Huge signals

An afternoon and evening of ideal conditions resulted in some fine signals at this side of the North Sea today. Here's what I heard, together with my observations:

Freq Time Station name SINPO

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

1670 1339 Digitaal 35333 (m)

1640 1423 Rode Ster 35333, 45444 at 1513  (m)

1625 1444 Dolfijn 35443 (t)

1638 1522 Ros Am 35333-45444 (t)

1654 1544 Zwarte BMW 25222 (q)

1625 1546 Hemmeling 35443

1655 1547 Turfsteker 25222-35333 (q)

1665 1612 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 55444-55555 (t)

1654 1654 Zwarte BMW 35333-45444 (q)

1636 1725 Twentana 45444 (m)

1675 1732 Digitaal 55444-55555 (m)

1647 1741 Buurtsuper 25222-35333 (m)

1616 1853 Monza 45444 (q) report for Twentana

1638 1900 Morgenster 35333 (m)

1629 1904 Bluebird 55444-55555 (m)

1620 1912 Pecon 45444

1642 1914 Barones 55444-55555 (m). Later on 1654

1665 1950 Kleine Man 55444-55555 (m)

1616 1957 Orban 55444-55555 (t)

1645 2017 Speedy Gonzales en Mexicano 55444-55555 (t)

1611 2042 Zorro 32442 (m)

1675 2230 Digitaal 45444 (m)

1660 2243 Monte Carlo 35333 (r)

(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

• Regular readers will notice I don’t include unidentified stations in my lists - I never really see the point of doing so as there are Dutch pirates switching transmitters on and off all day when testing. However, one such station heard today deserves a mention. From around 4pm it was possible to hear non-stop music, mainly from the 1960s, on 1611 kHz, with old offshore pirate station jingles every now and again. Looking at signals on various SDRs, it seems this transmission was not coming from the Netherlands, but that is as much as I know - and I could be wrong! If anybody has any more information about this mysterious broadcast, then I’d love to find out more.
• At around 1915 a huge signal planted itself on 1642 kHz. I kept my eyes and ears on it and soon the music started. I was pretty sure it was Orban testing as his signal is always very big over here, and his modulation packs a huge punch. However, after a few minutes there were some famous jingles and the mini mystery was solved. It wasn’t Orban, it was in fact Radio Barones, one of the most famous AM pirates from the Netherlands and still going strong with the same name over 40 years since he first started. I had sent a message to Baro only a couple of days earlier saying I hadn’t heard him on the radio for a while, so to hear him this evening was very welcome. I have spent many, many hours in his studios over the years, playing music into the early hours and downing beers as though there was a world shortage, so it’s always great to listen to this iconic station and reflect on those times.
• Barones was hitting the maximum sinpo of 55555 at various points throughout the evening. But he was not alone. Also claiming that accolade was Orban - who did later switch on his transmitter on 1616 kHz - Vrolijke Mijnwerker, Digitaal, Bluebird, Speedy Gonzales and Kleine Man. Some superb conditions today which resulted in my signal meter regularly hitting 80% and sometimes in excess of 90%

Autumn is here

The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer, so I'm happy that I have more and more opportunities to tune around and hear Dutch pirates on the MW band at all sorts of times of the day and night.

I was looking at the noise level at my location earlier. I always use a little attenuation when listening at 1.6 MHz, which means that noise is practically zero with me at the moment. I know many listeners around the world aren't as lucky as this and experience terrible problems with local manmade interference, so I'm very grateful I have so few issues on this score. Hopefully it will stay the same and I can continue to enjoy AM listening.

So here's what I've heard recently and my observations while tuning around:

Freq Time Station name SINPO

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

1675 1317 Digitaal 35443 m)

1646 1347 Karel Doorman 25222 (m)

1630 1407 Bonte Specht 25222 (q)

1629 1410 Marskramer weak signal (q)

1629 1506 Marskramer 25222-35333 (m)

1646 1509 Eigen Risico 25222-35333 (m)

1646 1529 Karel Doorman 35333 (q) report for Eigen Risico

1665 1615 Josje Power 35333, 55444 at 1837 (m)

1630 1631 Vrije Vogel 25222-35333 (m)

1618 1700 Drukstroomjager 55444-55555 (t)

1620 1730 Mosfet 54444 (q) report for Drukstroomjager

1650 1743 Buurtsuper 25332 (m)

1640 1931 Columbia 35333-45434 (m)

1670 1933 Korenklopper 45434-55444 (m)

1617 1933 Marianne 45444 (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 fascinating start to the day with Digitaal the first station I heard, as is often the case. However, today his signal was arriving at just after 1pm and it was perfectly listenable too, even though it was some three hours before sunset. Signals that arrive early in the day are often very weak and only detectable by carrier, but my meter was showing a signal of up to 42% which is unheard of for so early in the day!
• Just half an hour later and there was another signal to be heard when low-power veteran Karel Doorman was spinning some records on 1646 kHz. He is another regular in the early afternoon and it always makes me smile when I hear him and think about his story. He was back on the air later in the afternoon to give a report to Eigen Risico and was very pleased to learn I was listening to his signal in England once again!
• By just after 2pm I had added Bonte Specht and Marskramer to the list of stations heard - a nice little haul when considering in the summer it can often be 8pm before the Dutch pirates can be heard here with any strength on MW.
• 7.30 was a key time today. This is when Marianne switches on his transmitter each and every Tuesday on 1617 kHz. Sure enough, he was there at his usual time - but signals also appeared from other pirates on 1640 kHz and 1670 kHz. The first was from Columbia, who I always enjoy listening to with his fine mix of English music from across the decades. And it was lovely to hear Korenklopper on air too. He's not a regular on the band but usually has a big signal - he was hitting 80% on the meter this evening - and I cannot remember the last time I heard him. I've met John a few times and I was at his place some years ago while he was on air - always fun!

Monday, November 22, 2021

1670 1704 Digitaal 55444 (m)

1611 1705 Noordzee 34333 (m)

1616 1708 Zwarte Boekanier 35333-45444 (q)

1638 1722 Mebo 2 25222 (q)

1638 1724 Spanningzoeker 55444-55555 (q)

1617 1731 Ethervogel 25222 (q)

1620 1736 Zwarte Boekanier 35443 (q)

1619 1741 Simplex 35333 (q)

1655 1743 Belladonna 35443-45444 (m)

1665 1926 Skywire 25222 (m)

1646 1926 Oldtimer 35333-45444 (m) 

1631 1935 Dr Blow 35333 (q) report for Belladonna

1673 1941 Armada 45434 (m)

Saturday, November 20, 2021

1667 1531 Digitaal 25222-35333, 55555 at 1630 (m)

1629 1547 Spakenburg 25222-35333 (q) antenna low

1638 1549 Ruimzicht 25222-35333 (m)

1620 1553 Interpol 35443-45444 (q)

1630 1556 Dikke Betta 45444 (q)

1620 1601 Witte Duif 25222 (q)

1646 1611 Concorde 25222-35333 (q)

1648 1629 Paradiso weak signal (q)

1626 1641 Moscou 34333 (q)

1630 1642 Alaska 35443-45444 (m)

1647 1659 Keizer en Keizerin 44444 (m)

1656 1716 Eigen Risico 35333 (m)

1620 1822 Buurtsuper 24222 (m)

1625 2118 Turftrekker 34433 (m)

1652 2119 Moby Dick 45444 (m)

1645 2126 Yogi Bear 34333 (m)

Friday, November 19, 2021

1611 1513 Zwarte Boekanier 25442 (m)

1629 1620 Marskramer 35333-45444 (m)

1667 1631 Noordzee 35333-45444 (m)

1670 1724 Digitaal 55444-55555 (q) report for Noordzee

1646 1736 Drukstroomjager 55444-55555 (q)

1655 1737 Belladonna 35333-45444 (m)

1611 1738 Zeewolf 34333 (q)

1662 1738 Turfsteker 35333 (m)

1643 1749 Lotus 55544-55555 (q)

1620 1810 Pecon 45444 (q)

1667 1811 Digitaal 55444 (m)

1620 1813 Zeewolf 35333 (q) 

Observations

• Tremendous conditions this evening, between around 1700 and 1800 UTC with signals coming in as good I've heard them in a long time. Zeewolf was a nice catch for the first time in a while. He was qsoing on 1611 kHz before switching up to 1620, with a sinpo around 35333 on both frequencies.
• Several stations hit the maximum sinpo reading of 55555, making it an absolute pleasure to listen to them. I particularly enjoy searching out low-power pirates, but perfect reception is always a treat.

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

1665 1502 Digitaal 25222 (m)

1629 1535 Bluebird 35443 (m)

1660 1551 Turfsteker 25222 (q)

1645 1554 Casablanca weak signal (q)

1660 1645 Digitaal 35443, 45554 at 1726 (m)

1684 1709 Noordzee  44444 (m)

1647 1736 Telefunken 25222 (m)

1656 1751 Sundown 35333 (m)

1620 1809 Al Capone 25222-35333 (m)

1628 1816 Pontiac 54444 (r)

1629 1822 Marskramer 35443 (m)

1611 1826 Zorro 45444 report for Pontiac (q)

1648 1833 Dageraad 35333 (m)

1637 1834 Eigen Risico 35333 (q)

1611 1848 Monza 44444 (q)

1636 1849 Torpedojager 33443 (q)

1636 1851 Baanbreker 33333 (q)

1642 1904 Dageraad 25222 (q)

1636 1904 Meteoor 45334 (q)

1645 1959 Korenbloem weak signal-25222 (m)

Observations

• Digitaal has become one of the first stations I hear most days. He enjoys spinning some records during the afternoon, and as the propagation changes at around that time, he is often there - somewhere around 1665 kHz. It’s fascinating to hear the signal getting stronger, sometimes literally minute by minute. Sometimes all I can hear to start with is a carrier, then some fragments of music, and as the light starts to fade, that signal gets stronger and stronger.

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

1660 1453 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 35433 (m)

1670 1514 Digitaal 35433 (m)

1630 1528 Pandora 25322 (m)

1630 1554 Mosfet 35443 (q) report for Pandora

1674 1655 Noordzee 35433 (q)

1670 1658 Digitaal 45444 (q)

1655 1726 Belladonna 25222-44444 (m)

1685 1749 Digitaal 45444 (m)

1629 1803 Vrije Vogel 25222-35333 (m)

1645 1825 Turfsteker 25332 (m)

1611 1852 Zorro 35443 (r)

1620 1904 Pecon 45434 (q) report for Zorro

1615 1922 Uitzendkracht 35443 (q) report for Belladonna

1617 1932 Marianne 55444 (m)

Monday, November 15, 2021

1620 1526 Mosfet 35333 (q)

1629 1530 Nachtzwerver weak signal (q)

1618 1642 Pontiac 35333-45444 (m)

1630 1646 Ros Am 35333 (m)

1617 1722 Mustang 35333-45444 (m)

1640 1801 Concorde 25332-35333 (m)

1655 1834 Kristal 45333 (r)

1611 1852 Zorro 35443 (m)

1665 1902 Noordzee 44444 (q)

1646 1909 Oldtimer 45434 (m)

1630 1936 Ros Am 45434 (m)

1670 2025 Digitaal 35333-55444 (m)

Thursday, November 11, 2021

1636 1308 Mi Amigo weak signal (m)

1640 1639 Rode Ster 45444 (m)

1635 1728 Pandora 35333-45444 (m)

1660 1732 Concorde 25322 (m) low power and low antenna

1625 1738 Dolfijn 35333 (m)

1648 1812 Pereboom 252222-35333(m)

Tuesday, November 8, 2021

1665 1601 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 35333 (t)

1630 1611 Ros Am 25222-35443 (m)

1665 1647 Digitaal 35333-55544 (m)

1625 1707 Derde Man 25332 (m)

1618 1728 Pontiac 45444 (m)

1660 1937 Josje Power (m)

1645 1939 Meteoor 3533-45444 (m)

1629 1940 Turftrekker 25332-35443 (m)

1617 1940 Marianne 45444 (m)

1660 2222 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 35333-45444 (m)

1617 2223 Alabama 45444-55555 (m)

1655 2235 Monte Carlo 34443 (q)

1667 2240 Noordzee 44444 (q)

1620 2305 Johannes Van Schaffelaar 35333 (q) report for Alabama

1625 2317 Monte Carlo 35333 (q)

Monday, November 7, 2021

1667 1647 Digitaal 35333-55444 (q)

1674 1651 Noordzee 35333 (q)

1660 1655 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 35333-55444 (t)

1620 1655 Zwarte Boekanier 34333 (q)

1620 1702 Mosfet 55444 (q)

1646 1712 Eigen Risico 25222 (m)

1620 1718 Mebo 2 25222 (q)

1646 1749 Digitaal weak signal-35333 (q)

1646 1802 Wilskracht 25232-35333 (m)

1620 1817 Pecon 35333 (q)

Saturday, November 6, 2021

1630 1608 Ruimzicht 25222-35333 (m)

1638 1608 Ros Am 35333 45444 (m)

1620 1651 Vendor 25222 (m)

1647 1659 Keizer en Keizerin 25222-35343 (m)

Observations

• Very sketchy propagation conditions on the band again today which meant I didn’t do a great deal of listening. However, my old pal Ros Am battled through very well and was sounding as good as ever on the peaks, hitting a fine sinpo of 45444. I also massively enjoy his music choice and presentation style - a real pleasure to listen to as ever.

Friday, November 5, 2021

1667 1422 Digitaal weak signal, 25452 at 1450 (m)

1625 1611 Derde Man 25222 (m)

1638 1800 Admiraal 25222-35333 (m)

1645 1837 Relmus 35333 (m)

1655 1844 Avia 25222 (m)

1620 1928 Tahiti 24322-34333 (m)

Observations

• Although it was nice and early when I started hearing stations today, conditions were down on the previous few days with watery signals and plenty of fading. But that’s part of the deal when listening to the AM bands, and all part of the experience. It just makes the days of good reception even more pleasurable. 
• It was good, however, to catch Relmus on the airwaves. I remember when Friday night used to be Relmus night with a party in the studio each and every week together with a huge signal across Europe. Compared to the good old days, the transmitter power tonight was a more subdued 350 watts but there were some fine peaks when conditions allowed.