Topics

106

North American Shortwave Pirate / Turtlehead Radio 6925 USB

« on: April 21, 2012, 0702 UTC »

4/21/12, 6925 USB (vice LSB heard before), 0700z: Turtlehead Radio ID, but so far signal too faint at home and via web tuner to identify songs.
0709z: Turtlehead Radio ID, another song I can't quite copy.  Conditions just not cooperating tonight.
0715z: Not sure if off, lost signal completely at home and via east coast tuner.

107

North American Shortwave Pirate / Unid 6925 AM and USB

« on: April 21, 2012, 0412 UTC »

4/21/12, 6925 AM, 0410z: Sounds like monologue, rough copy due to fades and being adjacent to Undercover Radio on 6920 USB.
The monologue seems to be 6925 USB, and there's an AM station with strong carrier, so there may be three stations on between 6920 and 6925?
0416z: AM carrier gone, still hearing some OM monologue on USB, so there were at least two stations on 6925 for awhile.  Never heard any audio from the AM station here or via east coast web tuner.  OM monologue similar to recent "Dr Who and friends" broadcasts, similar political/social commentary themes.
0424z: Talking about alcohol, illegal drugs, drug addicts, morphine vs heroin, gummint propaganda via shortwave, rules aimed at VOA to restrict deliberately transmitting propaganda to domestic listeners.
0444z: Band changed, inaudible at home but stronger via east coast web tuner.
0506z: Some reference to Dr. Who in discussion, still not sure if this is same Dr Who and Friends in recent broadcasts.

108

North American Shortwave Pirate / Undercover Radio 6920 USB

« on: April 21, 2012, 0336 UTC »

4/21/12, 6920 USB, 0333z: Dr. Benway with Undercover Radio ID, sounds live.  Good signal peaks, lots of fades here.
0338z: Shout outs to folks logging this broadcast.
0340z: Leonard Cohen "Everybody Knows"
0359z: ID, "my first new show in four years".
0405z: Thanking listeners for patience in waiting for QSL cards.  Hey, Dr. Benway, I really appreciate the QSL package you sent for the 20th anniversary broadcast a few years ago.  I don't often ask for QSL cards and always appreciate those who send 'em - it's a lot of expense and effort.
0415z: Talking about listening to shortwave radio and "listening to Allan Weiner rant on about 'real' pirates...".
0433z: Said conditions were too rough for AM tonight, checking signal reports for requests.
0445z: Sounds like Dr. Benway switched back to USB after brief try on LSB.
0520z: Talking about Bill Of Rights, 2nd Amendment, personal privacy.  Signal much stronger via east coast tuner now, still occasionally audible here at home.  Reference to William Cooper (he really could spin great yarns weaving together strands of various tenuous threads from mythology, religion, history, mysticism, and current events).

Switched from my local Palstar and indoor antenna to east coast web tuner around 0350z, huge signal.  Unfortunately 6920 and a big AM signal on 6925 are nut to butt now (QRM cleared up by around 0400z).

109

North American Shortwave Pirate / Voice of Captain Ron 6930

« on: April 21, 2012, 0256 UTC »

4/21/12, 6930 USB, 0253z: Voice of Captain Ron ID, just fixed some antenna problem, moved from 6925, coming in better here.  Shout-out to Sealord, jfarley.  "I'm needing radio therapy."  Reminds me, I'm needing a beer...
0321z: Still hanging in there but longer fade outs than other recent shows.

110

North American Shortwave Pirate / Unid 007 medley 6924.5 AM

« on: April 20, 2012, 0416 UTC »

4/20/12, 6924.5 AM, 0400z (approx): Stevie Nicks "Stop Dogging My Fart Around" & "Gypsy", into a James Bond movie theme set, Sheena Easton "For Your Eyes Only", (Shirley Bassey?) "Goldfinger", "Diamonds Are Forever", Paul McCartney "Live and Let Die", medley of themes from various singers, Man With The Golden Gun, Spy Who Loved Me, View To A Kill, etc., no ID heard so far.
0438z: First ID heard, but buried under static crash

Good signal through heavy static crashes via east coast web tuner.  Just a weak carrier here in Texas.

111

North American Shortwave Pirate / Pee-Pee Vagina Radio 6925

« on: April 20, 2012, 0222 UTC »

4/20/12, 6925 USB, 0211z: "Spirit in the Sky", very tinny and distorted audio.  A few restarts, then nothing.  Maybe signal/audio check.  Off-air recording here.

0230z: Back, music I can't identify, station ID in kid's voice, sounded like TTX Radio or ET Radio, but really tough copy due to extremely pinched audio.  Good signal, just hard to copy audio.
0239z: ID again in kid's voice, using phonetics this time.  Will try to decipher later from recording.
0244z: Kid's voice ID, "You are listening to Pee-Pee Vagina Radio," including a variation in the "Close Encounters" sing-song alien ballad.  That explains things.  Just needs a larger condom and diaphragm.

Good signal here in N. Central Texas, just having difficulty copying due to very thin audio.

17min mp3 for Pee-Pee Vagina Radio.

112

North American Shortwave Pirate / Red Mercury Labs 6925

« on: April 20, 2012, 0047 UTC »

4/20/12, 6925 USB, 0045z: RML just fired up with clear ID and music (sounds like Chris Cornell vocals, not sure which band)
0058z: More Chris Cornell, "Fell On Black Days" with Soundgarden.
0103z: Says he has no web connection tonight, no way to check signal reports.  (Where's that pirate radio homing pigeon?)
0138z: Wondering if anyone's hearing him, signal still banging through with some fades, Soundgarden "Spoonman"
0156z: Sounds like he's signing off - hoping signal was heard.

Overall so far, SINPO=44333, moderate static crashes and fades.  Will upload off air recording to archives later.

1 hr 12 min mp3 here.

113

North American Shortwave Pirate / Voice of Captain Ron 6930

« on: April 19, 2012, 0212 UTC »

4/19/12, 6930 USB, 0156z: Music I can't identify - very thin, pinched audio and hard to tune to pitch.
0210z: Voice of Captain Ron ID, chat with someone in the studio.  Still very difficult to copy.  Sounds more like a recording than live.
0214z: Oops, I'm wrong, it's live.  Captain Ron shout out to me on "Wacky Wednesday".  Signal coming up a bit better here.
0222z: CR talking about "apparatus ... compromise", can't quite copy all but sounds like reference to gear for tonight's broadcast.  "Looking forward to making it better within the means we have available... that's what happens when you launch out into the deep... keep broadcasting as long as we can..."
0228z: "Bender checking in as well (from) Arizona..."
0235z: Roller coaster peaks/fades via home receiver, but still stronger overall than via east coast SDR.
0239z: Ah, explaining show has been combination of pre-recorded and live material "from a little over a decade or so".  Thanks, Cap'n Ron, coming in much better here at home now.
0250z: Chatter about Yaesu FT-101 and Heathkit transmitters.
0255z: Shout out to Jolly Roger, logging on HFU.
0306z: Asking listeners what receivers they're using.  Tonight I'm on the Palstar R30C with an RF Systems EMF indoor antenna strung along the ceiling.  (My latest fugloop is optimized for MW rather than shortwave.)  For whatever reason the EMF works best in the 6000-8000 kHz range with only the center conductor connected to the Lo-Z input on the receiver.  When the antenna is connected "properly" with the shield connected to ground it just raises the noise without improving the signal.  The trick is to coil up the excess coax feedline to reduce common mode noise, maybe a dozen loops coiled in about 4" diameter.  Some folks call it an "ugly balun".
0310z: Mentioned my receiver setup, and Bender's NRD-545.
0326z: Red Hot Chili Peps
0335z: Playing one more song before signing off.  Chili Peps "Otherside"
Shout out from Turtlehead Radio to Captain Ron at end of broadcast.

Thanks for the show, Cap'n Ron, enjoy hearing you chat about the hobby!

Also trying a web tuner SDR with proper outdoor antenna on the east coast.  Signal strength flip-flopping between home on the indoor antenna and the east coast SDR - as of 0220z, much stronger here at home.

Will have off-air recording uploaded to archive later.

114

QSLs Received / Turtlehead Radio QSL

« on: April 19, 2012, 0107 UTC »

QSL received from Turtlehead Radio for 4/15/12 show.  Thanks!  We nightowls and insomniacs appreciate the radio company.

115

North American Shortwave Pirate / Turtlehead Radio 6925 LSB "Tropic Thunder"

« on: April 18, 2012, 0624 UTC »

4/18/12, 6925 LSB, 0612z: Air check?  Just an audio clip from movie Tropic Thunder.  Never go full retard.
0631z: Heee's baaack... same Tropic Thunder audio clip, clear IDs for Turtlehead Radio, music.
0641z: More Tropic Thunder, Culture Club "Karma Chameleon"
0649z: Edwyn Collins "A Girl Like You".  Great song, suddenly seems to be experiencing a revival - has popped up recently on Radio Vixen and background music for a few YouTube videos.
0653z: Hole "Doll Parts", luv dat crazy Courtney.
0704z: "Rehab", RIP, Amy, ya crazy kid.
0709z: Tom Petty & TH, "Learning to Fly" (big signal jump during this song, S4-S5, not sure if propagation or station's power level). "You are listening to Turtlehead Radio, Voice of the Mentally (Handicapped?)..." (I'll hafta check my recording later).
0712z: Bob Marley "Jammin"
0732z: Mike + the Mechanics "Silent Running" - lotsa up and down peaks and fades
0737z: Weezer "Island in the Sun", Turtlehead ID, live on mic shout out (thanks!) and sign-off.

Will post recording to archives later this week.

Signal not strong here on the indoor antenna, maybe S2-S3 (better after 0700z), but even with occasional static crashes the noise is very low, so it's easy to copy the songs and most familiar bits, tho' I'm having trouble making out the "Voice of..." bits on the IDs.  SINPO=34433

116

North American Shortwave Pirate / Turtlehead Radio 6925 LSB

« on: April 16, 2012, 0806 UTC »

4/16/12, 6925 LSB, 0805z: Turtlehead Radio has been on for awhile, per evil IRC, but just now audible to me.  Hole "Malibu" (I think, definitely Courtney's singing), Turtlehead Radio ID
0817z: Turtlehead still hanging in there, very crashy condx so not able to ID the past few songs.
0825z: ID, Culture Club "Karma Chameleon"

Do enjoy those non-mainstream tunes and unfamiliar-to-me artists.

117

North American Shortwave Pirate / Dr. Who 6925 USB

« on: April 16, 2012, 0500 UTC »

4/16/12, 6925 USB, 0455z: Bruce Hornsby "The Way It Is", live on mic ID "This is the Dr Who and friends radio hour", monologue theme seems to be generally about personal independence and responsibility, government intrusion, etc.
0512z: "Once you start feeding the rats they start breeding," something about sterilization and eugenics.  Due to fades, not sure of context.  Seems to be conversation between two or more fellows about personal liberties, government welfare, etc.
0517z: Segue to music while they get a refill.  Dream Academy "Life In A Northern Town".
0522z: "...we have a heckler... not a lot of listeners... children hecklers on the air..."  Not hearing any QRM here.  Ignore 'em and carry on, signal is pretty good here.
0527z: QSO with someone from Mississippi?  Other party barely audible.
0531z: Dr Who signing off.

Mentioned broadcast maybe only audible toward the east and Europe, might not be audible toward western US.  Coming in fair to good here in Texas.  Not too much noise but roller coaster peaks and fades.

Not sure whether this is the same Dr. Who associated with MAC Shortwave?

118

North American Shortwave Pirate / Turtlehead Radio 6925 LSB

« on: April 15, 2012, 0601 UTC »

4/15/12, 6925 LSB, 0545z: Just barely punching through heavy regional t-storm crashes, a couple of songs I couldn't identify, then clear Turtlehead Radio ID.

119

North American Shortwave Pirate / Unid 6925 LSB

« on: April 14, 2012, 0533 UTC »

4/14/12, 6925 LSB, 0400-0420z: Music just barely audible, never quite punched through enough for ID. Per IRC, may have been Turtlehead Radio.  No QRM with Red Mercury Labs since they used different sidebands and narrow filter on receiver provided plenty of separation.

120

Equipment / For you vinyl-spinning pirates and DJs...

« on: April 13, 2012, 0729 UTC »

...at last, a way to cram a 3 hour marathon show into only 5 minutes.

The high speed turntable.