MW Dutch top end of band and SW pirate listening thread...

[FMEnjoyer]

I thought I will start this off cause I have a lot of respect for the SW pirates and also those Dutch men at the top end of the MW
band. It can be a nice way to spend those cold winter nights... listen to a mellow sound of stations drifting in and out and very often
they are booming in loud and clear.

I used to regularly listen between 6200kHz and 6400KHz SW on a Saturday and especially Sunday morning a few decades ago.

And any evening but especially Fri/Sat and Sunday for the Dutch pirates, and other European in fact I can just hear one on 1639 kHz right now as I type. This is an excellent website that gives loads of info.

https://mwfreeradio.blogspot.com/2016/1 ... d-how.html

You just need a radio that extends beyond the end of the normal MW band. The more we email and interact with them
the more they will likely come on. Shall we do our best to get the MW and SW booming again ? If they know we are listening, enjoying them and communicating they will surely be on more ! I will do what I can to log in and try and put some listening detail on this thread.

I may even set up a kind of listening station that has an outdoor antenna to bring them in a bit better.

Here is this guys latest entry and he has tonnes of video on YouTube

https://mwfreeradio.blogspot.com/2023/03/

His channel :

https://www.youtube.com/@MWPirateReview/videos

[radionortheast]

For a long time i’ve not heard any pirates on fm, so the dutch stations above 1600khz are quite comforting, like to tune to some of the asian lpfm/community stations and listen to the fading signals. The one based near London used to get a good signal up here on a night would play modern music sometimes. I do like the polka on the dutch stations, I do wish there was one that played up to date music, current music.

[FMEnjoyer]

Nice to hear someone else who likes them. I think Technical man's station is as up to date as it gets. I think he plays some interesting stuff at times. different than the other ones you hear. I might get something sorted in the garden this weekend for RX.

[jvok]

I liked Mystery 21 when they were on 4875 a couple of years back. Some good tunes on there, found some stuff thats still in my playlists now. Dont think theyve been on recently though

[FMEnjoyer]

1630kHz very strong here playing Dutch oldies, fading in and out as they do. Was like a local AM station for a while. Internal ferrite rod antenna indoors as well.The thing with short wave and MW is the fun bit is seeking them out they often on and off in 1 or 2 hours so by that alone you feel lucky to have heard them. I like that.

It can be interesting to improve your set up to pull them in I plan a nice long wire down the garden.

Also something low on 1656, conditions seem to have knocked them right down into the noise for now. Just have to
wait it out. I think I only really get the strongest of the bunch at the moment. I do remember putting a decent wire low in the garden and heard about 6 or 7 so that makes a big difference and of course atmospherics. 1665 also there and 1620, not bad for indoors.

It scratches an itch. I will try put a wire up Saturday and listen and do some logging close to live on here, note them in a post as I hear them gets some kind of radio activity on the go. I will write freq up even if not ID and fill in the gaps as I hear IDs.

[FMEnjoyer]

I have set up a decent RX antenna, 2m above ground on my fence, it is a 20m long balanced dipole so I will be listening in after dark this evening and if I hear anything up top end of MW this evening and tomorrow I will post up some signal meter S readings.

If I get ID's and emails I will drop them a line and try and get them to interact, might hear some Germans or E. Europe as well, who knows that's half the fun of it.

I suppose this antenna would be ok for SW as well, probably even better close to correct length.

This could be fun !

[FMEnjoyer]

All set up, din dins ina bit... after sun down will switch the RX, tested and working noise floor low at this moment, will make a log here and put some freqs up if and when they appear.... for those interested feel free to join in with whatever you fancy ! Of course the more the merrier.

[FMEnjoyer]

Already got a no signal Dutch oldies station on 1622kHz Was not expecting them quite so early !
1627 and 1644 also. I think it's going to be a busy evening !

[FMEnjoyer]

1630kHz coming in, playing The Cult She sells sanctuary good track, all stations no signal at this time but above the noise. 1615khz as well, Dutch oldies. This look like it will be mayhem logging them.

[FMEnjoyer]

1630 I think radio Luka? he spoken in English. Maybe.. 1630 now coming S2. I am in South East of the UK for any Dutch stations that pass by this thread.

[FMEnjoyer]

1640 also making it over. Signals all back to not registering on meter. They are creeping up though every now and then, that's how it goes.

[FMEnjoyer]

1625 giving it some "hello hello hello" might be 1627 who has warmed up and drifted.

[FMEnjoyer]

Also have some extremely strong stations 6.275 to 6.395 just playing music for now 6.250 playing soul but lower signal - long time coming is the song Will pop back and forth when MW dies off. 6.295 is Dutch speaking signal massive +20dB over.

[FMEnjoyer]

Just 1625 very quiet at the moment. Maybe I just heard a few stations testing or they dropped out ? The night is young.1617 comes in Dutch music and speech with echo on voice.

[FMEnjoyer]

I even hear someone on 1602 Dutch and Arabic music coming in over the top. One thing for sure it's not boring if you like radio.
I might catch some MW DX from out of Europe.. though I have no idea of freqs of any current MW broadcasters.

[FMEnjoyer]

I found this MW frequencies list click on freq and tells you what stations use it.

https://www.mwlist.org/mwlist_quick_and_easy.php

[FMEnjoyer]

I have 1610 drifted to 1615.... not very stable some of these stations... I think they might be UK based, had kind of old style radio jingles S2 English accent and not sure if a pirate or not has a email called something like peters.mail.com was fading when he said it. Playing Nolan sisters and play that funky music white boy on.

[FMEnjoyer]

1615 S5 strongest signal this evening so far. Albeit very short lived interesting station quite strange L.I.T.T - long in the tooth radio show...calling Madham74.. like a little comedy sketch or something. It's all there people if anorak style listening is your thing.

Dutch signals quite suppressed for now, or maybe Saturday is their main night.

[FMEnjoyer]

1665 heard Dutch oldies but no ID, very week. Despite a good start signals seem quite low.

[FMEnjoyer]

1640 is coming in saying hello to someone in UK - S5 nice and clear good mod. Not sure about from what country.. playing Dutch oldie right now but accent might not be Dutch. Before playing kind of punk country music.