Friday, April 25, 2014

Weekend logs: 4/25-4/27/14

Torrential downpour here (OK, it just rained a lot), so I watched the Pirates (baseball) on TV lose again and I scrubbed out some old Pepsi bottles so that I can try my hand at making homemade root beer. But I do have a logging:


Radio Focus International: 6284.7, 4/26, 0352+ One of the strongest signals you'll find from a Europirate in the Midatlantic states on 48 meters, but the thunderstorm noise is tremendous tonight. UK-accented DJ with a variety of pop and rock music, such as John Fogarty "Rock'n'Roll Girls," Foreigner "Cold as Ice." Clear IDs & announcing 6285 kHz. I was thinking that I had a QSL from Focus, but I guess I just heard the station last year. A lot of DXers in North America should be able to hear Focus tonight.

Beautiful day & doing some outdoor work. Missed Radio Black Arrow from Holland testing on 19m, but am now hearing a pirate:

Unid: 6875, 4/26, 1800-1803* "Deck the Halls" & other Christmas music, then a phone number & into James Dobson for a few seconds and plug pulled.

I think I'll try to dig another wheelbarrow load of dirt, but right now I have:

Island Radio: 6221, 4/26, 2355+ Really strong carrier with decent audio now. Light pop music, but nothing that I've been able to ID yet.  At 2359, I heard what sounded like an ID break, but I started getting some USB QRM on the frequency. Jari in Finland says this is Island Radio. Nice signal & I've never heard the station before.

Radio Focus International: 6284.7, 4/26, 2350+ This one had a weaker carrier, but stronger audio than 6221. Judging by the frequency, I think this is Radio Focus International, but I didn't check it out. I thought I'd start recording 6221 in case it was a new station for me (and it is).

Undercover Radio: 6925U, 4/27, 0009- Shoutouts to atrainradio & RAFman. Talking about new Undercover Radio t-shirts and the possibilities of going to Moogfest in Nashville. "You never know...if you see someone wearing an Undercover Radio t-shirt, it could be Dr. Benway." Said to e-mail him if you'd like a PDF of the Undercover Radio interview in the latest issue of CQ+.

Radio Experience: 6240, 4/27, 0021+ Older ('70s?) dance music with announcement breaks. Um, that's not a lot of details, but the signal actually is pretty good here. OK, now a tangible detail: "Under Pressure" by Bowie and Mercury. Sam Cooke "Wonderful World," Kinks "Lola"

MAC Shortwave: 6950, 4/27, 0015+ DJ James Stewart talking to himself, talking about It's a Wonderful Life, etc. Big signal.

Radio Free Whatever: 6925U, 4/27, 0049+ Tuned in to hear one of their pre-recorded IDs, into music. Another really nice signal.

Wow, can't believe how many stations have been coming in from around the world tonight. Nice conditions! Some great signals + some signals from Europe that are strong enough that my ears aren't ringing from trying to strain through the static!

Borderhunter: 6295, 4/27, 0104+ Nice signal here tonight. Hearing pop dance music and some announcements by Frans. Best signal from Europe tonight. Pretty awesome to hear four different Europirates in just over an hour!

Metro Radio International (tentative): 6974.1, 4/27, 0107 Just a carrier right now

Wolverine Radio: 6945U, 4/27, 0200-0219* Wonderful signal with crazy theme. Right now (0219) is the final SSTV image and it's not nearly as clear as the signal has been. After show, Dick Weed and a couple of other guys QSOing. One guy said that he used to pirate on 6200 kcs years ago from the south side of Chicago. These two guys are trying to encourage Dick to put on a show.

Radio Free Whatever: 6945U, 4/27, *0025- "OK, sing along if you know the lyrics." Request for Chris Lobdell... a singer from Sweden



Friday, April 18, 2014

Easter loggings: 4/19-4/21/14

I drove about 500 miles over the past few days, so I haven't been around the radio much. But, I've been around the radio a bit tonight.

I came in from digging a garden out of a shale bed and checked the radio at about 2200 UTC and checked the European bands. I had just had really weak carriers. But when I came back a couple of hours later and I had a few nice signals.

Radio Star International (UK): 6219.3, 4/19, 0014+ Not bad, but I wasn't getting too many details through the speaker. I think I'll need to check this on headphones to hear what it sounds like. Radio Star International is fun station to tune in. I heard it a few years ago on Easter via a European web radio and this is one of the few stations that I've heard over the past decade or so that uses DJs in shifts. It was a really entertaining show.



Radio Marabu (Germany): 6239, 4/19, 0116+ A really nice signal for a European pirate. An oldies show this time, with '60s music, although I didn't know any of the songs. I think this will be on for a number of hours, so I wonder if it'll fade back in overnight toward morning.

Radio Free Whatever: 6930U, 4/19, '40s jazz with Dick Weed and Steven. Awesome signal! Caught it just a bit before QRT.

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Pirate logs: 4/6/14

Pirate logs: 4/6/14 (local time)

? 6295, 4/7, 0038+I first assumed this was Reflections Europe, although it's running past its normal time, if it is it. I'm hearing a Christian radio preacher on the frequency. Reflections Europe broadcasts from Europe with a paid lineup of preachers every Sunday on 6295 kHz. I'm hearing both the preaching and some rock music on the R8. On the R-5000, I'm hearing both as well. Wow, the signal's now up to S9. Because I'm hearing them on both radios, I'm assuming it's not images, but maybe spurs? Or maybe it *is* Reflections Europe and some spur of another station? Reflections Europe's website is here. Transmitter(s) went off at 0100 UTC, so maybe it really was Reflections Europe. If so, it was the best signal by far that I've heard from the station.