Messages

166

General Radio Discussion / Re: Sony to Exit Shortwave Receiver Market

« on: March 04, 2018, 0447 UTC »

ICF-2010's have their issues, but mine is still kicking & getting the job done 30 years on. Maybe I got lucky? There are some irritating quirks in her old age, like losing the stored frequencies every other day (I know, I have to tear it apart for an easy repair).  The synch is quite good and she still pulls in amazing catches with wire attached.

The 2010 was a freak experiment that will never be again (all those preset buttons, a labor of love from Sony's founder I believe). I agree with RedHat. Tecsun PL-880 is a great radio for the $ and I bet with Shenzhen (?) sources you could build something way better for next to nothing. (?)

IMO Sony threw in the towel decades ago (long before Passport went AWOL), they went into music licensing and other mega corporate stuff that may in the end be more losing propositions than SW in this era, imagine that. Anyhow there are still fairly well made mass-produced radios out there making noise like mine, happily. (Yeah, I'm a little defensive, I did make mine travel to the boonies back in the day, where a 2010 can really shine). I applaud Sony for making such an in-your-face oddity so well in the 1980's.

edit: 7600 (and predecessor)  was indeed excellent, but I wore mine out well before I reached drinking age.

167

Peskies / Re: Puerto Rico Freebanders 6900 kHz LSB 2320 UTC 2 March 2018

« on: March 04, 2018, 0359 UTC »

They were really (S9, one op anyway)  loud here about an hour ago (0100-0200 UTC), I seem to catch them a bit later than you. Alternating between 6900 and 6900.1 No location ID tonight.

168

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: X-FM 4070 AM 0302 UTC 04 MAR 2018

« on: March 04, 2018, 0351 UTC »

Lots of noise here and faded out, really started to hear you when the heavy metal kicked in. S7 when I could hear you, and fully legible, as usual, with some of the best AM audio quality in the biz. Thanks for the broadcast!

169

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Wolverine Radio 6955 USB 0039 UTC 11 FEB 2018

« on: February 11, 2018, 0154 UTC »

Killer s9 here in  SW AZ, fully legible and LOUD rock n' roll, fantastic show, thank you!

170

Peskies / Re: Drug Traffickers or Fishermen? 7757.7 kHz USB 1350 UTC 30 Oct 2017

« on: November 06, 2017, 0110 UTC »

Haha, that is true, when I hear them they are usually _loud_.

Hey, good on you for actually QSO-ing with these guys, I've never heard of anyone doing that. The lack of any analysis of what the "peskies" talk about in Spanish has always bothered me, so like you (?) I decided to learn some myself. Of course, a lot of the time the guys are drunk (?), and it seems totally meaningless, they start singing... Nevertheless, the world of Senor Mister Shrimps on the radio is always interesting to ponder.

Been listening to these guys since the late 80's.  The BBC can come and go, but the Pescado guys and the numbers stations and the pirates are here to stay, and will probably increase, I think, don't you? You want Omerta, you got Omerta.... who in general public listens to SW? Very few? It's a decent cover...

Hope to have some pescado logs soon, tis the season!

171

Peskies / Re: Drug Traffickers or Fishermen? 7757.7 kHz USB 1350 UTC 30 Oct 2017

« on: November 03, 2017, 0128 UTC »

Really enjoying your posts and observations. I first heard "kilos" mentioned on a Peskie broadcast back in the early 90's. I have no idea what they meant or mean but of course hiding  "general cargo" in fishing boats is as old as the black market (and fishing, I'm sure). It's interesting to monitor these conversations as my Spanish becomes slightly competent. Haven't heard peskies here yet but will be monitoring. Thanks for the logs!

172

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: Clever Name Radio 6945 USB 0102 UTC 03 Nov 2017

« on: November 03, 2017, 0116 UTC »

S7 he re in SW AZ and getting better by the minute. Nice!

173

Shortwave Broadcast / Re: careless idiots at 9965Khz AM 8/17/16 0206 UTC

« on: August 18, 2016, 1410 UTC »

I'd like to second that dxace. I have 15, 7.5., 3 3/4, 1 7/6 speeds on 1/4" tape, but  the 15 is half-track and some of the old stuff is mono, so it gets tricky. The only possible answer is re-hab of more beautiful, wrecked old machines.    I have a Sony "portable" from 1971 but it doesn't do 15 ips, of course, but who aside from radio stations recorded stuff that speed? I have great stuff from Katrina days (ham radio) on Reel to Reel, must fish it out when I have time.

174

Shortwave Broadcast / Re: Voice of Korea 9435//11710 AM 1330 UTC 13 Aug 2016

« on: August 18, 2016, 1401 UTC »

Like the above listeners I found the inimitable R. Pyongyang just waking up and wandering around 9-10K. Strong absolutely copy-able signal here in AZ for them on 9435, much better than the old 9335 kHz days for some surely unknown reason. Or maybe the prop is good today...

175

General Radio Discussion / Re: Ham radio operator hears airline pilot report UFO over Utah

« on: April 15, 2016, 0418 UTC »

Great find, Chris. Thanks!

176

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: XLR8 6955 USB 0437 3/05/2016

« on: March 05, 2016, 0527 UTC »

Several XLR8 ID's @ 0525.

177

North American Shortwave Pirate / Re: 6936 kHz Radio Saxofone - (Radio Pirata) , ???? , talvez estado de SP , Brazil

« on: February 27, 2016, 0700 UTC »

Really killer sounding station, even better with the audio distortion! You need to invent a guitar pedal that does exactly that! Cool radio, too! Maybe they could point their signal north!!

178

Shortwave Broadcast / Re: [UNID] 6915 USB 0200 UTC 27 Feb 2016

« on: February 27, 2016, 0650 UTC »

Is WRMI _really_  aimed at the NW US? That seems a big change. My memory is blurry on the subject, but back in the days, didn't they tend to broadcast in the opposite direction? You know, being in Miami, they had Spanish language programming that was, to put it obliquely,  aimed at certain countries in another, Spanish speaking direction? I may be totally off in memory here.  Anyway,  "keying over" WRMI might not be rocket science, I can scarcely hear them either.  I'm just curious what the sum is to by 24/7 programming on a ton of freq's and stations (what is it, ten?) which can have exactly how many fanatics of Stair listening at the same time? Day, year, in and out, is that not chump change? Another SW mystery.   Haven't checked out WBCQ since they were on 7415, did you listen then? Alan (?) in the control room shooting the breeze with staff before nowforsomethingcompletely different (programming wise) came on? They were trying to go solar, last time I checked. Of course, waaaay back when,  WBCQ was taking over the main pirate frequency band. Round and round we go!  

EDIT: interesting history of WRMI on their site:
http://www.wrmi.net/pb/wp_cfd276d6/wp_cfd276d6.html

[I don't see Overcomer nor 6915 on their schedule page btw]

Over on WWRB, however, they say you can lease 24/7 for 25K/month, and here is Stair's schedule:
http://www.wwrb.org/tsched.php

179

Shortwave Broadcast / Re: WRMI 6915 AM 2356 UTC 16 Feb 2016

« on: February 27, 2016, 0526 UTC »

Elite Data, your comments are spot on and your suspicions of why may be, sadly, quite correct. This subject keeps rising like Dracula, what on earth could be the reason other than $? On the other hand, like you and Chris said, the pirates will simply move if necessary.

180

Shortwave Broadcast / Re: [UNID] 6915 USB 0200 UTC 27 Feb 2016

« on: February 27, 2016, 0514 UTC »

Yeah, you're almost certainly right. I did some google searches on the man and his minions and I no longer find him/them in any way amusing. Live and learn, and thanks for the tip EData.  This doesn't deserve to be called pirate, nor even Pesky? Why so much of these programs? I have my theories, the whole topic is beyond depressing. I'll check out the other thread again , thanks. I agree with you, "psycho binge" is the apt expression.   Mods, you can delete or move this thread, this station and logging in no way deserve to be here.