Free Radio Weekly #1432

FREE RADIO WEEKLY: #1432

Covering free radio activity from 26 August through 1 September 2023

Editor this week: Ron Hunsicker

Date emailed:

The FREE RADIO WEEKLY (FRW) is an internet newsletter devoted to the hobby of listening to free radio, “pirate,” broadcasters in the shortwave radio bands. The FRW is produced by the free radio community and is distributed to those who contribute.

WEEKLY DEADLINE: Saturday at 0000 UTC (Friday night in North America) Please send your logs to all the editors as the editing schedule is subject to last minute changes.

To subscribe to the FRW, please send an email to all the editors with a request to be added to the mailing list. Also, when changing your email address, notify all the editors.

EDITORS:

Harold Frodge (99crawdads@gmail.com)

Ron Hunsicker (frwrjh@ptd.net)

Dave Turnick (caodwolf@gmail.com)

Larry Will (radio@zappahead.net)

Contributors to #1432

Rich D'Angelo, Wyomissing PA
William Hassig, Mt. Prospect IL, williamhassig@yahoo.com
Ron Hunsicker, Wyomissing PA, ronhunsi(at)ptd(dot)net
Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, wghauser@yahoo.com

OUR EDITORIAL POLICY: all times and dates are assumed to be UTC.

North American shortwave stations

77 LJS (Lima Juliet Sierra)

77 LJS, 08/25 & 26, 2312-0014*, 6950usb. Via a recording. BC and music started at 2312. Light Jazz selections and an ID at 2226. The program is Henry Mancini playing the music of Blake Edwards. No reading tonight and, uncharacteristically, calls out to HFU reporters. After the program ended, the operator gave a quick shout to the Moldova Poacher. (45454, Hunsicker, PA)

77 LJS, 08/25, 2339-0014*, 6950usb. Man announcer with English language chatter hosting a program of Henry Mancini musical selections but no station ID heard. Fair signal. (D’Angelo-PA)

77 LJS, 08/25, 2239, 6950usb. On Traverse City MI sdr with fair S9 to S9+20 signal, nice orchestral music, thanks. (Hassig-IL)

All Azteca Relay Service

All Azteca Relay Service, 08/26, 0227-0256, 6935am. Via a recording. Carrier appeared at 0027 and the RA opening sequence started at 0229. Winter SWL Festival Program. Sponsored by N.I.P.P.L.E. Not at great night for AM. (Hunsicker, PA)

All Azteca Relay Service, 09/01, 0133, 6935am. Radio Azteca Marathon #16 via AARS, on Barrington Hills IL sdr with weak S7 to S9 signal, hear audio under the noise, possible comedy recording, at 0137 switched to Ashley Falls MA sdr with much better signal, comedy bit followed by Monty Python music, some comedy is (ahem) stuff I'd rather not type into this log, frogs croaking, short Rocky & Bullwinkle music, up to S9+10, at 0144 DJ = Bram Stoker, gave old Box 1 Belfast NY address, at 0146 Dudley Doright theme music, said "the station that lifts and separates" followed by fake ad for a bra, other myriad comedy, various Rocky & Bullwinkle music at times, at 0215 signal down to fair S7 to S9. (Hassig-IL)

Ballsmacker Radio

Ballsmacker Radio, 08/26, 0135, 6960am On Brookfield WI sdr with weak noisy S9 to S9+10 signal, hear music and singing, at 0142 tried Rockport Maine sdr with fair S9 signal, nice program as usual, thanks. (Hassig-IL)

Ballsmacker Radio, 0826, 0056-0242*, 6960am. Via a recording. Carrier appeared at 0056, the Ballsmacker opening sequence started at 0058 and the American Woman played at 0100. All very punctual! Since I was in a nostalgic mood (I haven’t heard Liberty Valence in years) the collection of old Rock tunes was delightful—thanks! SSTV in Scottie 2 at 0241. 8000 Hz sounded best. (25252, Hunsicker, PA)

Thunder Chicken Radio

Thunder Chicken Radio, 08/26 & 27, 2359-0015*, 6950.5usb. Via a recording with the BC in progress. Only 15 dB above the noise, it was not a great night. Rock tunes. SSTV in Martin 1 at 0011 was incredibly good for the level of noise. OM said that it was an AI generated image that was pretty good, except for the eyes and nostrils. (35343, Hunsicker, PA)

Thunder Chicken Radio, 08/26, 2320, 6950usb. On Barrington Hills IL sdr with S9+10 signal, Van Halen tunes, SSTV/FAX at 2338, more Van Halen, SSTV/FAX at 2353, DJ talking then music. (Hassig-IL)

Thunder Chicken Radio, 08/30, 2340, 6950usb. On Barrington Hills IL sdr with fair S7 to S9 signal, hear heavy metal rock music apparently recorded live in concert. (Hassig-IL)

Two Dog Radio

Two Dog Radio, 09/01, 0305, 6955usb. On Barrington Hills IL sdr with fair S7 to S9 signal, country-rock tunes. (Hassig-IL)

Unidentified

Unidentified, 08/25, 2325-2329, 27185.0am. Country song, ``Okeechobee Purple - cotton mouth`` part of lyrix. Local Enid CBer at S9+25 with unreadable comments and intermittently maybe plugging into FM station but I don`t have FM handy to check for // (Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR)

Unidentified, 08/28, 0623, 7300.325. Gospel huxter talk in English at S7, improved from last night`s JBA carrier when it was on about 7300.09; fluxuates, a few minutes earlier more like 7300.313. I`m back on it before 0700 for possible ID but sermon now S9 continues past 0702, and now about 7300.444V. Far-Christian buzzwords give it away, but whence? Spaceline Bulgaria is very fond of ``even`` ---00 frequencies and of course propagates TOMBS, registered available in fact per HFCC with unknown client on 7300 at 0200-0600, 100 kW at 110 degrees: but never? so far off-frequency; not // 5850 WRMI TOMBS but would not be synchronized anyway. HFCC has several at other times on 7300, Beijing, Kashgar, Woofferton. No other clues in Aoki but EiBi also has Taiwan at other times, banned by China from HFCC. Nor in latest WRTH Updater V.19 dated 24 August. Someone more awake than I might try to ID or TDOA this (Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR)

Unidentified, 08/26, 0048-0102*, 6950usb. Via a recording. BC and music started at 0048 with a pop/rock tune—Beatles, I think. Computer generated male voice philosophizes about time being relative. More Beatles and gone. (25342, Hunsicker, PA)

Unidentified, 08/27, 0019-0026*, 6950usb. Via a recording. Short bit of music, then California Dreamin’ opened the BC. Rap music, Because I Get High, then Really Got Me Goin,’ Brown-Eyed Girl and gone. (Hunsicker, PA)

Unidentified, 0826, 2357-0011*, 6940usb. Via a recording with the BC in progress with Classical music. Several movement. 3600 Hz sounded okay. (34433, Hunsicker, PA)

Unidentified, 08/30, 0635, 7300.146V. The gospel huxter in Amerenglish of Aug 28 is back altho no sign of him Aug 29, S4 vs storm noise peaking S7. Kept varying upwards slightly as trying to measure it. Dozed off and gone again by next check 0729 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR)

Unidentified, 08/31, 0640, 7300.00 Gospel huxter in Amerenglish, S4 vs storm noise peaks S7. Still on at 0716. Have not heard it much earlier; previously considerably off-frequency-plus but now close to accurate; nothing listed (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 2206)

Unidentified, 09/01, 0215, 6960usb. On Barrington Hills IL sdr with fair S7 to S9 signal, classical music, Symphonie Fantastique by Berlioz, apparently off at 0303 utc at end of performance, thanks for the nice music. (Hassig-IL)

Voice of Tralfamadore

Voice of Tralfamadore, 08/25, 2242-2333*, 6935am. Via a recording. A carrier, with no audio, appeared at 2242, followed by the VoT opening sequence with artificial voice at 2246 and a few unusable words by a YL. An OM (Billy Pilgrim, joined by Montana Wildhat and another) gave an ID at 2249. Said to be the “maiden” BC. Slaughterhouse 5 themed program with readings from the novel. Due to noise and weak reception here, the signal was never more than “poor.” 8000 Hz audio bandwidth let in more noise, but the BC sounded better. (25442, Hunsicker, PA)

Voice of Tralfamadore, 08/27, 0159-0248*, 6935am. Via a recording. A carrier appeared at 0159, but I heard no audio until 0200 when the VoT opening sequence began. ID at 0204. While the audio seemed deficient in mids and highs, 6600 sounded best. Slaughterhouse 5 theme. Seemed to be the same program as on 08/25. (25342, Hunsicker, PA)

WHIZ

WHIZ, 08/27, 0006-0305*, 6955usb/am. Via a recording. BC and the music began at 0006, followed by an OM and “…on the Milky Way Galaxy.” ID at 0024. Only 19 dB above the noise floor. Switched to AM At 0142. Uncomfortable listening due to the noise. (35342, Hunsicker, PA)

WHIZ, 08/27, 0127, 6955usb. On Barrington Hills IL sdr with fair S7 to S9 signal after Wolverine left air over at 6960, pop music playing, at 0132 some jerk causing warbling QRM like he did to Wolverine. (Hassig-IL)

Wolverine Radio

Wolverine Radio, 08/26 & 27, 2357-0127*, 6960am. Via a recording. Opened with the Wolverine “Testing, one, two, three, can anybody hear me?” sequence, then Let the Good Times Roll and Hey, Good Lookin’. Enjoyed he program—thanks! 35 dB over the noise and a wonderful signal. Nifty at 4000 Hz. Closed with an SSTV image in Scottie 1. (45454, Hunsicker, PA)

Wolverine Radio, 08/27, 0002, 6960usb On Barrington Hills sdr with fair/good S9 to S9+10 signal, song: "let the good times roll", various tunes with the word "good" in them, at 0035 warbling QRM under the music, at 0125 echo ID then SSTV/FAX. (Hassig-IL)

Yeah Man Radio

Yeah Man Radio, 08/26, 0030-0117*, 6925usb. Via a recording. It’s a Beautiful Morning and notes a Million Dollar Weekend at 0032, then Spooky Little Girl, Light My Fire, Look of Love, Like to Get to Know You, Classical Gas, others. Enjoyed the music—thanks! (35353, Hunsicker, PA)

Yeah Man Radio, 08/26, 0053-0114, 6925usb. Golden Oldies on the Million Dollar Weekend with a man announcer introducing songs in the English language from the 1960’s and reading messages form the HF Underground. Among the musical selections were “1-2-3: by Len Barry; Donvan’s “Mellow Yellow” and “Angel of the Morning” with several nice station IDs. Fair signal. (D’Angelo-PA)

European shortwave stations

None

South American shortwave stations

Unidentified, 08/27, 0618, 6200am. Mexico. JBA music S3/S4 vs storm noise peaks to S6, presumed pirate now called Hikari FM, as in Japanese. Must have increased power to more than JBA carrier level. BTW, he told someone that he was originally on FM in Chandler [Arizona] (Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR)

Unidentified, 08/28, 0638, 6200am. Mexico. Japanese song at S7, presumed pirate Hikari FM, signal improved. BTW, why include ``FM`` in name of a station on AM/SW? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR) --- Ron Howard replies: ``Hi Glenn - Perhaps due to originally when the station started playing Japanese music, they were downloaded off an FM station in Tokyo?

Unidentified, 08/29, 0728, 6200am. Mexico. Hikari FM cutting through the summertime QRN (static) with Japanese songs; the usual ID in English, plus song IDs in Japanese and English. My audio - [app.box.com] Played nice song "Yorokobi ni saku hana" by ACO - [www.youtube.com] Ron California`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, WOR)

QSLs

None

Otherness

From Ron Hunsicker: As is customary, Ballsmacker sent an SSTV image in Scottie 2 at the end of their broadcast. On a very noisy night via AM, the image did not fare well on its way to Wyomissing. Because I was listening to a recording, I could play a bit and I rewound (sic) the recording and played the SSTV transmission in USB. There was a considerable improvement in the quality of the image. I should have compared LSB too but did not. AM is first, then USB:

Electronic Mail Addresses for stations
[piratedatabase.webhop.net]



Best regards,

Ron