Bored with SWBC? Try pirates

[ka3jjz]

Yep, they're very much active - and if you know where to look you ought to be able to hear at least 1 a day, maybe more.

Where to look? Try 4000-4200, 5100-5200 and/or 6700-7000 Khz. Any time day or night. You read that right - sometimes they are on in the day, even tho they won't propagate that far. Beware that there are a few legit broadcasters here - one nice one - if you can catch it - is the flea powered R Verdad Guatemala on 4055. YHWH and a few others have intruded into the 6700-7000 Khz range, too.

Some pirates send SSTV at the end or during their broadcasts. You can find a nice selection of apps - not just Windows - at the bottom of the HF Software Decoders article in our wiki. Watch the Extreme SW Listening and HF Underground Facebook pages and the HF Underground message boards for news. If they're on and you want them, move quickly - and some do QSL (some even use eQSL)

HF Software Decoders - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Mike

 

[N5TX]

Have not paid much attention to them for a long time. Is the increase in response to the Covid-19 disaster or the anticipated lack of enforcement?
Perhaps that question is not clear. Are they conducting normal pirate radio activities or are they disaster oriented?
Bob N5TX

 

[Token]

Where to look? Try 4000-4200, 5100-5200 and/or 6700-7000 Khz. Any time day or night. You read that right - sometimes they are on in the day, even tho they won't propagate that far. Beware that there are a few legit broadcasters here - one nice one - if you can catch it - is the flea powered R Verdad Guatemala on 4055. YHWH and a few others have intruded into the 6700-7000 Khz range, too.

YHWH does not use the 6700 - 7000 range (not in quite a while, anyway), he is more typically around 7460 and 11560 kHz. But other than that, yep, try those freq ranges. Don't forget the 6100 - 6400 kHz range also, that is more of a Euro pirate range, but a few North American pirates jump in that area occasionally trying to be heard in EU.

T!

 

[ka3jjz]

Yes it's been awhile but I seem to recall them using 6870 a while back for some sort of testing. As you say currently 7475 (and 7490) and 11560, per recent WoR reports. That nutcase station seems to use whatever fits them....

Probably the most popular SSTV decoder (for Windows, anyway) is MM-SSTV. It's free and the link is available where I mentioned earlier. Software has been around seemingly forever....Mike

 

[ka3jjz]

Have not paid much attention to them for a long time. Is the increase in response to the Covid-19 disaster or the anticipated lack of enforcement?
Perhaps that question is not clear. Are they conducting normal pirate radio activities or are they disaster oriented?
Bob N5TX

From the reports I've seen, usual pirate stuff. They seem to be staying far away from the disaster stuff - as they should....Mike

 

[Skypilot007]

I use to love catching Uncover Radio with host, Doctor Benway and his far out stories. He was usually between 6.900 and 7.000 on USB or sometimes AM. Haven't heard him in a long time. I have several QSL cards from him. Good times. A link to one of his shows below.

Undercover Radio Podcast #2 : Dr. Benway : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Pirate shortwave radio from a broadcast in 2005

archive.org

 

[Token]

(Talking about pirate YHWH) As you say currently 7475 (and 7490) and 11560, per recent WoR reports. That nutcase station seems to use whatever fits them....

He has been on 7475 at around 0300 UTC the last few nights.

T!

 

[ka3jjz]

Well now they've gone and done it - but you had to expect it sooner or later.Yesterday around 0024 UT there was Covid 19 radio on 6923 LSB...Mike

 

[Token]

Here ya go, the last couple minutes of YHWH from last night (02 April Pacific, 03 April UTC). I have the entire show recorded, but don't feel like putting up a 2 hour video.

T!

 

[Token]

At one time tonight there were 6 HF pirates up at once, on 4175 kHz was XFM, on 4195 kHz was RFW, on there was an unIDed on 6925, Wolverine on 6930, WTF Radio on 6950, and Damn Skippy on 6960.

Wolverine on 6930 kHz was good enough quality that I had it on the house sound system, so the wife could enjoy also.

As he normally does, Wolverine ended with an SSTV image. The them of the song (his shows are typically themed) was "fire", so the iamge was:

T!

 

[a29zuk]

Well now they've gone and done it - but you had to expect it sooner or later.Yesterday around 0024 UT there was Covid 19 radio on 6923 LSB...Mike

Tonight on 4/5 @2230z on 6936 USB. Nice S7 signal with a little fading. Playing some good music!

Says his name is Patrick and is off the coast of the Carolinas.

He's moving around on the dial, Mike.

Jim

 

[ka3jjz]

That's not at all unusual, Jim....Mike

 

[a29zuk]

Yes, I used to listen to pirates many years ago. Kind of enjoying this layoff. Have more time to enjoy BCB and HF!

Jim

 

[mancow]

Hearing it now on 6.936 usb.

 

[TailGator911]

6925 the other night, a replay of an old Dr. Demento show - remember him? 0300UTC I am hearing a few more pirates out there as of late. Sign of the times, I suppose.

 

[captainmax1]

I remember the Dr. Demento Show. Haven't heard that in many years. I'll keep an ear out for it.

 

[storm777]

Thanks for the tip, @ka3jjz . I remember the nights of searching through the 43 meter band for pirates back in the days. Since it looks like I'll be on "preventive quarantine" (high risk) for another month, this will be a fun way to occupy some time.