Log Sunday 24.2.2008

Many stations on the air this Sunday and also quite clear conditions. Strongest of the day were Radio Scotland, Mazda, Voice of The Netherlands and Paardenkracht - and of course Playback in the late evenings.
Radio Viking Scandinavia (Swedish?) was a nice surprise with USB-broadcast on 6305 kHz.

5815 kHz - Orion Radio Netherlands (www). Good signal. Bad noise on 5818 kHz - 09.30- (O=2-4)
6250 kHz - Radio Queen (tent.). Some signal peak-ups but no talk heard - 09.35- (O=0-2)
6254 kHz - UNID with carrier shortly. Britain R with technical problems? 10.00- (O=0-2)
6260 kHz - Radio Paardenkracht, Holland (Operator said that the name of the station means "Horsepower" - 09.30- (O=2-4)
6266 kHz - Radio Scotland, Beilen, Holland. Perhaps slightly the strongest of all - 09.46- (O=2-4)
6278 kHz - Voice of The Netherlands. Good signal, too - 10.00- (O=2-4)
6290 kHz - Radio Mazda, Holland - 09.30- (O=2-4)
6295 kHz - Radio Northpole, Holland (tent.- no talkning heard - identified in C-Europe) with long dance-non-stop. Non-stop-music should be forbidden on 48 mb! - 09.30- (O=1-3)
6305 kHz - Radio Viking Scandinavia (Sweden?) with px in USB-modulation - 09.44 (O=2-3) mp3 later
6306 kHz - Radio Royal, Holland. Popped up after Viking closed down - 09.44- (O=0-2+)
6524 kHz - Radio Ramona, Holland (tent.). Not strong enough to ID although some peak-ups 10.00- (O=0-2)
6540 kHz - Radio Brigitte, Belgium. Tent. No ID - 09.44 (O=0-2)
6882 kHz - Radio Playback International, Italy. Italian spots heard. Audible even around midday. Stronger in the evenings.
6925 kHz - Spider Radio, Athens, Greece on Sat evening. Fair signal. USB - 19.00- (O=1-3)
12257 kHz - WR International, UK. Quite well this Sunday 09.50- (O=0-3)

I am going to Serbia, 17.-25.5.2008

I am going to Serbia in May 17-26th, just before and during Eurovision Song Contest in Beograd.
I will visit many local legal FM-stations (at least 10 stations) in Beograd and in smaller cities around with my DX-friend (Jim from Espoo), so, the target will be radio 24h, FM- and pirate-radio.

We hope that we can be on the air on some bigger MW-pirate radio from Serbia on some late evening. It could be interesting to try to reach Europe from Serbian pirate between 1600 - 1700 kHz!
I will inform here about the possible broadcast from Serbia. It would be fantastic to take GSM-phone-callings and reports from all over Europe during the brodcast !
The happenings in Serbia does not look good just now. I hope everything will go better - we have already booked the flights!!

QSLs from Volos, Central Greece

Here are my first real QSL-cards from Greek Medium Wave-pirates.

They are Radio Xenos and Radio 98 from Volos, Central Greece - both around 1720 kHz and approx. 1 kW power.

My first Greek MW-QSL is
Radio Ouranio Toxo from Larissa.
It is a verification-letter written to me when I visited that station in October 2006.

MY QSL LOOKS LIKE THIS !

Weekend 16.-17.2.2008 - Russian pirates!

One highlight of this weekend was a few Russian pirates received on Medium Wave 1640 - 1700 kHz. Also I identified one, Radio Palma, location unknown (confirmed by Russian DXer).

I have noticed before that these stations are audible almost only between 15.00 - 18.00 UTC and always there are many stations up at the same time!!! After 18UTC they start to fade out - and very rarely audible at night. I think the reason for this is the sunset efect. So, it is possible that they come far away from Russia. Russian help needed for more info!!

Russian MW-log Saturday 16.2.2008
1641 kHz - Russian pirate with non-stop-Russian music - 16.37- (O=0-2+)
1652 kHz - Russian pirate. Non-stop + some talking - 16.05- (O=2-3+) mp3
1661 kHz - Russian pirate with non-stop-Russian music - 16.35- (O=0-2)
1690 kHz - Radio Palma, Russia. Non-stop for over one hour and closing down at 17.08 UTC. Then QSO. (This clip confirmed to be "Palma" by Russian DXer >) - 15.55- (O=2-4) mp3
1700 kHz - Russian pirate. Only non-stop heard -16.30- (O=1-3) mp3


SW-log 16-17.2.2008
5815 kHz - Radio Orion Netherland. Moved to 5805 kHz after Kiss signed on - 08.50- (O=1-3+)
5815 kHz - Kiss Radio, Denmark. This must be a legal transmitter in Denmark with 5-6 kW used by World Music Radio and FRSH before. Very pro programming! Great signal, but there were multipath distortion to Finland (Finnish Spaceshuttle after Kiss but I was away home)- 09.02- (O=3-5) mp3
6205 kHz - Radio Borderhunter, Holland - 11.05- (O=2-3)
6250 kHz - Radio Friends, Italy. New station for me -09.05- (O=0-2)
6265 kHz - Antonio Radio, Holland -08.53 - (O=1-3)
6270 kHz - Radio Altrex, Holland / Saturday -09.05- (O=1-3)
6271 kHz - Magic AM, Holland. Nice signal peak-ups - 11.15- (O=1-3+)
6275 kHz - LHH (or Rainbow), Ireland / Saturday - 09.00- (O=0-2+)
6280 kHz - Radio Merlin, UK tentatively - 08.57 - (O=0-2)
6281 kHz - Radio Calypso, Holland. New station for me/ Saturday - 09.15- (O=0-2)
6290 kHz - Radio Mazda, Holland. Strongest heard today. -11.10- (O=2-4)
6306 kHz - Radio Royal, Holland. Also on Saturday midday - 11.05- (O=0-2)
6311 kHz - Radio Barretina, Cataluna, Spain. Not good signal this weekend here / Sat -20.05- (O=0-2)
6315 kHz - Radio Saturnus, Holland (tent.) - 11.10- (O=1-3)
6524 kHz - Radio Ramona, Holland (tent.)-11.05- (O=0-2)
6882 kHz - Radio Playback International, Italy with nice pro programming! Audible 24h here and gives quite clean signal later evenings. Not much multipath and slow fading gives partly enjoyable listening. Skip is good to Finland! Must be a "kilowatt-station"!! - 21.10- (O=2-4+) mp3_A / mp3_B
6925 kHz -Spider Radio, Athens, Greece. USB. Once again quite strong - 21.30- (O=1-4)

Radio 98 received in Finland on Thursday evening

Radio 98 from Volos, Middle Greece had clear signal in Finland on Thursday evening 14.2. -08 from 20.50 to 21.00 UTC. I heard Greek folk music and talking in English:
"This is Station 98 from Volos, Central Greece. Operator name is Panos" mp3_A / mp3_B / mp3_C
The frequency was 1720 kHz and power of the transmitter was 1 kW.

Radio 98 is my 3rd received pirate from Volos-city.
Last Saturday I received two other stations on 1720 kHz. They were Radio Xenos (temporarily 1,2 kW / mp3) and Radio Pilio (1 kW, 6x 813-tube, 3000 V / mp3).
Xenos and Radio 98 are now QSLed and I will put them online soon.

Loggings on SW - Sat 9 - Sun 10.2.2008

I started listening SW at 09.50 utc >
6205 kHz - Radio Borderhunter, Holland - 09.50- (O=2-3+)
6216 kHz - King SW. Weak audio - 10.10- (O=1-2+)
6281 kHz - UNID. Caroline Eifel? Zodiac? Listen the mp3. Ideas? Closing down at 10utc - 09.50- (O=1-3)
6286 kHz - Radio Zodiac, Holland - 11.20- (O=1-3)
6290 kHz -Radio Mazda, Holland. Strongest of the day - 09.50- (O=3-4)
6295 kHz - UNID. Grensstad? 09.50- (O=1-3)
6309 kHz - Radio Cochiguaz. Better than week ago. No reply to my e-mail yet - 09.50- (O=1-3)
6310 kHz - Radio Condor, Holland. Dance music - 10.20- (O=1-3) mp3
6311 kHz - Radio Barretina, Catalonia, Spain - 16.10- (O=0-2)
6325 kHz - Radio Quintus, Holland - 11.15- (O=2-3+)
6400 kHz - WMR Scotland - 11.10- (O=0-2)
6882 kHz - Radio Playback International, Italy. Finally not only non-stop-music. Nice jingles! Very strong signal with good modulation!!! I am very curious what is the tx-power!!! I must ask it! 16.10- (O=3-4)
6925 kHz - Spider Radio, Athens, Greece. USB. Plans to move AM with more power - 16.10- (O=2-3+)

Radio Xenos and Radio 98 from Volos, Greece test to Finland!

Radio 98 (eneninda okto) from Volos, Greece tested signal to Finland Saturday evening at 19.00 UTC with 1 kW. Frequency was 1750 kHz and later 1720 kHz.
However, it was too early time and the band was not well open - no clear signal here. New test later.


Radio Xenos
received in Finland!!
Radio Xenos from this same city tested at 20.00-20.14 UTC on 1720 kHz. Power was 1,2 kW (max. available 3,5 kW). His signal was poor/fair here in Finland! I heard Greek talking and music - and station-ID in English: mp3_A / mp3_B "This is Radio Xenos from Volos, Greece"
The signal-path here - 2.342 km long (made by Radio Tromokratis. Tnx!)!

After Radio Xenos I heard Radio Pilio (also from Volos) giving signal-report to Xenos. This happened on 1720 kHz at 20.15 UTC. Power also 1 kW. Signal poor/fair. There is clearly "Radio Pilio" said three times (but impossible to ID without Greek help) ! mp3

Volos is a beautiful city by the sea about 160 km North from Athens (60 km South from Larissa).

Loggings Sat 2.2 - Sun 3.2.2008

Highlights this weekend:
- Test from Radio Elektron, Kucevo, Serbia with 2x PL519-tubes transmitter but only 45 Watts output !! Weak but clear signal here in Finland on 1703.5 kHz.
- 11 years old South-American pirate, Radio Cochiguaz, had broadcast via European pirate on 6309 kHz. Exotic sounds ! mp3

LOG Sat 2.2.2008
1650 kHz - Radio Hawaii, Holland - 20.10- (O=2-3+)
1665 kHz - Radio Shaduwjager, Hoogeveen, Holland - 18.40- (O=2-4)
1665 kHz - Radio Armada , Lemelerveld, Holland - 18.40- (O=2-3+) mp3
1665 kHz - Radio Teknikal Man, Holland - 19.50- (O=2-3+)
1670 kHz - Polkaman Radio, Holland - 20.04- (O=0-2)

1703 kHz - Radio Elektron, Kucevo, Serbia. Test to Finland. This station uses 2x PL519-tubes / 900 V (but output now only 45 Watts!!). QSO with Vihor 3-4 times - 22.08- (O=0-1+) mp3 (not good ID; fade out)
1704 kHz - Radio Vihor, Pancevo, Serbia. QSO Elektron - 22.20- (O=1-3)

6311 kHz - Radio Barretina, Catalon, Spain (tent.). Very weak on Saturday, but clear with fair signal on late Sunday evening!! - 20.40- (O=0-1) / Sun (O=0-2+)
6925 kHz - Spider Radio, Athens, Greece. Now very strong (USB) 20.45- (O=2-4) mp3

LOG Sun 3.2.2008
5815 kHz - Radio Orion Netherlands, Holland -08.30- (O=1-3)
6210 kHz - Radio Carneval (tentatively). IDed in Europe - 10.03- (O=0-2)
6266 kHz - UNID - 09.20- (O=0-1+)
6267 kHz - Radio Scotland, Beilen, Holland. c/d at 08.41- (O=1-3)
6307 kHz - Radio Royal (www), Holland. Really Royal? Listen mp3 !! - 09.25 - (O=0-2)

6309 kHz - Radio Cochiguaz (orig. from South America) relayed by some European pirate. Andean music with Spanish IDs which was very nice to hear. They are planning to come back from South America on 11430 kHz USB (now tx-problems). c/d at 09.16- (O=0-2+) mp3 (I have bad local noise)
6310 kHz - Radio Condor, Holland. Nice station-ID but I missed to record it - 10.00- (O=1-3)
6400 kHz - WMR Scotland, UK. Better signal today - 08.30- (O=1-3)

12257 kHz - WR International, UK. Better than ever with my present equipment with even more stable signal. Now I heard their promotion of the web-page. There is live stream, photos and videos!! mp3

(http://www.wrinternational.co.uk/). - 10.03- c/d -11.05 (O=0-2+)