High Powered Pirates

[redhat]

I know KIPM used to run mucho-power back in the day, also Radio Metallica Worldwide was rumored to be running 10KW or better, and WJDI was running a few KW's as well.  Any other notable "high power" pirates come to mind?

+-RH

[Kilokat7]

Hope Radio International comes to mind.

[Sealord]

I think Undercover Radio has mentioned using 1k at times - not sure what Wolverine uses, but it's got some kick.

[Echo_One]

I think Undercover Radio has mentioned using 1k at times - not sure what Wolverine uses, but it's got some kick.

I think Wolvie runs on Magic, Sealord. No matter what time he is on, I have never failed to pick up a good signal from him on the normal remotes. I agree that whatever Wolverine is running must be quite the thing

[ChrisSmolinski]

WJDI ran 2.5 kW on 1620. I've read claims of even higher power levels, upwards to 15 kW, although I am not sure how valid they are.

The Voice of Tomorrow QSL I have claimed 2 kW from right here in Baltimore. Not sure how accurate either claim was, but I do recall they often put in a really good signal.

[Andrew Yoder]

To the best of my knowledge, very few North American pirates ran greater than about 300 watts before KIPM. WJDI was definitely an exception

[DimBulb]

WJDI has a Wikipedia entry - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WJDI

And the HFU Wiki (nice card Chris) - http://hfunderground.com/wiki/WJDI

How about some off-air clips (caught by KiloKat7) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC8IvnYV_ZU

[ChrisSmolinski]

And the HFU Wiki (nice card Chris) - http://hfunderground.com/wiki/WJDI

Well heck, I could have looked at my own QSL to see that they ran at least 5.1 kW.

[ff]

WJDI ran 2.5 kW on 1620. I've read claims of even higher power levels, upwards to 15 kW, although I am not sure how valid they are.

I had the serendipitous pleasure of meeting the "WJDI guy" at a hamfest a few years ago.  He told me that he had operated several different tube rigs thoughout his active years and admitted to using a 10 Kilowatter from inside an old boxcar.  What a really nice, really interesting guy he was... with great big cajones...

The only unmentioned high power operation I can recall offhand is the ill-fated mobile Voice of Laryngitis relayer from about 20 years ago.  He was transmitting non-stop from a van hurtling down the Interstate highways and was eventually busted hundreds of miles later with a 1KW linear amplifier.  And it seemed like such a good idea...

[Pigmeat]

I've always heard that the final for RMWW came from the WJDI set-up. I've seen a chunk of that amp, it was stout.

The story of the transmitter blowing on them once is a classic.

[Echo_One]

Please tell us

[Beerus Maximus]

The only unmentioned high power operation I can recall offhand is the ill-fated mobile Voice of Laryngitis relayer from about 20 years ago.  He was transmitting non-stop from a van hurtling down the Interstate highways and was eventually busted hundreds of miles later with a 1KW linear amplifier.  And it seemed like such a good idea...

I recall this bust too. Operator was an ACE editor. Busted in Colorado, or Kansas. FCC and Marshals threw up a roadblock to grab him. Slightly more than 20 years ago, I believe. 1991-ish? The ACE did a good job burying it so the gory details largely remained in the shadows of the rumors.

As kilokat7 mentioned, Hope Radio was very high power. The operator was from the 75 meter AM scene and valued high quality audio and watts. The shows were immensely entertaining and involved numerous members of the 75 meter AM scene, some of whom continue to be very well known. A great station, and the operator put a lot of heart into it. The FCC field office in his jurisdiction really had it out for him and had him punished hard. I believe he lost his ham license for many years, and went abroad to get away from it all, but has returned and is on the air again (legally, with a new call sign) on 75 meters from time to time. He has a distinctive voice and personality, instantly recognizable if you ever heard Hope Radio.

Those were some formative pirate radio days for me.

[Andrew Yoder]

Yeah, Hope Radio was a great station. By the end, the programs were really well done.

The Voice of Laryngitis relay was on for about 13 hours while the op was driving on Rt. 70 from either Kansas or Missouri. If I remember correctly, the roadblock was just outside of Boulder, CO. It's a great example of the FCC's interest in pirates back then. I can't imagine them setting up a roadblock on an interstate to catch a pirate now--especially one on 19m. Then again, I think their priorities were totally out of line back then...wasting police resources and shutting down an interstate to catch a guy broadcasting on a clear frequency to about 20 people? Insane.

[ff]

Hope Radio Int'l was the kind of pirate operation any of us might "hope" to be like.  MJ was really a class act. 

I think their priorities were totally out of line back then...wasting police resources and shutting down an interstate to catch a guy broadcasting on a clear frequency to about 20 people? Insane.

Yeah, the Feds had that old "stomp 'em into submission" thing going on back then.  They had me scared more than once.  Paraphrasing an old buddy of mine from back in the day: "they operate with the mentality of a grade school hall monitor."  I guess someone finally figured out that it wasn't working...

[BDM]

I think their priorities were totally out of line back then...wasting police resources and shutting down an interstate to catch a guy broadcasting on a clear frequency to about 20 people? Insane.

Absolutely!!