Messages

451

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Re: UNID 6849.6 AM 2336 UTC 9 September 2022

« on: September 10, 2022, 0017 UTC »

0017 - The Smiths
0022 - Lillibullero followed by "This is not the BBC. Good Bye. Good Bye. Good Bye. Good Bye. Good Bye. Good Bye. Good Bye. Good Bye. Good Bye. Good Bye." TX off or QSY.
0023 - TX on again. More Lillibullero
0024 - "This is not the BBC. I'm not joking. This is not the BBC", etc. Noting it is on 6850.13 at this time.
0031 - "This is not the BBC. I'm not joking. This is not the BBC". TX off then on again this time at 6849.6.

Noting the similarity in signal characteristics to Locomotive Radio yesterday.

0034 - "Is this the BBC? Of course not."
0039 - "13013" 2x, reminiscent of a numbers station.
0041 - "Coronal Mass Ejection. Coronal Mass Ejection." Then TX Off.

452

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: UNID 6972.5 AM 2331 UTC 9 SEP 2022

« on: September 09, 2022, 2334 UTC »

S9+ in NY State. Some fading but nothing out of the ordinary.

2334 - "Go Speed Racer"
2339 - Off.   Was there an ID?

453

North American Shortwave Pirate / Yeah Man Radio 6910 USB 2324 UTC 09 September 2022

« on: September 09, 2022, 2324 UTC »

2324 - ID and "Million Dollar Weekend". S9+ in NY State.

454

General Radio Discussion / Re: FCC Sends More Pirate Letters

« on: September 09, 2022, 1954 UTC »

The side effect of those threats against the landlords
is that the landlords will become more eager than ever against any outdoor antenna

I suppose that could be one effect of this, yes.

The strong interpretation by the FCC could even induce the closed communities and local authorities to forbid more than ever any outdoor antenna
(as anyone accused to help a pirate station is liable to the same HUGE fines).

Time for an amendment about free listening to the airwaves, including the right to listening antenna ?

I will note that I live in an area that is technically under a "covenant" that specifically forbids outdoor radio antennae (but television antennae are not mentioned, interestingly enough, because it was written in 1957 when over-the-air TV reception was important). However, the board that is supposed to enforce this and other restrictions (like having to seek approval for changing the color of your house and so forth) was disbanded many decades ago and I don't think anyone really cares. (Note, it's not an HOA.) I note many ham antennae within the covenant area and I'm not at all worried about my antennae. If it comes to it, I will put up a "television antenna" (wink, wink) with "guy wires" (more wink, wink) and that would shut them up, but, again, I'm not worried about it.

455

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Sycko Radio 6955 USB 0033 UTC 9 SEP 2022

« on: September 09, 2022, 1933 UTC »

Black Betty predates Ram Jam by a good hundred years. It's an old rail driver and chain gang work song from just after the Civil War.

Nuh-uh. I call bullshit on this one. They didn't have electric guitars in the 19th century.

No doubt that some of you knuckleheads out there are unable to grasp sarcasm.

456

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Locomotive Radio 6925 AM 2313 UTC 8 SEP 2022

« on: September 09, 2022, 1920 UTC »

Thanks for all who posted...
Please note that my transmit was in AM mode only (not USB). Yes I know it was over-modulated (trying to get the kinks out).
It ended around 0058, roughly, once Zeke started.
Rest assured, my transmitting this evening had no live voice / mc commentating or the like.
All material was from either an SD card recorder in playback mode or my widows laptop playing Spotify.
I'll have to tweak my horizontal dipole in order to get away from the 1:8 SWR, according to my MFJ meter.
Once again, thanks to all who posted + feedback.

Don't take my comments as being overly critical. Being completely honest is the only way that you're going to be aware of and fix those rough edges. (That goes for everyone who is at the receiving end of my critiques of their signal.)

Your FMing can likely be better addressed using a dummy load instead of having an antenna attached; stabilize your VFO (or crystal or whatever) off the air (with a dummy load) first. To be clear, I'm not saying a dummy load will fix your problem; I'm just noting that you can address issues better that way, with fewer potential complications. The SWR is a different matter and my suggestion is to resolve the FMing first.

Good luck.

457

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Sycko Radio 6955 USB 0033 UTC 9 SEP 2022

« on: September 09, 2022, 0200 UTC »

Black Betty predates Ram Jam by a good hundred years. It's an old rail driver and chain gang work song from just after the Civil War.

Nuh-uh. I call bullshit on this one. They didn't have electric guitars in the 19th century.

458

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Zeke 6925 USB 0034 UTC 9 SEP 2022

« on: September 09, 2022, 0040 UTC »

I think that hear Zeke's weird audio artifacts on this one. I left my headphones at the office so not sure.

0049 - I was right. Zeke on the mic, along with his weird decaying fuzzy noise.
0059 - ID as CHIL Radio.

Have another couple hits of vodka, dude. You're not drunk enough.

0140 (approximately) - Off after "God Save The Queen" again.

459

Group W Bench / Re: Re: Locomotive Radio 6925 AM 2313 UTC 8 SEP 2022

« on: September 09, 2022, 0036 UTC »

I knew that old Sex Pistols classic would get played tonight.

I thought that you were the Sex Pistols classic here?

Nevermind the Pigmeat.

And yeah, I got the joke.

460

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Locomotive Radio 6925 AM 2313 UTC 8 SEP 2022

« on: September 09, 2022, 0004 UTC »

Using a kiwi in Ohio, I see two carriers: one on 6924.89 and another on 6925.3.

The 6924.89 one has modulation (maybe?) but with the carrier above it and the peskies below it, I can't get much out of it. As of 0013, it is either gone or it became one of the peskie signals I hear on LSB.

The 6925.3 is possibly unmodulated and comes and goes (on and off).
As of 0005 UTC, I see what may be FM on the carrier.
I have music ("Red Skies At Night") at 0009. I am listening in AM (with the PBT shifted) but there seems to be considerable FM component to it and maybe the music is only on the USB. Carrier is S6 or so but SINPO = 32221, the overall = one due to very low-level one-sided modulation.
0017 - God Save The Queen?
0018 - Announcements but I don't have headphones today so no copy. Into a choo-choo train sound. Very clear FM'ing in process, which won't help receiving.
0021 - Even with the FMing, the sync detector and USB only (kiwi SAU) is helpful. Some song with a shitload of screaming.
0023 - Robotic announcement of ID and email address. "(Something) Radio".
0024 - Carrier is all over the place.
0031 -  Two IDs but no joy.
0034 - Suddenly good copy in USB with U2, "Still Haven't Found...". Seems to be right on 6925.0 USB with no detectable FM'ing. Though there is now a carrier on 6925.3, which  maybe is the original station and I'm listening to somebody else. I hear Zeke's weird audio artifacts in the USB station so who the hell knows. I think that the clear USB signal is another station. It's completely obliterating the FMing station.

461

General Radio Discussion / Re: The HFUnderground video stream on Twitch and YouTube

« on: September 08, 2022, 2120 UTC »

I guess that means that you are seeking and soliciting fresh new items to report on.

462

General Radio Discussion / Re: Tour of AM Stereo Station KYET

« on: September 08, 2022, 2045 UTC »

I had the same sentiments with all those cards being pulled ... including the C-QUAM generator card not being re-seated properly. Don't get me started on working on the live transmitter. As a former broadcast engineer, I have performed transmitter maintenance in the past, one of which was 1 mega watt ERP. There is "hot swap" and then there is "hot swap". It's within limits. And then there is walking up to a "hot" tower.

This line appears appropriate here as well: "I'm a real pro, I zap shit a lot, can't figure out why and it shows."

463

General Radio Discussion / Re: BBC 198 KHz LW To End?

« on: September 08, 2022, 1839 UTC »

The TX operator could easily modernize the Droitwich site, but surely, the BBC doesn't want to sign a new contract for enough years to justify the upgrade.

That is really what is at issue. With a tenuous position in LW, they aren't going to spend any money on even a used transmitter, even though the cost of electricity will certainly be even higher over the coming months and years.

464

General Radio Discussion / Re: Tour of AM Stereo Station KYET

« on: September 08, 2022, 1832 UTC »

One would think that they would invest in a proper air conditioner --- LOL That sea container must get pretty hot.

The reason they have to run 1 Watt at night is to be able to cool off the container because of all the heat build up in the daytime. 

On a serious note, I love the lack of ESD awareness. "Hi. I'm the Chief Engineer. Let me show all the cards in the C-QUAM generator as I put my hands all over them, touching the chips and the card-edge fingers, while I am ungrounded, did not touch a grounded metal body before handling them, while working in the dry Arizona air. I'm a real pro, I zap shit a lot, can't figure out why and it shows." 

Those older chips in his C-QUAM generator have maybe (if he is lucky) 1 kV HBM survivablility, which means he has very little room to play with here and is tempting fate.

Don't @ me with your "but I do this sort of thing all the time, it's fine" horsehockey. No, I'm not bullshitting nor am I being overly cautious. One of the things I do for a living is worry about ESD survivability and I see a lot of customer damage issues from exactly this sort of scenario. I bet he's been handling cards like that for years - possibly even the cards in that C-QUAM generator - but he's not the model to emulate. End of story.

465

General Radio Discussion / Re: FCC Sends More Pirate Letters

« on: September 08, 2022, 1802 UTC »

Express language regarding landlords, property managers, advertisers and other financial supporters of pirate stations did not make it in the final version of the PIRATE Act in 2020.

However, FCC has taken the position that the statutory language regarding "willfully and knowingly does or causes or suffers to be done” such broadcasts effectively covers landlords and property managers, and are taking enforcement action accordingly:

That's interesting. I wonder if there is precedent for that sort of interpretation.