A look back at 2023

 As we start a new year, it is a good time to look back at the world of free radio in 2023. Last year we saw a number of stations return to the airwaves. The most notable was Weekend Music Radio.

It all started in April when a mystery station began broadcasting old recordings of WMR in the 48mb. This was heard by WMR operator Jack who publicly suggested that if he recorded a new show the relay station could air it.

Sure enough, in May the first new WMR show for several years went out on 6295 as the mystery relayer picked up the show and broadcast it. The programmes uploaded each week to the WMR website were also picked up by other stations and broadcast, including by the low power German station Shortwave Gold. 

The WMR shows have continued weekly ever since. It has been great to hear WMR back on the air, and long may it continue.

WMR wasn't the only returnee. Back in the summer, Skull and Bones Radio System made a comeback. SBRS was last heard during the Irish pirate radio boom of the 1980s so it was good to hear SBRS back on the air.

Also back after a few years away was the powerful German station Radio Mexico, while over on medium wave British pirate Radio Argus returned in December, thanks to a relay by Radio Blackbeard on 1512 kHz.  Also back on shortwave is another UK station, Central Radio International who has been heard over the Christmas period. 

I wonder if any other pirates will be tempted to dust off their transmitters in 2024. Who would you like to see return?

There have still been plenty of dedicated pirates keeping free radio alive during 2023. I've done my annual count of the Euro-shortwave pirates I logged last year - this total doesn't include the low powered licensed stations like Piepzender or Delta, nor the various relays of internet stations which popped up during the year.

There's been a drop to 111 stations in 2023, down from 125 in 2022. There will have been a few stations who have been on air but I've not heard them.

Some stations only appeared once or twice during the year while others were on air throughout 2023. As for where these stations came from - no surprises, The Netherlands had the most with 66 stations, down from 77 in 2023. This was followed by the UK with 12 stations then Germany and Ireland with six each. 

Here is the country breakdown (2022 figures in brackets)

• The Netherlands 66 (77)
• United Kingdom 12 (15)
• Ireland 6 (8)
• Germany 6 (8)
• Italy 4 (4)
• Finland 3 (1)
• Ukraine 2 (1)
• Belgium, France, Greece, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden (1 each)
• Plus 4 broadcasting from unid countries

My A-Z of shortwave Europirates heard in 2023 can be found HERE

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For anyone interested in the Dutch medium wave pirates, Assen DX has done his annual A-Z of these stations. For the results go to his blog: https://mgpiraten.blogspot.com/2023/12/middengolf-piraten-ontvangen-in-2023-z.html