Staying sane

The final day of November is coming to a close and tomorrow is the first day of winter if you follow the meteorological seasons, although I favour the astronomical season which doesn't begin until December 21st. One thing is for sure, however, and that is we're closing in on a new year, and one which we all hope will bring us much more stability in our lives than 2020 has managed.

I was speaking to a regular MW pirate listener the other day and he mentioned how following the Dutch scene has kept his mind occupied over the last months, and I began thinking about how true that has also been for me. 

On November 5 England entered Lockdown 2.0 in response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the result of which was that pubs, restaurants, bars, cinemas, gyms were closed again. Those measures are due to be lifted this week, but it is surely no coincidence on a personal level that this is post number 16 for November, a level that I have only once managed to match in a single month during the eight-year life of this blog. 

The only ever time I have posted so much was in May 2012 (a month after the blog started), which speaks for itself in terms of how the Dutch pirates have also kept my mind occupied. 

One reader of the blog commented on a post a few days ago saying: "It is hard to feel in a bad mood with the Dutch accordions playing their uplifting melodies". And that is another thing . . . I often find myself tapping the desk in time to the music coming out of my speakers and it is a pleasure to hear the same reassuring voices day in, day out  - many of whom I've met during my near 30-year interest in the hobby - at a time when we have not been able to get out and about so much.

So, for every one of the pirates who have been on air during 2020, I say many thanks. You have kept yourself occupied, together with listeners throughout Europe. The Dutch MW scene is clearly in very good health, and long may it last.

Here are the stations I have heard today:

Freq Time Station name SINPO

Monday, November 30, 2020

1646 1610 Baanbreker 25332 (q)

1618 1638 Drukstroomjager 45444 (m)

1660 1711 Digitaal 35333-45434 (m)

1629 1748 Skywire 25222 (m)

1647 1811 Telefunken 25222 (t) 

1618 1818 Akai 35443 (r)

1618 1824 Speedygonzales 35333 (q)

1629 1827 Admiraal 45444 (m)

1620 1832 Monza 45444 (q)

1645 1833 Wegpiraat 35443 (q)

1638 1840 Boomerang 35443 (t)

1655 1903 Oldtimer 35333-45444 (m)

1665 1912 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 45434 (m)

1661 2002 Concorde 33433 (m)

1636 2007 Marconist 25222-35333

1638 2010 Casablanca (Twente) 35333 (m)

1648 2218 Pereboom 35333 (m)

1655 2243 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 45434 (m)

(m) = station was broadcasting a music programme
(q) = station was qsoing
(r) = station asking for a reception report from another station
(t) = station was testing

Observations

• Propagation conditions today were again rather unstable and several stations were notably weaker than I would usually expect, particularly Speedygonzales and Boomerang. Interestingly, low-power pirate Skywire was doing quite well and Akai had some great peaks on his signal.