Topics

1

Equipment / ICOM IC-718 100 Watts HF Amateur Base Transceiver ???

« on: April 01, 2020, 0133 UTC »

Anyone ever used one of these?

Any comment on suitability for "non-standard" operations??

(If a friend of a friend told you all about it, that's cool too...)

2

Shortwave Pirate / Yeah Man Radio, 6925 khz AM, 0000 utc, 15 July 2019

« on: July 15, 2019, 0001 UTC »

Music starting up on 6925 kHz AM as I was parked on the channel on the Chris SDR.... jazzy instrumental.

fairly strong.  Peaking S-9 via Maryland SDR
Can hear nothing in Michigan via my own receiver AM or SSB, except high local noise..

ID as "Yeah Man Radio"  and shout outs to us HFU loggers.  My first time for this station.
Glad I was sitting on here...

Sounds good!

3

General Radio Discussion / Free Radio Cafe Pirate Radio forums back online

« on: September 21, 2018, 1802 UTC »

My Free Radio Cafe Pirate Radio forums are back in operation now, after a long-standing personal malaise and database error was resolved...  We'd be very happy to get a few loggings and have you upload your pirate QSLs!

Visit us at http://freeradiocafe.com/forum/index.php

Long story short:  don't try to fix it yourself first when there are more qualified people standing by to look at the situation for nothing...

If anyone runs into any problems, contact me at tcsshortwave@gmail.com


 

4

General Radio Discussion / TCS co-founder 'The Radical' lost to the rough seas of cancer

« on: February 14, 2018, 1525 UTC »

 
My dearest and best friend Kevin Olson, also known as 'The Radical', aka Stan Lefty on Facebook, co-founder and co-conspirator on the shortwave pirate radio station TCS/'The Crystal Ship' and moderator on the Free Radio Café forum, passed away early this morning at the age of 55, due to complications from his courageous battle with cancer. (His illness was largely the reason for the relative inactivity of TCS over the past nine months.)

On 'The Crystal Ship' he was best known for the "Baseball Extravaganza" program which he hosted and produced, and was the author and voice on our frequently- run spoof ad "E-Beastiality" (sic) promoting a fictional "dating" website catering to people with an "over-developed love for animals" (Kevin had a wonderfully snarky, twisted sense of humor).  He also served as the editorial voice of TCS in a segment called "Shots from the port side" which ran periodically a few years back. 

Kevin was one of the kindest, most generous souls I have ever known, but also a fierce defender of those whom he loved.  You don't find many long-time true and loyal friends in this life, but he was mine for 36 years.  He will be sorely missed...

5

Shortwave Broadcast / Radio Verdad 4055 KHZ AM 0140 UTC 01 DEC 2017

« on: December 01, 2017, 0150 UTC »

Radio Verdad 4055khz  0140u  12/1/2017


Hearing Radio Verdad (Guatamala) on 4055 kHz AM, 0140 UTC on 12/1/2017

Intertubes says this is rated 1kw.  Blog post message from station in 2015 says 800 watts.

S-4 to S-7 peaks with various instrumentals and Christmas music.  Coming in pretty well considering the distance and low power level.

6

General Radio Discussion / Lawmakers demand investigation into FCC Chairman Ajit Pai

« on: November 14, 2017, 2147 UTC »

 Two Democratic lawmakers today called for an investigation into whether Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai "has taken actions to improperly benefit Sinclair Broadcast Group."

 The FCC has made several decisions that benefit Sinclair, a broadcast station owner with a right-wing tilt. Among other things, the FCC rolled back broadcast TV station ownership limits, which could help Sinclair complete an acquisition of Tribune Media Company and, in the process, reach 72 percent of TV-owning households in the US.

 According to two representatives, Pai hasn't sufficiently answered questions about his relationship with Sinclair. Those congressmen are Energy and Commerce ranking member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.) and Oversight and Government Reform ranking member Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), who said as much in a letter to FCC Inspector General David Hunt.

 Pallone and Cummings wrote that they have "repeatedly asked for all correspondence between Chairman Pai, his office, and Sinclair," without much success. Now they want the FCC inspector general to investigate. They continued: Because of the number of incidents where members of this administration have used personal communications services for government business, we also inquired whether the Chairman or his staff have used personal e-mail or social media messaging applications to communicate with Sinclair.
 The Chairman has repeatedly refused to answer these inquiries, raising questions about whether he is appropriately following Commission rules. FCC actions that help Sinclair, "when taken in context with reported meetings between the Trump Administration, Sinclair, and Chairman Pai's office, have raised serious concerns about whether Chairman Pai's actions comply with the FCC's mandate to be independent," the Democrats say.

 The Trump campaign "struck a deal with Sinclair Broadcast Group during the campaign to try and secure better media coverage," Politico reported in a December 2016 story that was mentioned in the Democrats' letter. Trump reportedly discussed potential FCC rule changes in a meeting with Sinclair's executive chairman, and Pai or his staff "have met with Sinclair representatives on numerous occasions," Pallone and Cummings wrote.



https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/11/lawmakers-demand-investigation-into-fcc-chairman-ajit-pai/

7

General Radio Discussion / "Pirates Beware. Chairman Pai Is Coming For You"

« on: September 14, 2017, 0158 UTC »

"Pirates Beware. Chairman Pai Is Coming For You"

 The FCC Chairman Pai updated the radio industry on his progress to shut down pirate radio operators, at the NAB conference. He says, thanks in part to the vocal support of Commissioner O’Rielly, the FCC has substantially stepped up its enforcement efforts against pirate radio stations. And here are the numbers…

 Since Pai became Chairman in January, the Commission’s Enforcement Bureau has issued 55 Notices of Unlicensed Operation, several Notices of Apparent Liability, and six Forfeiture Orders against pirate broadcasters. Pai says this FCC has cracked down on illegal operators all across the United States, from California to Kentucky, and up and down the East Coast from Florida to Massachusetts. “You can rest assured we will not just continue, but intensify this effort in the months to come. Our message to pirate operators is clear: the FCC will not tolerate unauthorized, illegal broadcasts, and we will use all of the tools within our disposal to end them.”

from https://radioink.com/2017/09/06/pirates-beware-pai-coming/#comment-17838


Editorial comment:
Pai isn't coming.  He's not even breathing heavy. 
He is, however, a tool....

I do urge my compatriots to exercise due diligence... especially those within 100 miles of the field offices that remain open. 
Don't feed the Pai!

8

General Radio Discussion / FCC Boss Tries to Hide His Latest Gift to Sinclair Broadcasting

« on: July 09, 2017, 0544 UTC »

The Federal Communications Commission on Friday (6-30) quietly approved the transfer of seven major television station licenses owned by Bluestone Television/Bonten Media to Sinclair Broadcast Group -- without informing the agency's sole Democratic commissioner, Mignon Clyburn. Current FCC boss Ajit Pai spent a lot of time complaining about transparency at the FCC when he was a regular commissioner under former FCC boss Tom Wheeler. Yet much like his professed dedication to bridging the digital divide, this dedication to transparency appears to only be skin deep.
 
Clyburn stated on Twitter that the FCC appears to have tried to bury the news of the approval ahead of the July 4 weekend, and didn't even inform her of the decision. She wound up learning about the decision from her own agency via news reports.

Pai has long opposed media ownership and consolidation limits, and unsurprisingly has made letting these companies grow immensely larger his top agency priority. That has involved attempts to restore the so-called UHF discount, which would let major media companies exceed previous restrictions on the number of stations that they can own.

The efforts have been consistently criticized as damaging to local media outlets and regional reporting. Comedian John Oliver took aim at Sinclair in a segment on his program, Last Week Tonight, but didn't really focus too much on how the current FCC is busy making this possible.

https://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-Boss-Tries-to-Hide-His-Latest-Gift-to-Sinclair-Broadcasting-139887



That big-broadcasting capitalist scum....

9

Huh? / Unknown Name/Clever Name/Not a Clever Name Radio stations, WTF

« on: May 27, 2017, 0850 UTC »

What's up with all that?

10

General Radio Discussion / LAST 2 DAYS: "Back by popular demand!" TCS Crystal Ship T-Shirts etc.

« on: May 09, 2017, 1953 UTC »

Really!

This wasn't expected, but there are already enough reservations/orders made for 'The Crystal Ship' items by people who missed the original promotion period to surpass the minimum required for printing, so the TCS T-shirts, mugs, sweatshirts, etc are available again through May 21st!

So.... if you missed the promotion before, or maybe you wanted other items but couldn't really afford to order them all at once--- here's your chance!  (God knows I want one of almost everything myself, and will be getting my own order in before it's over again.)

Order yours here:
https://teespring.com/tcs1

Don't worry, I won't be pushing this nearly as hard as last time, I figure most people who wanted them got theirs already-- but for the sake of the newbies and maybe a few laggards out there-- here's your second chance to own a piece of pirate radio history!

>>>> You FCC agents out there would look GREAT in one of these, at the next company picnic!  
(The shirts, not the coffee mug... well... maybe... )

MANY THANKS AGAIN, to all of our loyal listeners who are already sporting TCS apparel and drinking java (and whatever else) out of TCS mugs!  Your help is much appreciated!










Reserve yours now!
https://teespring.com/tcs1

11

Huh? / I am in PHP hell.... (With POLL!!!)

« on: March 29, 2017, 0122 UTC »

Have you ever been in PHP hell?  Survey says:

12

General Radio Discussion / ENDS SUNDAY! "TCS" The Crystal Ship: T-shirts/sweats/coffee mugs now available!

« on: March 11, 2017, 0923 UTC »

ENDS SUNDAY March 26!

Own and wear a piece of Shortwave Pirate Radio History with the Official "TCS - The Crystal Ship" T-shirt, long-sleeve T or sweatshirts, and drink your java out of a collectible TCS coffee mug!

After three years, T-shirts featuring the shortwave pirate radio station "TCS - The Crystal Ship" are once again available for a limited time, and this time WORLD-WIDE!
https://teespring.com/tcs1

This time in addition to T-shirts, you can also choose from long-sleeve T's, sweatshirts, or a very collectible TCS coffee mug!

We are happy that this time our T-shirts and other items are available to be shipped to all pirate radio fans worldwide, and not just those within the U.S.

This promotion is a fundraiser for TCS station operations, website operations and the Free Radio Café website, and all proceeds will go to support these operations.

Get yours here!
https://teespring.com/tcs1

The promotion is planned to run for 15 days through March 26th, at which time items purchased will be printed and shipped.  For an additional $3.99 on the order form, they will print and ship your items immediately.

13

General Radio Discussion / FCC to be led by Ajit Pai, staunch opponent of consumer protection rules

« on: January 21, 2017, 0051 UTC »

FCC to be led by Ajit Pai, staunch opponent of consumer protection rules

President Donald Trump will select Republican Ajit Pai to become chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Politico reported today.

“Two industry sources” who are familiar with the decision said an announcement could be made as soon as today, the report said. Pai would become chairman immediately, without needing to be confirmed by the Senate, because he is already a member of the commission. New commissioners must be approved by the Senate, but the president can select the chair from among the commissioners without any additional approvals.

Pai was widely expected to be appointed chairman on at least an interim basis, but Politico says Trump is appointing him as a long-term chair. That would mean Pai could lead the commission throughout Trump’s four-year term in the White House.

“Pai, who met with Trump in New York on Monday, had been seen by many as a top contender for the job given his reputation as a telecom law expert who’s comfortable in front of the camera,” Politico wrote. “But his selection is also somewhat of a departure for the incoming administration, which has tapped people outside of Washington for many top positions.”

Read more:
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/01/fcc-to-be-led-by-ajit-pai-staunch-opponent-of-consumer-protection-rules/

14

General Radio Discussion / A Trump FCC and Pirate Radio: Prepare for Struggle

« on: November 21, 2016, 1949 UTC »

A Trump FCC and Pirate Radio: Prepare for Struggle
By John Anderson

The United States is still trying to come to grips that it has elected a proto-fascist as its next chief executive. With the Republican Party in firm control of the legislature and the ability to shape the judiciary for the next several decades, lobbyists of all stripes are drooling at the prospects of a bona-fide kleptocracy.

Of all the things expected to be decimated in the Trump era, media and communications policy are among them. Others have already written about the potential for a GOP-run Trump FCC to undo several years’ worth of media reform efforts, such as network neutrality, media ownership limits, and many other things. We still don’t know who Trump may nominate to chair the Commission, though there’s talk that one of the two sitting GOP Commissioners may get the nod.

Neither will be good: Ajit Pai is a trenchant disciple of neoliberal economic theory, and pretty much sees all regulation as bad regulation; Mike O’Rielly, who helped write the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (though tellingly does not crow about it), is pretty much the same. But O’Rielly’s crusade to eliminate unlicensed broadcasting from the nation’s airwaves has gotten a significant boost with this election.

In the short-term, it’s unlikely that current FCC leadership will take any significant actions against pirate stations, and might even further deprioritize broadcast license-enforcement efforts during this lame-duck period. When the Trump administration takes over, it’ll inherit an agency bereft of meaningful operational revenue and adequate staff, demoralized and generally seeking to preserve their own rice-bowls. Many at or near retirement-age may see this as a good time to leave, further decimcating the agency’s institutional knowledge.

But what we can’t know is what the influx of Trumpsters into staff and management positions at the agency will do to the interpretation and execution of media policy. On the unlicensed broadcast front, here are some possible things to watch out for.

The first is the unabashed criminalization of unlicensed broadcasting.

Read more: 
http://diymedia.net/a-trump-fcc-and-pirate-radio-prepare-for-struggle/8617#more-8617

15

General Radio Discussion / FCC Commissioner Questions Enforcement Actions (Radio World)

« on: December 10, 2015, 0247 UTC »

Remarks made last week by FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai will likely fuel concern among broadcast industry observers {i.e. whores ~ J.Poet} who doubt the Federal Communication Commission’s commitment to enforcement.

In his address to the PLI/FCBA 33rd Annual Institute on Telecommunications Policy and Regulation in Washington, Commissioner Pai acknowledged the trend of fewer FCC enforcement actions and specifically mentioned the lack of attention given to pirate radio complaints.

The FCC commissioner said an email he obtained from an unidentified whistleblower within the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau dated Oct. 28, 2014, included the following instructions from the bureau’s Northeast Regional Director to field agents: “We are scaling back our response to pirate operations. Barring interference to a safety service, pirates should not be given a high priority. If there’s interference to a safety service, it’s not a pirate case but instead a safety case.”

The email went on to state “we will not be issuing NALs [Notice of Apparent Liability] to the majority of pirate operators,” according to Commissioner Pai.

Industry observers have told Radio World the FCC’s pending field office closings and staff cutbacks will further erode the FCC’s enforcement abilities.

“My prediction is that we’ll continue to see a less effective enforcement process and fewer enforcement actions,” Pai said.

http://www.radioworld.com/article/fcc-c ... ons/277676

And may your prediction come true! ~John Poet