Flashback to the 80s

I paid a visit to Stoke-on-Trent this week and popped in to the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, where among the various exhibitions is a display called Shout Out! UK Pirate Radio in the 1980s.

So it doesn't quite fit in with what I usually do on this blog, but I thought it might be worth a mention and a few photos. 

The exhibition is only small but features lots of newspaper clippings from the era in the 1980s when there was a surge of pirate activity on FM as stations starting appearing to cater for audiences who struggled to find their style of music on mainstream radio. It mentions how at the peak of FM piracy in the UK some 600 stations were operating up and down the land. 

There is even a mixer and limiter on display that were used in a pirate studio back in the day, together with a TV screen showing an interview with the operator of one of the biggest pirates in the midlands in the 1980s, and an iPad on which you can listen to jingles from the days when Kiss FM was still a pirate

The exhibition will remain at its current home until May 9.

Sad news

There is sad news to report from the Achterhoek in the east of the Netherlands. Last Saturday morning the man behind Radio Nooitgedacht died after suffering with pancreatic cancer. 

Johan had been active at the top of the MW band for many decades and his powerful signal made him popular with local listeners and dxers across Europe. When there was a big sound on 1636 kHz and the familiar records started playing, you knew you were tuned to Nooitgedacht.

Johan was 70 years old and leaves behind his wife Hannie and children Eddie, Theo and Jolanda. 

I heard Johan on the air a couple of weeks ago on what I think turned out to be his final broadcast. You could tell he was ill as he talked, but so nice he decided to transmit one more progamme. When he closed down he had a short qso with Radio Havanna and I made a recording of his last words which you can listen to here.

The Dutch visitor

Last week I received a message from one of the Dutch MW pirates saying he would be in England in a few days time through his work as a lorry driver. And it turned out he would be travelling pretty close to where we live. So, on Tuesday at just after midday we met up with Cyril, the operator of Radio Benjamin, who can be heard at the very top of the MW band every now and again.

We thought it best he didn't bring his lorry to our small street, so we met Cyril at the local railway station and took him to a pub out in the country for lunch, where a few pints of cider and a plate of sandwiches went down pretty well. After that we did a little sight-seeing and showed Cyril some of the high points in area. As the Netherlands is so flat, hills are always of interest!

Then it was back to our place, where we cracked open a few bottles of Grolsch and spent some time down in the radio room. 

A few of the empty beer bottles!

Conditions weren't particularly good on either SW or MW while Cyril was here, but he did get to hear a fine signal from Vrolijke Mijnwerker, who was coming in loud and clear. Interestingly it seems that when Mijnwerker uses his wire antenna the signal is better here than at Cyril's location. The greater skywave would explain that, but still surprising.

My two children were particularly interested in our Dutch visitor and even put on a little magic show for him! When the time came to take Cyril back to the railway station they had to come in the car and wave goodbye to their special guest. Perhaps we will be seeing him over in the Netherlands next time.

Sunday surprise

I haven't listened early on a Sunday morning for some time, so this morning I made an effort to do so. Well, I cheated a little bit and set my computer to record my radio on 1620 kHz from 0500 local time. This is a busy frequency on a Sunday morning and I was hoping this week would prove the same.

When I checked my recording I found that from the very start Amigo was busy with a music programme, which carried on through until just after 0600 when Dokwerker came on air. And then at just after 0800, Zonnester came on the frequency. Signals were pretty good, especially Dokwerker who was coming through very well indeed with some great peaks. It seems he came on at around the optimum time for early-morning reception of the Dutch pirates at my location in England.

Looking back at my logs, it seems I haven't heard Dokwerker since October 10, 2013, so it was certainly good to hear him on my radio once again with such good reception. He runs fairly low power and was pretty pleased when I sent an email this morning with a recording of his reception.

I also recorded Amigo and Zonnester, and you can listen to all three here . . .

Hanging in there

These propagation conditions are frustrating. The other night they were so bad I thought there was a problem with the antennas outside. The general level of noise at the top of MW and right across SW has been pretty high for the last few days as well, making listening far from as enjoyable as it can be. But things can change pretty quickly.

I switched the radio on this evening, for example, at around 2030 local time. Stations like Meteoor, who would usually be very strong were coming in okay but nothing special. All in all, I nearly switched off and headed to bed for an early night. And then, at around 2200, the signals started to increase and Meteoor and the others on air started to pick up to the strengths I would expect from them. 

Right now, at around 2330 I'm listening to Utopia on 1620. It's been a good while since I heard him, and over 20 years since I spent a few days in a tent in his back garden!

Here's what I heard tonight, along with some other recent listings . . .

Thursday, February 5, 2015

1645          2040         Northcoast 35333 music programme

1611          2049         Meteoor 35333 music programme

1640          2050         Veronica 35333 music programme

1657          2105         Kristal 45333-55444 music programme

1615          2111         Desperado 24222-34333 music programme

1611          2134         Blauwe Piraat 24222 report for Meteoor

1645          2135         Wadloper 45444-55444 music programme

1620          2141         Meteoor 35333, 45444 at 2206 qsoing

1620          2145         Blauwe Piraat 25222 qsoing

1620          2149         Anton 35333, 45444 at 2212 qsoing

1620          2237         Utopia 45333-45444 testing

1629          2241         Belladonna 24222 music programme

1630          2305         Vrolijke Mijnwerker 54444 report for Kristal

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

1620          1820         Zonnester 35333-45444 qsoing

1620          1831         Blauwe Piraat 35243 weak signal qsoing

1620          1854         Monza 35232-35333 qsoing

1476          1917         Rietvink 23442 music programme

1620          2046         Batavia 35333-45344 music programme

1640          2047         Digitaal 34333 music programme

1638          2100         Twentse Adelaar 25222 music programme

1643          2115         Wadloper 45434 music programme

1650          2253         Jan De Roos 35333 Music programme

1630          2254         Anton 45434-55444 music programme

1632          2304         Toulouse 44444 report for Anton

1630          2322         Monte Carlo 34333-44444 qsoing

Monday, February 2, 2015

1640          1748         Digitaal 35232

1648          1755         Zwarte Boekanier 35232-35343 asking for report

1629          2129         Witte Raaf 35333 music programme   

1636          2155         Topedojager 35343 music programme

1625          2257         Black Devil 23422-45434 music programme

1628          2301         Vrolijke Mijnwerker 44444 music programme

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

1636          1812         Nooitgedacht 35333 music programme

1636          1843         Havanna 55444 report for Nooitgedacht

Friday, January 30, 2015

1620          1822         Sterrekijker 35333 music programme

1629          1845         Belladonna 22322 music programme

1620          2202         Calipso 55544 music programme

1629          2203         Twentana 35333 music programme

1643          2203         Wadloper 45444 music programme

1668          2204         Armada 55444 music programme

1646          2206         Uniek 33433-45434 music programme

1611          2214         Turftrekker 44444 music programme

Thursday, January 29, 2015

1629          1709         Zwarte Boer 32342, 34333 at 2024 music programme

1611          2005         Malibu 33333-44444 music programme

1617          2006         Digitaal 45444 music programme

1620          2006         Johnny Camaro 33433 music programme

1640          2008         Vrolijke Fluiters (Batavier+Zwarte Panter) 35333 

1656          2025         Nachtzwerver testing

1705          2055         Aeneas qsoing from Greece 

1655          2110         Turfsteker 25222-35333 testing antenna

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

1643          2034         Wadloper 45444-55555 music programme

1652          2035         Batavier 35343 music programme

1620          2040         Zwarte Golf 43443 testing modulation

Sunday, January 25, 2015

1616          0035         Barones 55444 music programme

1648          0036         Moby Dick 55444 music programme

1627          0037         Digitaal 44444 music programme

1636          0040         Keizer en Keizerin 34433 music programme

1665          0040         Polkaman 35333 music programme

1632          0103         Vrolijke Mijnwerker 55444 report for Moby Dick

1636          0128         Jeneverstoker qsoing

1611          2053         Jamaica 54434 qsoing

1647          2054         Witte Tornado 35333-55444 music programme

1640          2055         Wadloper 45434 music programme

1625          2104         Soerabaya 25322 testing

Friday, January 23, 2015

1620          1605         Sterrekijker 25332, 35333 at 1840 music programme

1636          1655         Digitaal 35333 music programme

1629          1833         Twentana testing antenna

1655          1835         Columbia 35333-45444 asking for report

1646          1840         Kaaiman 35333 report for Columbia

1629          1858         Belladonna 22432 music programme

1656          1900         Skywire weak signal 

1627          2005         Titanic 44444 testing

1645          2018         Kristal 54444 music programme

1635          2018         Eldorado 45434 report for 1604. 

1539          2033         Batavia 32422 music programme

1640          2040         Wadloper 44444-55555 music programme

1620          2107         Akai 44444 report for Sterrekijker

1620          2111         Jamaica 55544 report for Sterrekijker

1627          2134         Zwarte Diamont 43433-45444 report for Musky

1620          2138         Spanningzoeker 54444 qsoing

1646          2206         Uniek 34433-44444 report for Kristal

1611          2217         Batavia 45434 music programme

1655          2230         Batavier 25222-35333 music programme

1622          2232         Soerabaya 23322-34433 testing

1630          2255         Pandora 55555

1622          2256         Digitaal 45444 report for Soerabaya    

1629          2313         Pioneer 33433 from Rotterdam

1620          2325         Soerabaya qsoing

1680          2337         Alex Warner very weak qsoing

1635          2338         Stem Van Twente 45444 qsoing

1680          2349         Digitaal 45434 qsoing

1680          0002         Stem Van Twente 45434 qsoing

1640          0006         Stem Van Twente 45434 qsoing

Friday, January 16, 2015

1620          1835         Titanic 35353-45454 report for Sterrekijker

1645          1850         Kaaiman 25242 testing

1650          2100         Kristal 45343-45444 music programme

1660          2110         Kristal 35333 calling for qso       

1630          2125         Soerabaya weak signal asking for report

1640          2131         Wadloper 34443-45554 testing

1650          2311         Batavier weak signal music programme

1630          2312         Vrolijke Mijnwerker 45434 music programme

1656          2314         Nachtzwerver 25222-35443 music programme

1638          2327         Calimero 45334 testing

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

1620          1723         Jamaica 55555 qsoing

1630          1725         Wegpiraat 35343-45454 qsoing

1620          1727         Monza 35443-45454 qsoing

1660          1745         Digitaal small signal testing 

1620          1750         Marskramer (Friesland) 35333 music programme

1644          1820         Pecon 45444

1611          1822         Texas weak signal testing

1636          1857         Baanbreker 34443

1629          2154         Mustang 35333, later 45434 music programme

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

1620          1728         Admiraal 25322 qsoing

1627          1749         Admiraal 25322 qsoing

1620          1753         Moonbreaker 25332-35333 qsoing

1651          1845         Turfsteker 24422 qsoing

1651          1847         Baanbreker 24422 qsoing

1641          1857         Baanbreker qsoing

1611          1907         Malibu weak signal

1638          2220         Calimero 35333-45444 music programme

1630          2326         Pandora 35333-45444 music programme

1623          2338         Snowman 24222 qsoing

1622          2347         Rebel weak signal qsoing

1623          2352         Amigo 33343 report for Pandora

Monday, January 12, 2015

1636          0913         Havanna 25342 music programme

1622          2122         Soto 25222 music programme

Saturday, January 10, 2015

1638          1730         Osaka (Twente) 25332 qsoing

1476          1731         Edelkampioen 33433 music programme

1638          1733         Spanningzoeker 45434 qsoing

1640          1749         Bonte Specht weak signal music programme

1622          1822         Aktief 35333-45444 qsoing

1476          1827         Coberco report for Edelkampioen

1620          1844         Nova 4 45333 music programme

1622          1849         Amigo 24322 report for Nova 4

1665          1858         Polkaman 25222 music programme

1620          1948         Moonbreaker 25222 music programme

1611          2121         Barones 54444-55544 music programme

1620          2121         Zonnester 45444-55544 music programme

1625          2122         Yogi 35343 music programme

Observations

• One of the strongest stations on the air this evening was Wadloper on 1645 kHz. It's been snowing at the location of the Pier Clan, and no doubt the transmitters will have been helping to melt a little bit of the white stuff . . . 

• Interesting on Wednesday evening to hear Zonnester on air. I've pretty much heard him only on Sunday mornings over the years, so to catch him cropping up midweek for a qso was a novelty

• On Monday there was an appearance from Nooitgedacht on the 1636 kHz frequency he has been using ever since I started listening to the MW pirates over two decades ago. It was a nice step back in time as he played many of the tunes I will always associate with him. Nice to hear Havanna switch on his transmitter for a qso after the broadcast as well

• This Friday evening has the promise of being a busy one if January 23 is anything to go by. That's a pretty long list of stations above on a night when conditions were good and lots of pirates were standing by to switch on. An interesting catch that particular night was Alex Warner, who can occasionally be heard on SW and was having a crack at MW with ten watts of power into an inverted L antenna. The signal was pretty weak here but somewhat better in the Netherlands and Germany

Its all Greek to me

Thursday night was an interesting one on the pirate MW band. Zwarte Boer was an early catch from the Netherlands with a long music programme on 1629 kHz. I first heard him at just after 1700 utc and he was still going strong three hours later. And at around 2000 a clutch of other low-power stations were doing great work.

On 1611 kHz Malibu had some great peaks with a sinpo of around 44444, while Digitaal (1617), Johnny Camaro (1620), Vrolijke Fluiters (1640) and Nachtzwerver (1656) were also doing well. Then as the clocked ticked round to about 2100, the propagation conditions became longer skip and 180m+ was chock full of Balkan pirates with decent signals and the Dutch pirates suddenly became much weaker.

One station in particular was getting plenty of attention. Now, I don't pretend to speak or even understand any Greek, but the operator of this station appeared to be using Iann's Pirate Radio Chat, where many station operators and enthusiasts can often be found lurking. I believe he said the station name was Aeneas, and he definitely said he was broadcasting from a height of 5,500 metres in the Greek mountains using a power of 90 watts with a transmitter made in his country.

The signal here was not bad at all, although it was better in the Netherlands. It was also arriving very well on remote radios located in Italy and Bulgaria, which certainly suggests the station was transmitting from one of the Balkan countries. However, I'm not sure about that claim of 5,500 metres. With the help of my good friend Wikipedia, I learn the highest mountain range in Greece is Olympus, which comes in at just under 3,000 metres. And huge transmitters of 10kw+ are commonplace among Balkan pirates, so I'm not sure about only 90 watts being used.

Still, there was no denying the signal was hitting our part of the world pretty well, and it's interesting to get a glimpse of a different pirate scene every now and again. But I've spent 20 years trying to master the Dutch language and all it's variations with only very limited success, and trying to understand anything said by these Balkan pirates is nigh-on impossible! And my wife tells me that sustained listening to Dutch polka will send listeners to a lunatic asylum. Goodness only knows what she would make of some of the music I heard last night!

A bit of late-night Baro

I spent Saturday at work and didn't arrive home until about 0030. Instead of heading straight to bed, I thought I'd pop on the radio and see who was about. Straightaway there was a big signal on 1616 kHz and it was great to hear it was Barones. I made this recording in the minutes before he closed down for the night at 0100. A great signal and a fine sound as always.

Dutch pirate legend Barones heard in England on 1616 kHz (January 25, 2015) by Mw_Pirate Fan on Mixcloud

I'm about to hit the hay, but as I write this, Vrolijke Mijnwerker is very strong on 1632 while qsoing with Moby Dick and Jeneverstoker. And around an hour ago Digitaal was coming in loud and clear on 1627 kHz, while Keizer en Keizerin was busy playing some pop tunes as their regular Saturday night programme came to an end.