Portal-Rmail-To: lee_-_reynolds@cup.portal.com
Message-Id: <9012071649.AA27162@decpa.pa.dec.com>
Date: Fri, 7 Dec 90 09:17:45 PST
From: SWL mailing list  07-Dec-1990 0948 <pirate@anarky.enet.dec.com>
To: mail11:;@decpa.pa.dec.com@decpa.pa.dec.com (@pirate)
Subject: **  7415 ** The Internet Pirate DXer list ** 7 Dec 1990 **

 ===================================
 |  //////   //  //   //   //////  |   The Internet Pirate Radio Listeners
 |     //   //////   //   /////.   |            mailing list.
 |    //       //   //        //   | Post Addr: PIRATE@ANARKY.ENET.DEC.COM  
 |   //       //   //   //////     | Info Addr: BREWER@ACE.ENET.DEC.COM  
 =================================== Keeper   : John Brewer, Albuq. NM
 |  Dec 12, 1990  Circulation 244  |   
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 [ A quick issue with some listening tips and some logs and QSL reports.
 [ Thanks for the contributions, and keep the posting coming!
 [ On to the listening advice for newer (and older!) Pirate DXers!
 [--------------------
 From:	DECWRL::"LUDFK@VAX1.CC.LEHIGH.EDU" "Dave Keppel" 
 To:	anarky::pirate 
 Subj:	Re: ** 7415 **
 
 Hi John and all!
 I thought I'd volunteer for the tips on pirate hunting. And I hope others
 do likewise.  First I'd like to make remarks about RNI which I heard for
 first time Thanksgiving weekend. I originally started hunting thru the
 dial Sun. nite 11/25, found no pirate activity and went on to tune into
 the program. I found it to be quite interesting, and I did hear our
 *7415* internet mentioned quite a few times!  I am hooked now and look
 forward to hearing our net being mentioned again. 
 
 Now on to the tips for pirate hunting....
 I have been involved in this hobby since the beginning of the year. 
 And originally started out as a SWL'er. Attempting to intercept receptions
 from far away lands. I started out with a el-cheapo Heath-kit GR7 (?)
 some years back, but never really got into it, until I discovered this net.
 Rec.radio.shortwave and the people involved recommended the Sony-2010
 Receiver as the best portable on the market (the sync detector) does the
 trick when it comes to locking into signals reducing fading distortion.
 
 So with reciever I also knew that some sort of antenna would help in
 DX'ing (especially pirate signals since they are of a somewhat weaker
 variety). The random wire does just fine...I only noticed this AFTER I
 upgraded to a attic mounted dipole and "Grove's" TUN-3 antenna tuner.
 Most of my hunting begins with just the random wire. If the signal is
 garbled or fades alot, I revert to the eleborate system. But the 2010
 is very sensitive and the simple wire does the trick most of the time.
 
 When do I hunt? I am only able to this on weekends for I work nights.
 What time?  I find that between 7:30 - 11:00 P.M. (EST) to be the best,
 especially SAT nites. But the prime ground seems to be 8 p.m. That is
 where I have copied the most receptions. In fact I only devote maybe
 2 hours a week....yes just 2 hours a week, and have copied dozens of
 pirate ops. Location?  I am situated in east PA. in a fairly level
 landscape with no major obstructions. So If someone is one top of a hill
 or higher altitude they might even have more catches.  
 In addition I noticed that alot of pirate ops operate in USB mode. 
 In this mode there are usually 2 way communications between 2 or more
 pirates exchanging info, etc. Program formats usually appear in the
 receivers AM mode (which I tend to prefer). 
 So basically you have to get the best reciever you can afford, a digital
 readout helps alot since bandwith tends to be narrower...and Single Side
 Band is desirable (USB/LSB), to catch all the action.
 
 hope this helps!
 
 73's and Good luck!
 
 Dave

 [----------------------

 From:	DECWRL::"76535.474@CompuServe.COM" "Ben Fuller, Jr."
 To:	John Brewer <ANARKY::BREWER> 
 Subj:	10 meters 

 John,
 
 [... ]
 
 In the latest 7415, you ask for DX tips for Pirates.  Mine follows: As
 the I Ching says, "Perseverence furthers." This more than anything is
 the most important aspect of Pirate DXing.  Don't expect to log pirates
 if you only pass quickly through the active bands every hour or so
 while listening to the BBC, Radio Moscow, and so on.  You've got to
 plan on a few hours sitting on the main frequencies on Fri. & Sat. & 
 Sun. late afternoon to eves. to log stations. Even then, there is no
 guarantee you'll make a logging.  Almost by definition, most Pirates
 are sending out low power signals which means a misplaced
 thunderstorm, or any other source of interference can wipe them out at
 your QTH while someone a few miles away has them booming in.  Then
 again you can go through a stretch where logs come so fast you can't
 keep up with them. 
 A few tips are: tape all logs.  This way you can go back and dig out an
 ID from a weak signal.  It also establishes that you did actually catch
 the signal if you send it to the operator.  Many of them do like to
 know how they sound.  Get current info.  Subscirbe to 7415, Pirate
 Pages & join the ACE. Follow the logs listed which will give you a
 sense of who is active, what frequencies they are using, and the time
 frames most operators are chosing. Get a good antenna. The whip coming
 out of most table receivers is not good enough.  An active antenna, a
 long wire with a tuner, or a dipole (see the October ACE for a couple
 of antenna plans designed by two eminent Pirate DXers that are easy to
 make and very good.)  After getting a good antenna, concentrate on the
 receiver.  I've had lots of success with a low quality receiver and a
 high power antenna. Since a lot of Pirates are broadcasting in SSB
 these days, look for one with a BFO.
 Lastly, get some good books to read on those weekend evenings you spend
 Pirate chasing.  Sit next to the radio in an easy chair, and sooner or
 later the bands will heat up.

 [... ] 
 73
 /ben
 [----------------------
 [ Good suggestions both! I'd echo the above, and add the following:
 [ If you use a receiver in the SCAN mode (which I frequently do
 [ w/my Kenwood ham xcvr/Gen Cov rcvr) I'll switch to LSB mode. In 
 [ addition to muting (somewhat) the background static rush, when a
 [ carrier comes on in my "scan window" ... even a weak one, I
 [ stand a better chance of catching it. If I were to listen
 [ in AM mode all the time, some very weak stations would possibly
 [ be missed, wheras a carrier (even a weak one) stands out clearly
 [ when scanning in SSB mode.
 [ I'd also second Ben's advice about the tape recorder... there
 [ are LOTS of loggings I could not confirm without the benefit
 [ of having a tape copy to review. I have found that ops generally
 [ really appreciate an aircheck tape sent along with a report.
 [-----------------------
 [ Logs!
 [-----------------------
 From:	DECWRL::"jburnell@kean.ucs.mun.ca" 
 To:	anarky::pirate 
 Subj:	Newfoundland Report 

 
 Another week-end without good conditions...and no new stations heard. I
 was using the Icom IC-R71A and my antenna is down to 25-metres in the attic.
 
 RADIO GALAXY INTERNATIONAL 6239.8  Info received from the station turned out
 to be correct: they are broadcasting on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday
 nights! Heard 30 Nov 2113-2157 with pops, ID at 2135, at peak SINPO 22332 with
 CW QRM that you can partially remove by listening to the USB. On 2 Dec 0005-
 0030 again w/pops SINPO 23332. On 2-3 Dec 2342-0231 UTC SINPO very variable,
 best was 24332, lots of pops with not a lot of chat...believe that the pgm
 was the same tape every night as I noted sequences of the same songs.
 
 JOLLY ROGER RADIO 6229.0 This Irish stn noted in passing with C+W mx pgm
 at 2146-2152 on 1 Dec. Two clear ID's heard. SINPO 23332.
 
 UNID 6236.0 Very weak music + M DJ but could not understand a word due to
 extremely low level. SINPO 14331-0, 2305-2307, 1 Dec.
 
 HOPE RADIO INTERNATIONAL  7414.4  2310-2342* on 1 Dec. Rock mx, Radio
 Animal w/pirate rpt at 2324, s/off at 2342. SINPO 34333. Wish the op
 would QSL the reception report I sent back in August!
 
 RADIO STELLA  6319.4  2347-2356 on 1 Dec. Jock played clips of his
 reception of other Europirates...I have heard Jolly Roger R. as well as
 he did, and I thought my QRM problem was local! (SINPO 33433)
 
 RADIO MEXICO INTERNATIONAL  7434.7  0824-0837* on 2 Dec. LA mx, ID's
 in Spanish + in English (x2, each), Blue Ridge Summit address, some
 talk in accented English about poverty in Mexico -- difficult to com
 prehend because the audio quality was very poor (sounded like a 99
 cent microphone!)  SINPO 24332.
 
 RADIO ONANG UTANG (Holland) 0840-0912 (actually noticed this earlier,
 but the frequency - 6205.9 kHz- is very close to HCJB on 6205.1 kHz, so
 listening was painful until HCJB went off.)  70's pops and disco mx --
 is it a coincidence that every time I have heard this station it is
 playing "Y-M-C-A" by the Village People? DJ speaks English with a slight
 accent. SINPO 33333.
 
 I did not take any notes, but I did hear European Christian Radio coming
 in quite well on 6210 kHz during the wee hours of 2 December. These
 Italian stations cannot really be considered pirates...the are private
 stations in a country with fewer laws...so I'm not sure why they are
 reported in ACE and Pirate Pages (or here!)
 
 Jean Burnell, Chemistry Dept, Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland
 
  [------------------------------------- 
 From:	DECWRL::"rab@hal.CWRU.Edu" 
 To:	anarky::pirate 	
 Subj:	Hope Radio International 

 John,
 
 I'm a new addition to the pirate list (just got my first issue -- the
 one dated 29 Nov 1990) and wanted to thank you for your efforts!
 
 This might not be news to anyone else, but I wanted to report that I
 caught Hope Radio International last night (23:16 UTC till signoff at
 23:42 UTC 1 December 1990) on 7414.6 MHz.  They're selling HRI T-shirts
 for $10 and gave the address P.O. Box 109, Blue Ridge Summit PA 17214.
 Most of the broadcast consisted of reading reception reports from
 listeners and Pirate News Program #5, news of other pirate broadcasts,
 covering the Halloween period.
 
 They announced that they are "accepting studio-quality tapes of
 programming for possible relay on future broadcasts."  They should
 be sent, along with adequate postage, to the above address.
 
 In response to a reception report from a listener in Europe, they gave
 the following information on their transmitter and antenna: "...a pair
 of 810's modulated by a pair of 250 TL's.  We're running around 500
 watts output -- carrier output -- to a dipole antenna at 75 feet."
 They also mentioned that the report was the first they'd gotten from
 Europe.  The signal was strong here in Cleveland on my ICF-2010 with
 a tuned 130' random wire up about 50'.
 
 Keep up the good work, John.  I look forward to future issues of
 the list.
 
		Roger Bielefeld
		rab@hal.cwru.edu
 [-------------------------------------------------------
 [ Great that you caught Hope! HRI does a great job of programming
 [ with xlnt audio quality... according to a phone call in August, the
 [ station was changing and some improvements were made. These appear
 [ to have paid off, as HRI sounded great here in NM. I caught the
 [ 12-2 broadcast on 7414.4 at 0430-0530 with fine rich AM audio.
 [  I do not doubt the TL250s! Ben Fuller also caught them
 [ on two other 41m freqs that day, and I hrd of a 3 Mhz program as well.
 [ The T-shirts DO show the Hope Van with the mobile 3 element yagi!?
 [ I Also logged Action R on 7417 at 2245 (date=?? I left that info at
 [ work!) with a strange assemblage of sounds, phrases and clips of
 [ audio at the end of the broadcast. They mentioned three 3-area
 [ ham callsigns and "1000 microwatts of power".
 [
 [ BigSteve of RNI writes to announce that since there is an extra week 
 [ in this month, there will be a "party special" on RNI with Alan Weiner
 [ potentially hosting the show. The general schedule for this weekend
 [ is 0200 UTC- 9PM/EST   The RNI Mailbag - with Dan Lewis
 [    0300 UTC-10PM/EST   Pirate Radio Central - with Pirate Joe
 [
 [ The Voice of Bono sent out a VoB newsletter to some DXers... they
 [ are planning expanded programming w/some changes to the station
 [ for this DX season. Look for them on 41m.
 [
 [ If you logged Zodiac Radio earlier in the year, keep an eye open for
 [ QSLs... I received 2 in the mail, for broadcasts in January. I also
 [ got a QSL and "foot note" from  One Voice R, and a nice letter
 [ from Joe.
 [ 
 [ That's all for this week. Post early and often. 73&DX /john
 [
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