Messages

796

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: UNID & Dr. Benway 6925 02:32z

« on: April 21, 2012, 0252 UTC »

0251z: Huge signal jump after whatever adjustment he made - sounded like RML op's voice.  Gonna slide up the band.
0254z: Oops, it's Captain Ron.  Noted my log.  Hearing you much better now, on 6930.

797

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Captain Morgan Shortwave 6925 AM 01:52z

« on: April 21, 2012, 0208 UTC »

6925 AM jussst barely audible here, can tell there's music but not what.

798

General Radio Discussion / Re: Legendary musician Levon Helm dies at age 71

« on: April 20, 2012, 0530 UTC »

I was semi-prepared for this after seeing one of those heads-up news hints a day or so ago, referring to Helm's bout with cancer.  Fairly recently he was still doing some great live performances with Sheryl Crow and others - see last year's Ramble at the Ryman live compilation.

When I was a punk teenager during the early '70s some friends tried to wean me away from Hendrix, Clapton and the Allman Brothers toward ELO and The Band.  At the time I dismissed them as fanboys.  Chalk it up to a symptom of my shortsighted guitar hero worship.

I still think ELO was overrated - mostly a few good pop songs bolstered by the TV-friendly gimmick of a cello and other instruments associated with "square" music played with rock 'n' roll attitude on Don Kirshner's late night weekend rock show.

But Scorsese's film persuaded me to reconsider The Band.  I still can't quite put them on the same hero-worship pedestal as the Allmans before the deaths of Duane Allman and Berry Oakley (I saw the Allman Brothers live during the summer of '73, and while still great they seemed understandably dispirited).  But I'd enthusiastically put The Band up there with Little Feat.  Takes awhile for some of us to appreciate the ensemble effort.

799

North American Shortwave Pirate / Unid 007 medley 6924.5 AM

« on: April 20, 2012, 0416 UTC »

4/20/12, 6924.5 AM, 0400z (approx): Stevie Nicks "Stop Dogging My Fart Around" & "Gypsy", into a James Bond movie theme set, Sheena Easton "For Your Eyes Only", (Shirley Bassey?) "Goldfinger", "Diamonds Are Forever", Paul McCartney "Live and Let Die", medley of themes from various singers, Man With The Golden Gun, Spy Who Loved Me, View To A Kill, etc., no ID heard so far.
0438z: First ID heard, but buried under static crash

Good signal through heavy static crashes via east coast web tuner.  Just a weak carrier here in Texas.

800

North American Shortwave Pirate / Pee-Pee Vagina Radio 6925

« on: April 20, 2012, 0222 UTC »

4/20/12, 6925 USB, 0211z: "Spirit in the Sky", very tinny and distorted audio.  A few restarts, then nothing.  Maybe signal/audio check.  Off-air recording here.

0230z: Back, music I can't identify, station ID in kid's voice, sounded like TTX Radio or ET Radio, but really tough copy due to extremely pinched audio.  Good signal, just hard to copy audio.
0239z: ID again in kid's voice, using phonetics this time.  Will try to decipher later from recording.
0244z: Kid's voice ID, "You are listening to Pee-Pee Vagina Radio," including a variation in the "Close Encounters" sing-song alien ballad.  That explains things.  Just needs a larger condom and diaphragm.

Good signal here in N. Central Texas, just having difficulty copying due to very thin audio.

17min mp3 for Pee-Pee Vagina Radio.

801

North American Shortwave Pirate / Red Mercury Labs 6925

« on: April 20, 2012, 0047 UTC »

4/20/12, 6925 USB, 0045z: RML just fired up with clear ID and music (sounds like Chris Cornell vocals, not sure which band)
0058z: More Chris Cornell, "Fell On Black Days" with Soundgarden.
0103z: Says he has no web connection tonight, no way to check signal reports.  (Where's that pirate radio homing pigeon?)
0138z: Wondering if anyone's hearing him, signal still banging through with some fades, Soundgarden "Spoonman"
0156z: Sounds like he's signing off - hoping signal was heard.

Overall so far, SINPO=44333, moderate static crashes and fades.  Will upload off air recording to archives later.

1 hr 12 min mp3 here.

802

North American Shortwave Pirate / Voice of Captain Ron 6930

« on: April 19, 2012, 0212 UTC »

4/19/12, 6930 USB, 0156z: Music I can't identify - very thin, pinched audio and hard to tune to pitch.
0210z: Voice of Captain Ron ID, chat with someone in the studio.  Still very difficult to copy.  Sounds more like a recording than live.
0214z: Oops, I'm wrong, it's live.  Captain Ron shout out to me on "Wacky Wednesday".  Signal coming up a bit better here.
0222z: CR talking about "apparatus ... compromise", can't quite copy all but sounds like reference to gear for tonight's broadcast.  "Looking forward to making it better within the means we have available... that's what happens when you launch out into the deep... keep broadcasting as long as we can..."
0228z: "Bender checking in as well (from) Arizona..."
0235z: Roller coaster peaks/fades via home receiver, but still stronger overall than via east coast SDR.
0239z: Ah, explaining show has been combination of pre-recorded and live material "from a little over a decade or so".  Thanks, Cap'n Ron, coming in much better here at home now.
0250z: Chatter about Yaesu FT-101 and Heathkit transmitters.
0255z: Shout out to Jolly Roger, logging on HFU.
0306z: Asking listeners what receivers they're using.  Tonight I'm on the Palstar R30C with an RF Systems EMF indoor antenna strung along the ceiling.  (My latest fugloop is optimized for MW rather than shortwave.)  For whatever reason the EMF works best in the 6000-8000 kHz range with only the center conductor connected to the Lo-Z input on the receiver.  When the antenna is connected "properly" with the shield connected to ground it just raises the noise without improving the signal.  The trick is to coil up the excess coax feedline to reduce common mode noise, maybe a dozen loops coiled in about 4" diameter.  Some folks call it an "ugly balun".
0310z: Mentioned my receiver setup, and Bender's NRD-545.
0326z: Red Hot Chili Peps
0335z: Playing one more song before signing off.  Chili Peps "Otherside"
Shout out from Turtlehead Radio to Captain Ron at end of broadcast.

Thanks for the show, Cap'n Ron, enjoy hearing you chat about the hobby!

Also trying a web tuner SDR with proper outdoor antenna on the east coast.  Signal strength flip-flopping between home on the indoor antenna and the east coast SDR - as of 0220z, much stronger here at home.

Will have off-air recording uploaded to archive later.

803

General Radio Discussion / Re: Dick Clark, host of ‘American Bandstand,’ dies at 82

« on: April 19, 2012, 0117 UTC »

And St. Fansome the psychopomp escorts another soul to his reward.   

804

QSLs Received / Turtlehead Radio QSL

« on: April 19, 2012, 0107 UTC »

QSL received from Turtlehead Radio for 4/15/12 show.  Thanks!  We nightowls and insomniacs appreciate the radio company.

805

North American Shortwave Pirate / Turtlehead Radio 6925 LSB "Tropic Thunder"

« on: April 18, 2012, 0624 UTC »

4/18/12, 6925 LSB, 0612z: Air check?  Just an audio clip from movie Tropic Thunder.  Never go full retard.
0631z: Heee's baaack... same Tropic Thunder audio clip, clear IDs for Turtlehead Radio, music.
0641z: More Tropic Thunder, Culture Club "Karma Chameleon"
0649z: Edwyn Collins "A Girl Like You".  Great song, suddenly seems to be experiencing a revival - has popped up recently on Radio Vixen and background music for a few YouTube videos.
0653z: Hole "Doll Parts", luv dat crazy Courtney.
0704z: "Rehab", RIP, Amy, ya crazy kid.
0709z: Tom Petty & TH, "Learning to Fly" (big signal jump during this song, S4-S5, not sure if propagation or station's power level). "You are listening to Turtlehead Radio, Voice of the Mentally (Handicapped?)..." (I'll hafta check my recording later).
0712z: Bob Marley "Jammin"
0732z: Mike + the Mechanics "Silent Running" - lotsa up and down peaks and fades
0737z: Weezer "Island in the Sun", Turtlehead ID, live on mic shout out (thanks!) and sign-off.

Will post recording to archives later this week.

Signal not strong here on the indoor antenna, maybe S2-S3 (better after 0700z), but even with occasional static crashes the noise is very low, so it's easy to copy the songs and most familiar bits, tho' I'm having trouble making out the "Voice of..." bits on the IDs.  SINPO=34433

806

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Dr. Who Radio 6925 USB 06:21z-0711z 04-17-12 (Late post)

« on: April 17, 2012, 1225 UTC »

Same heard here, around SINPO=33343.  Dr. Who and another fellow whose name I didn't catch, discussing issues similar to the other night.  Couldn't quite catch the context of the discussion about eugenics so couldn't tell whether they're fer it or agin it.  The QRMing/heckling station was barely audible here so no real interference.  Recorded most of broadcast, will try to upload to archives later.

807

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Red Mercury Labs 0153z 6925 usb

« on: April 17, 2012, 0214 UTC »

4/17/12, 6925 USB, 0200z (approx): Just tuned in to hear some AC/DC, Red Mercury Labs ID, "Givin' the Dog a Bone".
0215z: Shout outs to loggers from various forums and email logs, mentioned the dipole hanging from the yardarm.  "We were boarded by real pirates today."
0225z: Mentioned my signal report - I'm just using an indoor antenna (I switch between an RF Systems EMF horizontal wire strung along the ceiling and a homebrewed fugly loop), so a good signal here would be a booming signal to anyone with a good outdoor antenna.
0229z: Xenomorphs aboard the RML!  Don't shoot 'em - the green blood will burn through the hull.

Not quite as strong as usual but still well above the QRN, peaking S5 over S1 noise.  But darned good signal if you're broadcasting from the coast off Africa while fending off Somali zombie pirates.

808

North American Shortwave Pirate / Turtlehead Radio 6925 LSB

« on: April 16, 2012, 0806 UTC »

4/16/12, 6925 LSB, 0805z: Turtlehead Radio has been on for awhile, per evil IRC, but just now audible to me.  Hole "Malibu" (I think, definitely Courtney's singing), Turtlehead Radio ID
0817z: Turtlehead still hanging in there, very crashy condx so not able to ID the past few songs.
0825z: ID, Culture Club "Karma Chameleon"

Do enjoy those non-mainstream tunes and unfamiliar-to-me artists.

809

North American Shortwave Pirate / Dr. Who 6925 USB

« on: April 16, 2012, 0500 UTC »

4/16/12, 6925 USB, 0455z: Bruce Hornsby "The Way It Is", live on mic ID "This is the Dr Who and friends radio hour", monologue theme seems to be generally about personal independence and responsibility, government intrusion, etc.
0512z: "Once you start feeding the rats they start breeding," something about sterilization and eugenics.  Due to fades, not sure of context.  Seems to be conversation between two or more fellows about personal liberties, government welfare, etc.
0517z: Segue to music while they get a refill.  Dream Academy "Life In A Northern Town".
0522z: "...we have a heckler... not a lot of listeners... children hecklers on the air..."  Not hearing any QRM here.  Ignore 'em and carry on, signal is pretty good here.
0527z: QSO with someone from Mississippi?  Other party barely audible.
0531z: Dr Who signing off.

Mentioned broadcast maybe only audible toward the east and Europe, might not be audible toward western US.  Coming in fair to good here in Texas.  Not too much noise but roller coaster peaks and fades.

Not sure whether this is the same Dr. Who associated with MAC Shortwave?

810

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: The Legend of the USS Titanic 6925U *0039 - 0052*

« on: April 15, 2012, 1022 UTC »

... mentions of a person named "Jack Johnson" ...

Probably a reference to boxer Jack Johnson, who was the world heavyweight champ in 1912, the year the Titanic sank.  Johnson was newsworthy for several reasons that year, including a bizarre law passed by the US Congress banning interstate distribution of movies about prizefighting - presumably to impede distribution of a documentary film about Johnson's 1910 defeat of former champ James Jeffries.

Sorry I wasn't able to catch this broadcast - propagation didn't favor Gopher Stomp.  I'm hoping Sealord or Chis snagged a recording.