It's pouring with rain outside, but it's nice and warm in the radio room and I have just been listening to a station on 1655 kHz playing non-stop Christmas music! But at 10pm local time the band has now gone silent.
So this is a good time to let you know I have something special coming up in the days ahead with a focus on a very well-known Dutch MW pirate who began life on the air in 1953 and can still be heard several times a week.
Check back soon for this unique story and exclusive photographs, but for now here are the logs and news from today:
Thursday, December 10, 2020
1620 1501 Skywire weak signal-25332 (m)
1647 1502 Professor Sickbok 25342 (m)
1620 1726 Zwarte Arabier 45444 (m)
1693 1808 Digitaal 45444 (m)
1655 1844 Avia 25332 (t)
1611 1929 Pontiac 55444
1611 1952 Atlantic (t) 35333
1662 1956 Turfsteker 25222 (m)
1645 1956 Barones 45434 (m)
1670 2120 Melkbus 25322 (m)
1633 2121 Turftrekker 35443 (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
- A relatively quiet day at the top of the MW band and conditions far from perfect. However, Skywire was doing well with his low-power transmitter at 3pm local time here in the UK - he was audible with some decent peaks a full hour before sunset. Also coming through at the same time with a perfectly listenable signal was Professor Sickbok.
- Best signal of the day over here belonged to Pontiac, who was spinning a few records on 1611 kHz. Barones was also strong on 1645 KHz, as was Zwarte Arabier with his powerful modulation on 1620 kHz
- I could detect a slight improvement in signal from Melkbus, who was busy on 1670 kHz and I found out he had made some improvements to the earth part of his antenna. He sent over a couple of photos of his 100 watt transmitter while he was live on air so I could share them with you - together with a shot of the studio:
Hi there, I listened in Edinburgh via my larger loop, here is my recording of Zwarte Arabier https://youtu.be/n8zjn5Mr1b8 I like that song in the beginning but Shazam fails to identify it.
ReplyDeleteDigitaal on 1693 kHz was very good too.
Thank you for sharing your logs here, it's very helpful!
Hi Ron. Good to know you've been enjoying listening to the Dutch pirates. If you ever need any help in identifying any of the stations, just drop me a line. Cheers
DeleteNice to see the milk churn ready for some Carbide shooting on New Years Eve
ReplyDeleteI've seen plenty of videos of this over the last few days - seems like fun!
DeleteHi David. As I think I mentioned to you in our last communication I am hoping in the new year to start a written side project, focusing on UK SW stations from 1990 to present day. This subject is underrepresented to a point where it is barely focused on at all, so I hope in my own way to do something about that. All the best.
ReplyDeleteHi Charlie. Looking forward very much to reading this. If I can help in any way, please just drop me a line. All the best.
DeleteHi David. I have done some research which has unearthed some long-forgotten stations, but I will email sometime soon to jog your memory. I am not aiming to do an anthology, but hope to include some of the quirkier operators as well as the decade's big-hitters.
DeleteHi again, David. I have emailed you a couple of times over the last month but anyhow, all the information I need is now at my fingertips. All the best.
Delete