Monthly Archives: March 2013

Pirate Radio Recordings: Black Cat Radio

(Click to enlarge)

Last night, I heard a new pirate on the air: Black Cat Radio.

Black Cat signed on 6,925 kHz USB around 23:45 UTC. After sending in a reception report, I received a reply with a cool eQSL card (see right) and learned that this was, in fact, show number one.

Here’s the show #1 play list, courtesy of Greaser Bob:

The Genders- Horatio
Blitz- 45 Revolutions
Queens of The Stone Age- Go With the Flow
Nirvana- Anueurysm
Black Flag- Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie
Betty Blowtorch- Strung Out
The Misfits- Angel F**k
Suicidal Tendencies- You Got I Want
MC5- Kick Out the Jams
Corrosion of Conformity- Who’s got the Fire
Phil X and the Drills- You’re not Happy till Im not Happy
The Vandals- Urban Struggle
The Bloodhound Gang- Pennsylvania
Betty Blowtorch- Rock and Roll 69

Click here to download the full recording of Black Cat Radio Show #1 as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Standard Pirate Radio Disclaimer: This is a recording of a real pirate radio broadcast, and as such, may include strong or colorful language or lyrics. In general, if you are easily offended by the words, ideas, music lyrics, or music herein, you should slowly…back… away…

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Steven remembers his QSL collection

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The Nomadness (Photo: Steven Roberts)

Steven Roberts recently sent me a message with photos of a QSL card collection he once had. You see, several years ago he started the process of living on his boat, The Nomadness, full-time. It required that he pare down his belongings to only the essentials; he made the decision to sell his QSL card collection.

Steve confesses:

“Kind of sorry I sold them now, but I have to let things go before I sail off, die, or otherwise render my tonnage irrelevant!”

Steve said that most of the card collections below are from around 1966-67; others from about 1980. Click on the images to see larger versions:

Europe

North America

South America

Broadcast Band

Christian Broadcasters

EU/Asia

Africa

You can follow Steven’s adventures with The Nomadness on his blog: http://nomadness.com/blog

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PCJ Radio International radiogram, March 31st

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(Source: PCJ Media)

On March 31st, 2013 PCJ Radio International will conduct a digital text through analogue shortwave broadcast of a radiogram.

Setting: MFSK32

Date: March 31, 2013

Time: 0227UTC

Frequency: 9955khz

This test will have a message in English and Spanish for listeners in Cuba and Latin America. Those in the South Eastern part of the United States will also be able to tune in and record the 2 to 3 min transmission. If all goes as planed the Cuban jamming against 9955 kHz won’t have any effect on the message we will transmit.

For information on the software needed to decode this radiogram visit the following URL:

http://www.pcjmedia.com/component/content/article/1-latest-news/224-pcj-radio-radiogram-test-march-27-2013

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DRM tests from Moscow starting tomorrow morning

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drmlogo The WRTH Facebook page has noted that DRM tests from Moscow will take place on 25,900 kHz starting Friday, March 22nd (tomorrow) at 10:00 UTC and ending on Saturday, March 23rd at 10:00 UTC.

Details of each broadcast can be found here–see English version via Google Translate.

They’re asking that all DRM reception reports be logged in this online forum with a detailed description and even sound clips of audio reception, if possible.

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VOA Radiogram: March 23/24 broadcast

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(Source: VOA Radiogram)

VOA Radiogram for March 23/24 will be similar to the past weekend’s program in that it features the PSK modes. Much of Kim’s script will be the same. In this weekend’s broadcast, however, only one mode at a time will be transmitted. This should improve the signal-to-noise ratio and ability to decode each mode.

Each will be centered on 1500 Hz:

BPSK31 (1:00)

PSK63F (1:00)

BPSK63 (1:00)

PSKR125 (1:00)

PSKR250 (1:00)

PSKR500 (1:00)

PSKR1000 (1:00)

PSKR125 (3:45) Plain text

PSKR250 (2:40) Flmsg* formatted (with html)

MFSK32 (0:55) Image

*Install Flmsg. Then, in Fldigi: Configure > Misc > NBEMS > under Reception of flmsg files click Open with flmsg and Open in browser, and below that state where your Flmsg file is located.

If decoding performance is still not satisfactory, VOA Radiogram in future weekends will feature more robust modes, such as MFSK, MT63, and Olivia.

See VOA Radiogram: how to decode the modes.

VOA Radiogram transmission schedule
(all days and times UTC)
Sat 1600-1630 17860 kHz
Sun 0230-0300 5745 kHz
Sun 1300-1330 6095 kHz
Sun 1930-2000 15670 kHz
All via the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station in North Carolina.

Please send reception reports, audio samples, screenshots, etc., to [email protected]

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Check out Ragnar’s Pirates Week podcast

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If you like pirate radio, you should subscribe to the Pirates Week podcast.

Pirates Week is hosted by Ragnar Daneskjold and is chock-full of pirate radio news, events and off-air recordings.

I subscribe to the podcast via iTunes by using the Pirates Week RSS feed url: http://piratesweek.info/feed

You can also listen to each episode and read show notes on the Pirates Week website.

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Montsinéry transmitter site in French Guiana to close early April

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(Photo: TDF)

According to the French language newspaper France-Guyane, the TDF transmitter site in Montsinéry, French Guyana, will shut down in early April.

Citing a lack of listeners, newer communications mediums (like the Internet/satellite) and the fact that much of the developing world is now politically “stable,” [obviously discounting Zimbabwe] delegate René Iafrate explained that it no longer makes sense to keep the site open:

Mais il n’est plus au goût du jour. « Il y a plusieurs raisons : la concurrence d’internet et des plates-formes satellitaires, et aussi le fait qu’un grand nombre de pays en développement qui constituaient nos cibles principales soient de plus en plus stables politiquement » explique René Iafrate.

The six employees who currently work at Montsinéry will be trained and given jobs in broadcast fields plus porteurs (more promising). The site itself will be dismantled within six to nine months.

Click here to view the original article in French or click here to view it in English via Google Translate.

This news was announced in mid-February, but it appears the closure is still on-track. Montsinéry relays a number of international broadcasters, so it’ll be interesting to see where they go for shortwave service to the target areas Montsinéry once covered.

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