3/21/17: A few recent logs

I've been sending out a bunch of generic informational e-mails about the Global HF Weekend. My apologies for not sending personal e-mails to everyone right now, but I don't have time. I have been trying to respond to everyone who writes back, but I still have a few more e-mails to catch up with.

Before I do that, I've had a chance to listen to the radio a little bit here'n'there, so next are a few loggings:

The Crystal Ship (tent.): 3425, 3/22, 0050+ Little more than a carrier on 90m in plenty of static crashes.

WHYP: 4065U, 3/20, 0111+ Excellent signal. I tuned in during an old Radio Bingo show, with lots of repeating phrases, etc. John Arthur wins the bingo prize! Also a few audio bits of Radio Free Euphoria and WMOE in the mix. Then into WHYP with plenty of music, including Sex Pistols “Anarachy in the UK” The Damned “New Rose” Ramones “Blitzkrieg Bop” The Lurkers “Shadow”

The Minutemen “History Lesson, Pt. II” The Nosebleeds “Ain’t Been to No Music School” Off after George Zeller repeated bits

The Relay Station: 5150, 3/21, 1608+ Manfred Mann "Blinded by the Light" The Doors "Riders on the Storm" & much more. Good/VG signal

Radio Free Whatever: 6930U, 3/19, ca. 0100+ Weak most of the broadcast. Didn't hear a lot, but did hear Dick Weed mention that he was going to sign off because the signal seemed to be skipping over most everyone now.

Europe
Radyo Oleg: 6965U, 3/20, 2148+ Poor, with some fair peaks. A Flock of Seagulls “I Ran” Laura Brannigan “Self-Control”Clear ID with “Radyo Oleg . . . Northern Ireland . . .shortwave, your station” with processing and delay on the final syllable of “station”

Weekend Pirate Loggings: 2/13-2/15/2016

Just got back to the radio after a drive through the snow. The Italian Broadcasting Corporation is a pirate that stuck in my mind when I was a kid because their radio antenna QSL/logo was reprinted in The ACE a few times. I never heard them back then because I really didn't know much about DXing Europirates (either in terms of setting up decent antennas or knowing when/how to listen). Thirty years later, I see that they're testing to North America tonight. I tuned to 6970 kHz. Just some utility mess. Oh well, maybe I haven't advanced very far in the past 30 or so years, afterall.

But, I tuned through 48 meters & I found a station on 6325 kHz--and some audio's coming through! I pulled up a file on the recorder, started recording, and checked HF Underground to see if someone has it with a better signal. They do and it's:

Odynn Radio/Radio Veronica/Radio Twentana: 6325, 2/13, 0022+ Can hear some music & I thought I had an ID around 0027. I guess this is a joint broadcast. I'll have to listen to my recording on headphones & see if I can dig out some details. <later> I listened to my recording and not much is there.

Speaking of not much being there:

KROW: 6920U, 2/13, 0302 I saw that this was logged on the HFU and tuned in. I could hear a little bit of audio and then it faded away or disappeared. According to an HFU log, the station returned about 50 or so minutes later. I let the recorder run for an hour and I can hear someone tuning up around this timeframe, but that's all I've got.

Pee Wee: 6925U, 2/13, 1237+ Electric blues rock. Not sure if it was Hendrix, but that general style. Off and then "Pee Wee" in Morse code. Good signal

unid: 6925U, 2/13, ca1550 Good signal. I checked into the radio room to see if I could pull much out of the KROW & Odynn/Veronica/Twentana loggings (which I couldn't). I hoped that who ever was broadcasting here would still be on when I finished trying to dig out some IDs, but the station was gone.

I've noticed over the past few days the Old-Time Radio unidentified station on 6770 kHz is missing. I wonder if it's off for what seems to be a maintenance period, if it's moved frequencies again, or ?

6925, 2/13, 1727+ Fair signal with Boston "More Than a Feeling"

Radio Illuminati: 6150, 2/13, 2237+ Beatles "Lucy in the Sky" & possibly a Neil Young song. Good with fading & nice audio. Styx "Grand Illusion" Kansas "Carry on My Wayward Son" The Who "Pinball Wizard" The Who "Eminence Front" Hoping to catch some IDs on the recording, but no luck thus far.

Radio Monique International: 6299.9, 2/13, 2315+ Just a carrier in high noise levels

Radio Focus International: 6284.8, 2/13, 2327+ Much stronger carrier than Monique, so I have hope that audio will make it through. I'm not sure where these S6 noise levels that I'm getting tonight are coming from?

A question for anyone who might still be reading my loggings down this far. At 0010 UTC, on 6340 kHz, I'm hearing what sounds like an international shortwave broadcaster with operatic music. The way it sounds, it's gotta be either a spur or a receiver image. But I was also hearing a "choo-choo-choo-choo (etc.)" on the frequency that had been on for at least an hour, but stopped while I was typing this. Anyone know what these are? BTW, the station is now playing opera with bird-style whistling! The weird kind of stuff that got me interested in shortwave to begin with!

6955.2U, 2/14, 0035-0038* "Mexican Radio" Pretty good, thin signal. "I am Oz, the great and powerful" repeated at QRT.

6955.2U, 2/14, *0042- Either the same station or someone else following up on the frequency with bluegrass

Radio Azteca: 6950, 2/14, 1357+ Good signal for program #7, CHU news

Radio Illuminati: 6150, 2/14, *1551+ VG signal playing pop ballads for Valentine's Day, such as Phil Collins "One More Night" Heard an ID on here for the first time on a music break "I am your host, the Azimuth Coordinator" and announced "another 10 songs in a row"

unid: 6950, 2/14, 2027+ Good signal with Motley Crue "Looks That Kill" & Steve Miller Band "Fly Like an Eagle"

Radio Free Whatever: 6950U, 2/14, 2325+ Dick Weed with Death from Above & Bad Religion. Talk about all of the listeners who are e-mailing in and posting on HF Underground with some shoutouts. Also some talk about using "um" as a crutch word and listeners who send screenshots of the RFW's signal from their SDRs.

Solar Centric: 6949.5, 2/15, 0203+ I just saw Token's log of this on HFU. I've never heard Solar Centric and this is the closest I've come to hearing it. I've got a nice carrier and I'm getting fade-ups with some decent noise quieting, but just haven't gotten any audio yet. I've got it recording just in case I get a really good fade up . . .

Weekend Loggings: 2/6-2/8/16

Wonder if all the activity will be today and early tomorrow, considering that the Super Bowl is tomorrow night? I guess we'll find out.

unid: 6925, 2/6, 1545+ Have a decent carrier, but not much audio is making it here. Just bits & pieces . . . and it's buried. Seems to be getting a bit better at 1545. 1547: Sounds like a ham (or MARS?) net being relayed by someone in AM mode here. I guess it must be the unid station that's been on through the morning & afternoon lately relaying lots of stuff. Still on when I tuned in WEEK Radio a few hours later

WEEK Radio: 6950, 2/6, 1911+ Fairly weak signal, but improved. Beatles "8 Days a Week" echo ID @QRT

OTR unid: 6770, 2/6, 2218+ Big signal with Wild Bill Hickock. Kelloggs Sugar Pops ad with plastic gun offer. Digital audio player was been glitching for a bit & it sometimes sounded like an echo

6975, 2/6, 2220+ Some music is coming through, but the signal is weak enough that the sync detector on the R8 can't quite lock in

Radio Free Whatever: 6945U, 2/6, 2305+ Excellent signal. Dick Weed losing his cursor

Pee Wee Radio: 6955U, 2/7 Just caught about 2/3 of an SSTV and then Morse code

Wolverine Radio: 6950U, 2/7, "Time Has Come Today"

Weekend pirate loggings: 4/26-4/28/15

Weekend pirate loggings: 4/26-4/28/15

Made it back home to a bunch of pirates on the air, but unfortunately I missed KVPH again and also WPIG. Wonder if WPIG is in any way related to the WPIG from the '90s?

Radio Free Whatever: 6940U, 4/26, 0149-0156* Girlpool "Blah Blah Blah" Mentioned X-FM: "I'm sure you want to go listen to him, not me" "I'm kinda like the president of Hair Club for Men . . . I'm not only the president, but I'm a client of pirate radio." Mentioned stations he enjoyed listening to & haven't been around lately: MAC, Undercover Radio, Blue Ocean Radio . . . " "I'm going to try to listen to X-FM when I'm done here"

unid: 6951, 4/26, 0145+ Noted this station in passing while checking what was on 6965, but disappeared when I was heading back through

X-FM: 6965, 4/26, 0144+ I think this is the 1st time that I caught it, but heard while running the canned "stay tuned for X-FM" IDs. Will tune back to it in a bit, but I'm still finding other stations! Just checked the Twente receiver in NE Holland & signal is barely audible there!

Captain Morgan SW: 6924.2, 4/26, 0159-0244* The Who "Who Are You?" Lou Reed "Walk on the Wild Side" Stones "Jumping Jack Flash" Bowie "Let's Dance." Big signal, like almost everyone else I've been hearing tonight. Twilight Zone theme a few times, which can only mean one thing. Just checked the Twente receiver in NE Holland & signal is very audible there!

unid: 6924.6, 4/26, 0244-0254* Hearing someone here with music immediately after Captain Morgan signed off. Weak. Air raid sirens at 0249 & again later. Thought I heard a bit of "Green Onions" by Booker T & The MGs

WPIG: 6925U, 4/26, 0254+ Weak, but I heard a few clear IDs. Sounds like a phone call. Not sure if this is a recording of the '90s WPIG, but it does sound like it is now. Now singing some songs about WPIG

Radio Free Whatever: 6849, 4/26, 0323+ The Hives "Main Offender" Signal's pretty good, but the audio is overdriven

Radio Casablanca: 6940, 4/26, 1336+ Fair with big band music, computer ID, & a clip from the movie Casablanca."Stormy Weather" "Dancing Cheek to Cheek"

The Crystal Ship: 6876, 4/27, 0145+ Excellent signal with '70s Jukebox Program. Heart "Magic Man" Donner Pass Cafe ad

Old-Time Radio unid: 6770, 4/27, 0200+ Good signal with Abbott & Costello.

Easter Weekend Loggings: 4/5/15-4/6/15

Easter Weekend Loggings: 4/5/15-4/6/15

Everyone right now seems to be hearing Radio Free Whatever with a huge signal, but I'm struggling with a massive noise environment to pick out any details.

This is just slightly better than trying to listen inside a mall

Radio Free Whatever: 6950U, 4/5, 0130+ Most of the time, I have a high-pitched roar and can occasionally get a few fadeups and pick out a word or so. BUT I actually do have a couple of real details: I heard Dick Weed and Stavin with shoutouts, including one to a listener in Albuquerque (I think they said that listener is using an SDR?) and I heard the chorus of "Take the Skinheads Bowling" by Camper van Beethoven.

Wolverine Radio: 6940U, 4/5, 0148+ I tuned in to Wolverine Radio, as per the ID on HF Underground, accidentally jostled the computer, and bumped the USB cable, which shutdown my Winradio software.  I've now clicked to start it three separate times and I've had a fatal exception error and other times that the software is coming up, but not running. Why did I bring a radio that depends on the reliability of my computer to function? Oh and the signal here was a bit more above the noise
 
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I tried to hear Sluwe Vos this morning for a long broadcast that he was making on 21460 kHz, but the noise was awful. Not sure if everyone in the few houses in the area has a couple of neon signs in the basement, head demagetizers running, and dishwashers on, but this is a mess. I gave up and think I'll try tuning a few stations in on the Twente web receiver instead.

Loggings via the Twente web receiver, except as noted:

Focus International: 6285, 4/5, 1545+ A lot of '70s hard rock. Announced e-mail address. Newer more metal cover of "Carry on My Wayward Son"

Radio Merlin International: 6305, 4/5, 1552+ "Funky Town"

Reflections Europe: 6295, 4/5, 1600+ Weak signal with some fair peaks. American Christian programming. Show ended with contact information & a zip of either "90016" or "50016" I think an ID came next because I heard "6295" Next show was from Jeffersonville, IN. Seems to be fading in.

6243, 4/5, 1603+ Light pop music

Laser Hot Hits: 4026, 4/5, 2152+ Announcer reading comments from various listeners, gave out e-mail address, and said that the live programs would continue to 0300. Song from 1987. Nice signal in Twente, with a little noise

Mustang Radio: 6320, 4/5, 2158+ Pop music in noise, ID per Iann's chat. At 2220, I'm hearing it at almost identical strength on my receiver as on Twente. Op saying good morning to me at 2224. Thanks!

Radio Barones: 1614, 4/5, 2201+ Dutch talk, phone number in Dutch, then phone number in English and ID "Radio Baro" Extremely strong. Also heard a female announcer.

Radio BarraQuda: 5800U, 4/5, 2234+ Can hear this one on my home receiver, but much better on the Twente receiver. Light pop "Just the Two of Us." Some raspy noise here.

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Loggings back at the home shack:

Captain Morgan SW: 6950, 4/5, 2340-2351* Blues and early rock with a good signal. IDs and some sound effects, then off.

Old-Time Radio unid: 6770, 4/5, 2353+ If I heard the ending program ID correctly, this was the Goon Show. If so, interesting that this station is airing some British OTR, too. Next, a fairly long NBC news update: update of WWII news, such as the Normandy invasion, and news about the invasion of Italy. Amos & Andy show next.

Unid: 6955U, 4/6, 0006+ Excellent signal here when the station's on the air. Only stays on 15-30 seconds at a time. Seems to be a different song each time. Human League "Don't U Want Me, Baby?" Salt'n'Pepa "Push It," Queen "Bohemian Rhapsody," Queen "We Are the Champions," Queen "Another One Bites the Dust," Queen "Fat Bottomed Girls," Eagles "Witchy Woman," etc.

Weekend Loggings: 9/20-9/22/14

Weekend Loggings: 9/19-9/22/14

Old-Time Radio unid: 3229.8, 9/19, 0400+ Lots of static, but S9 signal for Murder at Midnight program, which I've heard a few times at midnight from this station. Into a big band song after the program ended at about 0427. Then into the Christmas episode of a show

Northwoods Radio: 6935U, 9/21, 0044+ Kid Rock "All Summer Long," into interview segment of a woman music journalist and a guy with a UK accent who I think produced a Kid Rock album? Great to hear Jack Pine Savage again; this is only the 2nd time I've heard NWR this year."Smokin' in the Boys' Room," Alice Cooper "18," Amboy Dukes "Journey to the Center of the Mind"

Radio Free Whatever: 6950U, 9/21, 0050+ Excellent signal with rock. Really professional-sounding RFW ID. "Nobody knows rock like DJ DIck Weed . . . on Radio Free Whatever." "We got right from no echo to Channel 19 trucker echo right there." Van Halen "Dance the Night Away," shout out to Radio Gaga. Playing final song, Pink Floyd, by request, "Run Like Hell."

Wolverine Radio: 6940U, 9/21, 0120+ Another excellent signal with some old-time big band music.

Now that's a nice SSTV image!

KCPR was on next. I think this was the best SSTV image that I've received from the station so far

Weekend Pirate Loggings: 7/26-7/28/14

Weekend Pirate Loggings: 7/26-7/28/14

Test: Radio GSV from Scotland said the station will be testing to North America on 6965 kHz with music and IDs at 0330 UTC tonight. The station tested with Morse code a day or so ago, but it wasn't really heard, so we'll see how if the propagation improves.

L0de Radio: 6930U, 7/26, ca.0400 Fair signal, but not quite strong enough to sit back and understand everything. All telephone callins. I hit record so that I could go back & hear the show on headphones.

stuck in the office for part of today, so I was listening to Dutch MW pirates via the University of Twente web receiver:

Radio Odynn: 1628, 7/26, 2040+ Extremely strong & nice audio with music by Stray Cats, Ramones, Aerosmith, Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Madness, & later Dolly Parton singing "Stairway to Heaven." Professional-sounding IDs and announcements in both English and Dutch.

Unid: 1620, 7/26, 2040+ Good signal with schlager music. I was mostly staying on 1628 kHz, hoping that I'd hear an ID there first. I think it went off around 2100 or so.

Unid: 1636.5, 7/26, 2040+ This one was almost entirely schlager, but I did hear a couple of songs in English. I think this is the station that played ABBA "Knowing Me, Knowing You," but I'm typing this from memory. This station even played a yodeling song! Another extremely strong signal, but I didn't hear any talk or IDs.

Passed by a couple of other stations... I think one was 1648 & another one was around 1665 kHz.

Loggings from PA, USA:
Tip & Elvis Radio Show: 6220, 7/26, 2315 The Dutch theme of the day continues with this one. Thunderstorm crashes are making this difficult, but the signal is good for this time of day. I'm hoping to find my headphone adapter so that I can dig out some details from the noise.

Radio Free Whatever: 6925U, 7/27, 0212+ Very strong, but really "watery" sounding signal--kinda like low-bit-rate streaming audio. Canned station ID, then long pause and Dick Weed & Stephen mentioning that maybe that hard drive failed. But more music from a new drive. Talk about wearing lavendar-scented Hefty garbage bags as ponchos to sleep in, or just for comfort. It's been a month or maybe a couple months since I've heard RFW.

Wolverine Radio: 6940U, 7/27, 0216+ About the same strength as RFW. "Dream Lover," ID "Dream, Dream, Baby" "California Dreamin'" "I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night." I think I might have an idea what the theme of tonight's show is. Nice to hear Wolverine R again, too.

And here's the SSTV image from the end of the show:

After Wolverine signed off, another station was on 6940 kHz USB with music and an SSTV image:

Liquid Radio (per HFU log): 6925.2, 2/27, 0410+ carrier here. Not sure if it's a pirate or if so, who it is, but I'm assuming that it's one. Left the radio room to get the computer & update the blog and the carrier was gone

Unid: 6960L, 2/27, 0419+ Decent signal here in heavy static crashes with bits of different music genres, announcements, etc. On & off the air a lot. A couple different announcements in Spanish. Thanks to Skipmuck for the tip on this one. Until I hear more that shows otherwise, I'm thinking pescadore broadcast

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

My weekend loggings: 2/28-3/2/14

Unid: 6867.4, 2/28, 2321+ Madness "It Must Be Love," Thomas Dolby "She Blinded Me with Science," Billy Joel "Sometimes a Fantasy" a break with some right-wing talk (from a radio show) about how anyone trying to enslave us is the enemy. In a different break between songs, what is evidently audio from a porno movie. Strange mixture of programming

Premier Radio (Ireland--ID per HFU): 6915.14, 2/28, 2340+ I have a carrier here, but that's all. It'd be nice to hear Premier Radio International again--last time for me was probably about 10 years ago and I had a very copyable signal.

Turtlehead Radio: 6930U, 3/1, 0511+ Pretty good signal tonight. Music, sounds like movie audio about a war hero "You are currently listening to Turtlehead Radio" Hi to Harry Smith, Red Mercury Labs & said RML is his favorite station, also hi to some of the other people who logged Turtlehead tonight. After another song, more shoutouts to people, including Refmo & Tom S. Asking for requests. "Amazing Grace" on bagpipes, which isn't commonly aired on pirate stations.

Radio Free Whatever: 6975.4, 3/1, 2102-2107* Fair signal with what sounds like old psychedelic rock. Clear IDs with Dick Weed and Stephen. They talked a bit about how this was show #225 & how to get a QSL. Also some comments about Stephen hosting the all-disco show.

Voice of Portugal: 6925, 3/1, 2224+ Theme program about cows with mooing cows throughout the entire program--even during all of the songs about bovines. Looking forward to hearing who this is. Now into a backward instrumental song. Gave IDs "Voice of...." but I think I'll need to listen on headphones a few times to get it right (if then, ha!) Air raid sirens. Think there was a cow farting in there, too. (just went to listen again & the ID clicked with my ears & brain)

Voice of Portugal: 6925, 3/1, 2344+ Repeat of earlier program. Tuned in during the Bob Seger parody. Signal is a bit better this time

Radio Free Whatever: 6975.4, 3/2, 0018+ Dick Weed and Stephen talking about the shows they do on RFW: "QRM," "RPM," and ... I forget the same of their nostalgia show

Wolverine Radio: 6950U, 3/2, 0139+ Excellent signal and great SSB audio (as always). Music by Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, etc. Typical Wolverine echo IDs.

Radio Free Whatever: 6950U, 3/2, ca0200+ Excellent signal a few minutes after Wolverine Radio sign off. Repeat of program from earlier in the day.

Voice of Mongolia Relay Service: 6948, 3/2,  

Unid: 6925U, 3/2, 2250+ Received 3 SSTV images of what looks kind of like the Cheetos Cheetah. Some words are at the bottom, but it's not clear enough for me to be able to read them.

My weekend loggings: 2/15-2/17/14

WRR: 6925U, 2/14, ca2230+ Tuned in, but had to leave, so I hit Record. Layers of pescador QRM here, with WRR somewhere near the top. Easy to pick out the old country music, but tough to copy when he went to talking because everyone was talking at the same time. Copied a Radio Totse SSTV during the broadcast.


Unid: 6867, 2/15, 1433-1441* Devo "Praying Hands," "Shrivel Up," & "Strange Pursuit." Static crashes, but pretty nice signal here. Off with no IDs. Maybe a homebrew transmitter test? If so, the audio sounded great here.

Unid (but Cool AM relay per HFU): 6924.5, 2/15, 1645 I was trying to save some of the accumulation of unsaved pirate recordings currently on the recording laptop when I turned the R-5000 back on & had a carrier near 6925. I punched in a few freqs to try to get it more accurate (the tuning knob is frozen on my R-5000) and the signal disappeared. Per Chris Smolinski on HFU, it was Cool AM.

Cool AM relay: 6925, 2/15, 2027 Here with Golden Earring "Twilight Zone" at 2027. Clear ID at 2035. Fair signal

Heat Man Radio: 6935U, 2/15, 2255+ Good signal with Velvet Underground, into song "Television will Not Be Revolutionized," computer music & now SSTV

CYOT: 6960, 2/15, 2255 Don't have much here aside from the carrier. ID from logs on HFU

WEAK Radio: 6925U, 2/15-16, 2338+ Pretty good signal with music. Clear computer-voiced IDs from when the station was on regularly five years ago. Kraftwerk "Pocket Calculator" and more. Great to hear WEAK back on the 3rd anniversary of its raid!"Sweet Home Alabama," Minor Threat "Small Man, Big Mouth"--interesting mix

Radio Free Whatever: 6925U, 2/16, 0105-0206+ Sign on with USSR national anthem, Dickweed & Stephen talking about progress with the t-shirt campaign. Super signal here. Reel Big Fish "Sell Out" and more

X-FM: 6925, 2/16 Tuned in during Queen "Bohemian Rhapsody"Good signal

Bangalore Poacher: 6925U, 2/16, 2026+ Numbers station parody with an Indian-sounding numbers announcer. fair signal

Undercover Radio: 6925U, 2/16, ca2340+ Incredible signal, with stories about Dr. Benway's 1st broadcast in 1977, setting his Viking II on fire. Into old shows, such as New Year's 2003/2004, etc. More than 30 people logged this one on HFU, and it was well heard in Europe!

Auds'n'Ends: 1/25/14

Every so often you are enlightened by something that makes you reconsider everything you've known about the world. Kind of a Matrix sort of experience, where you discover that your assumptions...or maybe everything that you've been taught about the world is wrong.

The bad thing is that this article was published in 1995. OK, so 18 years later, I have this Matrix-like experience while everyone else is presumably fully aware that the CIA majorly funded modern art as a way to undermine communist ideology. Was everyone else in radio circles aware of this? Although I'd read a lot about Radio Swan and Radio Americas broadcasting from Swan Island and trying to help out with the Bay of Pigs invasion, I did not know that the CIA was also secretly funding ultra-abstract artists, such as Jackson Pollock. The CIA was also secretly funding jazz and classical artists and concerts and publishing journals.

Why were they doing these things? To show the creativity and freedom that could be experienced in the United States. Combating Soviet realism one paint-splattered canvas at a time. And it wasn't just an ideological war; at least some of the CIA administrators were evidently big fans of the art and the music.

Another fascinating bit to me is that while the FBI was infiltrating left-wing organizations in the '60s while trying to bring them down, the CIA was infiltrating the arts in the '60s (presumably filled with left-wing fans and artists) while attempting to strengthen them.

Isn't it about time that the CIA showed to the world what a great and freedom-loving country this is by secretly sponsoring a number of shortwave pirates? If the Radio Free Whatever t-shirt sale suddenly hits 50 (see below), you'll know what happened.


* If you're getting low in pirate radio t-shirts, your favorite heavy-metal-with-fake-Russian-accented-DJs-on-shortwave pirate is coming through in the clutch. Radio Free Whatever t-shirts are now available for $20. Those who haven't heard the station might think you're a psycho communist if they see you wearing it, but it does make for a good conversation starter. Be on the lookout if people start wearing Jackson Pollock t-shirts around you; the CIA might've infiltrated your inner circle.

* The 27th Annual Winter SWLfest is coming up on March 14 and 15, and the list of forums have been announced. Taking center stage is Behind the Curtain: North Korean Broadcasting and Propaganda, which "will extensively discuss and feature audio and video examples of North Korean internal and external broadcasting, international and clandestine broadcasters that manage to penetrate through the regime’s jamming, as well as descriptions and photographs of the media infrastructure used by the North Korean regime as the prime instrument of control over the population."

*  Pirate YHWH has not been reported on any of the pirate forums lately, but on the HFU blog, Everett Curry commented that he heard it on 14350 kHz on January 16 at 2300 UTC.

* I bought a new radio for restoration, a Philco 87 lowboy console. I've started stripping the cabinet and cleaning the chassis. I haven't forgotten about the Goldentone, but it's poorly made and I'm still in the process of trying to drill out the pot-metal screw that holds the tuning knob onto the potentiometer. Hopefully, I'll start posting a Philco 87 running account this week.

* Radio song of the day? "Radio Song" by Superbus from France

My New Year's Eve/New Year's Day Loggings 12/31/13-1/2/13

Radio GaGa: 6925U, 2254 Playing Barnes & Barnes "Fishheads" ELP "Lucky Man" etc. "Live from Zipper Lake" ID

Unidentified: 6955, 2309+ All percussion, no IDs heard yet. Nice signal here with deep fading

I made the mistake of eating supper and a bunch of stations were on the air, according to logs on the HFU: CCC Radio, NSDAP Radio, and WBOG + an unidentified station or two. My guess is that NSDAP Radio was either some programming aired by CCC Radio or was a different show aired by the same pirate. CCC Radio was KKK-related station that made a couple of broadcasts in the '90s, long after the Voice of Tomorrow had stopped. I never heard the station, but The ACE printed one of their QSLs.

Wolverine Radio: 6950U, 1/1,  0030+ Beautiful signal. Was listening while digging through '90s ACEs, trying to find any logs of CCC Radio (still no luck).

Radio Free Whatever: 6925, 1/1, 0130 Playing "Indians" by Anthrax.

Radio Celestial: 1710, 1/1, 0200 Driving around in the car for a while and heard zilch for a few min. Then got to one spot and could hear Spanish-language contemporary Christian music, so I assume it was them. This immediately faded into what I assume was the NJ TIS, with a promo on getting flu shots. Typical telephonic audio. Best I've ever heard the TIS. Could hear co-channel splatter here, so I assumed it was from 1700 kHz. But then I got home & saw that Undercover Radio was on 1720, so maybe that's where the splatter's coming from. Unfortunately, the MW band is really buzzy here, so I can't really hear anything...and my car stereo only goes up to 1710 kHz.

Fake Numbers Station: 6925, 1/1, 0205+ English numbers

Unid: 6925U, 1/1, 0645+ Tuned in to some music & hit Record

X-FM: 6960, 1/1, 0645+ Still on the air. Fair signal

Radio Plate Current: 6925U, 1/1, 0700+ A lot of electronic dance music with two DJs. Long periods of talking & announced an e-mail address a few times and with phonetics. Announced the e-mail "because we're in the 21st century." Just sent an e-mail to see if I copied the address correctly. If I get it, I'll list it here, but I don't want to post incorrect info if I can possibly avoid it.

NA Activity last week: 12/23 to 12/30/2013

12/23 Monday UTC (Sunday night into Mon.)

UNID: 6925U 0047
UNID 6925U 0156-0204+
Pirate Radio Boston 1720 0055-0149*
Radio Free Whatever/Pirate Radio Boston: 1720 *0229-0425* audio
Captain Morgan SW: 6925 0233
Captain Morgan SW: 6950.2 0243
Pirate Radio Boston 6925 1200-1226*
Channel Z 6925 *2214-2256*
Radio Free Whatever 6925 2300-0004*
Radio Totse (Relay) 6940U 2330-0006 

12/24 Tuesday UTC (Monday night into Tues.)
Pirate Radio Boston 6925 *0005-0051*
Black Cat Radio 6925U *0102-0130*
Radio Totse: 6920L 0110-0121
Radio Gallifrey Intergalactic 6925U *0139-0225*
Radio Free Whatever 1720 *0214-0316* audio
Radio Totse 6940U 0237-0253*
Pirate Radio Boston 1720 0400-0427*
UNID 6924.9U 2200-2235*
Radio Jingle Bells 6924.67 2249-2340
Radio Marlene 6930.06U 2253-2300

12/25 Wednesday UTC (Tuesday night into Wed.)
Wolverine Radio 6945U 0200-0424*
Channel Z 6925 1305-1336
WBNY 6950 1350-1450*
Boombox Radio 6924.6 1525-1634
Radio Dr, Tim 6949 1637-1654*
Radio Dr. Tim 6924.65 1845-1941*
Pirate Radio Boston 6925 2035-2056*
Boom Box Radio 6950 2100-2209*
Crystal Ship: 6925.56 2214-2340*


12/26 Thursday UTC (Wednesday night into Thurs.)

Pirate Radio Boston 6930 0012-0116 
Boom Box Radio 6925 1554-1634*
Radio True North 6924.75-> 6940 2300-0132
Pirate Radio Boston 1720 *2352-0038
XLR8 6930U 2355-0045*

12/27 Friday UTC (Thursday night into Fri.) 
Captain Morgan SW 6925 *0142-0212*
Pirate Radio Boston 1720 0208-0233 
Radio Totse (relay) 6930U 0227-0246
Red Mercury Labs 6925U 0401-0443 
Radio Dr. Tim 6925 1300-1350*
WTPR 6930.6 1435-1450 
Undercover Radio (incl. PR Boston relay) 13960 1743-1830
CHKN 6913.3 2003-2031
SHARON Radio 6925U 2318-2327*
SHARON Radio 6935U 2338-2359*

12/28 Saturday UTC (Friday night into Sat.)
Undercover Radio 1720 0300-0406* 
Radio Free Whatever 6949.2 1721- 
Pirate Radio Boston 13960U 1620-1719*
Radio Free Whatever 6924.6 2223-2325* 

12/29 Sunday UTC (Saturday night into Sun.)
Radio Gallifrey Intergalactic 6945U 0125-0207* audio
Rattlesnake Radio 6950U SSTV 0200
Pirate Radio Boston: 1710 0215-0410
Pirate Radio Boston 6925 0445-0543*
UNID 1710 0603-0605*