that can be found in nearly every Dutch pirate studio. I'll be testing it out over the next few days and letting you know how I get on with it.




Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Updating the logs

I've been busy with work for the last week or so, but I've found some time to spare this evening and I'm currently listening to the low power signal of Turfsteker on 1657 kHz. He transmits with only 75 watts but usually reaches here pretty well, and tonight is no exception even though conditions are far from optimum.

It's been over a month since I published my logs of the Dutch MW pirates, so it's time for an update, and there is plenty of reception to report:


Tuesday, March 24, 2015
1657          2033         Turfsteker 34333 music programme
1629          2035         Zwarte Boer 24222 music programme
1650          2317         Witte Raaf 44433-45444 music programme
1636          2330         Pandora 55444 music programme


Sunday, March 22, 2015
1615          1830         Zwarte Panter (Oldenzaal) 25222 music programme

Sunday, March 15, 2015
1647          2125         Witte Tornado 45444 music programme
1656          2126         Blauwe Ster 35333-45444 music programme
1615          2129         Zwarte Panter (Oldenzaal) 24332-35333 programme

Monday, March 9, 2015
1638          0029         Calimero 55444-55555 music programme
1647          0030         Witte Tornado 44444 music programme
1630          0042         Monte Carlo 44444-55444 asking for report
1622          0053         Amigo 34333 report for Sportman
1620          0053         Jeneverstoker 34433 report for Calimero
1630          1635         Vrolijke Mijnwerker 25322-35333
1629          1712         Zwarte Boer 24322-34333 music programme
1620          1810         Tamboer Jnr en Polski 24222-35333 programme
1690          1839         Armada 35333-45444 music programme
1640          2012         Veronica 45444 music programme
1652          2102         Twentana 25322-35333 music programme
1662          2143         Noorderzon 24322-44444 music programme

Sunday, March 8, 2015
1648          0021         Moby Dick 55444-55555 music programme
1636          0021         Keizer en Keizerin 35333-45444 music programme
1665          0024         Polkaman 35333 music programme
1620          0025         Romax 44433-44444 qsoing
1626          0029         OSM (O Superman) 54444-55555 qsoing
1620          0540         Dokwerker 25322-35333 music programme
1620          0800         Edelkampioen 35353 report for Dokwerker
1620          0806         Zender Johan 35353-45454 qsoing

Friday, March 6, 2015
1620          1740         Sterrekijker music programme
1630          1838         Vrolijke Mijnwerker 55444-55555 music programme
1647          1838         Admiral 24322-35333 qsoing
1622          1840         Pontiac 55444 qsoing
1655          1906         Nachtzerver 35333 qsoing
1636          2110         Studio F16 35333 music programme
1627          2122         Akai 44444-55444 testing
1671          2131         Armada 55444
1673          2138         Armada 55444 music programme
1625          2151         Quintus 44333-44444 music programme

Wednesday, March 4, 2015
1625          2158         Vrolijke Mijnwerker 55544 music programme
1638          2202         Calimero 45444 music programme

Monday, March 2, 2015
1629          1750         Tamboer 34333 music programme
1630          2129         Zwarte Boekanier 44444-55444 music programme
1620          2219         Anton 45444 music programme
1636          2221         Pandora 55544 music programme

Tuesday, March 3, 2015
1620          0550         Calipso 45434 testing
1650          1715         Valkenster 25322-35333
1635          1723         Digitaal 35333-45444 qsoing
1655          1728         Carona 35333-45444 qsoing
1635          1729         Interpol 35333 qsoing
1630          1731         Vrolijke Mijnwerker 45333 qsoing
1642          1740         Digitaal 35333-45444 qsoing
1645          1748         Interpol 24322 qsoing
1620          1754         Jamaica 55444-55555 qsoing
1620          1757         Soerabaya 25222 qsoing
1620          1803         Wegpiraat 35333-45444 qsoing
1640          1815         Witte Reus 23322-34333 qsoing
1629          1820         Polka Radio (Ruurlo) 22422-34433 music programme
1644          1828         Interpol 25322 qsoing
1611          1831         Texas weak signal music programme
1655          1831         Turfsteker 35443 report for Interpol
1645          1906         Witte Reus 34333 testing    
1640          1910         Batavier 35333 music programme
1630          2015         Eldorado 45333-45444 report for Polka            
1630          2050         Vrolijke Mijnwerker 55444 qsoing
1642          2130         Wadloper 55444 music programme
1636          2330         Pandora 54444 music programme

Sunday, March 1, 2015
1640          0150         Snowman 35333-35443 music programme
1655          1859         Dikke Betta qsoing
1615          1904         Zwarte Panter (Oldenzaal) 25222-44444 programme
1476          1909         Energy FM 44544
1647          1910         Witte Tornado 35333-45444 music programme
1680          1912         Digitaal 35333
1716          1933         Digitaal 45444
1472          2055         Blauwe Piraat 32522-34533 short music programme
1655          2105         Wilskracht 35333-35443 music programme

Thursday, February 26, 2015
1650          2330         Desperado 35333 music programme

Wednesday, February 25, 2015
1620          0528         Nova 4 music programme
1645          1736         Digitaal music programme
1620          1845         Marskramer (Friesland) 35333 music programme
1620          1935         Monza 35343-45444
1620          1951         Zwarte Golf 35333-45444 music programme
1630          2114         Moonbreaker 35333 music programme
1395          2130         Blauwe Piraat 24222-35333 short music programme
1630          2208         Zwarte Golf 35333-45444 report for Moonbreaker
1630          2212         Vrolijke Mijnwerker music programme

Tuesday, February 24, 2015
1629          1732         Vrolijke Mijnwerker 54444
1624          1843         Vrolijke Mijnwerker 54444 calling Balkans 
1472          2028         Nostalgie 22522-33533 testing
1472          2035         Blauwe Piraat 22522 testing
1635          2039         Marrianne 35333 music programme
1611          2044         Malibu 25222 music programme
1658          2322         Noorderzon 34333

Monday, February 23, 2015
1655          1520         Turfsteker weak signal music programme
1620          1722         Digitaal 45434
1625          1735         Kracht Van Twente weak signal qsoing
1612          1738         Atlantis (Twente) 45333-45444 asking for report 
1623          1747         Digitaal 45444 qsoing
1633          1753         Oldtimer 45444 music programme
1638          1753         Twentse Adelaar 34333 qsoing
1645          1759         Zwarte Boekanier 45444 qsoing
1629          1811         Zwarte Boer 25232 qsoing
1620          1828         Tamboer Jr en Polsky 35322-45444 programme
1637          1830         Zwarte Panter (North Holland) 25332
1638          2202         Calimero 55444 music programme
1645          2220         Casablanca (Twente) 23322 music programme
1630          2305         Pandora 44444-55544 report for Calimero
1638          2305         Twentse Adelaar 33333-35333 music programme



Saturday, February 21, 2015
1655          2352         Turfsteker 35333
1648          2354         Moby Dick 55544 music programme
1669          2355         Snowman 24422 music programme
1476          2356         Energy FM 44534

Friday, February 20, 2015
1636          1907         Studio F16 44444 music programme
1665          1908         Polkaman 35333 music programme
1630          2147         Soerabaya 23322 music programme
1647          2148         Armada 44444 music programme
1476          2150         Energy FM
1625          2217         Digitaal 44444-55544 report for Soerabaya

Sunday, February 15, 2015
1620          0500         Dokwerker 45433-55454 music programme
1620          0818         Jamaica 35343-45444 qsoing
1630          1710         Digitaal 35333 music programme
1611          1733         Zwarte Panter (Oldenzaal) 24222, 34333 at 1922
1645          1852         Batavier 35333 music programme
1620          1921         Weduwe 55444-55555 music programme
1630          1935         Soerabaya 25222 music programme
1630          2015         Jamaica 55544 music programme
1655          2147         Valkenster music programme
1640          2244         Batavier 35333 music programme

Saturday, Febuary 14, 2015
1633          1525         Oldtimer 34443 music programme
1640          1617         Pecon 34322-34333 report for Oldtimer
1629          1621         Eldorado 25222 testing
1629          1647         Vrolijke Mijnwerker 35322-35333. 45444 at 1802
1630          1734         Digitaal 45333-45344 qsoing
1636          1743         Studio F16 33333-35343 music programme
1667          1744         Armada 34322-45534 music programme
1630          1759         Zeepiraat 35333-45444 qsoing
1630          1804         Stormvogel 35333 qsoing
1628          1816         Alaska 35333 qsoing
1660          1841         Blauwe Sterre 35333-45444 qsoing
1665          1843         Zeepiraat 35222-35333 qsoing
1624          1905         Pioneer (Rotterdam) 25222-35333 asking for report
1656          1922         Relmus 34323, 44433 at 2104 music programme
1642          2030         Boogschutter 45434, 55544 at 2119 testing
1620          2031         Zonnester 44444-55444 music programme
1633          2033         Turftrekker 44444 music programme
1613          2105         Napoleon 34333 music progamme
1638          2116         Digitaal 44444 music programme
1648          2250         Moby Dick 45434 music programme
1620          2250         Batavia 35433 music programme
1695          2306         Korenklopper 43433 music programme
1640          2312         Monte Carlo 44333 asking for report

Tuesday, February 10, 2015
1630          2002         Vrolijke Mijnwerker 55444 music programme
1640          2007         Batavier 35333 music programme
1636          2115         Boogschutter 55444 asking for report
1664          2135         Wilkskracht 25222-35333 music programme
1630          2222         Anton 55334-55444 music programme

Monday, February 9, 2015
1620          0502         Nova 4 43433-54544 music programme
1620          1856         Tamboer Junior en Polsky 34333 music programme
1636          2111         Boogschutter 55444 asking for report
1395          2134         Blauwe Piraat 34333 testing

Sunday, February 8, 2015
1648          0048         Moby Dick 55544-55555 music programme
1633          0050         Vrolijke Mijnwerker 55444 qsoing
1620          0050         Desperado 25222-35333 music programme
1633          0053         Monte Carlo 55444 qsoing
1620          0105         Zwarte Diamont 35333 music programme
1620          0500         Amigo 34333 music programme
1620          0604         Dokwerker 35433-45444 music programme
1620          0806         Zonnester report for Dokwerker
1647          1844         Witte Tornado 45444 music programme
1629          1845         Johnny Camaro 35343 music programme
1638          2121         Calimero 55434 music programme

Friday, February 6, 2015
1638          1838         Calimero 44444-55444 music programme
1620          1840         Sterrekijker music programme
1625          2036         Relmus 55444 music programme
1645          2038         Batavier 25222 music progamme
1620          2107         Marskramer (Friesland) 32432 music programme
1656          2151         Nachtzwerver 35333 music programme

Observations

  • Zwarte Panter (Oldenzaal) seems to have become a Sunday evening regular - well, for the last two weeks anyway. 1615 kHz is his channel and he is usually on air for a few hours with his music shows
  • Talking about regular programmes, the Dokwerker can be heard early on most Sunday mornings on 1620 kHz, often from around 0500 UTC. The signal tends to peak here between 0600 and 0630 but on March 8 it lasted a little longer and there was good reception of a qso after he closed down. One of the stations coming up to give a report was Zender Johan, who I had not heard for many years. You can hear reception on this recording:

    • 1620 is a popular frequency for early-morning transmissions, and another station often to be found on the channel is Nova 4. If you are around early, again from around 0500, it is worth checking the band to see if he is on air as he usually active once a week to catch listeners before they head to work. Here's a recording of one of those broadcasts, made on Wednesday, February 25 from around 0530 UTC:

    Sunday, March 08, 2015

    It's been a while

    I was thinking recently about Dutch MW pirates I haven't heard for a while. Stations come and go, but if you listen for long enough they tend to come back - once the pirate bug has bitten, the effects last a long time. I went missing from the pirate scene for a number of years while I moved house and had a family, but I returned a few years ago keener than ever, and that is a trend I know has been repeated for many pirates.

    So a few minutes ago in the early hours of Sunday morning there was a coincidence when I switched on the radio and heard a strong signal on 1626 kHz. It was O Superman - OSM Radio in qso with Romax. Since I started listening to the pirates again in January 2011 I have heard this station only once. He sure is a rare catch, made even better by the great signal I received. You can listen here:




    Romax was also coming in loud and clear, as you can hear on this recording. Very nice to hear him for the first time since September last year:


    Sunday, March 01, 2015

    White, blue and black

    It's been a busy weekend for me. I was working all day on Saturday, but the train journey home was made easier with the android version of the Twente SDR, which I used on my mobile phone to listen to Radio Barones on 1615 kHz. He had visitors in the studio, and the show certainly kept me occupied until I got home in the early hours of this morning.

    Before hitting the bed, I checked the radio and found a fine signal on 1640. It turned out to be Radio Snowman, who broadcasts with a power of just 20 watts and does really well with his low power. I visited his studio in the summer and have seen the transmitter in action, but it always amazes me when I hear him so well with only a few watts. You can listen to the reception on this recording:




    The MW band has been pretty quiet this evening, but there was a lengthy programme from the Zwarte Panter on 1615 kHz and I am now listening to the Witte Tornado's weekly programme on 1647. In between there was a test broadcast from the Blauwe Piraat on 1472 kHz. He has been doing a few experiments recently, also trying 1395 with good results. 



    Talking about in-band frequencies again, Energy FM was streamed from the internet on to 1476 kHz once more this evening and was arriving here with a decent signal.