Fri March 6

1620: Radio Titanic heard @ 1915 with ID in English and giving out hotline number, playing schlager. SINPO 34333.

1653: unid station with polka @ 1930, QRM from another Dutch station on 1655. SINPO 33333.

1662: Radio Boomerang playing dance music @ 2130 followed by ID. SINPO 34333.

1663: Radio Klaas Snoek with report for Boomerang @ 2145. SINPO 34333.

1665: Radio Relmus with schlager @ 1925. SINPO 34333.

Ofcom calls for crackdown

Ofcom in the UK have called for a renewed crackdown on illegal broadcasters and pirate radio stations claiming that their signals can risk lives by interfering with emergency service frequencies and block legitimate stations.

According to Ofcom figures, there are more than 150 pirate radio stations operating across the UK, half of which operate in London and the South East of England.

Read the full story at:

http://radiotoday.co.uk/news. php?extend.4467

(Radio Today via Mike Terry, radioanoraksuk)

Most of these are found on FM, with the majority in London

Two more pirate radio features

A couple more reports from the BBC:

Pirate radio "puts lives at risk"
Includes a video report on an actual raid.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/ 1/hi/technology/7919748.stm

The pirates' view of pirate radio, includes two video reports
different to the police raid one on the previous story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/ 1/hi/technology/7920067.stm

(via Mike Barraclough, radioanoraksuk)

Tues March 3

3900: Radio Skyline heard @ 1925 with oldies. Good signal. Also heard @ 2011 with report to Boomerang. SINPO 44433.

3900: Radio Boomerang with a strong signal @ 2000 giving report to Radio Noorderlicht. SINPO 54444.

3903: Voice of the Netherlands with a very short report @ 2021. SINPO 44433.

6240: Misti Radio playing Meat Loaf @ 0935, occasional utility QRM. SINPO 33433.

Police track rise of pirate radio

Pirate radio stations are booming across the UK, but so are police efforts to catch the perpetrators.

Some 707 stations were raided in 2007, with 881 targeted in 2008, and police say they have a 100% conviction rate.

Read the full story at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/ 1/hi/uk/7920241.stm

(via Mike Terry, radioanoraksuk)

Another Boat That Rocked Trailer

A second trailer has been released for the forthcoming film The Boat That Rocked. See it on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb0LX7BrbBQ

Here are the release dates:
UK 3 April 2009; Australia 9 April 2009; Germany 16 April 2009; Netherlands 16 April 2009; Austria 17 April 2009; Denmark 17 April 2009; Finland 17 April 2009; Norway 17 April 2009; Sweden 17 April 2009; Belgium 22 April 2009; France 22 April 2009; Russia 30 April 2009; Argentina 28 May 2009; Brazil 29 May 2009; Spain 29 May 2009; Turkey 19 June 2009

Also Known As: Merirosvoradio Finland; Radio Encubierta Spain; Radio Rock Revolution Austria (dubbed version)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1131729/releaseinfo

Described as "A period comedy about an illegal radio station in the North Sea in the 1960s."

(via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD)

No release date for the USA and Canada yet, but I'm sure it will follow.

Sun Mar 1

3900: Radio Fox 48 playing techno @ 1755. Just audible under the noise. SINPO 24232.

3901: Bluestar Radio with schlager @ 1715. SINPO 34333.

3930: Lady Continental and Bluestar Radio with schlager @ 2130, woman talking in Dutch. Good signal. SINPO 44333.

5800: Orion Radio heard @ 0845 with "The Voice" by John Farnham. Good signal. SINPO 44444.

5800: Shortwave Cowboys after Orion signed off with ID @ 0955 and playing Nena. SINPO 34333.

5815: Radio PCN playing Boney M @ 1305. SINPO 34333.

6140: MV Baltic Radio via Wertachtal signing on and playing rock music. SINPO 54444.

6205: Radio Paardenkracht playing the Rolling Stones @ 0850. SINPO 34433.

6220: Mystery Radio with pop @ 0855. SINPO 44444.

6220: Radio Marabu via Mystery Radio with Louis Armstrong @ 0950. SINPO 34433.

6240: Misti Radio with oldies @ 0900, some utility QRM. SINPO 23432.

6250: Delta Radio playing the Bangles @ 0915, co-channel utility QRM. SINPO 33433.

6265: Antonio Radio with 60s music @ 0905. SINPO 44433.

6282: Radio Borderhunter with a long summer meeting promo @ 1010, strong signal. SINPO 54444.

6285: Radio Scotland heard playing instrumental music @ 1210, jingle ID and off at 1225. SINPO 44444.

6291: Radio Cochiguaz moved from 6308, heard @ 1015 with IDs in Spanish, pan pipe music, utility QRM and some splash from Borderhunter. Fair peaks but deep fades. SINPO 23432.

6297: Delta Radio heard playing rock @ 1420. Fair-good signal but deep fades. SINPO 33433.

6300: Unid station heard @ 1030 with pop. Moved to 6295 @ 1035. SINPO 54444. Possibly Boomerang.

6300: Radio Merlin faded in @ 1140, playing The Ruts "Babylon Burning." SINPO 44433.

6308: Radio Cochiguaz heard briefly @ 0910 with ID by woman in Spanish and South American music. Faded down again. SINPO 24332. Probably via relay in Europe.

6310: Radio Condor playing dance music @ 1055, god signal but co-channel QRM from weaker station. SINPO 43443.

6310: Delta Lima Radio (tent) playing non-stop oldies @ 1135. SINPO 34333. Condor signed off.

6310: Radio Malaisy with dance music, splash from 6313. SINPO 43433.

6314: Radio Alice heard @ 1410 playing French polka, heard @ 1430 on 6313. Strong signal. SINPO 54444.

6370: Unid station with polka @ 1440, underneath strong utility. SINPO 23432. Maybe Brigitte?

6425: Free Radio Victoria playing oldies, including "Pretty Flamingo" @ 0940. SINPO 34333. ID heard @ 1030, greeting Jaroslav, utility QRM at this time. SINPO 33333.

6880: Radio Playback International's signal struggling @ 1730. Heard with weak signal, playing oldies, PBI jingles. SINPO 23332.

Sat Feb 28

3885: Radio Active (lsb) (tent) heard @ 2110 from Poland with music and talk. Signal not strong enough to ID. SINPO 24332.

3900: Mystery Radio with Chris Ise @ 1820, under strong utility. SINPO 22332. Moved to 3910 @ 1825 - high noise level and weak signal made difficult to hear. SINPO 24332.

3900: Unid station playing Dutch music @ 2125, off and on a few times. SINPO 54444.

3905: Radio Boomerang heard @ 2042 playing Kim Wilde, off a few minutes later. SINPO 54444.

3905: Unid station heard calling Radio Fox @ 2049. SINPO 34333.

3925: Radio Borderhunter booming in @ 2030 with rock n roll. Signal was S9+20dB. SINPO 54444.

3935: ROZ (tent) playing Cher @ 1815. High noise level made difficult to hear. SINPO 33333.

6215: Radio King Shortwave (tent) with oldies @ 0905. SINPO 34433.

6220: Mystery Radio with pop @ 1435. SINPO 34433.

6240: Misti Radio playing Queen @ 0855, some utility QRM. SINPO 33333.

6265: Radio Rainbow with "Spirit in the Sky" @ 0900, followed by talk, mentions of Radio Rainbow. Signal improving. SINPO 24332.

6301: Unid station with schlager @ 1335. SINPO 34333.

6310: Unid station playing dance music @ 1525. SINPO 33433.

6325: Radio Monte Carlo playing the Pet Shop Boys @ 1535, modulation a bit on the low side. SINPO 34333.

6378: Radio Altrex with oldies @ 0845. Fair signal. SINPO 33433.

6880: Radio Playback Int playing "Let It Be" @ 0850. SINPO 33333.

Fri Feb 27

3900: Bluestar Radio coming in well tonight. Heard @ 2130 with IDs, playing schlager. Signal S9+10dB. SINPO 54444.

6282: Radio Altrex heard @ 1010 playing The Beatles. Not easy to hear as quite noisy frequency. SINPO 23432. At 1020 heard on 6280 - SINPO 33433.

6880: Radio Playback Int heard with The Jam "Going Underground" followed by jingle ID at 2140. SINPO 34333.

Wed Feb 25

6240: Misti Radio heard @ 0950 playing polka, utility and SSB QRM. SINPO 33333.

Tues Feb 24

6302: Radio Carneval with schlager @ 1000. Signal started weak but steadily improving. SINPO 34333.

BBC's secret war with the offshore pirates

A poster on the Radio Caroline Mailing list spotted this article in today's Sunday Telegraph.

Previously unseen documents from the BBC archives disclose how the corporation was so alarmed at the rise of the stations that it launched a secret "dirty tricks" campaign to have them shut down.

The files show the extraordinary lengths to which the corporation wentto undermine their new rivals:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/4741298/BBCs-secret-war-with-the-pirates.html

(info via Mike Barraclough, anoraksuk)

Mon Feb 23

6210: Misti Radio signing on @ 1030 and playing Abba. SINPO 34333.

6215: Unid UK station faded in @ 1050. Mention 105.3, playing Bruce Hornsby & The Range, sudden off mid-record. Relaying a legal or pirate FM station? SINPO 34333.

6280: Radio Merlin briefly heard @ 1130 playing an old Galaxy tape. SINPO 34333.

6280: Radio Altrex playing rock n roll @ 1430. Fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6302: Radio Carneval from Germany with schlager @ 1010, greeting Dave in England. SINPO 34333.

6420: Radio Altrex with oldies @ 1025. SINPO 34333.

Sun Feb 22

5810: The Shortwave Cowboys playing Bonnie Tyler "Total Eclipse of the Heart" @ 1000. SINPO 33333.

6140: Radio Gloria via Wertachtal, Germany heard @ 1320 playing the Walker Brothers. SINPO 54444.

6200: Radio Likedeeler giving out hotline number, playing blues music @ 1020. Fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6205: Radio Suzuki playing "Riders on the Storm" @ 0908, fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6210: Time Radio with Supertramp "Dreamer" @ 0950. SINPO 34433.

6220: Mystery Radio playing pop @ 0845. SINPO 34433.

6280: Radio Altrex with rock @ 0855. SINPO 33433.

6296: Radio Doctor Tim with a Radio Bobby programme, playing Nena @ 1013. SINPO 24332.

6300: Unid station heard briefly with polka @ 1220. Possibly German. SINPO 34333.

6325: Radio Paardenkracht spelling out address and playing dance music @ 0850. SINPO 44433.

6330: Voice of the Netherlands with report to Radio Paardenkracht @ 1140. SINPO 44333. Weaker station also heard at 1150 on same frequency with reports to VOTN and Paardenkracht.

6540: Radio Brigitte (tent) with instrumental music @ 1010. SINPO 24332.

6880: Radio Playback Int with the song "Let Your Love Flow" @ 0900. SINPO 34333.

Sat Feb 21

3932: Bogusman coming in well today, signal peaking at S9+10dB. Heard @ 1655 playing rock and talking about the plane landing on the Hudson River. SINPO 54444.

6210: Radio Suzuki heard @ 1030 playing oldies. Fair signal. SINPO 34333.

6215: Radio King Shortwave (tent) heard @ 0905 playing oldies. Weak signal with fair peaks. SINPO 24332.

6220: Mystery Radio playing pop @ 2300. Good steady signal. SINPO 44444.

6240: Misti Radio playing rock music and polka, IDs. Heard @ 0850 with SINPO 34333.

6241: Radio Doctor Tim with a late night test @ 2320 with 20W, playing dance music. Fair signal here. SINPO 34333.

6310: Grensstad Radio heard @ 1020 playing the Flying Pickets, followed by IDs, he said he hoped reception is good - certainly good here. SINPO 44433.

6380: Radio Altrex with the song "Yes Sir I Can Boogie" @ 0855, some utility QRM. SINPO 33333.

6400: Radio Doctor Tim greeting listeners and playing polka @ 0910. SINPO 34333.

6425: Studio 52 playing the song "Knock on Wood" @ 1010, some utilty QRM. SINPO 33433.

6880: Radio Playback Int with the song "Angie Baby" @ 0840. SINPO 34333.

North American log

Joe Wood in Greenback, TN, USA, heard this last night:

6925 Radio Free Speech. *2201-2226*. Fri 20 Feb. EG. Bill O. Rights with a very well produced show of political satire. Constitutional commentary by Mr. Rights. The parody ads and mx were nice too. Strong signal hampered by QRM. F-G.

Fri Feb 20

1638: Radio Euromast heard @ 2325 with IDs in Dutch, playing soft rock. SINPO 34333.

1648: Radio Napoleon heard @ 2335 playing instrumental music. SINPO 33333. At 2340 moved to 1640 to avoid QRM. SINPO 34333.

3902: Radio Fox 48 playing AC/DC @ 1930. Fair signal but quite noisy. SINPO 34333.

3905: Radio Fox 48 heard @ 2315 slightly higher on 75m playing oldies. Fair signal but strong local QRM. SINPO 33333.

6880: Radio Playback Int with the song "I Know Him So Well" @ 1933. Signal coming in well this evening - SINPO 44333.

Thurs Feb 19

1656: Radio Kristel with polka @ 2250, ID in Dutch. SINPO 34333.

1662: Radio Relmus playing country music and rock n roll @ 2130. SINPO 34333.

3910: Skyline International Radio heard @ 1925 playing Dutch music followed by ID and giving out hotline number. Very good signal - S9+10dB. SINPO 54444.

Wed Feb 18

Bit of QSO going on medium wave:
1638: Euromast Radio @ 2255 (24332)
1640: Monte Carlo Radio @ 2303 (24332)
1641: Klaas Snoek Radio @ 2250 (34333)
1642: Casablanca Radio @ 2300 (24332)
1645: Radio Kleine Vogel @ 2310. Fair peaks. (24332)

6300: Voice of the Netherlands with a short reply to Dr Tim @ 1007. Good signal. SINPO 44444.

6302: Radio Doctor Tim with report for the VOTN @ 1000. Fair signal (S7) but some fading. SINPO 34433.

North American log

Joe Wood in Greenback in Tennessee heard the following:
6925 WBNY. *2158-2213. Tues 17 Feb. English. My first pirate log since mid December. Several IDs as "WBNY," and "WBNY-Radio Bunny." Parody ads and mx. Signal was almost completely covered by static, and became unreadable around 2213. Poor.

(seems conditions aren't much better in North America!)