Monday, October 31, 2016

Halloween Logs 10/31-11/1/2016

I've had to work today, but I got home in time to hear someone throw a carrier on and off 6925 a couple of times. My guess is that it was Radio AV. Too bad I didn't make it just five minutes earlier because I haven't yet heard this station.

Tonight should be interesting because not all that many Halloween shows have aired so far. I expected much more Halloween-related activity in the days leading up to 10/31, but that doesn't seen to be the case. It's time to have multiple receivers running (although I don't; my backup longwire had to come down a few months ago).

Also, a couple of notes. One is that Chris Smolinski noted on the HFU that propagation went long early last night and he expects that to be the case again today. So, expect a lot of activity between 2000 and about 0000 UTC. After that time and after 43 meters empties out, it might be a good idea to also check some of the low frequencies, such as 3400-3500 kHz and even possibly 1710 or 1720 kHz.

In the past, we've never had much Halloween activity from Europe, but tonight is an exception. A press release states: "Marconi Radio International will once again be on air tomorrow, Monday, 31 October 2016, as follows:  17.00-22.00 UTC on 7700 kHz (USB Mode) with 100 watts." 100 watts and in sideband? We might have a chance to hear it between about 2130 and 2200 UTC.

Logs
Amphetamine Radio: 6923U, 10/31, 2127+ Alright! I came in from insulating the garage and here's some activity. Very strong signal with "One of These Nights." Male DJ with accurate timecheck, wished a Happy Halloween, etc. CW IDs, then into SSTV at 2141

I left Amphetamine Radio to take a shot at Marconi Radio Int'l before heading out to do some more insulating. I checked the Twente receiver and MRI is barely audible now, so I hope the signal will skip out a bit further in the next 15 minutes and maybe it'll make it here

Moonlight Radio: 6930U, 10/31, 2306+ Weak signal with splatter from 6935. Because of both, I decided to start recording 6935 instead. I need to have that other antenna right now!

Doctor Detroit: 6935, 10/31, 2306+ Excellent signal with Halloween-themed hard rock: AC/DC "Highway to Hell," Blue Oyster Cult "Don't Fear the Reaper" Dr. Detroit ID'd & mentioned broadcasting from Wayne County over a James Brown song

unid: 6925U, 10/31, 2317+ Excellent signal with INXS "Devil Inside"

Who would schedule a basketball game on Halloween night? I'm sweaty, but back again and recording

Wolverine Radio: 6935U, 11/1, 0106+ Noted in passing with an excellent signal. Sorry, but I've never heard Radio Free Furry.

Radio Free Furry: 6945U, 11/1, 0111+ Excellent signal. Dire Straits "Walk of Life," Lipps Inc. "Funky Town," Van Halen "Jump," Kool & the Gang "Celebration," Starship "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us," Eddie Murphy "Party All the Time," Michael Jackson "Beat It," Chicago "Hard to Say I'm Sorry," U2 "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" Bowie "Let's Dance" ID per HFU. I haven't heard any IDs or other talk--Just non-stop music for 40+ minutes. Ah, talk at 0154. A skunk, a bear, and a ? doing the show. Said using a belt-driven turntable . . . & Moody Blues "Wildest Dreams" coming up, although he once heard it as "Wireless Dreams"

X-FM: 6960, 11/1, 0159-0352* Good signal with some co-channel QRM, I think from pescadors. I think I heard the phone number as 408-800-6925. Redhat taking listener requests. Nice long show tonight. Black Sabbath, Boz Skaggs, Pink Floyd, & a whole lot more. I also checked the Twente web receiver & had a carrier there

Undercover Radio: 6975U, 11/1, 0202+ 2005 special ending. Dr. Benway with ID & addresses, Edgar Winter "Frankenstein" fair signal, but getting better

Radio After Dark: 6950U, 11/1, 0209+ Pop music that I can't yet identify. Fair signal fading up & down. Talk at 0217 "Hope you're enjoying all of the Halloween shows out there" e-mail address, I think he said for requests. Getting splatter from either X-FM or Radio Free Furry.

WJD: 6930U, 11/1, 0222+ VG signal with rap. On HFU, posters are saying it's Russian or Ukranian. No idea.



Sunday, October 30, 2016

2016 Halloween Weekend Logs


Unid relay station: 5150, 10/30, 1920+ Excellent signal. Had this recording for a while. I haven't checked the recording, but according to HFU, it included a relay of Radio Merlin Int'l

Witch City Radio: 6925, 10/30, 2056+ Nice signal with Alice Cooper "Welcome to My Nightmare"

Captain Morgan SW: 6924, 10/30, 2229-2235* Strong signal, but distorted audio. Spooky story, then instrumental dance song with chainsaw sound effects. No IDs heard, but ID per HFU logs 

OTR unid: 6770, 10/30, 2225+ Heard part of a comedy monologue with audience laughter from what was probably at the beginning of a variety show. Fair/weak signal. Nice to hear the OTR unid again

Rave On Radio: 6935U, 10/30, 2345+ Good signal (one of the best I've had from ROR) with "Return of the Living Dead" clips interspersed with Grateful Dead songs. Good idea for Halloween. Shoutouts to a bunch of listeners on HFU. At QRT, said was about to let the generator run out of gas, pull down the antennas, & get out of his studio in the woods.

non-pirate log
6968.5U, 10/30, 2255+ MARS net. 4LP, RD, KY, 4KJ etc. trying to do a net, but lots of utility QRM

Saturday, October 1, 2016

Weekend Loggings 10/1-10/3/2016

It's gotten cold and rainy, the days are suddenly short. Guess it's time to be at the radio.

Radio Azteca: 6925, 10/1, 2050+ Nice signal with an old program from Bram Stoker. Good stuff. I listened to this while trying to clean up the disaster that is my radio room. I wound up assessing some things that I need to do rather than making any real progress, but at least the Azteca show was fun.

Unid relay station: 5150, 10/1, 2050+ Relaying Radio Azteca in // with the 6925-kHz transmitter, then switched to music for a while. Later on, it seemed to be playing audio from the old horror movie The Manipulator, with Mickey Rooney as a crazed kidnapping director. Seemed to go off a little after 2300. But it's back with Radio Illuminati relay: Night Ranger "When You Close Your Eyes" and '70s pop music