HFU HF Underground

General Category => General Radio Discussion => Topic started by: Capt. Kidd on February 15, 2018, 0627 UTC

Title: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: Capt. Kidd on February 15, 2018, 0627 UTC
Is longwave pirate radio a thing? I’ve found a few cases on the internet but I can’t find a case of a regular broadcast.
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: ChrisSmolinski on February 15, 2018, 1151 UTC
Is longwave pirate radio a thing? I’ve found a few cases on the internet but I can’t find a case of a regular broadcast.

if it's not already, it's going to need to be soon, the way solar conditions are going  ;D
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: ulx2 on February 15, 2018, 1345 UTC
Two Dutch pirate stations: Radio Luxemburg and Radio Zwarte Panter are broadcasting from time to time on long waves now (usually on 261 kHz):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFVFtr-r7_Q (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFVFtr-r7_Q)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5o0H2ZxkUU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5o0H2ZxkUU)
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: ThaDood on February 15, 2018, 1802 UTC
I've heard of a few low-fers that have done higher power experiments, with longer than 50ft antennas, in the license-free 1750M Experimenter's Band, 170kHz - 190kHz, And, I've even done Carrier-Current there, where 10mW will carry a long way on the power lines, with those NBFM Intercoms, but in North America the LW band seems pretty pirate-free. Probably, since no one believes that there's be an audience down there.
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: redhat on February 15, 2018, 1848 UTC
There is an incentive for folks in Europe to do so; LW is a standard broadcast band and is in a lot of cars and stereo systems.

+-RH
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: jFarley on February 15, 2018, 2201 UTC
A good freq range for this would be between 285 and 325 kHz.   ;D
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: Azimuth Coordinator on February 15, 2018, 2218 UTC
What kind or range would you get at 190 khz ?  and what power is needed ?  and where am I going to put a 2400' antenna ???


AC
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: Pigmeat on February 16, 2018, 0056 UTC
I used to get emails from a guy in Western Europe about doing it after I posted a link on the original FRN ,circa 2001, of a schematic for a one-watt ssb/cw transmitter for the experimental LF band. He had some wild ideas for antennas. I heard from him maybe 4 times and he disappeared.
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: Capt. Kidd on February 16, 2018, 0101 UTC
What kind or range would you get at 190 khz ?  and what power is needed ?  and where am I going to put a 2400' antenna ???


AC
That’s probably the biggest deterrent for this. You would need a huge antenna and a lot of power to load up the antenna. I suppose you could build the mother of all loop antennas.
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: didu heardat on February 16, 2018, 0113 UTC
well
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: redhat on February 16, 2018, 0113 UTC
Electric fences anyone?

+-RH
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: didu heardat on February 16, 2018, 0120 UTC
https://reviseomatic.org/help/2-modulation/AM%20Transmitter.php

there are others on the net
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: didu heardat on February 16, 2018, 0121 UTC
Electric fences anyone?

+-RH

pee wee has used a fence before
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: Pigmeat on February 16, 2018, 0305 UTC
I've clamped on to a strand of barbed wire fence as a ground plane for verticals. Works fine if you've got a tuner. There was someone I heard about who hooked into a guardrail for a SW tx and was well heard, but I don't recall who it was. That RF has to go somewhere.
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: KaySeeks on February 16, 2018, 0320 UTC
When I was 14 or 15 years old, I made a fantastic LW TX from my Radio Shack 150-in-1 Electronic Project kit.
http://thenetworkgarden.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/05/30/150inone.jpg (http://thenetworkgarden.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/05/30/150inone.jpg)

I was shooting for the MW band but when I first turned it on, it was apparently operating in the LW band and soon figured it out when I dropped some capacitance in the tank circuit and I got it into the MW band and could finally hear it. In any case, once I got it going, I dropped it down to LW later (to avoid daytime MW interference) and got strong enough to be heard on the old Phillips radio on the other side of the house that could tune LW.

I WAS A LW PIRATE, HEARD IN TWO ROOMS OF MY PARENTS' HOUSE.  ;D

No QSL cards issued though.  :P
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: KaySeeks on February 16, 2018, 0322 UTC
I've clamped on to a strand of barbed wire fence as a ground plane for verticals. Works fine if you've got a tuner. There was someone I heard about who hooked into a guardrail for a SW tx and was well heard, but I don't recall who it was. That RF has to go somewhere.

I've used chain-linked fence as part of a ground radial system at HF. If you got it, might as well use it.
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: Pigmeat on February 16, 2018, 2141 UTC
So have I.  The galvanization process makes the signals go twice as far. ;)

Dammit! Now I've got visions of dozens of zinc washtubs filled with salt water acting as a ground for a ginormous vertical.
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: L Cee on February 17, 2018, 0449 UTC
There was someone I heard about who hooked into a guardrail for a SW tx and was well heard, but I don't recall who it was. That RF has to go somewhere.

I remember hearing something about that too.
Captain Ganja maybe ?
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: Pigmeat on February 17, 2018, 1945 UTC
By God, I think you're right! How could I forget the Cap'n and his pal, the Runaway Maharishi?
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: CoolAM Radio on February 21, 2018, 0021 UTC
Check out 

https://reviseomatic.org/help/2-modulation/AM%20Transmitter.php (https://reviseomatic.org/help/2-modulation/AM%20Transmitter.php)


click also other items from the Menu!

André
CoolAM Radio - ShortWave
Title: Re: Longwave Pirates?
Post by: Josh on February 21, 2018, 1912 UTC
Oh yeah, that 150 in one kit was one of the best xmas presents ever.