Radio Texas from Serbia to Finland with 80 W!

Last May 2008 I visited many Serbian pirates in the beautiful Serbian countryside. I met also Radio Texas (from Vrsac, East Serbia) which I had heard before in Finland with only 50 W (on 1700 kHz).

On Tuesday evening 30.12.2008 Radio Texas tested new PLL-transmitter with 80 Watts output (playing blues music). Signal was surprisingly good in Finland for some moments on 1694 kHz (21.25 utc). Listen mp3!
Perhaps we can arrange again international broadcast from Serbia to Europe this winter? I am sure many pirate DX-ers would like to have QSL from Serbian pirate station! Let's see. Click the photos >

Here is high quality photo of Texas' new 120 W PLL-tx!

1690 KHz - Greece <-> Serbia pirate-QSO

At night 26-27. Dec 2008 I tuned Greek pirates at late night above 1600 kHz. Radio Anatolia from Kilkis was very strong all the time on 1630 kHz + some UNIDs. Later I heard pirate-QSO between Greeks and Serbian station around 1690 kHz.

Log Friday night 26.12.2008 (times UTC)

1690 kHz - Stathmos Sylvania, Thiva, Greece. QSO Panorama. He says his location "Stathmos Sylvania apo Thiva"(100 km North of Athens; Tnx Spider and Vagelis). 21.24- O=2-3+ - mp3

1688 kHz - Radio Panorama, Serbia. I have never heard this Serbian before. QSO Sylvania. 21.26- - mp3
O=2
1689 kHz - Radio Samurai, Kalamata-city, South Greece. QSO Panorama. I have heard this before (map). This is 1.5 k- station from very South Greece.. 21.30- O=1-2+ - mp3

Merry Xmas and happy 2009!

A view from our home backyard in Naantali. November 2008!

Listening Dutch pirates on Sat evening

Saturday evening, 20.12.2008, since long time I tuned Dutch pirates on 186 mb. Radio Marskramer from Holland was supposed to test but had to cancel the broadcast.
I checked my L-antenna, 250m directed to South. It is giving a bit interference, but I had some good signals from Holland and Greece.

LOG Sat 20.12.2008 (Times UTC)
1385 kHz - Radio Makedonia, Greece on empty frequency. This station seems to be on the air from year to year!!! Own jingles! 22.52- / O=0-2 - mp3
1620 kHz - The Farmers from Holland with international programme giving GSM. The Farmers was very active in the 90's and raided many, many times. 21.05- / O=1-3
1630 kHz - Radio Anatolia, Kilkis, Greece. Still here every evening! 21.30- / O=0-3
1640 kHz - James Bond with poor audio and unstable frq. JB was very strong 1-2y ago, now surprisingly weak. 21.31- / O=0-2+
1645 kHz - Radio Barones, Holland. Good ol' Baro giving QSOs. 22.35- / O=3-4
1646 kHz - Nordzee Zender with polka for the whole evening. 21.05- O=1-3
1655 kHz - Onbekende Colorado Kever met Bonanza, Noord Oost Friesland, Holland. Played Deep Purple and M.Reilly etc. pop/rock with very strong signal!!! 21.00- / O=2-4+ - mp3
1660 kHz - UNID for some time between Colorado and Viking. 21.10- O=1-3
1665 kHz - Radio Viking, Holland. Non-stop-polka for the whole evening. 21.00- / O=2-3+
3901 kHz - Radio Delta, East Holland. Very strong and clear signal!! This broadcast was heard in USA. The operator said thanks for telephone calling from West Virginia, USA!!!! Read the comment below - 22.45- / O=2-4+

Log Sunday 14.12.2008

Since long time here some loggings from 48 mb, starting listening at 09.30utc for short time. Nice signals from many stations.
New surprise is Radio Galaxy from POLAND !! First international pirate from this country !! Also first time since very long time a pirate from SWEDEN, Radio Campervan. Nice signal here!
There seems to be now new band for pirates, 43 mb (6900+ kHz) thanks Spider Radio from Greece.

LOG Sunday 14.12.2008 (Times UTC)

6215 kHz - UNID (6214.8). - 09.45- O=0-1+
6220 kHz - Atlantic 2000 via Marabu - 09.50- O=2-4
6265 kHz - UNID. - 10.05- O=0-1
6283 kHz - Radio Scotland, Beilen making test. Sounding well. - 09.45- O=2-4
6285 kHz - UNID (Antonio?). - 09.43- O=0-2
6290 kHz - Radio Boorderhunter, Holland playing Robert Miles. - 09.40- O=1-3+
6300 kHz - Radio Boomerang, Holland. Testing new antenna-tuner shortly and asking QSO. Strong. - 09.58- O=3-4
6307 kHz - Radio Shadowman, Holland. Strong as always. - 10.20- O=3-4
6325 kHz - Radio Campervan, Sweden. Nice to hear Swedish pirate since very long time!! Playing CCR. They told to have only 15 W but sounded to have more. - 09.39- O=1-3+.
6523 KHz - Radio Ramona, Holland tentatively. - 09.44- O=0-2+
6553 kHz - Radio Galaxy, Poland. I heard this now 3rd time. Very stong signal. Must be many hundred watts!! - 10.20- O=3-4+
6920 kHz - UNID Dutch with polka. This 43 mb is good band because there are almost no interferencies!! - 15.05- O=0-2+
12257 kHz - WRI. Weak but audible for moments. - 09.50- O=0-2

Radio Casanova, Holland - 48 mb - 3.5 kW!

Some years ago I heard Radio Casanova
from Holland on 48 mb with very good signal (listen clip - 7.3.2005 on 6305 kHz). The station operator just mailed me photos of his new good looking equipment. Output of this new tx is even 3.5 kW !! Wow. Can't wait to hear the first tests with that....
>>> Click the photos to larger version

New FM-stations to Turku

I have been very busy at work after summer and therefore no time for DXing:

I just opened two new FM-stations to Turku-city. They are Radio Melodia (www)(89.0 + 88.5, 91.8) and Zoom FM (www)(93.4 MHz - 50 W).
Provincial Radio Melodia is playing Finnish music and oldies for 35+ and Zoom FM is a small pop/rock-station in Turku-city for 15-30 years old listeners. Our 3rd station Radio Auran Aallot (90.5 MHz) will be more AOR/pop soon.

Now I have some time for DXing after big rush of music scheduling and jingle building etc.

Radio Vihor QSLs posted! / Radio Texas new tx!

All who sent reception report of Radio Vihor's international broadcasts in May have now received their Special-QSL-cards by post!!
They have been posted from Serbia with operator's signature.
You can see the QSL here >>

Radio Vihor will be on the air internationally again on September or October when AM-season begins again after summer. Then everybody has a new change to get pirate-QSL from Serbia.

Unfortunately I am very buzy at work, so I have not had time to put my pirate-photos online - but I will do it sooner or later!

Another Serbian MW-pirate Radio Texas (from Vrsac, East Serbia) has built new PLL-transmitter with 120 W output for MW (around 1700 kHz).

Looks very professional, clean and cool! The station plans to put 1 kW on air later this year by using this tx as a driver!
Radio Texas will also test internationally during this autumn. I will inform about the broadcasts later in the forums!
CLICK THE PHOTO >>>

Radio Vihor QSL's on the way

On the 18.5.2008 we had broadcast from Serbian AM-pirate station on 1680 kHz (and lower frq's). It was from Radio Vihor's site from Pancevo which we visited to be on the air. It was the first real international broadcast from Serbia with contact address (Radio Bluestar's P.O.Box in Zwolle - thanks for Bluestar!!!).
We had 12 reports from these countries: Finland, Latvia, Czech, Austria, Germany, Belgium and Holland.
The AM-conditions on 18.5.2008 was very poor. The noise from the thurderstrom were very bad and strong. It covered audio-signals constantly and badly - everybody reported this same info. Also there were unluckily Dutch stations on the frequencies where we informed to be on the air (Dutches are rarely on 1660 kHz or over). New broadcast made on 31.5.2008 (no larger info made this time).

I just made and mailed Radio Vihor QSL's to Serbia. The operator will sign the cards and mail them further to DX-ers. The card is color-photo-QSL where the operator is adjusting the transmitter.
I think we will have a new international broadcast in September or October - so there will be a new chance to hear and have QSL from Serbian pirate!
I will publish photos and videos here later as we visited 4 AM-pirates during Serbian Tour in May.
Just now I am very buzy at work because I am building up new (legal) FM-station to Turku - and re-formatting two other.

FM-DX-listening in Utö-island 7-14.6.2008

I was listening FM in Utö for one week with my friends, 7-14.6.2008.

Utö is a little island, 1,5 km x 1 km-size about 100 km south from Turku-city in SW Finland. It is the farest lived island in Finland with 50 inhabitants!
More: Utö FM-DX


We heard dozens of FM-stations around Baltic Sea area + some Italians via Sporadic E. No pirate listening there.


Here on the photos you can see Utö-location and our DX-camp cottage!
Nice place for FM-DX!



I WILL ADD HERE SOME PIRATE-PHOTOS OF MY SERBIAN TOUR HERE VERY SOON!
Photos of FM-station-visits are on my FM-blog

Serbian stations on air 31.5.2008 at 20.00utc

I have been very buzy after holidays so there are no time for editing photos from our Serbian trip.
We visited 17 FM-stations (for QSL) and 4 MW-pirate stations. There are a lot of pictures to edit later when having time!

The visited pirates were: Radio Vihor (Pancevo), Radio Lovac (Pancevo), Novi Studio (Smederevo) and Radio Elektron (Kucevo). All homemade transmitters - even homemade receivers!

LATE SATURDAY EVENING 31.5.2008
Late Saturday evening Radio Vihor from Pancevo was on the air for one hour playing Finnish music from my premade C-casette (with Zwolle-address).
This broadcast was heard by many DXers in Finland! Also Radio Texas was heard after Vihor.

Here is a photo of me sitting at Vihor, Pancevo on 25.5.2008 during brodcast to Europe! Click the photo >>

Hello from Belgrade, Serbia!

We were on the air from Pancevo on Sunday evening! Great experience - all self-made equipment in nice a house in beautiful countryside!The broadcast was received in Finland and in Holland with weak signal but it was not great succes! We had to change the frequency to 1680 kHz!! There were Dutch station on 1660 khz and strong Greeks on 1650 and 1670 kHz!! Bad luck!
Conditions were very bad! There were thunderstorm crashes all the time. We heard Radio Barones from Holland in QSO back but with strong interference!
I will add some photos here after the trip. Thanks all for trying!

Broadcast from Serbia, Sun 18th May - 1660 kHz !! We are on air on Radio Vihor, Pancevo! Try us!

I will be in Serbia, in Belgrade, between 18th - 26th of May with my friend Jim (from Espoo, Finland). We will visit many legal FM-stations during the week in countryside around Belgrade.

We will also be on the air on Radio Vihor (from Pancevo, 25 km NE from Belgrade) on Sunday evening. We will have one hour broadcast with Serbian pirate-guys and will play Serbian and Finnish music.
The broadcast will be on Sunday 18.5.2008 on 1650, 1660 or 1670 kHz with 1 kW. We start at 22.00 Central European Time (20.00 UTC) and close at 23.00 CET. I hope some frequency will be free. We will take prepaid GSM for callings and SMS to live transmission.
All reports of this special broadcast can be sent to Radio Vihor, P.O.Box 1104, 8001BC Zwolle, Holland (This P.O.Box belongs to RadioBluebird who has been in QSO with Serbians before). Please enclose one IRC for Special-QSL. There will be no e-mail-box!

UNID pirate from USA on 6925 kHz

Last night I was awake late night and first time I heard weak US-pirate station on 6925 KHz!!
Signal was USB and very weak, but luckily I got identification; "This is Radio ......"
The station was audible from 23.13 till 23.33 UTC (possibly closed down). Played "Ghost Riders in the sky".
Here is a short clip of this very weak ID (9th May 2008 at 23.29utc).
I found loggings from USA (www.frn.net) that this is Radio Jamba International but I can not fit this name to my recording! Any ideas for contact-address?

Log Sunday 4.5.2008

Usual stations on the air today but I was not tuning all the time around midday. Strongest were Scotland and Calypso. Radio Barretina from Catalonia, Spain was raided last week. It is told that they interfered some French marine station.

6220 kHz - Atlantic 2000 via Mystery - 08.40- (O=1-3)
6254 kHz - UNID only visible (6254.3 kHz) - 08.50- (O=0-1)
6260 kHz - Radio Saxonia, Germany tentatively. No id heard but they informed to be on air around here (6259.6 kHz) - 08.00- (O=0-1+)
6275 kHz - Radio Calypso & Scirocco, Holland - 07.50- (O=2-3+)
6290 kHz - UNID. Visible only - 10.50- (O=0-1+)
6293 kHz - UNID Dutch chancing frequency many times. Strong. - 10.10- (O=2-3)
6295 kHz - UNID (6295.4 kHz) - 08.50- (O=0-2)
6300 kHz - Radio Scotland, Holland. Told about problems with a tube but sounded OK here - 10.10- (O=2-3+) Click >>>



6300 kHz - Radio Paardenkracht, Holland - 10.30- (O=1-3)
6524 kHz - Radio Ramona, Holland - 08.55- (O=0-1+)
6540 kHz - Radio Brigitte, Belgium tentatively - 07.55- (O=0-1+)

6925 kHz - Spider Radio, Athens, Greece on Saturday evening. Very much noises near but Spider pushed through - 19.50- (O=0-2+)
6960 kHz - Dr Tim, Germany clearly audible with rock music - 08.55- (O=0-2)
12257 kHz - WR International, UK - 09.55- (O=0-2)

Weekend 25.4 - 27.4.2008

Log Sunday 27.4
6215 kHz - King SW tentatively. Played Robert Miles "Children" - 08.55- (O=0-1+)
6220 kHz - Radio Marabu bvia Mystery Radio - 08.25- (O=2-3)
6264 kHz - Radio Saxonia Int. sounded ID. Not 100% (6264.6 kHz) - 08.30- (O=0-2+)
6268 kHz - UNID. Perhaps Altrex? Played Turtles "Happy Together"- 08.35- (O=0-2)
6275 kHz - Radio Calypso, Holland. Strongest of the day.Long px - 08.30- (O=2-4)
6285 kHz - UNID (6285.2 kHz). Only visible - 08.30- (O=0-1)
6305 kHz - Delta Radio, Holland (gave deltapirate@hotmail.com) - 14.40- (O=1-2+)
6325 kHz - UNID - 08.55- (O=0-2)
6524 kHz - Radio Ramona, Holland tentatively. Better than week ago for some time - 08.30- (O=0-2)
6882 kHz - PlayBack International. A bit better in the afternoon check - 08.55- (O=1-3)

Log Friday 25.4
3904 kHz - Blue Star Radio (www), Holland. Nice signal - 21.03- (O=2-3+)
3925 kHz - Radio Continental, Holland giving e-mail and GSM - 22.40- (O=0-2+)
3935 kHz - Laser Hot Hits, Ireland. Mostly very weak - 21.00- (O=0-2)
6312 kHz - Radio Barretina, Catalonia, Spain. Pushing nicely up for some moments - 21.00- (O=0-2+)
6882 kHz - PlayBack International. Only fair signal this time - 21.10- (O=2-3)

Log Sat 19.4 and Sun 20.4

Log Sunday 20.4
5815 kHz - Orion Radio Netherlands. Tx problems. Off at 08.26 - (O=2-3+)
6205 kHz - Radio Borderhunter, Holland. Tent. weak here. (See below on 76m night before) - 09.30- (O=0-2+)
6215 kHz - King SW tentatively - 09.05- (O=0-2)
6220 kHz - Mystery Radio, Italy - 08.30 - (O=2-3)
6275 kHz - Radio Calypso, Holland. Again hard to believe the power to be only 40 W!! 08.26 - (O=2-4) Click >>
6282 kHz - Radio Scotland, Holland - 09.30- (O=2-3+)
6305 kHz - Radio Shadowman, Holland. Testing modulation. Hard noise 6303 kHz giving interference (UNID on this same frq at 08.50) - 09.37- (O=3-4)
6524 kHz - Radio Ramona, Holland tentatively. Just like week ago - 09.40- (O=0-2)

Log Saturday 19.4
1638 kHz - Radio Farmers, Holland - 21.15- (O=2-3)
1646 kHz - Radio Corona, Holland - 21.05- (O=2-4)
1655 kHz - Radio Barones, Holland. Strong - 21.05- (O=3-4+)
1680 kHz - UNID with rock-music ! - 21.15- (O=2-4)
3900 kHz - SW Pirate (3900.5 kHz) tentatively - 20.53- (O=0-2)
3927 kHz - Radio Borderhunter, Holland. Very strong! - 21.28- (O=2-4)
3935 kHz - Free Radio Rainbow - 20.55- (O=0-2+)
6270 kHz - UNID, only visible - 08.40- (O=0-1)
6280 kHz - Orion Radio Netherlands. Closed 08.47 - (O=2-3+)
6312 kHz - Radio Barretina, Cataluna, Spain. Tentatively - 20.53- (O=0-2)

Log Sunday 13.4.2008

Lots of UNIDs today. Around 09utc only 1-2 signal but around 11utc many stations coming on. Orion and Calypso were strongest stations today. Playback had great live px on Saturday with Kevin and JJ !

5815 kHz - Orion Radio Netherlands seemed to have some tx problems. I think there were long break but I could not figure up what happend from the last minutes announcements. Again strongest of the day with Calypso - 07.55- (O=2-3+)
6250 kHz - Radio Queen, Italy tentatively. Weak today - 10.55- (O=0-1+)
6264 kHz - UNID, Saxonia possibly (6264.6 KHz). No clear audio heard - 09.15- (O=0-1+)
6265 kHz - UNID. Perhaps Premier, UK. It seems to ID this station rarely. It is often visible but mostly nothing more - 07.50 (O=0-1)
6268 kHz - Radio Zodiac, Holland -10.50- (O=0-2)
6270 kHz - Radio Calypso, Holland. Strong again with 30-40 W power - 10.50- (O=2-3+)
6273 kHz - UNID, 6273.3 kHz. (Perhaps also UNID on 6272 kHz before) - 11.10- (O=0-2)
6275 kHz - Radio Calypso again here tentatively. Even stronger now during later afternoon -11.58- (O=2-4)
6280 kHz - UNID, 6279.9 kHz - 11.09- (O=0-2)
6290 kHz - UNID, Quintus? - 11.05- (O=0-1+)
6300 kHz - UNID, Perhaps Paardenkarcht or Sallandse Boer, Holland - 07.25- (O=0-1+)
6307 kHz - Radio Royal, Holland - 07.20- (O=0-3)
6310 kHz - Radio Lowland, Holland (6310.4 kHz). Closed at 07.30- (O=0-2+)
6524 kHz - Radio Ramona, Holland tentatively (6523.8 kHz). Some talking heard but not good enough for ID - 10.55- (O=0-1+)
6540 kHz - Radio Brigitte, Belgium tentatively - 11.05- (O=0-2)

6882 kHz - Radio Playback. On Saturday evening Kevin Turner and JJ Clarence live on the air! They mentioned my message on the air, nice! They really had fun ! See more on PBi blog! - 16.00- (O=2-4).
Nice special QSL (n:o 1) of this show. Click larger >>>

6966 kHz - Dr. Tim tentatively. Clearly audible on this test-frequency. Tnx for hint - 10.48- (O=0-2)
12257 kHz - WR International, UK. Popped nicely up for some moments! - 10.20- (O=0-3)

Log Sunday 6.4.2008

6215 kHz - UNID, King SW probably - 08.40- (O=0-1+)
6261 kHz - UNID German (Radio Perfekt?) gave tel.n:o. Closed 09.13 - 08.40- (O=1-3)
6265 kHz - UNID. Only visible. No audio - 08.45- (O=0-1)

6270 kHz - Radio Saxonia, Germany choosed bad frequency (6269.7 ) beside Calypso - 10.20- (O=0-2)
Click larger spectrum-photo >>>

6270 kHz - Radio Calypso, Holland. Strongest of the day whole day - 08.40- (O=2-3+)

6280 kHz - UNID after Jodel - 09.00- (O=0-2)
6281 kHz - Jodelpiraat, Holland. Closed at 08.45.Came back later shortly? - 08.40- (O=1-3)
6306 kHz - Radio Brandaris, Holland - 10.40- (O=0-2+)
6310 kHz - UNID (Radio Marconi?)- 10.20- (O=0-2)
6311 kHz - Radio Barretina, Catalonia, Spain tentatively - Saturday eve 19.30- (O=0-2)
6882 kHz - Playback International with special Jazz-weekend!! - Saturday eve 18.30- (O=2-4)
121257 kHz - WR International, UK - 09.00- (O=0-2)