The class of 2021

A very Happy New Year to you! Whether you are a station operator, listener, DXer or you've just arrived here by accident and are having a read, let me wish you good health and happiness for the months ahead.

In what has become an annual tradition, it is time to take a look at all of the Dutch pirate stations heard on MW during the last 12 months. The key point to note here is this list is not an exhaustive look at all the stations active on the MW, but just those that I have heard on my own receiver and with my antenna in England. 

During 2020 I heard some 203 stations, which was a tough target to beat during 2021. And I can reveal that some 201 pirates were received here during the last 12 months. So, no new record but this figure is a massive boost from 2019 when I heard just 129 Dutch MW pirates. In 2018, some 154 pirate signals were heard over here, while in 2017 the number was 172, in 2016 it was 167 and in 2015 it was 185.

These are the stations I heard, and I would like to thank each and every one of these broadcasters for switching on your transmitters during the last 12 months. I am sure your transmissions have been a lifeline for many people during difficult times, when a friendly voice and the jolly sound of familiar music kept up the spirits:

Admiraal
Akai
Alabama
Alaska
Al Capone
Alpenjager
Antonio
Arizona
Armada
Astronaut
Atlantic
Atletico
Avia 
Baanbreker
Barcelona
Barones
Batavia 
Batavier
Belladonna
Billy de Bluffer
Bizon
Black Molly
Blackstone
Blauwe Fazant 
Blauwe Koe
Blauwe Piraat
Bluebird
Boerenzwaluw 
Bonte Specht
Boogschutter 
Boomerang 
Bootsman 
Brugwachter 
Bruine Beer
Buurtsuper 
Cabballero 
Casablanca (Emmen)
Casablanca (Twente)
Cobra 
Columbia
Concorde

 

Dageraad 
Delfzijl 
Derby
Derde Man
Digitaal
Dikke Betta
Dolfijn
Dutchman 
Dr Blow 
Drukstroomjager 
Eigen Risico
Eldorado 
Electron
Ethersnuiver 
Ethervogel 
Frieloo 
Gedrocht van Twente
Havanna 
Hemmeling
Horizon
Interpol
Jan De Roos 
Jan Patat 
JB
Jeneverstoker 
Johannes Van Schaffelaar
Johnny Camaro
Josje Power
Kaaiman
Kameleon 
Kamelenboer  
Karabijn 
Karel Doorman
Keizer en Keizerin
King Kong
Klaverboer 
Kleine Jopie
Kleine Man
Klok
Korenbloem
Korenklopper

Kristal

Kwiksilver
Linda
Lotus
Luca
Manolito
Marconist
Marianne
Marskramer
Matrix
Mebo 2
Meteoor
Melkbus
Mi Amigo
Middengolf Stroper
Mike

 

Moby Dick
Mondeo
Monza
Monte Carlo
Morgenster
Moscou
Mosfet
Mustang
Nachtegaal
Nachtrijder
Nachtzwerver
Nimmerzorg
Noordster
Noordzee
Odynn
Oldtimer
Oliebollenbakkers
Orban
Osaka
OSM
Pandora

 

Paradiso
Pecon
Pereboom
Philadelphia
Polka Express
Polkaman
Pontiac
Professor Sickbok
Quintus
Rebel
Relmus

 

Rietvink
Rode Adelaar
Rode Ster
Ros Am

 

Ruimzicht
Sapporo
Schaduwjager
Scotland
Silvia
Simplex
Shetland
Skywire
Sluwe Vos
Snowman
Soto en Daniel
Spakenburg
Spanningzoeker
Speedy Gonzales en Mexicano
Studio 19
Studio 69
Sundown
Tahiti
Technical Man
Telefunken
Torpedojager
Toulouse
Turijn
Turfsteker
Turftrekker Twee Gebroeders
Twentana
Uitzendkracht
Uniek
Utopia
Valencia
Veen Piraat
Veldwachter
Veluwse Ster
Vendor

 

Viking en Tante Foeke

Vliegende Hollander
Vonkenboer
Vonkentrekker
Vossenjager
Vriendschap
Vrije Vogel
Vrolijke Mijnwerker

 

Waterman
Weduwe
Wegpiraat
Wilskracht
Witte Duif
Witte Raaf
Witte Reus
Witte Tornado
Woudster
Yogi Bear
Zanussi
Zeelandia
Zeewolf
Zomerzon
Zorro
Zwarte Arabier
Zwarte BMW
Zwarte Boekanier
Zwarte Boer
Zwarte Man

Zwarte Panter (North Holland)

Zwarte Panter (Oldenzaal)

Zwarte Piraat
Zwarte Ridder

So there you have it ... over 200 pirates from the Netherlands have been heard at my location during the last year. I had an interesting conversation with the operator of Radio Avia a couple of days ago when we were discussing how many active MW pirates there are in the Netherlands. We concluded it must be somewhere in the region of 300-350 given some are very low power and local, some are very sporadic, some broadcast only at certain strange hours of the day etc.

We then got on to talking about how many listeners are out there these days. This is much trickier to gauge as many of the pirates cannot be contacted by listeners without a little 'inside' knowledge. But that is all part of the mystery of the pirate scene. Nobody knows who might be listening, and where they might be listening. Which means there remains some mystery about this branch of broadcasting, and perhaps that's why it is still popular in this day and age and one of the reasons why hundreds of transmitters in a tiny country are being switched on each and every year.

Long may it continue!