Happy Christmas!

A very happy Christmas from England. I hope you are well and ready to enjoy the festivities, which will hopefully include a little time for listening to your radio. It seems that I might just have a little more time for listening this festive season than usual as my wife has just tested positive for Coronavirus and I might be safer staying in the loft with my receivers rather than being with the rest of the family!

Whatever you are doing over the next week or so, have a wonderful time and many thanks for your support through 2021. Keep your eyes on the blog as I'll soon be publishing my list of all the stations heard in England during the last 12 months, together with some special features about some of the great pirate broadcasters who sadly died this year.

Here's what I've been listening to over the last few weeks. All stations have been heard with my own receiver, the Kenwood R-5000, linked up to a noise cancelling unit and a Wellbrook loop antenna pointing towards the Netherlands (of course).

Freq Time Station name SINPO

Thursday, December 23, 2021

1646 1521 Eigen Risico weak signal (q)

1655 1526 Spanningzoeker 35333-45444 (q)

1620 1528 Zeewolf 25232 (q)

1647 1529 Armada 25332 (q) 

1636 1535 Dikke Betta 25322-35333 (q)

1648 1610 Pereboom 35443 (m)

1638 1650 Ros Am 45444 (m)

1618 1736 Monza 45444 (q)

1620 1741 Al Capone 25322 (q)

1640 1813 Batavier 34343 (m)

1655 2358 Oliebollenbakkers 35443 (m)

1635 2359 Pandora 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

Wednesday, December 22, 2021

1638 1533 Interpol 25222-35443 (q)

1620 1538 Schaduwjager 35333-45444 (q)

1636 1541 Torpedojager weak signal (q)

1616 1543 Derby 25332-35333 (t)

1620 1602 Meteoor 25222-35333 (q)

1625 1614 Baanbreker 25222 (q)

1629 1633 Bizon 55444 (t) modulation test

1620 1651 Digitaal 45434 (q)

1638 1654 Turfsteker 25222-35333 (m)

1644 1655 Eigen Risico 25222 (q)

1647 1703 Eigen Risico 25222 (q)

1638 1752 Wilskracht 55444 (m)

1630 1835 Sapporo 25332 (q)

1629 1842 Turftrekker 45444 (q)

1620 1855 Al Capone 34333 (m)

Observations

• The great thing about this holiday time of year is that less active stations are often inclined to appear with a broadcast here or there. And it was good today to hear Derby for the first time in a good while. He was testing on 1616 kHz and chatting to a few other stations which suggests he might have more broadcasts planned over Christmas.
• Another station testing was Bizon on 1629 kHz. He was absolutely blasting across the North Sea with superb modulation. Another with a big signal today was Wilskracht, and it sounds as though he might have acquired a new transmitter given the strength over here.

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

1665 1453 Digitaal 25332 (t)

1630 1510 Valencia 25222 (m)

1635 1524 Eigen Risico 25332 (m)

1615 1535 Zwarte Boekanier 25332, 44444 at 1702 (m)

1665 1542 Noordzee 25442 (m)

1656 1600 Josje Power 35443 (m)

1620 1631 Alabama 55444-55555 (m) report for Josje Power

1665 1704 Meteoor 45434 (q)

1665 1707 Digitaal 45444 (q)

1665 1718 Spanningzoeker 45444-55555 (q)

1631 1721 Vrije Vogel 25222 (m)

1663 1721 Bruine Bear 25322 (q)

1700 1732 Digitaal 55444-55555 (t)

1665 1742 Concorde 35343 (q) 100 watts with low antenna

1655 1745 Belladonna 35443 (m)

1647 1745 Eigen Risico 25222-35333 (q)

1660 1835 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 45434 (m)

1617 1954 Marrianne 34333-44444 (m)

1625 1957 Blauwe Koe 45444 (m)

Observations

• Bruine Beer was a new name for me today. I don't know very much about this station at all, other than that he was running just 40 watts of power. Given I was able to catch a clear ID, that's a good indicator his antenna is working well and that conditions were also decent. That is further backed up by decent reception of Concorde, who was transmitting on reduced power and with his antenna at a low position. It's always so satisfying to hear low-power stations with decent signals at a distance.

Monday, December 20, 2021

1647 0635 Eigen Risico 35333-45444 (q)

1630 0641 Vliegende Hollander 35433-45444 (q)

1626 0651 Hemmeling 35433 (q) 

1632 1810 Al Capone 25222-35333 (m)

1656 1916 Nachtzwerver 35333 (m)

Saturday, December 18, 2021

1615 1513 Zwarte Boekanier 25332 (m)

1636 1514 Veluwse Ster 35333-45444 (m)

1629 1528 Columbia 35333-45444 (r)

1660 1542 Columbia 35333 (q)

1620 1645 Stroper 35333 (r)

1630 1657 Vendor 25222-35333 (m)

1647 1721 Keizer en Keizerin 35333 (m)

1638 1843 Morgenster 25332-35333 (m)

1629 1855 Turftrekker en Blauwe Koe 35443-45444 (m)

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

1629 0801 Dolfijn 25222 (m)

1630 1501 Schaduwjager 25322-35333 (q)

1629 1553 Spakenburg 35333 (q)

1656 1601 Concorde weak signal, 25322 at 1615 (q)

1665 1624 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 25332-35333

1642 1630 Concorde 25322 (m) 

1616 1752 Alpenjager 25222-35333 (m)

1655 1755 Belladonna 25222-35333 (m)

1636 1757 Torpedojager 25222 (t)

1650 1801 Avia 25222 (m)

1665 1915 De Klok 25332-353333 (m)

1638 1920 Luca weak signal-25222 (m)

Observations

• It was nice to hear Alpenjager on 1616 kHz today spinning some traditional Dutch records. It always strikes me how similar he sounds to the Jeneverstoker - not surprising I guess as they are both from the same area and are both old-style pirates.
• De Klok was coming in with a decent signal on 1665 kHz and is a station I don't hear too often, while Luca was a new one for me.

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

1629 1525 Bluebird 45444 (t)

1665 1531 Digitaal 45444 (t)

1638 1541 Eigen Risico 25332 (m)

1620 1729 Zwarte Man 34333 (m)

1630 1832 Al Capone 25332 (m)

1618 1838 Monza 45444 (q) report for Al Capone

1629 1925 Columbia 45444-55444 (m)

1617 1934 Marrianne 45444 (m)

1620 1937 Bizon 44444 (m)

1638 1956 Ros Am 45444-55444 (m)

1665 2009 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 45444 (q)

1629 2115 Bluebird 45444-55555 (m)

1646 2119 Toulouse 25222 (m)

Monday, December 13, 2021

1674 1441 Noordzee 25322 (q)

1647 1446 Avia weak signal (m)

1656 1453 Nachtzwerver 25232 (q)

1615 1522 Zwarte Boekanier 25332 (m)

1640 1603 Rode Ster 25222 (m)

1665 1644 Digitaal 45444 (m)

1620 1710 Mustang 45444 (m)

1655 1932 Wilskracht 25222 (t) 60 watts

Sunday, December 12, 2021

1665 1914 Josje Power 35333-45444 (m)

1620 1915 King Kong 35333 (m)

1630 1917 Saporro 24322 (m)

1638 1917 Al Capone 25322 (m)

1617 1926 Simplex 24222 (m)

Saturday, December 11, 2021

1621 2048 Turftrekker 55444 (m)

1635 2046 Alabama 54444 (m)

1641 2047 Oliebollenbakkers 44444 (m)

1652 2048 Moby Dick 44444 (m)

1670 2048 Technical Man 55444 (m)

Thursday, December 9, 2021

1638 1414 Zomerzon 25232 (m)

1620 1425 Spakenburg 25232-35343 (q)

1617 1429 Ethervogel weak signal-25222 (q)

1656 1548 Eigen Risico 25332 (m)

1669 1552 Valencia 25232 (r)

1647 1615 Concorde 25222-35333 (m)

1620 1653 Zwarte Boer 35333 (m)

1655 1749 Belladonna 34333 (m)

1629 1850 Al Capone 35333 (m)

1638 2000 Marskramer 35333-45434 (m)

1670 2002 Skywire 23222 (m)

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

1660 1504 Cabballero 25332 (r )

1646 1510 Eigen Risico weak signal

1636 1737 Torpedojager 35333 (t)

1645 1748 Monte Carlo 35333 (q)

1655 1824 Turfsteker 35333 (r)

1625 1923 Blauwe Koe 34333-45434 (m)

1620 1940 Kleine Man 55444 (m)

1638 2041 Morgenster 25222 (m)

1670 2046 Digitaal 55444 (m)

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

1650 1718 Buurtsuper 25332-35333 (m)

1638 1754 Belladonna 25332-35333 (t)

1630 1801 Vrije Vogel 25332 (m)

1620 1843 Zeewolf 25222 (q) report for Belladonna

1617 1913 Monza 45434 (q)

1625 1919 Turftrekker 25222-35333 (q)

1617 1931 Marrianne 44444 (m)

Monday, December 6, 2021

1665 1735 Digitaal 45444 (q)

1622 1740 Spanningzoeker 55544 (q)

1629 1840 Bluebird 45444 (m)

Sunday, December 5, 2021

1638 1623 Nachtzwerver 25222-35443 (m)

1647 1624 Witte Tornado 35443-45444 (m)

1630 1632 Ros Am 45434 (t)

1670 1805 Melkbus 25222 (m)

Friday, December 3, 2021

1630 1836 Pandora 45434 (m)

1629 2041 Bluebird 45444 (m)

1655 2042 Kristal 45434 (m)

1620 2055 Philadelphia weak signal-25222 (m)

Thursday, December 2, 2021

1636 1544 Rode Adelaar weak signal (m)

1660 1545 Josje Power 25222 (m)

1665 1545 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 25222 (m)

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

1665 1542 Digitaal 45444 (m)

1674 1549 Noordzee 25232-35343 (m)

1660 1557 Josje Power 25332 (q)

1645 1858 Meteoor 35333-35443 (m) Christmas music

1630 1935 Blauwe Koe 35333-45434 (t)

1665 1946 Columbia 35333-45444 (m)

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

1620 1517 Schaduwjager 35333

1660 1725 Josje Power 35333-45444 (m)

1629 1747 Al Capone 25232 (m)

1665 1803 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 55434 (q) report for Josje Power

1648 1814 Pereboom 35443-45444 (m)

1659 1832 Turfsteker 25222 (q)

1617 1937 Marrianne 45444 (m)

Monday, November 29, 2021

1620 1512 Mosfet 35333 (q)

1660 1515 Cabballero 25332 (q)

1667 1545 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 45434 (t)

1620 1553 Zwarte Boekanier 25222-35333 (m)

1653 1616 Telefunken 25332 (t)

1620 1639 Witte Duif 25222 (q)

1665 1648 Digitaal 45444-55555 (q)

1656 1651 Eigen Risico 35333 (q)

1647 1709 Arizona weak signal (m)

1655 1800 Telefunken 25332 (m)

1646 1815 Nachtzwerver 25222 (m)

1645 1842 Oldtimer 44444 (m)

1611 1843 Zorro 44444 (m)

1655 1846 Belladonna 35443 (m)

1660 1915 Columbia 45333-45444 (m)

1638 1934 Morgen Ster 25332-35333 (m)

Saturday, November 27, 2021

1620 1528 Dikke Betta 25222-35333, 45544 at 1609 (m)

1660 1531 Dutchman weak signal (m)

1629 1533 Mustang 25222-35333 (m)

1660 1542 Scotland 25222 (q)

1639 1543 Drukstroomjager 35333-45444 (r )

1640 1555 Casablanca 35443-45544 (q)

1674 1559 Noordzee 35433-45444 (r )

1638 1600 Interpol 45434-55444 (q)

1633 1630 Professor Sickbok 55444 (m)

1660 1635 Concorde 25222 (m)

1647 1701 Keizer en Keizerin 25222-35443 (m)

1673 1745 Armada 34333-45434 (m)

Friday, November 26, 2021

1629 1410 Bluebird 25222 (m)

1647 1503 Professor Sickbok weak signal (m)

1636 1613 Ros Am 45444 (m)

1656 1615 Snowman 25222-35333 (t)

1643 1618 Baanbreker 35333 (q)

1620 1620 Noordzee 35333 (q)

1649 1641 Avia 25222-35333 (t)

Observations

• Nothing lasts forever, as they say, and the superb conditions over the last few days were halted today. There were also fewer stations on air, too, possibly due to the effects of Storm Arwen and station operators being unwilling to raise masts many metres into the air with such high winds around.
• Today’s standout signal came from Ros Am, who was pushing the meter here to 60%, which was superb given it was not quite dark outside.
• The mysterious station on 1611 kHz was there again today with a good signal here at times and also a good signal in various parts of the Netherlands. The programming output appears to be various streams and it all points to somebody in the UK having a bit of fun with a transmitter. My guess is that the broadcasts are coming from the east coast, but it looks like this mystery will run for a little while longer. It is proving quite a talking point on various forums and Facebook pages, and it’s great to see so much interest in a pirate signal on the MW band!

Thursday, November 25, 2021

1660 1515 Dutchman weak signal, 25332 at 1538 (m)

1617 1527 Ethervogel weak signal (t)

1673 1538 Armada 35333 (m)

1647 1557 Turfsteker 25222 (q)

1630 1625 Ros Am 45444 (t)