Monday, November 4, 2019

Greek Pirates via Web Receiver, 11/4/19

I've logged a number of Dutch medium-wave pirates via the Twente SDR over the past few years. As I've mentioned on the blog and other places, the Netherlands is a hotbed of medium-wave pirate radio. I publicized the Greek and Serbian MW pirate scene via a fairly long interview with Finnish DXer Harri Kujala in the 2012 Pirate Radio Annual, but I've heard very little about the pirate scene in this area of the world or from Harri, for that matter.

So, on a whim I started tuning around on a web receiver in Zakynthos, Greece. Zakynthos is an island to the southwest of Greece that appears to be maybe 250 miles from the "heel" of Italy, and maybe 300 miles from Turkey. After looking at some photos of Zakynthos, I think I'd rather be listening to a radio there than tuning in via web receiver in my small, dark office! But that's beside the point.

I assume that everything I'm listening to is a Greek pirate, given the location, but Serbian pirates are extremely powerful as well (both Greek and Serbian pirates often use several kilowatts or much more), so one or more of these could be Serbian. Also, I have heard nothing about pirates in Turkey, Cyprus, Albania, Macedonia, or Bulgaria. Could one or more of these stations be from these countries? I have no idea, but given the size of the Greek MW pirate scene and the location of the SDR, I'm assuming they're all Greek

Not sure if any Greek listeners or pirates ever read this blog, but it would be great to make contact and read more about pirate radio in this region. I think the last Greek pirate I heard directly on shortwave was Radio Odyssey, so it's been a while.


Via Zakynthos, Greece web receiver
1620, 1615+ Three guys who seemed to be having a debate in a relatively empty room. Getting excited & sometimes talking over each other. Some echo, but sounded like it was the guy or two who was further from the mic & room atmospherics were being picked up. VG signal that later faded. Tuned back the 1620 around 1645 and heard a lot of Greek folk music. Professional-sounded and some IDs with laser sound effects

1640, 1630* DJ talking over what sounded to me like Middle Eastern music before signing off

1670, 1637+ Greek-sounding folk music into fairly long talk in presumed Greek by male announcer with good radio voice. Someone occasionally tuning up & swishing VFO underneath

1690, 1645 Off and on with more modern Greek music and male DJ. Somewhat distorted & there seems to be a light het

3 comments:

  1. Hi Andrew, Radio Zeppelin broadcasts from Greece on shortwave. He can be heard some evenings on 7725 kHz. It might be a challenge to hear him direct but you should hear him on the Twente SDR. He also QSLs.

    The Greek MW ones are more of a mystery but some can be heard on a web SDR in England as strong as the Dutch pirates so they must be using some power.

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  2. Hi UK DXer, Thanks much for the info! I forgot that Radio Zeppelin was Greek. I recorded one of the IDs from the 1620 station. Guess I need to keep listening for these stations & searching around the Internet for more info.

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