Plenty of ways to find out more . . .

And so as January nears an end it's time to bring the logbook up to date with the fifth post of the year - more in one month than I managed during the whole of 2019, so it's a promising start!

For those of you new to the blog, don't forget you can join me on Twitter, Facebook, Soundcloud and YouTube for all sorts of insights into the mysterious world of pirate radio in the Netherlands. And if you have any questions about our hobby, please leave a comment on the blog or drop me an email.

Freq      Time     Station name SINPO Type of broadcast

Thursday, January 30, 2020

1632      2110      Twentana 43433-44444 music programme

1638      2121      Morgenster 25222 music programme     
1638      2152      Vrolijke Mijnwerker 35333 report for Morgenster    
1638      2157      Professor Sickbok 45444 report for Morgenster  
1638      2208      Turfsteker 32432 report for Morgenster

Observations

●     Propagation was not great this evening with not much activity together with lower signals and increased noise on the band compared to what has been the norm during recent weeks. Twentana was peaking very nicely on 1632 kHz, although he was fading a fair bit at times and had competition from a station on 1631 kHz.

Sunday, January 26, 2020

1642      2055      Barones 45444 music programme

1611      2058      Technical Man 34333-44444 music programme

1635      2100      Bluebird 55444 music programme

1629      2230      Napoleon 44444 report for Barones

1640      2233      Casablanca 54444 report for Barones

1642      2255      Monte Carlo 33433-44444 qsoing

Saturday, January 25, 2020

1633      0557      Barcelona 55444 music programme

1633      0656      Noordzee 45434 music programme

1612      0708      Eigen Risico 34333 music programme

Friday, January 24, 2020

1615      2028      Skywire 35343

1633      2029      Turftrekker 35443-45444 music programme

1665      2030      Kristal 55444 music programme

1644      2030      Jeneverstoker 34443 music programme

1640      2133      Mi Amigo 33443-44444 music programme

1673      2134      Armada 44444-55444 music programme

1611      2145      Philadelphia en Skywave 22432 testing

1634      2158      Vonkenboer 25332 report for Mi Amigo

Observations

●     Good to catch some low-power activity today, including the likes of Skywire, Vonkenboer and Philadelphia, who was running 50 watts of power during his test transmission on 1611 kHz.

Thursday, January 23, 2020

1633      1813      Dolfijn 35333 music programme

1673      1815      Armada 35333 testing

1647      1816      Nachtzwerver 35333 qsoing

1638      1949      Marskramer 35443 music programme

1642      1950      Turftrekker 33433-44444 music programme

1647      1950      Nachtzwerver 34433 music programme

1615      2121      Meteoor 45444 qsoing

1613      2123      Soto 34443 qsoing

1655      2139      Eigen Risico 35333 qsoing

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

1611      0811      Alabama 35433 music programme

Monday, January 20, 2020

1635      1801      Barones 55444 music programme

1615      1801      Soto 35443 music programme

1646      1802      Boomerang 55444 testing

1657      1803      Digitaal 45444 music programme

1657      1833      Eigen Risico 35433 report for Digitaal

1645      1837 `   Baanbreker 35433 qsoing

1640      1840      Casablanca 55444 qsoing

1655      1846      Eigen Risico 34443-45444 music programme

1660      1918      Josje Power 34443 report for Eigen Risico

1638      2010      Bluebird 45444 music programme

1645      2141      Casablanca (Twente) 24332-34333 music programme

1655      2144      Wilskracht 35333 music programme

1646      2158      Vrolijke Mijnwerker 34333 music programme

Observations

●     Very pleasant way to start the week with an early evening programme from Barones on 1635 kHz. He was coming in very well indeed, as well were Boomerang and Casablanca, who were on air at similar times. The video above shows how a selection of stations were coming in from around 1835 here in the UK.

●     Later in the evening there was an appearance from Vrolijke Mijnwerker on 1646 kHz. I read somewhere that he was testing with just 60 watts. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve heard a Dutch pirate claim to be running much lower power than they actually are (!), but if the Miner was indeed operating at much-reduced output then he was doing very well.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

1617      0656      Noordster 45434 qsoing

1645      0658      Rietvink 35333 music programme

1617      0702      Blauwe Piraat 24332 qsoing

1617      0705      Alabama 44444 qsoing   

1611      0709      Utopia 34333 qsoing and music programme

1645      0715      Eigen Risico 35433 report for Rietvink

1615      0747      Billy de Bluffer weak signal music programme

1512      1221      Mike Radio 24442 peak music programme

1617      1222      Zender Johan 25442 qsoing

1618      1233      Silvia weak signal qsoing

1638      1233      Bluebird 25322 peak qsoing

1657      1237      Digitaal 25322 peak qsoing

1638      1245      De Klok weak signal qsoing

1630      1254      Ijsvogel 25332 qsoing

1616      2107      Spakenburg 44434 music programme

1630      2107      Columbia 45434 music programme

1647      2108      Witte Tornado 45434 music programme

1655      2123      Soerabaya 24332 asking for report

Observations

●     A very interesting morning and early afternoon at the top of the MW band. It started for me at around 0700 when I found Rietvink on 1645 kHz and a selection of other stations qsoing at around 1620 kHz. By the time Billy de Bluffer had started a music programme on 1615 kHz it was nearly daylight here in the UK and signals had started to fade. However, by just after midday the Dutch pirates were coming through again, and the first I heard was Mike Radio on 1512 kHz, with a perfectly listenable signal on the peaks. It never ceases to amaze me what is possible when the propagation is going your way.

Busy Saturday

It's Saturday night as I write these words, and there has been plenty to listen to on the radio today, from late afternoon and into the evening. Here's what I've heard on the MW band from the Netherlands today and over the last few days:

Freq      Time     Station name SINPO Type of broadcast

Saturday, January 18, 2020

1655      1630      Digitaal 25342-35343 music programme

1615      1646      Ruimzicht 25342 music programme

1640      1646      Uniek 35443 music programme

1632      1647      Concorde weak signal music programme

1647      1654      Vendor 35443-45444 music programme

1655      1710      Skywire weak signal music programme

1633      1725      Ros Am 35333-45434 music programme

1670      1742      Bos Piraat 25342 testing

1660      1744      Turfsteker 25342 report for Bos Piraat

1670      1747      Matrix 25332-35443 music programme

1690      1750      Bos Piraat 25342-35343 testing

1647      1750      Keizer en Keizerin 35343 music programme

1655      1752      Nachtzwerver 35443 qsoing

1611      1902      Twentana 34333 music programme

1631      1907      Uniek 35443 music programme  
1660      2310      Monte Carlo 25222-35333 music programme   
1635      2312      Electron 35333 testing  
1615      2322      Zwarte Panter 25222 testing  

Observations

●     Nice to catch some different names on air during a few busy hours at the top of the MW band today. Vendor was coming in loud and clear on 1647 kHz, for example, while Ros Am was also doing very well indeed with his very clear, clean and smooth modulation and famous voice a pleasure to listen to as always!

●     It’s been a while since I heard Matrix on air, so it was a treat to hear his low-power signal on his usual channel of 1670 kHz. There were some great peaks on the signal, which was very listenable at times

●     Bos Piraat was an interesting one. This was actually Mike Radio in disguise, "broadcasting from the forest" while he was testing a low power transmitter and small antenna, much different to his usual more powerful setup. He was very surprised with how the signal was carrying across the North Sea, first on 1670 and then on 1690 kHz. He has some plans for Sunday broadcasts on 1512 kHz in the coming weeks, so keep an ear out in-band

Friday, January 17, 2020

1637      1605      Barones 45454-55555 music programme

1631      1642      Concorde 35443 report for Barones

1646      1705      Boomerang 55444 testing

1655      1710      Digitaal 25342-35333 qsoing

1638      1737      Alabama 25322-45444 music programme

1632      1930      Belladonna 25332 music programme

Observations

●     There were stunning conditions during the afternoon and early evening today, and listening to Barones on 1637 kHz was just like listening to a local station for much of the broadcast. There were some very deep and very slow fades but for lengthy durations the signal was very stready, very strong and sounded superb. Digitaal was also doing very well with just 30 watts on 1655 kHz

●     Unfortunately those good conditions didn’t last into the night and by a couple of hours after sunset signals were unstable. The usual powerful signal of Alabama, for example, which started out with a SINPO of 45444 had fallen right down and he was drifting into the noise

Thursday, January 16, 2020

1636      0811      Torpedojager weak signal music programme

Observations

●     A little check of the band after the sun has risen revealed Thursday morning regular Torpedojager on his usual frequency of 1636 kHz. Had I have tuned in an hour or so earlier when it was still dark outside, then the signal would have been considerably stronger

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

1627      1805      Oldtimer 44444 music programme

1633      1814      Noordzee 35443 qsoing

1633      1818      Telefunken 25332-35333 qsoing

1637      1820      Baanbreker 25332 qsoing

1644      1853      Boomerang 45444 modulation test

1633      1905      Concorde 25322-45444 music programme

Observations

●     I’ve been listening to Concorde since he started on MW last year. He kicked off with a 50 watt transmitter but since then has upped the power a little bit, but crucially last summer he improved his antenna system. That change gave an instant improvement to the signal here in England and tonight he was arriving the best I’ve heard him. You can get a good idea from the recording above

Latest logs, news and recordings

Many thanks for the kind words on the blog and on the Facebook page following my return to action with keeping the site up to date. It's been good to hear from you and to know that the work here is appreciated.

Here's what I've been hearing in the pirate radio world over the past few days at our wet and windy location in England, together with some recordings:

Freq      Time     Station name SINPO Type of broadcast

Monday, January 13, 2020

1639      1228      Professor Sickbok 25442 qsoing

1634      1230      Jeneverstoker weak signal qsoing

1633      1835      Telefunken 25322 qsoing

1633      1835      Schaduwjager 45444 qsoing

1610      1841      Anton 32432 qsoing

1630      1842      Wegpiraat 24222-34333 qsoing

1670      1853      Digitaal 35333-45443 music programme

1620      1925      Professor Sickbok 35333 asking for report

1638      2014      Osaka 35333 qsoing

1640      2016      Professor Sickbok 45444 qsoing
1666      2027      Josje Power 35333-45444 qsoing
1638      2200      Bluebird 55444 music programme

Observations

●     Good to catch some stations arriving here just after midday today. Professor Sickbok was delivering a very listenable signal on 1639 kHz, while Jeneverstoker was considerably weaker but audible on 1634. It was interesting to see that Stoker’s signal was not visible on the SDR at Enschede. There was also a pirate on 1618 kHz at 1250 local time here, but no ID heard.

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

1617      2000      Marianne 44444 music programme

1610      2003      Anton 32422 music programme

1611      2004      Turktrekker 43432-55444 music programme

1655      2033      Speedygonzales 55434 testing

Monday, January 6, 2020

1667      1716      Digitaal music programme with 25 watts

1640      1737      Concorde 25342-35343 music programme

1633      1817      Vrijevogel weak signal music programme

1655      1919      Meteoor 35333 asking for report

1655      1927      Wilskracht 25222 report for Meteoor

1638      2215      Mi Amigo 45333 music programme

1656      2241      Snowman 25322-35333 music programme

Observations

●     Propagation conditions were dismal during the early evening. Stations were generally much weaker than normal, fading up just occasionally and then dipping down into the noise when they would usually be consistently stronger and more stable. Later in the evening the signal levels had risen a little but there was still more fading than usual, although Snowman was doing pretty well with his 20 watt transmitter on 1656 kHz

Sunday, January 5, 2020

1645      2209      Mi Amigo 42443-44444 music programme

1645      2228      Witte Raaf 42442-45444 music programme     

1666      2210      Professor Sickbok 55444 report for Vonkenboer

1666      2217      Vonkenboer 25222 qsoing

1635      2359      Pandora 55444 music programme

Observations

●     It happens quite often that Dutch MW pirates are on air at the same time on the same frequency. Tonight was no exception as Mi Amigo from the eastern side of the Netherlands was broadcasting on 1645 kHz while Witte Raaf from Friesland was also on the channel. Both stations were on air with music programmes and fighting for dominance here in England, with audio from one and then the other fading up and down. Quite entertaining to hear an identification for one station and then the other station just a few seconds later without any hetrodyne as both were exactly on channel. When Mi Amigo closed down at 2329 UTC it enabled clear reception of Witte Raaf, who was peaking at a SINPO around 45444