Strong start to 2022

It was great to see so many of you enjoy the list of Dutch pirates heard in England during 2021 I posted last week. And the good news is that the new year has started strongly with heaps of activity at the top of the MW band. So, without further ado, here's what I've been listening to, along with plenty of observations, together with some recordings, photos and even a video:

Freq Time Station name SINPO

Monday, January 10, 2022

1665 1001 Digitaal 25332-35443 (m)

1611 1008 Utopia weak signal (q)

1617 1014 Ethervogel weak signal (q)

1627 1015 Cowboy Gerard weak signal (q)

1629 1040 Kaaiman weak signal (q)

1619 1219 Mustang 25222

1646 1248 Toulouse 25222

1660 1257 Wilskracht 25332-35443 (t)

1645 1302 Nachtzwerver 25322 (m)

1626 1335 Eigen Risico 25222 (m)

1652 1409 Baanbreker weak signal (q)

1620 1527 Zwarte Boekanier 25222, 35443 at 1651 (m)

1640 1536 Rode Ster 25222-35333 (q)

1629 1625 Dolfijn 25222-35333 (m)

1620 1643 Musky 25222-35443 (q)

1645 1829 Oldtimer 35443 (m)

1660 1831 Studio 19 25332 (m)

1629 1834 Kaaiman 35333 (t) 

1638 1904 Boomerang 55444 (t)

1636 1917 Sapporo 25432 (q)

(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

• There was a nice surprise today when I flicked on the receiver at 10am not really expecting to be able to hear any Dutch pirate signals - and there was Digitaal coming in pretty well. A move down the band and there was Utopia with a weaker, but audible signal. To add to that pair I was also able to hear Ethervogel, Cowboy Gerard and Kaaiman. They were all weak but just about detectable which is very rare at this time of day. 
• By just after midday I could still hear stations and instead of fading out they had actually become stronger! I heard Mustang on 1619 kHz - another one rather than the one who is also active on shortwave - Toulouse, Wilskracht, Nachtzwerver and Eigen Risico all before 2pm. It seems propagation is becoming more and more unpredictable but, when it allows listening windows several hours after sunrise and many hours before sunset I’m not complaining!

Sunday, January 9, 2022

1626 1704 Professor Sickbok 45444 (m)

1650 1711 Belladonna 25222-35443 (m)

1660 2200 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 45434 (m)

1646 2301 Monte Carlo 25222 (r)

Saturday, January 8, 2022

1660 1533 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 35443, 55544 at 1554 (m)

1638 1533 Osaka 25342 (q)

1611 1534 Luka 25322 (t)

1621 1537 Kwiksilver 35433 (q)

1630 1538 Professor Sickbok 35443 (q)

1620 1550 Akai 34433 (q)

1621 1550 Eigen Risico 34443 (q)

1621 1553 Professor Sickbok 35443-45554 (q)

1630 1601 Schaduwjager 55555 (q)

1640 1607 Curacao 35333 (q)

1683 1634 Noordzee 34433 (m)

1647 1634 Turfsteker 25332 (q)

1623 1638 Professor Sickbok 45444 (m)

1638 1650 Nachtzwerver 25332-35443 (q)

1638 1711 Morgenster 24222-35333 (m)

1669 1711 Armada 35333 (m)

1655 1721 Telefunken 35333-35443 (m)

1650 1743 Yogi Bear 35443-45444 (m)

1617 1745 Ethervogel weak signal (t)

1669 1807 Klok 25222 (m)

1629 1814 Quintus 35333-35443 (m)

1645 1822 Nachtzwerver 34333 (m)

1673 1915 Digitaal 45434, 55544 at 2143 (m)

1652 2140 Moby Dick 33433 (m)

1660 2142 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 55444 (m)

1629 2145 Marskramer (m) mixing with Quintus

1665 2147 Korak weak signal-22422 (m)

1620 2156 Akai 24322-34333 (q)

1618 2200 Simplex 23322 (q)

MW Free Radio · Schaduwjager 1620 (January 6, 2022)

Observations

• Had a fun day listening for a good few hours from the afternoon and through into the evening today. There was plenty to hear, and one of the highlights was catching Curacao as this station has been around for many years and was a regular when I used to listen a lot during the 1990s.
• As well as some well-known names, new station Luka was also active and I was able to find out plenty about this pirate after getting in touch with the operator. He named his station after the Irish singer-songwriter Luka Bloom. He was spinning some records on 1611 kHz and running 40 watts of power, so was doing very well to deliver a listenable signal to my location in England before sunset. He's using an inverted L antenna, which is becoming more and more popular in the Netherlands, and he sent me these photos of the set-up to share with you, including a great shot of the studio:

Friday, January 7, 2022

1695 1221 Digitaal weak signal

1629 1359 Spanningzoeker weak signal

1660 1501 Wilskracht weak signal (m)

1611 1502 Utopia 25332 (m)

1620 1505 Scotland weak signal (m)

1635 1523 Pandora 35443-45444 (m)

1695 1535 Digitaal 55555 (m)

1620 1550 Tower 35443, 54544 at 2025 (m)

1640 1628 Professor Sickbok 35333 (q)

1630 1630 Professor Sickbok 35333 (q)

1649 1632 Noordzee 25222 (q)

1651 1640 Pontiac 45444 (m)

1690 1652 Digitaal 55555 (m)

1635 1719 Meteoor 35443 (q)

1638 1748 Mebo 2 25332 (q)

1646 1750 Eigen Risico 35433 (q)

1647 1743 Dikke Betta 55544-55555 (m)

1655 1755 Telefunken 35433 (q)

1629 1817 Turftrekker 45444 at 1912, 55544 at 2255 (m)

1655 1818 Relmus en Batavier 44444, 45444 at 1926 (m)

1660 1824 Studio 19 24332 (m)

1615 1835 Al Capone 32432-34443 (m)

1630 1846 Columbia 53543 (m)

1665 1910 Columbia 45444-55555 (m)

1636 2014 Eigen Risico 34443 (m)

1665 2052 Studio 19 35443 (m)

1638 2215 Professor Sickbok 44444 (m)

1665 2324 Monte Carlo 35333 (q)

1494 2357 Rock Radio AM 35333-35443

Observations

• It’s always a bit of a challenge for me to catch the Dutch pirate signals on 1.6 MHz as long before sunset as possible, so it was good to be able to hear the carrier of Digitaal on 1695 kHz today just after midday, nearly four hours before the sun went down. I couldn’t make out any music as the signal was so weak, but the carrier was definitely audible. Fast-forward just over three hours and he was back on air and arriving here with the maximum sinpo of 55555!
• Propagation conditions remained good throughout the rest of the day and there were some stunning signals to be heard. Dikke Betta and Columbia also really stood out, but Relmus was doing very well indeed with the transmitter previously used by Wadloper. It was great to hear him back on air on a Friday night - reminds me of those fun weekly broadcasts he used to do a few years ago and of the times I’ve been in the studio with him. Here's a short video showing the great modulation on the oscilloscope in the studio:

• Reception of Tower would also have been very good but for the other station also occupying 1620 kHz for much of the time he was on air. As both transmitters were on exactly the same frequency, there was no hetrodyne, but instead the stations took turns to peak and the rest of the time were mixing together. I didn’t manage to work out which was the other station. 
• Studio 19 was coming in clearly today, even better the second time later in the evening, while Al Capone had some lovely peaks to give reception better than usual.
• There was a fascinating end to the day when I tuned around in-band and found a signal on 1494 kHz. The station I usually catch on this frequency is Buzz FM, but today I heard Rock Radio AM, and with a good signal too. The broadcast sounded as though it was live and the email address rockradioam@yahoo.com was given out. It’s really quite special to find MW pirate radio from the UK in 2022 given how little there has been in recent years, and I look forward to hearing this station again soon.

MW Free Radio · Rock Radio AM 1494 (January 7, 2022)

Thursday, January 6, 2022

1656 1455 Eigen Risico 25222 (m)

1630 1456 Ruimzicht 25332 (m)

1675 1520 Dutchman weak signal (m)

1655 1534 Turfsteker 25222 (q)

1638 1546 Spakenburg 35333 (m)

1611 1557 Interpol 35443 (r)

1630 1602 Schaduwjager 55555 (q)

1648 1611 Dageraad 25222 (q)

1647 1617 Interpol 35443 (q)

1670 1632 Digitaal 45434-55444 (m)

1650 1640 Noordzee 25222 (q)

1630 1641 Vrije Vogel 25222 (m)

1655 1659 Belladonna 35333 (m)

1620 1726 Schaduwjager 45444 (m)

1638 1739 Pontiac 45444 (t)

1647 1740 Turfsteker 35333 (t)

1620 1811 Pecon 45444 (r)

1620 1919 Verona weak signal (t)

1671 1936 Viking en Tante Foeke 34333 (m)

1635 1950 Marskramer 34333-45444 (m)

Wednesday, January 5, 2022

1660 1527 Josje Power weak signal-25442 (t)

1670 1533 Digitaal 25442, 45444 at 1610 (m)

1620 1624 Rietvink 35333 (m)

1647 1700 Turfsteker 25222-35333 (m)

1655 1710 Telefunken 25222-35333 (m)

1636 1724 Torpedojager 25222-45444 (m)

1629 1736 Stroper 35333-45444 (m)

1617 1736 Ethervogel 25222 (m)

1656 1800 Stroper 45444 (q)

1620 1807 Dikke Betta 45444 (q)

1632 1811 Polka 25222 (q)

1620 1829 Al Capone 25332 (q)

1660 1854 Boomerang 45434 (t)

1665 1914 Welbekend 25222 (q)

1647 1937 Odynn 35333 (t)

1660 2005 Columbia 45434 (m)

1638 2010 Morgenster 25222-35333 (m)

1625 2023 Eigen Risico 34333 (m)

1629 2040 Turftrekker 44433-44444 (m)

1673 2104 Armada 45434 (m)

1655 2123 Kristal 45444 (m)

1665 2147 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 55444 (q) 

Observations

• When I tuned in to Digitaal on 1670 kHz today at just after 3.30 local time, the signal was weak. However, fast-forward by around 40 minutes and the station was blasting in with a sinpo peaking at 45444, showing conditions to be particularly good, which was no coincidence with the sun having just set. This time of the day opens up grey-line propagation where signals travel across the twilight zone between day and night, often allowing surprising reception.
• Rietvink from the Veluwe switched on his transmitter a few minutes later to spin a few records and he was also coming in well with a sinpo around 35333. It is usually early in the morning when I hear this station, so it made a nice change to hear him at this later time of day.
• Torpedojager popped up on his usual frequency of 1636 kHz at dinnertime as he tested the equipment ahead of his Thursday morning breakfast show on the same channel.
• There was plenty of other action as the night-time arrived with transmissions from high-power pirates like Boomerang and low-power operations such as Polka and Ethervogel. 

Tuesday, January 4, 2022

1660 1538 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 25442 (q)

1620 1549 Musky weak signal-25422 (q)

1629 1555 Marskramer weak signal-25332 (q)

1629 1806 Spakenburg 25332, 35433 at 1930 (m)

1616 1833 Monza 35343 (q)

1620 1836 Al Capone weak signal (q)

1638 1844 Osaka weak signal-25332 (m)

1665 1858 Twentana 25322 (m)

1617 1932 Marrianne 35333 (m)

Saturday, January 1, 2022

1630 1735 Professor Sickbok 35443-45444 (m)

1640 1744 Linda 25222 (m)

1670 1750 Matrix 25222-35333 (m)

1647 1823 Turfsteker 25222 (q)

1655 1826 Yogi Bear 35443-45444 (m)

1648 1831 Pereboom 35443 (m)

1635 1846 Boomerang 45444 (m)

1618 1846 Simplex 25222 (m)

1672 1901 Digitaal 45444 (m)

1629 2300 Blauwe Koe 35443-45444 (m)

1638 2302 Zomerzon 25332-35333 (m)

1645 2306 Vonkenboer 25332 (m)

1622 2309 Polkaman 24222 (m)

1665 2310 Monte Carlo 25222 (m)

Thursday, December 30, 2021

1700 1700 Digitaal 454334 (m)

1618 1708 Monza 35333 (q)

1640 1711 Rode Ster 45434 (q)

1620 1740 Al Capone 25222 (m)

1656 1836 Concorde 25222 (m)

Wednesday, December 29, 2021

1655 1522 Manolito weak signal (m)

1673 1546 Armada 25222-35443 (m)

1638 1740 Johnny Camaro 35333 (q)

1643 1744 Jeneverstoker weak signal (q)

1620 1747 Akai 25332 (q)

1615 1755 Zeewolf 25222 (q)

1617 1803 Simplex 25222 (q)

1700 1810 Digitaal 45444 (t)

1638 1812 Wilskracht 44444 (m)

1665 1827 De Klok 25222 (m)

1645 1850 Oldtimer 45444 (m)

1673 1850 Armada 45434 (m)

1665 1858 Concorde 25332 (q) r

1664 1900 Vonkenboer 25222 (q)

1658 2208 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 45534 (m)

1638 2209 Ros Am 35333-45444 (m)

1629 2213 Blauwe Koe 35443-45444 (m)

1650 2219 Oliebollenbakkers 34433 (m)

1671 2244 Vonkenboer 25222 (m)

Tuesday, December 28, 2021

1626 1541 Hemmeling 25442 (q)

1629 1554 Brugwachter 25332 (q)

1620 1556 Zwarte Boekanier 35333 (m)

1665 1557 Josje Power 25222-35443 (m)

1629 1627 Middengolf Stroper 34333 (t)

1658 1632 Pontiac 45444 (t)

1625 1648 Middengolf Stroper 34333 (q)

1640 1650 Rode Ster 35333-45444 (q)

1636 1701 Schaduwjager 45444 (q)

1635 1709 Rode Ster 45444 (q)

1620 1710 Al Capone 25222 (q)

1660 1711 Concorde 25222 (q)

1617 2050 Marrianne 44444 (m)

1629 2052 Marskramer 35333-45444 (m)

1636 2052 Mi Amigo 45434 (m)

1646 2239 Toulouse 35443 (m)

1635 2241 Monte Carlo 34333 (q)

1636 2245 Vonkenboer 34333 (q)

Monday, December 27, 2021

1611 1538 Blackstone weak signal (q)

1623 1539 Professor Sickbok 25332-35443 (m)

1611 1543 Scotland weak signal (q)

1653 1558 Zwarte Panter 25222 (m)

1660 1630 Digitaal 42442 (m)

1660 1630 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 42442 (m)

1636 1645 Pontiac 54444 (m)

1647 1701 Turfsteker 35333 (q)

1625 1703 Mi Amigo 34433 (q)

1629 1707 Dolfijn 34333-45444 (m)

1665 1709 Digitaal 55444-55555 (m)

1494 1711 Buzz FM 24422 (m)

1648 1714 Professor Sickbok 45434 (q)

1655 1736 Telefunken 34333 (m)

1660 1742 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 44434 (m)

1620 1800 Studio 19 25332 (q)

1645 1812 Oldtimer 35333 (m)

1621 2235 Turftrekker 44444-55544 (m)

1635 2238 Electron 35333 (q)

1660 2239 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 55444 (m)

1660 2255 Monte Carlo 35333 (q) r

1647 2256 Jeneverstoker 25222 (q)

1636 2301 Mi Amigo 45444 (q)

Sunday, December 26, 2021

1620 1551 Alabama 25322-35443, 55444 at 1912 (m)

1660 1909 Columbia 45444 (m)

1636 2059 Twee Gebroeders 35333 (m)

1644 2100 Ros Am 45434 (m)

1657 2101 Turfsteker 25222 (m)

1665 2108 Josje Power 35333 (m)

Saturday, December 25, 2021

1675 1246 Digitaal weak signal (m) 

1660 1938 Barones 35443-45444 (m)

1620 1940 Billy De Bluffer 24332 (m)

1647 1941 Keizer en Keizerin 35333 (m)

1512 1941 Zanussi 24432-35443 (m)

1629 1944 Sluwe Vos 34433 (m)

1637 1953 Schaduwjager 45444 (m)

1667 2235 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 45434 (m)

1652 2238 Moby Dick 34333 (m)

Friday, December 24, 2021

1700 1300 Digitaal 25232 (m)

1670 1447 Josje Power 25242 (m)