Tuning in to the Dutch pirates

For listeners, dxers, pirate fans and general radio nuts who might be new to having a look at this blog, I thought I'd start the new year with a recap on some of the equipment here. 

The receiver I use most of the time is the Kenwood R5000. I also have the Lowe HF150, which spends most of its time in the living room rather than the radio room, the Lowe HF225, which has incredible audio quality, and countless other receivers I have accumulated over the years. In actual fact you don't need fancy radios to hear the bigger Dutch pirates. I've heard them on all sorts of devices, from clock radios to a novelty radio shaped like a can of Pepsi. The key to reception is the antenna.

For most of my listening I hook up a Wellbrook loop out in the garden, just a couple of metres above the ground. I have tried various models from this company over the years and am now using the ALA1530LNP. I also have a couple of portable loops, which work great with the smaller receivers.

To help eradicate local interference and to get the noise level as close to zero as possible I use a noise cancelling signal enhancer - the MFJ-1026 which is hooked up to the loop and to a second antenna - a dipole cut for 48 metres shortwave.

Below are my Dutch MW pirates logs so far for this year. The first figure is the frequency in kHz, followed by the time which, as ever, is given using UTC/GMT (Dutch time is one hour in front). The italicised figures represent the SINPO code.

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

1621       1910       Mike 34433-44444 music programme

1629       1911       Turftrekker 45444 testing

1660       1930       Veldwachter weak signal

1619       2135       Uniek 34333-45444 music programme

1638       2136       Armada 45333-45444 testing

1615       2136       Malibu 24322-34333 music programme. Later on 1612

1625       2159       Blauwe Koe 34333 music programme

1654       2210       Noordzee 35333-45444 music programme

1635       2242       Monte Carlo 33333-45434 report for Noordzee

1622       2255       Napoleon 33333-44444 music programme

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

1630       2035       Marianne 45333-45444 music programme

1611       2044       Zwarte Boer 23322-34433 music programme
1620       2046       Moonbreaker 25322-35443 music programme

Monday, January 2, 2017

1620       0613       Bootsman 35333-45444 music programme

1620       0741       Schaduwjager 45444 report for Bootsman

1620       0814       De Friese Piraat 25222-35333 qsoing

1645       1918       Bandoeng 44444 music programme

1625       2003       Brandaris 43333-44444

1655       2213       Dikke Betta 45333-45444 qsoing

1635       2215       Ruisbreker 25222-35333 music programme

1655       2216       Digitaal 35333-45444 qsoing

1654       2220       Kristal 35333 qsoing

1656       2223       Noordzee 35333-55444 qsoing

1655       2231       Noorderzon 25222 qsoing

1630       2315       Monte Carlo 34333 qsoing

1640       2319       Noorderzon 35222-35333 report for Ruisbreker

Sunday, January 1, 2017

1647       1735       Witte Tornado 45333-45444 music programme

1620       1745       Derdeman 25222-35333 music programme

1615       1811       Moonbreaker 25222-35333 music programme

1626       1910       Capri 54434 non-stop music programme with jingles

1645       0022       Bandoeng 45444 music programme

Thursday, December 29, 2016

1620       0625       Zonnester 43433-55444 music programme

1645       1810       Casablanca (Twente) 25432 qsoing

1655       1818       Dikke Betta 45444 qsoing

1620       1820       Zwarte Arabier 45444 music programme

1647       1840       Quintus 45434-55444 music programme

1620       2100       Sapporo 25222 report for Zwarte Arabier

1620       2105       Edelkampioen 44434-55444 report for Zwarte Arabier

1620       2110       Pioneer 33333-44433 report for Zwarte Arabier

1615       2115       Twentana 35333

1638       2135       Twentana 35333 music programme

1615       2143       Noordzee 35333 qsoing

1620       2159       Noordzee 35322 qsoing

Sad news from the shortwave scene

I heard today that the operator of shortwave pirate Radio Geronimo sadly died on Wednesday, December 28.

Chris Watson, as he was known in radio circles, was very rarely heard on air, but was the driving force behind Geronimo throughout the 1990s right up to 2015. Before that he was the operator of Radio 48 - the very first AM pirate I heard and the station that got me hooked on our great hobby.

Chris was originally based in Worcestershire in England and would go mobile to get Radio 48 on the air, often using woodland in his home county, Staffordshire, Herefordshire and Wales, sometimes sharing the same transmitter site with Radio Apollo, another big pirate of the time.

As Chris relocated to France in recent years Radio Geronimo was largely relayed from Ireland, although he had been very keen to get hold of a high-power transmitter to broadcast programmes himself just as he had done in the early years. He contacted me a few times to see if I could put him in the direction of any of the big Dutch pirates who would be able to help him with those plans.

Having listened to his stations for many, many hours over the years, I spoke to Chris lots of times on the telephone when he would ring and request a reception report, and I also met him on one occasion. I visited him at his home in around 1993 when he was still in England, even though he was very secretive about his underground hobby. I once heard that he would hide listener letters under floorboards so they could never be found!

Dave Scott, Radio Geronimo presenter and former operator of Radio Apollo, sums up Chris to perfection, saying: "He was a true stalwart of shortwave free radio, with a genuine passion and enthusiasm which never dimmed. Shortwave will certainly be worse off for his absence."

I, and no doubt all the AM pirates in the UK and Europe, echo those sentiments and send our condolences and very best wishes to his family. 

The class of 2016

A very happy new year to you all and may I wish you a tremendous 2017 and the very best of health.

At this time last year I published a list of all the Dutch MW pirates I had heard here in England during 2015. That list totalled 185 stations. I have done the same again and can now present my list of the broadcasters heard in 2016. 

During the last 12 months I have heard 167 Dutch pirates - a little down on 12 months earlier, but the AT has been very active in the Netherlands in recent times and I have perhaps not listened quite as much as a year earlier. 

In a few cases the same person is responsible for two names in the list when stations have changed names, but there are not many cases of this which means there is still a great deal of pirate activity on the MW band. And when you consider it is largely only possible to hear the Dutch pirates at my location during the hours of darkness because of propagation conditions, then the number is even more impressive.

There are some new names to the list compared to the one I produced 12 months ago, while some stations have been silenced. Perhaps they will return to the air in 2017?

So, take a look below. Perhaps you will see some names that are new to you. Perhaps you have heard some stations I missed. As ever, please get in touch and let me know. You can email through the website, or drop me a message on Twitter or at the Facebook page

Dutch pirates heard in England during 2016

1604

Admiraal

Akai

Alaska

Alice

Alpenjager



Anton

Arianne

Armada

Atlantic

Atlantis (North West Overijjsel)

Atlantis

Baantje

Barcelona

Barones
Batavia

Batavier

Bizon

Black Power
Blauwe Kaktus

Blauwe Koe

Blauwe Panda

Blauwe Piraat

Bluebird

Blue Star

Bonte Specht

Boogschutter

Bootsman

Brandaris

Caballero

Calimero

Calipso

Capri

Casablanca (Emmen)

Casablanca (Twente)

Centurion

Columbia

Dageraad

Daytona

Delta

Derdeman

Desperado

Digitaal

Dikke Betta

Dinkelland

Dolfijn

Driland

Drukstromjager

Duranza

Edelkampioen

Eldorado

England

Electron

Friese Piraat

Havanna

Jack Sparrow

JB

Jeneverstoker

Johan

Johnny Camaro

Jonge Boer

Kaimaan

Keizer en Keizerin

Kooiplas

Kristal

Lotus

Malibu

Marianne

Marskramer

Matrix

Melkbus

Metaxa

Meteoor

Mi Amigo

Mike

Moby Dick

Moonbreaker

Monaco

Monte Carlo

Monza

Moskou

Musky

Mustang

Nachtzwerver

Napoleon

Nightrider

Noorderzon

Noordzee

Nova 4

Odynn

Oldtimer

Osaka

O Superman

Pandora

Pecon

Pioneer

Poema

Polidor

Polkaman

Pontiac

Professor Sickbok

Quintus

Ray Champa

Rebel

Relmus

Rodester

Romax

Ruimzicht

Ruisbreker

Santana

Sapporo

Schaduwjager

Scotland

Skywire

Sluwe Vos

Smokkelkapitein

Snowman

Soerabaya

Spakenburg

Spanningzoeker

Speedygonzales en Mexicano

Spotvogel

Sono

Sterrekijker

Sterrenboog

Studio Friesland

Sylvania

Technical Man

Toulouse

Torino

Torpedojager (North West Overijjsel)

Torpedojager (Twente)

Turfsteker

Turftrekker

Twentana

Uitzendkracht

Utopia

Uniek

Valencia

Vendor

Verona

Veronica

Vloedgolf

Vrijevogel

Vrolijke Mijnwerker

Wadloper

Weduwe

Wegpiraat

Wilskracht

Wipkikker

Witte Raaf

Witte Tornado

Yogi Bear en Einstein

Zeehond

Zeewolf



Zonnester

Zwarte Arabier

Zwarte Bizon

Zwarte BMW

Zwarte Boekanier

Zwarte Boer

Zwarte Bouvier

Zwarte Diamont

Zwarte Golf

Zwarte Panter (North Holland)

Zwarte Panter (Oldenzaal)
Zwarte Schaduw

Bringing the logbook up to date

With plenty to occupy my time over the last few days and in the buildup to Christmas, I've not had a great deal of time to tune in to the radio but, although I've not been listening a great deal, I've still caught some stations I don't hear too often.

Names like Wegpiraat, Uitzendkracht, Moskou, Baante, Kaimaan, Dolfijjn, Blauwe Panda and Skywire have made it across the North Sea, many of those with low power, too. It's always good to hear the less regular stations pop up on the band. These names, plus all the others I've heard throughout 2016 will appear soon on the blog. In the meantime, you can click here for the Dutch pirate stations heard here in the UK during 2015.

And here are some logs to bring the list up to date:

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

1623       2319       Uniek 44433-44444 music programme

1629       2327       Snowman 24222 music programme
1644       2327       Jeneverstoker 34322 report for Uniek

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

1629       1739       Johnny Camaro 25222-35333 music programme

1636       1748       Spanningzoeker 55444 asking for report
1655       1809       Wilskracht 35222 report for Spanningzoeker
1638       1810       Wegpiraat 25222-35333 report for Spanningzoeker

1629       1813       Schaduwjager 54444 report for Spanningzoeker

1613       1824       Uitzendkracht weak signal qsoing

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

1640       1615       Professor Sickok 25222-35333, 45444 at 1704 music show

1629       1631       Monza 35333 testing

1645       1637       Metaxa 25222-35333 report for Monza

Sunday, December 18, 2016

1646       1542       Zwarte Bizon 25442-34443 music programme

1647       1618       Witte Tornado 45444 at 1752 music programme

1630       1628       Moskou 25442 report for Zwarte Bizon 

1611       1648       Baantje 34433 music programme. Switch to 1615 at 1831

1635       1832       Kaimaan 25322-35333 music programme

Friday, December 16, 2016

1620       1537       Sterrekijker 25452-35333 music programme

1636       1651       Dolfijn 34333 music programme

1646       1657       Zwarte Bizon 45444 asking for report

1655       1818       Relmus 35333 music programme

1629       1903       Blauwe Panda 35333 music programme

Monday, December 12, 2016
1620       1800       Twentana 35333 qsoing
1629       1804       Armada 45333 qsoing
1650       1815       Vrijevogel 24222 music programme

1620       1827       Sapporo 25222-35333 music programme
1615       1831       Batavier 25222-35333 music programme
1640       1848       Veronica 35333 music programme
1643       2005       Nachtzwerver 25222-35333 music programme
1635       2025       Ruisbreker 35333-45444 music programme
1639       2039       Wadloper 54444 music programme

Sunday, December 11, 2016
1620       1755       Weduwe 34443 music programme

Monday, December 5, 2016

1645       2247       Monte Carlo 25222 qsoing

1645       2252       Ray Champa weak signal qsoing

Monday, November 28, 2016

1622       1542       Monaco 25342-35443 music programme

1650       1718       Vrijevogel 24332 music programme

1630       1722       Derdeman 25222-35333 testing

1620       1731       Jonny Camaro 25322-35333 music programme

1612       1738       Drukstromjager 55444 testing

1611       1850       Blauwe Panda 24422 music programme

1640       1858       Veronica 35333 music programme

1645       1916       Oldtimer 45444 music programme

1635       2256       Melkbus 25222-35333 music programme

1640       2257       Monte Carlo 35333 qsoing

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

1675       1742       Metaxa weak signal testing

1658       1819       Twentana weak signal asking for report

1655       1900       Wilskracht 35333 music programme

1638       1905       Skywire weak signal

1620       1933       Schaduwjager 55444 report for Derdeman

1625       1939       Vrolijke Mijnwerker 45434-55444 report for Schaduwjager

1636       1943       Toulouse 35333 report for Schaduwjager

1615       1949       Turftrekker 34433 report for Schaduwjager

1630       1952       Marianne 45434 music programme

1615       1953       Schaduwjager 54444 qsoing

1622       1959       Turftrekker 45444 qsoing

1642       2006       Skywire weak signal qsoing

Monday, November 21, 2016

1650       1636       Digitaal 35333 

1640       1641       Metaxa weak signal report for Digitaal

1618       1648       Drukstromjager 45554 asking for report

1640       1651       Atlantis 25342 qsoing

1658       1656       Twentana weak signal qsoing

1620       1701       Centurion 25342 qsoing

1645       1704       Digitaal 45433 qsoing

1630       1735       Derdeman 25322-35333 testing

Sunday, November 13, 2016

1647       2220       Witte Tornado 35333-45444 music programme

1629       2235       Zwarte Panter (Oldenzaal) 34333-44444 music programme

1679       2238       Monte Carlo 35333 qsoing

1620       2242       Technical Man 45444 music programme

1494       2254       Laser Hot Hits 35333 live programme 

1647       2325       Monte Carlo 35333-45444 qsoing

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

1625       2233       Napoleon 45434 music programme

1640       2234       Vrolijke Mijnwerker 55444 music programme

1645       2247       Electron 44434 asking for report

1638       2335       Jeneverstoker 25222 report for Mijnwerker

1640       2347       Monte Carlo 35333 qsoing

Seasons greetings

We hope all readers of the blog are having an enjoyable Christmas filled with joy and plenty of radio listening.

The log list will be updated soon, plus there will be a full list of all Dutch MW pirates heard during the last 12 months.

Great time of the year

The clocks have changed since we last posted, which means it is now possible to hear the Dutch pirates at our location in England at least an hour earlier than previously. And with the days becoming shorter, the window for hearing the stations from across the North Sea will gradually become greater. It is now possible to hear signals arriving from around 1500 UTC (1600 Dutch time).

I remember a few years ago hearing Schaduwjager at around 1300, and during the winter I can regularly hear stations until around 0900, which means near round-the-clock reception during the weeks ahead.

As I type, on Tuesday evening, the band is very quiet. It was nice to catch low-power Skywire a little earlier, and on Monday night, too, when Malibu was also doing very well with just 60 watts.

One of the reasons for the low activity could be because of further intervention from Agentschap Telecom, who continue to keep a close eye on pirate activity, visiting studios and sending warning letters to stations they can locate. Among those pirates recently believed to have been contacted by the Dutch government body responsible for policing the airwaves are Turfsteker, Batavier, Concordia, Zwarte Panter and Twentana.

It's been a while since I updated the list of stations heard, so let's sort that out now:

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

1640       1823       Skywire 25232 music programme

1611       1827       Blauwe Panda 25222-35443 music programme

1630       2008       Marianne 45444 music programme

Monday, November 7, 2016

1636       1459       Zwarte Boekanier 35343, 45444 at 1519 music programme

1645       1500       Casablanca 25232 music programme

1627       1520       Noordzee 35333 report for Casablanca

1638       1730       Admiraal 35333 qsoing

1635       1738       Digitaal 45444 qsoing

1647       1757       Skywire 24332 qsoing

1640       1852       Veronica 35333-45444 music programme

1620       1930       Malibu 25222-35333 testing antenna

1635       1942       Bluebird 55444 music programme

1665       2011       Digitaal 45444 testing

1670       2051       Noorderzon 25322

Sunday, November 6, 2016

1620       0600       Zonnester 45444 music programme

1620       0717       Johan 35333-45444 report for Zonnester

1620       0730       Edelkampioen 45444 qsoing 

Saturday, November 5, 2016

1665       1840       Noorderzon 25222 music programme

1630       1845       Yogi Bear en Eninstein 35343 music programme

1636       1850       Keizer en Keizerin 25222-35333 music programme

1648       2000       Moby Dick 45333-45444 music programme

1625       2317       Spotvogel 35333 music programme

1633       2322       Barcelona 45333-45444 qsoing

1629       2325       Noordzee 35333 qsoing

1636       2328       Romax 45333 qsoing

Monday, October 31, 2016

1620       1624       Zwarte Boekanier 35443 qsoing

1620       1635       Zwarte Schaduw 25232 qsoing

1620       1645       Zwarte BMW 34443 qsoing

1620       1647       Soerabaya 25332 qsoing

1645       1709       Zwarte Boekanier 35443 qsoing

1630       1725       Zwarte Boekanier 35443, 55555 at 1854 music programme

1620       1755       Mike Radio 25222-35333 testing

1638       1811       Admiraal 35333

1640       1852       Veronica 35333 music programme

1655       1908       Oldtimer 45333-45444 music programme

1611       1955       Atlantic 44444 testing

1625       2009       Pandora 55444 report for Zwarte Boekanier

1611       2013       Atlantis (NWO) 24322 music programme

1625       2022       Sapporo 25222-35333 report for Zwarte Boekanier

Sunday, October 30, 2016

1620       0600       Bootsman 35343 music programme

1620       0721       Johan 25342 report for Bootsman

1647       1800       Witte Tornado 45444 music programme

1611       1817       Sapporo 34443 music programme

1638       1841       Bluebird 55555 music programme

1665       2248       Polkaman 25222 music programme

1655       2252       Snowman 25332-35333 music programme

Saturday, October 29, 2016

1648       2310       Moby Dick 45444 music programme

1620       2312       Santana 45444 music programme

1615       2318       Uniek 44444 music programme

1655       2320       Snowman 25232-35333 music programme

1629       2324       Sono? Weak signal music programme

Sunday, October 23, 2016

1638       1700       Bluebird 55444-55555 music programme

1629       1732       Zwarte Panter 24222-35333 music programme

1620       1734       Sapporo 24342-35333 music programme

1620       1813       Jonge Boer 25222 report for Sapporo

1620       1936       Blauwe Koe 35343-45444 music programme

1655       2115       Wilskracht 35333 music programme

1665       2120       Noorderzon 25222 music programme

1655       2149       Snowman 25222-35333 music programme

Saturday, October 22, 2016

1621       0545       Monaco 32432-34443 music programme

1615       1750       Batavier 25222-35333 music programme

1620       1800       Torino 34343 music programme

1636       1801       Keizer en Keizerin 35343 music programme

1655       1802       Relmus 25222 music programme in parallel with 6295

1648       2314       Moby Dick 35333-45444 music programme

1625       2318       Pandora 55444 music programme

1631       2326       Jeneverstoker weak signal report for Pandora

Friday, October 21, 2016

1620       1750       Sterrekijker 25222-35443 music programme

1632       1756       Dageraad 35333 qsoing

1629       1800       Alaska 25222-35333 qsoing

1620       2138       Santana 35333-45444 music programme

1640       2139       Vrolijke Mijnwerker 55444 music programme

1660       2142       Noorderzon 25222 music programme

1615       2241       Akai 44444 testing

1665       2247       Polkaman 25332 music programme

Sunday, October 16, 2016

1620       0545       Zonnester 45444 music programme

Saturday, October 15, 2016

1620       1823       Torino 35333 music programme

1629       1824       Duranza 35333-45444 music programme

1636       1825       Keizer en Keizerin 35443 music programme

1670       1828       Matrix 25322-45444 music programme

1656       1834       Relmus 25222 music programme 

1615       2117       Uniek 35333-45444 music programme

1650       2131       Noordzee 35333-55444 music programme

1635       2208       Monte Carlo 45444 music programme

1636       2249       Noordzee 45434 qsoing

1622       2251       Jeneverstoker 24222 qsoing

1643       2252       Nachtzwerver 35433 qsoing

1620       2305       Rebel 25332 music programme

Friday, October 14, 2016

1655       1702       Dikke Betta 35443 music programme

1630       1713       Quintus 35433 music programme

1620       1801       Sterrekijker 25322 music programme

1640       1915       Batavier 35333 music programme

1625       1916       Wadloper 35333-45444 music programme with Relmus

1635       1940       Yogi Bear en Einstein 25222-35333 music programme

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

1625       1645       Pandora 35343 music programme

1636       1650       Bison 45444 music programme

1625       1654       Johnny Camaro weak signal report for Pandora 

1640       2146       Bluebird 55444-55555 music programme

1655       2156       OSM 25242 music programme with 0.5 watts!

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

1665       2215       Snowman 25222-35333 music programme

1625       2219       Pandora 44444 music programme

1632       2227       Barones 44444-55555 testing