Messages

1

General Radio Discussion / Re: RW rip: Armstrong Broadcast Returns to New Jersey in June, 42.800MHz FM.

« on: June 20, 2025, 0133 UTC »

Hey Guys,

Well, I gave it a whirl…..

12 floors up, 10 meter dipole ,1530 EDT.

Supposed MUF was 17 MHz… 20 MHz
WWV was weak and NOTHING above it  (no CB skip).



Nada. So much for E skip.

No duct  openings at 2130.

FLOPPORINO .

No info if they  even were still on- NO sked was ever published.

A REAL oversight on their part. 

It would have been cool to log, but apparently not in the cards.

de NQC/ Boston

2

MW Loggings / WAZN 1470 Boston Area Dead Carrier for 5 Days

« on: June 17, 2025, 1442 UTC »

Hey All,

I figured I'd throw this out as a very long shot.Not sure if anyone is in the area or has any info.

WAZN 1470 Watertown, MA  has had NO audio  content, no automatic ID on the hour for 5 days (or more). Transmitter is in dead carrier.

A REAL shame if they vanish for good,it was commercial free and the exact  music mix I like - at a high signal level for use with the crystal set.

No answer at the local number , corporate in NYC is giving me a bit of run around. We'll see IF  they call me back. If not I'll try one more call  and then maybe keep check the frq now and then .

Beyond that dunno. I did hear some super weak Dx behind it. Several NE US possibilities , but not even close to being able to ID.

de NQC

3

North American MW Pirate Radio / Re: Radio Moschiach - Lubavitcher Chasid 1700AM 2100 UTC Brooklyn, NYC

« on: June 17, 2025, 1429 UTC »

Hey All,

Yes I recall the old incarnation of this station WAY back in the day.

As I recall they had HUGE power ( 10 Kw ) and could be heard quiet well at times  here in Boston , albeit with QSB.

RCR does not do very well here, there are other in the X band that do a MUCH better job.

NQC

4

North American MW Pirate Radio / Re: WDOG 1720 USB 0259 UTC 8 JUN 2025

« on: June 16, 2025, 1528 UTC »

Hey Chris,

Aside from the actual programming content, I almost get into a "survey" mode on which  frequencies are used and why.

I believe there has been already  discussion as to whether MW pirates actually expect the "general public" to find a transmission ( and maybe actually respond by email) at 1710 or  below .


"Regular" folks would  have to tune by a frequency within the X band at the right time , have good propagation / low noise levels/ probably need a GOOD receiver / and have no other licensed station on frq causing QRM.

Regular folks probably don't have a rig that tunes  to 1720 or higher.

Kind of a lot of moving parts .


Compare this to the fewer  stations that seem to  "cater" to "radio hobbyists".

Hobbyists  will spend long periods of listening in "prime time" (Fri, Sat, Sun nights from  maybe 2 hours after sunsets until "whenever" one runs out of time).

 (FWIW,I used to 'stand watch" on 40 M for 6 hrs or longer . I heard a LOT of pirates that way.)

Notification  ahead of time of a station sked obviously  helps a LOT.

1720/1730 obviously should have no "competition" on frequency .

Hobbyists usually  have good receivers/ antennas that may ( to a certain extent) be able to "work with" crummy prop or noise.

But despite this,  it seems that most stations are  not considering  the "downsides" of using 1710 or below.

At least re "strategy" (if there IS one)  , they seem to be just "playing the numbers" that many more folks are scanning below 1710.

All you have to do is look at the loggings of frequencies used : 1710 itself is not that   common (but yet STILL is within  range of "common" receivers). Many more   are at lower than 1710.


Maybe folks have trouble getting transmitters  that go higher than 1700 or 1710 ?  Not sure. Having decent ( probably vertical) antennas  is also  a BIG issue below  6.9  Mhz.Having a decent power output   may also be a factor.

Things are SO much easier on shortwave . AND you can " expect" an audience (usually).

 FWIW, 1720  use seems rare, and (for some reason) 1730 is very  rare

Perhaps  some stations  transmit for the "fun" of it (without expectation of any response)  or  maybe  just to try and hear themselves on a distant SDR or a  by friend mobile in the area .

I am not sure which the best approach is -  1710 or lower -vs  on 1720 /1730- re getting ANY response.

But  IF I were to do it ( which I  can't  ), I'd probably go "pro" and  pre announced  on 1720.

Maybe  with some  MCW id's and a BIT  of  "high" violin /pan flute (mixed in with the ROCK ) to cut through the noise .

I'd rather have 2 or 3 guys   copy me at distance and actually respond (here) -rather than- Rolling the dice as to  whether ANYONE copied  me on 1710 or below and  then also  actually took the time to reply.

de  NQC

 

5

General Radio Discussion / Re: From what location do I have to tune in to the stations logged here?

« on: June 12, 2025, 0434 UTC »

Kein problem .

NQC

6

Amateur Radio / Re: UNID 1885 AM 0316 UTC 6 JUN 2025

« on: June 11, 2025, 2019 UTC »

I agree.

7

Huh? / Re: Mystery Surrounds 3 Pending U.S. Shortwave Stations? Yep, another RW rip.

« on: June 11, 2025, 1608 UTC »

Hey All,

A  lot to unpack- BUT.....

I ma not sure if ANYBODY is going to make ANY money on shortwave unless they do exactly what ALL the existing US stations are already doing : giving anybody air time ( not matter what the content) if they pay enough money .

By FAR , the BIGGEST case  in point : WBCQ at 500 Kw using a  rotatable curtain array for "religious" broadcasts. Someone sure had  SUPER DEEP  pockets, at least for this operation .

Not sure how "much bang for his buck"  BCQ's "client"  is getting.This  super station is supposed to be able to SLAM anywhere worldwide , even under marginal conditions .But most "target" areas outside of the US are fairly cash poor.Maybe a winning  of some of the "hearts and minds". Not sure  how big of a  victory in  the wallet dept though .

MOST US stations are much wimpier, being lucky to have any decent type of  fixed direction antenna and some "moderate " horsepower.They seem to cover the US "OK . But they are also pretty much duplicates of each other. ZZZZzzzz. Any new ones would simply leave less pie for the existing ones.

My guess is that a lot  of this programming  probably sort of   squeaks by to pay air time. Otherwise it quickly   goes bye bye.I don't think WWCR lets you run on credit.The BIG hope is that folks send money directly to the "on air personality"where they can-

 A: pay for time .B : Pay themselves.

Rinse and repeat.

And the maybe LAST thing anybody wants is DRM.To lift a quote : "The world needs DRM like a fish needs a bicycle" .

And  1: How much of the  US general public actually  listens to shortwave broadcasts  ?  Almost no one .

2. How many folks have and use DRM receivers in the US ? I'm too lazy to type that many  decimal points .

Pie in the sky : Someone with money ( but NO clue) remembers or finds out about shortwave broadcasting and comes up with a half baked plan to put on a station .

Right.

Anyone remember NDXE ( supposedly the first US station   that was going to use an "N call sign)?

Four words: Delay, delay, delay, disappear.

I also have  VERY serious doubts  that ANY folks are going to use a DRM or AM shortwave broadcast station as a "stock ticker" or for VOA  either.

NQC

8

General Radio Discussion / Re: From what location do I have to tune in to the stations logged here?

« on: June 11, 2025, 1527 UTC »

Hey Yuni,

"77LJS" was simply   the name of the station being heard .I understand how you may have been confused.

"77LJS" is a type of verbal  "contraction" .  Example : Many years ago WABC 770 Khz New York City would just simply identify as  "77 ABC" or "77 WABC".

Much more typical  pirate station names would be ie "Liquid Radio" , "Radio Free Whatever", "Pumpkin Radio"  -OR-  using  "self  chosen"  fake  U.S. format call signs like WLIS, WBZA , KDOG etc.

N.A. or North America is simply the location of "whatever" receiver a person is using. It COULD be  either an SDR OR home receiver . Most guys here seem to listen on their own  radios  and antennas.

What you'll hear :

This will vary a LOT. It depends on what you are using for a receiver and antenna/Earth system ,how much natural and /or man made noise you have locally ,radio propagation conditions at any given time, etc.

Sometimes just a short trip to a location free of radio interference can make a huge difference.

I am sure you have seen the European pirate section of this website. It may provide some insight as to what you may hear in Germany, either on a European  SDR or perhaps directly to your own personal radio.

For North American pirates you may do better to try a U.S. SDR  first and then check to  see if you can hear it directly on your receiver.

Same procedure  for Euro pirates as well.

Hope this is of some help.

BTW your English is great .

FWIW, I lived in Germany for 3 years.

de NQC

9

North American MW Pirate Radio / Re: WDOG 1720 USB 0259 UTC 8 JUN 2025

« on: June 11, 2025, 1459 UTC »

Hey Chris,

REALLY nice to see 1720 being used by a few ops lately. !

With my crumb bag gear and serious  local QRM, I probably would have a prayer on 1720 .At times I am lucky to even  copy 50 Kw dx .

It would take  a Dxpedition for me to even have a chance (IF they are on air) .

Good catch  !

NQC

10

Amateur Radio / Re: UNID 1885 AM 0316 UTC 6 JUN 2025

« on: June 11, 2025, 1450 UTC »

Hey Monophobia ,

Hmmmmm.

Something actually IN the 160 M band  : Kind of a tough call ( and maybe  semantics ) but in the old days we probably would have called this station a jammer,not a pirate.

Jammers operate within a band usually to mess with another ham that they don't like or are just drunk, etc.

It's NOT about  playing music for an audience.

IHMO, pirates operate outside of a band, even if just by  a few KC.

Jammers  often transmit on and off ( just to screw with someone) and don't give made up  ID's ( ie This is Radio Ding Dong , etc).

NQC

11

Huh? / Re: Southern California Cities Invest in AM’s TIS? RW rip...

« on: June 11, 2025, 1443 UTC »

Hey Thadood,

MA "supposedly" has around 25 "TIS" or "SAFE" stations "on air". I am not not sure how old that list or how accurate it is either.
I vaguely recall cruising around the state and seeing signs  still up for stations that weren't on air  ( for  whatever reasons).

Not sure if some of these were "on demand" ,  ie if no big traffic jam or other emergency = off air.

TIS were fun to Dx .You KNOW conditions were good if you could hear them.

NQC

12

Huh? / Re: Real Time FM DX'ing Map from Rabbit Ears? Apparently, new.

« on: June 11, 2025, 1433 UTC »

Hey Thadood,

Way cool.

I did a BIT on FM, but most of my Dx above  30 Mhz was Fire dept,V/UHF  SSB ham , TV dx.

NQC

13

Huh? / Re: The History of UHF TV in America?

« on: June 05, 2025, 2354 UTC »

Hey All,

Military aircraft is above and below the
“ proposed “ second FM band.

Not sure how fuzzy the USAF would be about the idea.

FWIW, Car  remotes run on one or more UHF aircraft frq.

 Anyway they are crazy low power, so may not matter re interference issues.

Back in ancient times, we had channel 27 running scrambled  movies for pay .

The would come out to your house and install a UHF yagi on your roof pointing towards the tower (not sure how much THAT install would cost you ! ) .

Apparently they then gave you a box . But being off the air not sure how they could deactivate recover the box if you stopped paying

( HONOR system ? Good luck.Drive by  remote RF shutdown? DOUBT it . Collection agency ?).

Someone came up with a ridiculously simple boot leg box ( a slug tuned coil in line on the center conductor in a shielded box - plastic screwdriver required ).

It cleaned up to watchable, but not great either.

The entire venture was technically ill advised, a scam or both .

It eventually folded.

No one ever bothered to their Yagis down.
 They were a reminder of this “ venture”for years afterwards.

NQC

14

General Radio Discussion / Re: RW rip: Armstrong Broadcast Returns to New Jersey in June, 42.800MHz FM.

« on: June 05, 2025, 2304 UTC »

Hey Guys,

Well at least ONE clue : the Ringo will give them a vertical polarization and
“ some “ gain , so at least they are squeezing out “ somewhat “ more than the power in the coax.

To grouse further: I have looked around for more information, no luck.

Also Thursday is not such a great day to do this .Saturday or Sunday would have been SO much better.

And again, HOW LONG are they going to be on the air ?? Folks at ANY  serious distance are going to need to be able to work within a “window “ of propagation that may not last for a super long time.

And maybe I am a pessimist and it’s unfounded,but I swear through years of experience working above 10 Meters that New England is the LAST area to  go into E skip and the FIRST area to drop right  back out of it .And the “ quality “ of the opening sometimes seems lower than other regions.

Again, maybe wrong, but it doesn’t encourage me either.

I MIGHT have better luck with a duct- if it happens for their frequency- which means WELL after sunset and probably  needing a trip up the “ big “ hill.

If I CAN , I might try a shot at it.


But a LOT of variables in the mix: I work 2nd shift, , so trying Friday morning would give me “ better “ chance of E skip ( maybe).

Trying to squeeze it on Thursday would  be way too tight re getting to work , since they are starting at Noon ( another thing I don’t quite get).

Again, more info would have been REALLY helpful.

de NQC

15

General Radio Discussion / Re: RW rip: Armstrong Broadcast Returns to New Jersey in June, 42.800MHz FM.

« on: May 30, 2025, 1801 UTC »

Also :

If you believe the lore, ducting “ can” occur “as low as “ 40 MHz,
but is ( “ much “ ?) more “ likely “ above
90 MHz.

Hmmmm.

I also need to find out a sked.

If it’s just a quick historical Bcast at 250 W , even with the gain of the Ringo , it could be dicey this far away.

I might need a few DAYS running 24 hours to stand a better chance.



de NQC