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North American MW Pirate Radio / Re: 1710 khz AM - "The Big Q"
« on: November 24, 2010, 0006 UTC »Just curious what kind of setup (rig, antenna) you used to hear this station. I might try and listen some more down on MW this winter. The noise and hash is pretty unbearable here in the Boston burbs, though. Not to mention, 1620-1710 is awash in ethnic pirates in this area. In about 1990 or 1991, I heard a station on 1610 or 1620 called "WORM", which I think is the only hobby pirate I have ever heard on MW.
If directed towards me, I'm using a Perseus SDR with two unterminated beverage-on-ground "bog" antennas (soon to be "beverage-under-snow" antennas!) of about 500 ft and 300 ft lengths. I phase both wires with a Quantum Phaser. On medium wave the phaser setup works well for nulling out pest stations when you're trying to hear DX on the same channel. On shortwave, I'm finding it works better for eliminating man-made noise and peaking signals to some degree. I started out with this setup for medium wave DXing but I'm finding decent results on the lower shortwave bands too.
1710 at my location is usually a weak Radio Soleil. I've heard some Spanish underneath it at times, but have never been able to ID it. Soleil has an internet stream making their weak signal easy to ID.
BTW, Greek and Serbian stations use the 1700-1750 range frequently, often with quite high power (5kW or more). I have heard and confirmed Radio B-52 from Greece on 1710.
Interesting information - about the power they use over there. I'll have to pay more attention to the upper end of the band, or at least look for their carriers. Speaking of carriers, I have the Perseus zoomed in tight on 1710 khz and I'm counting about 5 carriers on the waterfall display: 1709.94, 1709.98, 1709.99, 1710.01, 1710.03 & 1710.07 - the strongest are 1709.98 & 1710.03