Reply from London pirate, Kool FM 94.6

On 29th of August I had e-mail from London pirate station, Kool FM 94.6!! What a nice surprise!

DJ Bluesy from Kool confirmed that the station which I heard on 94.6 was them:
"Hello, yes I can confirm that was us in the audio clip, I was very amazed by whats happened. Very impressed!!! We are currently running just on a 150 watt transmitter. We are going back to 300 very soon. Thanks again!".

Kool FM (www) is one of the oldest pirates in London. It started 1991 and celebrated 15th birthday on 1.12.2006! Incredible ! Kool FM's (like many other's in London) music format is unique in FM-radio broadcasting worldwide: "Hardcore Jungle Drum and Bass" (DnB). For non-experts it sounds like fast talk-singing over drums and bass in the background. Here a sample of Kool from YouTube!!

And here Kool FM on TV documentary.

FM-opening to Balkan and Italy

On Wednesday 22nd August we had FM-signals from Balkan countries (Serbia, Croatia) and also Hungary and Italy. Only little spots up with a few stations coming up at one time. Signals were mostly strong and clear. Nothing interesting heard although this kind of conditions can give some nice surprises.

LOG Wed 22.7.2007 (Times UTC)

• 88.2 MHz - UNID Hungarian, two possiblities. Balaton mentioned?- 16.00- mp3
• 88.8 MHz - Circuito 29, Mantova (MN), Italy. Nice ID (www)- 18.07- mp3
• 91.1 MHz - Radio Gamma Regione Romagna, Savignano (FO), Italy. "Gamma, bella come l'estate" - 16.37 mp3
• 91.1 MHz - Mig Radija, Vladimirci, Serbia - 16.20- mp3
• 91.2 MHz - UNID, perhaps Serbian. ID in noises - 16.25- mp3
• 91.6 MHz - VFM, Vinkovci, Croatia. "Super station"-jingles in English. This is now a dance-station! (www)- 18.23 mp3
• 92.9 MHz - Radio S, Beograd, Serbia. This network-transmitter is located in Vojvodina (www)- 16.16- mp3
• 92.9 MHz - Modena R City, Modena (MO), Italy. Clean liner between music titles (www)- 18.08- mp3
• There were chances for better, but no....

Signals from Corsica, S-France and Italy

On Saturday evening there were weak signals coming from North Italy and Southern France. The most interesting catch was Corsica!!! It is very rare here!

LOG Sat 18.8.2007 (Times UTC)

• 88.1 MHz - Radio SuperHit, Milano, Italy (www) - 16.21- mp3
• 88.7 MHz - Fréquence Jazz, Bastia-transmitter, Corsica (20)! There is clear station identification here: "Fréquence Jazz, Bastia, 88.7". However this can be network programme (www) - 17.00- mp3
• 88.8 MHz - Radio Maria, Italy from it's Milano-transmitter. Fades out quickly. This is a religious station (www) - 16.40- mp3
• 88.9 MHz - Radio Sainte Baume, Saint-Maximin (83), France. This is old local station located 40 km NE from Marseille (www). (There is hard interference coming from Radio Majakka (were I work) from 89.0 MHz) - 16.18- mp3

A few other networks were also audible. I will take e-mail contact to these French stations to have confirmation of my listening. On Friday 17.8.2007 there were good opening to Italy on FM but I was at work.

Contact from Croatia

On 16th of August I had unique contact from Croatia.
Mr. Damir Totman from RadioComm Co (www) asked me if I have received the transmitters which they have installed.
His company gives full installation and maintenance service for FM-radio stations.
The transmitters he mentioned were Radio Trsat on 87.6 (20 kW), Narodni Radio on 101.9 MHz (20 kW) and Otvoreni Radio on 103.6 MHz (30 kW).
I have not made any loggings of these transmitters although it is possible I have heard them. Narodni and Otvoreni I have heard on different frequencies first time almost 10 years ago.
However, all these mentioned transmitters have been heard in Finland with good signals during last two years, in Helsinki and Tampere.

UK and Bretagne (France) on FM

On Thursday 9th August I was in Helsinki visiting authorities of Finnish Communication Ministry (regulator) and Ficora (controller). Discussions about Finnish local radio.
During the day I was reported by other DX-ers of E-opening to France (Bretagne) and Southern England (shortly). France-opening was told to have been fairly good.

Later in the evening I logged Gemini FM, Torbay (SW England) on 96.4 MHz (16.57utc). This lasted only 5 minutes. Also Italians briefly around 19.00 utc...

FM-openings to Italy

During the whole day on Wednesday 8th of August was Italian FM-stations coming up and down. I was not able to listen because of being at work for preparing new morning show to our radio station, starting next week. I was reported that FM-stations from Rome were up for some time.
Later in the evening Italian stations were audible, first two minutes up, then 10 minutes silence.... frustrating...

LOG Wed 8.8.2007 (Times UTC)

• 88.8 MHz - Virgin Radio. This is new network in Italy, ex-Play Radio - 18.42-
• 89.3 MHz - "Radio Nord Italia presenta, Fantastica News". Strange ID, but I think this is R. Fantastica, Torino with regional news - 1732- mp3
• 89.6 MHz - Gamma Radio Pavia (PV), Italy. "Le 100 canzioni piu belle di tutti i tempi" and jingle: "Gamma Radio Top 100". Very interesting pronounce: "David Bowie, Heroes" for the end - 17.58- mp3

Little E-opening to Perm, Russia

On Tuesday 7th August we had short, 10 minutes long opening to Perm, Russia. Only one station were audible on CCIR-band:

88.0 MHz Bolid FM (www), Perm, Russia - 15.34- mp3

World Record on QSL-throwing!!

During the weekend 4-5th August 2007 I participated Finnish Annual DX-summer Meeting in Ylöjärvi near Tampere. There were around 100 visitors and nice programmes, presentations and DX-friends.
The highlight for me was to win funny 3-level competition. One part of it was QSL-throwing (card)! Luckily I have now World Record on QSL-throwing with 12 meters 46 cm throw!!

FM-OPENING TO SERBIA
On Friday evening 3rd of August we had E-condition to Serbia around 14.00-15.00 on the lower FM-band. I was listening only last 10 minutes of it and got two ID's:

89.6 MHz - Radio Vladimirci, Vladimrici, Serbia. Addr. Svetog Save 57, 15225 Vladimirci - 14.52-
90.1 MHz - Kiss FM, unknown location, Serbia - 14.53-