I'll be away from the computer and radio between 1300 and about 1630 UTC, so if anyone wants to schedule a test during that time, please post it on the HF Underground on the Broadcast Announcements page. 1149 UTC Update: The bands are pretty dead right now, as I type this. No pirates are audible on 43m. 15000-15100 kHz is quiet, except for a carrier on 15040, a noise that always seems to be on 15049, and data on 15072 kHz. 21450-21550 kHz is completely quiet. I didn't see any loggings, but I wonder if more North Americans were testing to Oceania on 43m around 0600 UTC last night?
I checked the Twente tuner, but not much was happening in Europe, either. Radio Batavia was making a Global HF Weekend broadcast on 1620 kHz, so I helped make it global by tuning in:
Radio Batavia: 1620, 4/2, 1155-1208+ mostly Dutch music right now "Don't Waste Your Time with Only Dreaming," older-sounding novelty song in Dutch, Dutch pop song, REM "Shiny, Happy People."
1620 UTC: I'm back to the computer and radio. I'd heard from one station who was planning to be on at 1500 for a high-frequency test and another station who had planned to be on in the morning (EDT), but nothing has been on. I guess the station ops' plans changed.
1849 UTC: A station set up a test for me on 13870 kHz and if everything worked out, I had planned to announce it. But as he was tuning everything up, something failed and threw the breaker in his house. So, that station is off the air for today (and I hope that it's an easy and inexpensive fix for the station op).
Although I have not been receiving schedules or seeing schedules posted online thus far, I do see that some stations have been already been active and successful. For example, Radio Pirana International from South America was reported in North America last night. I could hear the carrier, but not get any audio. I was asleep at the time, but Captain Morgan Shortwave was on after 0600 UTC on 6950 kHz and the signal was reported in New Zealand! [update] I saw that FOUR North American stations were reported in New Zealand last night at 0600+ UTC:
1) WHYP- 6920 USB 2) XEROX- 6929 AM 3) Radio Free Whatever- 6940 USB 4) Captain Morgan- 6950 AM
WREC was also on (6960), but PJ didn't make it to NZ. And the NZ DXer also heard someone on 6955 kHz, but we don't yet know who it was
1230 UTC Bandscan: 15000-15100 kHz and 21450-21600 kHz are basically empty here. That doesn't mean that these bands won't be effective for some tests, but tests might not be as successful as on lower frequencies.
1230-1310 UTC: Hearing occasional weak Morse code on 6925. My guess is that it's pirate related
Moonlight Radio: 6925U, 4/1, 1330+ Very weak, funk music with sax. ID per station, who said it was a James Brown song. Thanks for the QSL & the info!
1400 UTC Bandscan: Weak data on 15072 and a carrier on 21505 kHz.
1430 UTC: Cupid Radio said he's on 15070 kHz. I'm listening right now and I've got something mixing with the 15072 noise. Not yet sure if it's Cupid, a computer noise source, or maybe a spur or receiver image
Cupid Radio: 15074, 4/1, 1440+ Cupid Radio (ID per op) starting to fade in here, with a YL vocal pop song. I've got some local noise on the freq, but others in North America should be able to hear it well. I've had a few very nice fade ups and I hope it'll keep getting better. 1508 UTC, yes, it does seem to be getting better!
XEROX: 6929, 4/1, 1449+ Reggae music, recording from a licensed station. Annual April Fool's Day broadcast. Excellent signal. DJ talking about the countdown. Up to #30, then cut to XEROX IDs & into what sounds to me like Andean folk music. Bart Sambo with Belfast USPS address and e-mail address
1635 UTC: Cupid Radio's broadcast has been really successful, with loggings on the HF Underground from Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Mass., Michigan, Kentucky, New York, Maryland, and Virginia.
BTW, here's a clip of a Cupid Radio broadcast from the last Global HF Weekend (Nov. 2016):
1700 UTC: Just before 1700 UTC, Joe in Rhode Island heard a very weak station with music on 15075 kHz. 1755 UTC: A couple of Twente web receiver loggings while I paint the hallway & put up some drywall:
Radio Bandido: 6850, 4/1, 1540-1556* Pretty good signal & I love the IDs with the horses winneying and "Dueling Banjos" in the background.
Radio Europe: 6875, 4/1, around 1635-1655 VG signal with pop music. Signed off before I could write down any notes
Laser Hot Hits: 6220, 4/1, 1730+ VG signal with some CW QRM earlier. DJ Ian Lawrence with light pop & dance music through the decades. "Night Has 1,000 Eyes,""Coming Up," poppy cover of "Sounds of Silence," Frankie Goes to Hollywood, etc. Taking requests, e-mail address, etc. I'm hoping that LHH will be audible closer to sunset here
2000 UTC Update: I finished sanding drywall compound on the ceiling, then swept up twice. Back at the radio now. It appears that the signals are starting to skip long in Europe. If some of those stations will just stay on late, we've got a chance to hear them.
Unid: 6925, 4/1, ca2005 Caught the last few words of a speech, then applause & off. Excellent signal
Unid: 6945, 4/1, ca2011 A few seconds of Styx "Too Much Time on My Hands" & off. Excellent signal
Unid: 6230, 4/1, 2104+ Foreign-language music, maybe southeastern Europe? Excellent signal. My guess is Radio Cinco
2142 Update: I still have my radio locked in on 6230 kHz, but DimBulb has been hearing a number of Europeans on 48 meters, including Borderhunter on 6210, Laser Hot Hits on 6220, RFD on 6260, Radio TRX (tent.) on 6300 kHz, and possibly some others.
2220 Update: I have a carrier on 6210 for Borderhunter, but no audio. I have just a little audio on 6220 for Laser Hot Hits, but I doubt I can copy anything yet. Fortunately, I am hearing something:
XEROX: 6929.3, 4/1, 2220+ Excellent signal with clear IDs, Bart Sambo, & music.
Captain Morgan SW: 6375, 4/1, 2320+ Twilight Zone theme, Paul McCartney "Band on the Run." No IDs, but based on the TZ theme, I'm guessing that this is Captain Morgan. Just checked the Twente receiver & it's still too early for the signal to reach Europe. A whole bunch of computer-voiced IDs at 2325, then off
WREC: 6950, 4/1, 2318+ Caught a clear computer YL ID on the way down to check 6375. By 2328, heavy QRM from pescadores
Radio Pirana International: 6930, 4/1, 2340+ weak carrier here, but maybe audio will come through later in the evening. Online, the station op said that he's received reports over the past week from US, New Zealand, Germany, & Finland! Only 10 watts.
