Celebrating a pirate legend Part three

Today as I continue my week-long look back at Radio Barones, we stop off at May 22, 1993. Ace Of Base were top of the charts in the UK with All That She Wants, and the Baro was going strong, in his 20th year on air. At that time I used to send 7inch singles to the man behind the microphone as they were difficult to get hold off in the Netherlands and he was keen to play vinyl, rather than CDs. It was the same story with other stations, too, and I was often in my local Woolworths buying records to send across the North Sea. Even now I can listen to Dutch MW pirates and hear those records being played on the air that I bought two decades ago.

Today's recording is shorter than the previous two as Barones is in qso mode, talking with Radio Pelikaan, who also used to broadcast from the Achterhoek, and with Toekomst, who can still be heard from time to time

Celebrating a pirate legend Part two

It's Tuesday and it's time for the second on my week-long tribute to Radio Barones. Many thanks for the kind words and emails from those of you who enjoyed yesterday's recording. I hope you all like this second instalment from the legend of the Achterhoek, which was recorded here in England nearly two years ago to the day, on September 4, 2011 on 1653 kHz

Celebrating a pirate legend

During this very week 40 years ago a pirate legend was born. On September 4, 1973 Radio Barones hit the airwaves for the very first time. Since that first broadcast the station has thrilled pirate listeners and dxers the world over and the name has become synonymous with a power-packed signal, superb modulation and with programmes like no other pirate.

I met the man behind the microphone for the first time in 1993. He welcomed me into his home and into his studio and we have been friends ever since. I have visited him many times since that first meeting and he came to England last year when I got married. 

The appeal of Barones goes far and wide. And so does the signal. The station remains the only Dutch MW pirate to have been heard in Japan without the use of web receivers. 

Barones has been off air this year due to various reasons, and I have lost count of the number of people who have asked me where this great station has gone. I am sure he will be back on air in the coming months but, in the meantime, for fans across the world, and to celebrate four decades as a pirate, I am going to present a different recording of the station for the next five days. To make them easier to listen to, I have made each recording into a YouTube movie. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the first instalment of this legend of the airwaves . . .

That's one way to keep warm

I'm listening to Radio Napoleon on 1620 right now. He's coming in really well from the eastern side of the Netherlands and playing some good tunes. His musical taste is very similar to the mighty Radio Barones and it's a pleasure to listen to him. A little earlier, Wadloper was on the air from Friesland, with his big pal Relmus at the microphone. They were busy on 1638 kHz and sent me this picture of the transmitter while they were on air. I'm guessing the studio was nice and warm!

Valves glowing in the Wadloper studio

And this week's award for fastest qsl . . .

No sooner had I posted my latest batch of logs on the blog then Radio Soerabaya sent me a nice new qsl . . . 

Many thanks!

Busy Bank Holiday

The Bank Holiday weekend has been a nice one. On Sunday evening we spent some time out in the garden . . . I set up some speakers so we could listen to the radio while enjoying the night air, and we listened to various stations. First to the professional sound of the Free Radio Service Holland on 5800 and 7685, then to the always entertaining Radio Underground on 6325 and later to Spakenburg with some music on 1620 before his qso with Barcelona and Monte Carlo. It makes a change to listen outdoors, and it was a surprise to hear my voice coming out of the speaker with a jingle or two on 1633 kHz!

Pirate sounds and a few beers

Keeping warm while listening to the pirates

I was working from home today (Monday), which meant I could go at my own pace, enjoy some of the sunshine and also listen to the radio. I was tuned to Radio Merlin for much of the afternoon on 6305 and it was great to hear some shortwave pirate activity during the daylight hours. Throughout much of the summer the international band has been very quiet until the sun has gone down. The change is a sure sign autumn is coming.

After Merlin closed down there was entertainment on 6290 from Telstar and when he closed down, Odynn came on the frequency. The first MW pirate to come through from the Netherlands was the Zwarte Boekanier, who I heard at just after 1800 utc. And as the sun set in the sky, more and more stations could be heard.

The sun goes down and out come the MW pirates

Here's what I heard tonight and for the last few evenings. Unless stated, reception was with the Lowe HF225 and outdoor Wellbrook loop antenna:

Monday, August 26, 2013

1650       1814       Zwarte Boekanier 25452, 35553 at 1907 music programme

1662       1908       Oldtimer 23442, 44444 at 2023 music programme

1611       1915       Mustang 44444 music programme

1633       1915       Vrijevogel 25452 music programme

1640       1919       Jonny Pecon 35433-45444 asking for report

1645       1924       Turfsteker weak signal report for Pecon 

1646       1927       Soerabaya weak signal

1629       1934       Calipso 54444 qsoing

1629       1940       Brandaris 34443 qsoing

1620       2022       King 24332-35333 music programme

1665       2027       Philadelphia weak signal music programme

1651-3    2054       Bekend Amateur 25222-35333 report for Boekanier

1630       2115       Electron 34333-55555 music programme

1636       2146       Pandora 55444-55555 report for Electron

1646       2147       Monte Carlo 34443-55444 report for Electron

1630       2205       Baanbreker 44444 qsoing

1646       2215       Soerabaya 25222-35333 qsoing

1640       2223       Monte Carlo 55444 qsoing

1655       2301       Jeneverstoker 35333 qsoing

Sunday, August 25, 2013

1638       1940       Bluebird 55444 music programme

1647       1940       Witte Tornado 54444 music programme

1652       2002       Uniek 34333 music programme

1512       2012       Tempico 44533 music programme

1620       2139       Spakenburg 44333-45444 music programme

1633       2231       Barcelona 44333-55444 qsoing

1624       2328       Underground

1646       2328       Soerabaya 34333 asking for report

Saturday, August 24, 2013 (Pye valve radio with outdoor loop)

1665       0015       Polkaman 44333 music programme

1624       0044       Underground 24322-34333

1645       0050       Soerabaya 25322-35333 asking for report

1648       2340       Moby Dick 45334-55444 music programme

1665       2345       Polkaman 34333 music programme

1628       0005       Jack Sparrow 34333

1636       0030       Kleine Test Amateur 45344

Tuesday, August 20, 2013 (Pye valve radio with outdoor loop)

1628       2230       Kleine Test Amateur 45544-55555 music programme

1640       2233       Witte Raaf 33543-45544 music programme

1646       2233       Vrolijke Mijnwerker 55555 music programme

1653       2244       Jeneverstoker 35333 report for Mijnwerker

1636       2334       Sluwe Vos 25333-35343 music programme

Friday, August 16, 2013

1620       1904       Sterrekijker 35443, 55555 at 1924 music programme

1646       1904       Vrolijke Mijnwerker 45554, 55544 at 2026 music programme

1636       1913       Poema 34433-44444 testing

1636       1950       Dutchman 23432-33433 report for Poema

1629       1959       Calipso 55444-55555 music programme

1655       2000       Witte Raaf 45444 music programme

1620       2020       Zwarte Diamont 34433 report for Sterrekijker

Observations

• Very nice to hear Brandaris back on air this evening. I see he has been logged on other dates recently, but this was the first time I heard him for many months. Welcome back to the airwaves!
• Electron and Pandora were the strongest signals on the band on Monday night, and Monte Carlo was also doing very well. He was experiencing problems with a valve in his transmitter, which might explain why his SINPO when he first came on air was below his usual here. By the end of his qso he was coming in much better, peaking at 55444. Conditions were variable throughout the evening, however. Soerabaya, for example, often dipped below the noise level, but sometimes he came right through it and was really strong. The same could be said about King Radio on 1620, who were struggling sometimes with a Balkan station on the same frequency, but also had some very good peaks
• Last Tuesday while I was listening on the old Pye valve radio, Sluwe Vos came on air to play a few records. He runs just 20 watts but he was coming in really well. A good antenna at both ends gives great results, and it's a real pleasure to listen to stations through the warm sound of a 1950s radio
• Back on Friday, August 16, Poema made an appearance on 1636. I can't remember the last time I heard him up there. He was operating on 1476 a few weeks ago when I last heard him. The signal higher up the band was better, and it seems the new antenna (coil and wire) is working very well

A little bit of Holland

I wasn't able to go to the Summer Meeting in the Netherlands this year. For those of you who don't know much about the annual event, it is a chance for station operators, listeners and dxers to get together, chat about the hobby and drink far too much beer before sleeping for a few hours and then doing it all a bit more. It took place recently, and you can read all about it here in Radio Zeewolf's regular contribution to the website of Short Wave Combination Holland, who organised this year's event.

The closest I got to Holland this year was a trip to Legoland in Windsor this month. But I'll be back to sample the real thing in 2014