a little experiment - a chat-free weekend of listening

[newfoundland dxer]

Hi everyone:

After reading some comments on this site last week, I wondered if perhaps I have become too dependent on Iann’s chat for my logs. So I decided to try a little experiment … a chat-free weekend of listening! In one way it was hard, because I missed the interaction and sharing that makes chat so much fun. But in another way, it was like returning to a weekend of my youth … just me and my radio.

Unfortunately, I suffered from grounding problems for most of the weekend. The noise level was high on Friday, and still high when I got turned on the radio Saturday, so I disconnected all my ground connections, cleaned them, and reconnected them. No difference. I did not think my ground rod was dry, because we had had 30 mm of rain that day. Finally, on Sunday, I threw a kettle of boiling water on my ground rod. The noise dropped immediately. Too bad it took all weekend to fix the problem.

My logs are presented in chronological order, with some of repetition of listings. It is the way I used to keep my logs. I had lots of time (not chatting), so I kept more detailed logs of what I heard.

For a modern twist, however, I have also uploaded all my audio files, with a link to each. Now you can all realize how much noise I listen to each weekend, hi hi. If you want to listen to a decent reception, skip to Sunday night. Friday and Saturday nights are just me fighting with the noise for some IDs. (Normally, I limit my audio files to 5-10 minutes, just to save disk space and to make them easy to send, but this weekend I just let the recorder run, so some files are large.)

There are lots of UNIDs. I did not check other sources, so the only stations named are those that I could identify myself.

I would be very interested to know how many readers and ops find these extra details and audio files useful or interesting.

Friday, February 25
6305,0 . . 2239-2249 . Black Bandit Radio, “Elvira”, “Understand Your Man”, heard op say “Hello” at 2245, definitely BBR’s voice, (off at 2320 recheck), weak signal http://www.mediafire.com/?7nuapp9kbmpwbc4
6325,0 . . 2250-2300 . UNID, just traces at first, dance music audible after 2253, possible talk at 2257 for 30-45 seconds, but too weak to copy, back to dance music, noted still on the air (same level) at 0020, barely audible http://www.mediafire.com/?qjc54c7gjx84qlt
4074,6 . . 2301-2310 . UNID, occasional traces of music, barely audible despite a very strong carrier wave, barely audible http://www.mediafire.com/?fio8e38cb015jbs
3920,0 . . 2310-2319 . UNID, traces of music for the first minute, then covered by multiple hams, music audible again at 2314 for a few seconds, then possibly talk (or could be ham) but too weak to copy, pop music at 2317, loud ham tuned up at 2318, barely audible (off or faded at 2335 recheck) http://www.mediafire.com/?42z9s03g0svnlrl
6210,0 . . 2326-2333 . Laser Hot Hits, talk, pop song with male singer that I did not recognize at 2327, announcer at 2331, gave song names, “from the 70’s”… “on Laser”, instrumental song, weak signal http://www.mediafire.com/?u09r5s7f1j37tbh

Saturday, February 26
4074,6 . . 0020-0032 . UNID, definite music, but mixing with weak Radio Canada Int spur on 4075 (this spur has been there for months!), RCI went silent at 0028 for two minutes, put still no details possible. http://www.mediafire.com/?51ad4plwknfp1op
6912,1 . . 0034-0050 . UNID, barely audible music, too weak for any detail until 0047, when a few notes of U2 “When Love Comes to Town”, (maybe CJR?) http://www.mediafire.com/?1lp6nn1xmagnw5b
6325,0 . . 0055-0101 . UNID, pop music, few words by a man at 0057, into more pop, still too weak for copy, barely audible http://www.mediafire.com/?h5h7bog4q7x4cy8
3945.0 . . 1940-1947 . UNID, barely audible music, faded or c/d by the end of the file. (at this time I went and disconnected all connections to ground, cleaned them, and reconnected them), no sign of signal when I returned at 2010. http://www.mediafire.com/?shujq3wy6894m4t
6210.0 . . 2012-2025 . Laser Hot Hits, unknown pop song, talk by English accent male at 2013 for about a minute, laser sound effect, then another unknown pop song, faded to barely audible at 2016, I monitored until 2025, but did not fade back in, weak signal with noticeable splatter from 6200 when they played music. http://www.mediafire.com/?wd2jtmji7ekfxfn
6307.5. . 2342-0028 . Black Bandit Radio, music at noise level, talk by male at and 2357, finally popped out of the noise at 0016 for a minute with talk, I recognized BBR’s voice, a few notes of definitely country music at 0026 http://www.mediafire.com/?98zk81fc06ptzc9, http://www.mediafire.com/?co54vpoeirnb8oo,
http://www.mediafire.com/?3u4dfhk71ld06nh

Sunday, February 27
6306.0 . . 0049-0103 . Marconi Radio, talk by man (too weak to copy, for about a minute, music for a minute, more talk, local noise cut in and killed it. Monitored for another 10 minutes, but stayed below the noise. http://www.mediafire.com/?wp7cgd2x5a9s491
6306,0 . . 0201-0256 . Marconi Radio, returned to the radio to hear weak music, covered almost immediately by ssb for 6 minutes, more weak music, improved a little to clear a few clear notes of a 60’s folk song at 0210, followed by an upbeat pop song, short talk at 0214, signal improved after 0216 with a couple pop songs that I did not recognize, Beatles “We Can Work It Out” at 0220, talk by op at 0223, weak but clear ID as “Marconi Radio”, polka at 0224, talk and laughter at 0228, ID as “Radio Marconi, Marconi Radio”, said would c/d, unknown song at 0229 with more ssb QRM, signal improved for a brief moment at 0235 during a slow song, I think a country song at 0236, talk at 0238 “we are closing down”, unknown song at 0239, another at 0242 (signal becomes quite clear at 0244), talk at 0247, mentioned he had a guest in the studio, ID, Hollies “The Air That I Breathe”, signal faded to barely audible, back at 0251 with long talk but too weak to copy, c/d at 0256 http://www.mediafire.com/?augx99ydub4da3n, http://www.mediafire.com/?nin9ng2npenbkfn,
6925.0u . 0309-0332 . UNID (US?) , Elton John “Saturday Night’s Allright”, “Another Saturday Night”, unknown song at 0317 , Chicago “Saturday Night in the Park” at 0320, Moody Blues “Tuesday Afternoon”, “Friday on my Mind” at 0329, long silent pauses between some songs, c/d at 0332 without ID (possibly Wolverine, who often has a musical “theme”) http://www.mediafire.com/?1broeefzem22r74
3905,0 . . 2047-2102 . UNID, barely audible talk at tune in, followed by music, faded monitored for 15 minutes, but did not come back
4075,1 . . 2102-2112 . detected a carrier and possible music, monitored for 10 minutes, but decided it was just an open carrier (was on all night)
6325,0 . . 2114-2120 . UNID, barely audible music poking through every minute or so until 2118, then dropped below the noise, http://www.mediafire.com/?2wkb2g6s5lc1421
3905,0 . . 2122-2133 , UNID, music, back to barely audible level, signal picked up a little at 2127, sounded like Dutch music, but not sure, talk in Dutch at 2131, too weak to copy, and signal faded again. http://www.mediafire.com/?ra62dhbmtwvn56u
Note: At this point, I “watered” my ground rod with a kettle of boiling water. The noise level dropped from s5 to s1-3.
6308,0 . . 2238-2313 . Black Bandit Radio, tuned in to a Springsteen marathon “Human Touch” at tune in, unknown song at 2240, “57 Channels (and nothing on)”, “Cross My Heart”, several unknown songs (all sounded like Springsteen), finally heard BBR at 2302 “Good morning everybody” with greetings to uldx2 in Kiev, ID, testing at half power, greetings to all pirates in chat except “pirate2011” (???), good signal http://www.mediafire.com/?g0ng1l5zwysdaqd
(2313-2327 . monitored weak signal on 6977, later IDed as Israel, which is normally on 6973)
6912.0u . . 2327-2338 . Cactus Jack Radio, unknown song at tune in, few seconds of “Nobody Does it Better”, then ID at 2328, unknown song by woman (Spanish or Catalan?), unknown song by man, loud ute on at 2334 almost completely covered signal, ute still going at 2337, off or faded at 0003 recheck http://www.mediafire.com/?3pbjgjojxz74myb
6308,0 . . 2341-2347 . Black Bandit Radio, playing country now, not as strong as earlier, “King of the Road” at 2344, cut into a new song at 2346, fair signal http://www.mediafire.com/?apq09843a786uq0

Monday, February 28
6905.0u . 0103-0208 . Cactus Jack Radio, Hall & Oates, “Maniac”, signal faded, back at 0112 with CJR ID, then unknown song (80’s?), faded again at 0114, moved to 6977 for 7 minutes, then returned at 0125, caught the end of the Beach Boys “Barbara Ann”, Boomtown Rats “I Don’t Like Mondays”, Hooters “All You Zombies” at 0130, ute QRM at 0104, unknown song at 0136 (motown?), a medley of short country/folk song clips at 0140, gone from radio 0150-0157, came back to more country, quite clear at first but faded after 2 minutes, signal back about 0204 with unknown song (motown?), unknown blues instrumental song at 0205, faded again at 0208, fair signal on peak but deep fades http://www.mediafire.com/?64y7o1gk64nc87r, http://www.mediafire.com/?ua3qyy0b6i135n4, http://www.mediafire.com/?301dckdc37k3dc7

Cheers, Terry

Abbreviations and references:
(US) = United States
IS = Interval Signal
u = usb (upper side band)
L = lsb (lower side band)
d = dsb (dual side band, suppressed carrier)
v = variable
tent = tentative
pos = possible
QRM = interference
QSO = conversation
ham = licensed radio amateur operator
c/d = close down (transmitter off)
op = operator
ute = utility station
rtty = radioteletype
othr = over the horizon radar
rfi = radio frequency interference (noise caused by electrical sparking, usually in power lines)
Iann's chat = http://www.easyshopdiscountzone.com/rad ... e/english/
HFU = http://www.hfunderground.com

[Caroline]

Hi Terry,

NICE EXPERIMENT!

Its always much more interesting than to be in the chat at the
same time when listening!

We are doing the same nearly each weekend.

Thanks a lot also for such audio tapes, may be very helpful for
any stations which you were not able to identify.

Greetings,
Radio Caroline International.

[Kai]

Hi Terry!

Thanks for another very interesting post.

I hope my references to the chat (in the 'Pirate Crap Heap' section) haven’t discouraged you from using it (I guess it’s primarily Borderhunter’s post you have in mind...). Everyone should practice the hobby as they want – and have fun!

I don’t really have anything against the chat. I’ve just tried to reflect a bit on the current pirate scene – which I think is a useful/interesting thing to do once in a while... And I’m primarily an observer, not someone who is out to judge... (Although I guess we should all keep in mind that pirate radio is illegal for a reason and that it’s perhaps not a very good idea for a very small group of people to occupy large portions of the radio spectrum illegally just to give each other signal reports in a chat...)

I don’t use the chat myself, because 1) I usually don’t have access to the Internet while listening, and (2) I find the Internet very distracting when I’m listening (I prefer it when it’s just me and the radio).

But don't let my grumpiness discourage you, chat people!

It seems that you managed quite well without the chat, Terry. No doubt you’ll be able to ID most of the stations using the various log lists. An interesting experiment!

73

Kai

[Borderhunter]

...I hope my references to the chat (in the 'Pirate Crap Heap' section) haven’t discouraged you from using it (I guess it’s primarily Borderhunter’s post you have in mind...

Hope its not. I know Terry as a real listner who search and listen for hours.
And the most listners does the same.
But last weeks there was a Dutch person who searched over the band, found a signal, asked direct in the chat..who is on that frequency, noted the name and there he goes again, hunting to a other signal, asked again in the chat who it was and that all day long.
Not that you have to listen for hours but if this man need more time for writing the station name then he is listning to that station then I do not understand his fun.
The chat is perfect to use, but for listening you need ears too and not only eys.

[JoJo]

Hi All,

Indeed nice experiment. I think we don't want to discuse about the chat at all, but we just talk about it. First it is realy nice to stay in contact with so many international friend, bu sms, email snailmail, phone or internet, it's realy great!! Most sundays I am also in the chat just for fun.
the most chatters are dx-ers; tune over the whole band get signal write it in the chat; and so on. It is great for unids etc etc. Some pirates are there to to ask ho wthe signal is, thats also nice for testing, But i think it ha snothing to do with the real old dx-ing.
Tuning shortwave, listen, listen, listen, thry to find a signal and when you get a signal; try identify it. What I want to say is, with the chat it is not so hard to be heard at the otherside of the world with only 10 or 20 watt. It is not the reail radio from the early days.

But no problems with it, just do what you like, I like to be there for the contact, so thanks to Iann for the posiblity.

[newfoundland dxer]

Hi guys:

Thanks for your replies. Some interesting thoughts.

There was no one comment that made me decide to try this little experiement. I just thought it would be nice to challenge myself, to make sure I was not depending on chat too much.

Iann's chat is a wonderful tool for a dxer, and is also a fun place with a lot of very nice people. It is also a great place for listeners to interact with ops, and for dxers from around the world to interact and share info. But, as BH said "for listening you need ears too and not only eyes". This weekend was me checking my ears, hi!

Kai, it is true that some ops like to do tests to listeners in chat, but I also believe some (particularly outside Holland) use chat to minimize thier risks, by limitting their transmission times to when listeners report good conditions. (Why take the risk if noone is hearing you?)

Is dxing using chat "nothing to do with the real old dxing" as Jo Jo said? Perphaps. But that is for each listener to decide. Many things have changed since I was a young dxer ... email, webstreams, dx antennas that you can buy, even receivers that can record entire bands. To use my favorite saying: "To each, their own". That is part of the fun of this great hobby!

Cheers, Terry

P.S. Does anyone else have trouble reading most of posts. Grey on dark gray is what I see but maybe it is my computer settings. I have changed my post colour to white, which makes it look better here.

[JoJo]

P.S. Does anyone else have trouble reading most of posts. Grey on dark gray is what I see but maybe it is my computer settings. I have changed my post colour to white, which makes it look better here.

Working on it, but so far can't find the problem. Some have the same. When using Internet explorer try to use the compatibility mode, this will help.
Hope to have the solution soon.

btw, no bad words about the chat, these are just my toughts.

[cactus]

repeat this experiment all weekens please.....