Echo Charlie Pirate Radio

Echo Charlie Pirate Radio on 6.6 mHz megs and other tales from the past from Ray at The Radio Workshop

[@NigelDixon1952]

It was 1966, I was 14 and proud to have been medium wave pirating for the past year without being raided by the dreaded GPO. We lived in a small village and my coverage was good, I easily got out to the town about three miles away. We'd been having lots of connection problems with our phone which eventually led to the local GPO manager visiting my dad at our house to get an idea of how bad the problem was. The manager agreed to have our phone service switched over to a new line which did cure the problem. I was just sitting there full of sweetness and innocence putting on a great show as the dutiful son. Then just as the manager was on his way out my father said "Our Nigel should be working for you when he leaves school, he's always in his bedroom building things, he's brilliant, he can even have his music playing on that radio over there!" The bloke's mouth fell open as he turned to look at me, and even though I was just as shocked as he was I tried to stay casual and brushed off my dad's damning statement with "I've just got a wire coming from my bedroom and connected to the radio's speaker... My dad thinks it's like a radio station". I really thought my time was up and could see my transmitter, two record decks, Grundig TK20 tape recorder, and ex-army audio amplifier being loaded into the back of a GPO van. But he bought it! He shook hands with my dad, then turned to me and said "you'll have to fill in an application form when you leave school of you fancy working for us, but don't be tempted to setup any transmitters because it's really illegal". He went and that was that, I left the transmitter off for a few days before finally plucking up the courage to go back on air, and was never bothered by the GPO. I had more than a few words with my father, though, I think it was the first time he heard me swear!

[@g4nsj]

Nigel Dixon a brilliant story, I love it! Thanks!

[@Isochest]

Nice story. I still hear some French stations just below 3.5mhz using LSB. Not really on 6.6mhz although there was lots there up until 5 years ago. I believe there's WSPR used on 13.555mhz

[@mylesdevon373]

you probably dont give a damn but does anybody know of a method to get back into an instagram account? I was dumb lost the login password. I appreciate any assistance you can offer me

[@TheClockwise770]

What a great story, I wasnt so lucky as I was caught broadcasting on my Dad's short wave radio during school holidays. Luckily the GPO just took away the Garrard SP25 deck . My Dad was not a happy bunny though and my pocket money stopped.

[@graphicventures]

what away to spend an evening - listening to the good ole days.

[@mentalvmaxrider]

Sir. I have been watching your story videos on and off for 3 or so years now and still thoroughly enjoy them. Thank you so much for sharing such great stories with us.

[@g4nsj]

mentalvmaxrider thanks, it’s nice to hear from you.

[@python2228]

I Love listening to your old radio stories. If these young kids would shut up and listen they could learn a lot from you. Greetings from the United States. Python-222 waving a hand I operate on (11 meter) only

[@barneykennett9282]

Fabulous stories Ray, never boring always entertaining. You really have a unique way of telling these stories, keep up the great work.

[@g4nsj]

Thanks Barney!

[@ronaldgroves6350]

It was 1960, I was ten years old. My parents had a Marconi valve radiogram. I found that at the top of the medium wave band I could hear the skippers of the sand dredgers in the Bristol Channel chatting to each other. They used straight am sets. This started a lifelong interest in radio

[@g4nsj]

Great stuff! I began in much the same way on my parents' old vale radio.

[@hfvhf987]

Wow GWM radio, i remember that place, i used to love going in there with my dad in the 80's and rummaging through all their gear, fond memories :)

[@g4nsj]

Such a shame the shop has gone...

[@duanetrivett750]

That was a KILLER story ! I love this Chanel .

[@markrobinson8539]

Hi Ray, Your story about the customer's tv made me laugh. We had an old Bush 405 line tv that we had from new. It had a wooden cabinet with built in legs and when it went for repair they used to remove the chassis and leave the cabinet with us. The last time it went for repair was about 1967 or 68. They left us with a dual standard Ferranti tv. The thing used to squeal a lot when it lost line lock. It did have 625 line and was fun to watch the BBC 2 trade test transmissions on after school. They never returned our tv and we kept the Ferranti. I eventually sold it around 1974 when I was living in Southsea.

[@g4nsj]

Mark Robinson excellent memories they were the pioneering days of TV. Cheers, Ray.

[@joeflanagan354]

Great video and lovely to hear how it was in the old days.

[@Gildermesh]

Love your fantastic stories please keep them coming.

[@niftyfiftycampingadventure795]

Kudos Sir.. My Grandfather a RAF Fighter pilot gave me the radio bug.. He was a Non commissioned officer flying Hurricanes.. 1943 TO 1945.. He later was a top technician for Ferragraph... He could build anything...But a very quiet and modest man.. He was total radio until has last day passed away at 79 years old..

[@g4nsj]

Excellent! It's nice to hear from you.

[@sarahasleep7646]

Your wonderful. Shortwave old days is so interesting. Thank you ❤️

[@g4nsj]

Thanks, Sarah. That's nice of you.

[@ArlenMoulton2]

love these story videos. keep them coming!!

[@g4nsj]

More coming soon!

[@ArlenMoulton2]

Radio Workshop excited already

[@markrobinson8539]

You lived in the same world as me. I miss those days too. I lived up the coast near Portsmouth in the 60's and was on the CCF nets. I still have my Eddystone EC10 receiver.

[@g4nsj]

The chances are we made contact on on the CCF nets.

[@jimmiddleton5093]

Delightful story. Thank you for sharing it with us

[@robredridge1703]

Is anyone interested in past radio stories you ask? HECK YES! Brings back a few memories from 45 years as a radio ham. 19 years old and not much money so I started off with a home brew 2 metre radio and a Yaesu FRDX400 and FLDX400 transmitter and receiver valve separates. I used to listen to the trawler band which by then was also used by the oil rigs in the North sea. There were some right fruity conversations patched through to their wives & girlfriends phones back home over that band. X rated sfuff! I also used to listen to the shortwave airbands Khartoum airport and Nairobi airport and the international traffic. One day I went into work and found dozens of Pye cambridges and several Pye Westminsters and a couple of pairs of Pye bantams portable units. I asked what they were doing with them and was told they are going for scrap as all the radio systems had been replaced with more updated equipment. All of the Westminsters and the Bantams and half a dozen Cambridges came home with me and kept me going for several years for various projects. I never did any 6.6 megs but did dabble with AM CB when it started to be used in the UK in the late seventies using home built gear. We also had a government surplus here in Cannock called Thatckers which had ex MOD gear and ex police stuff like Pye Pocketphones PF7 & PF8 which were relatively easy to convert.

[@g4nsj]

Hi Rob, great to hjear from you. Pye cambridges, Pye Westminsters and Pye bantams... Wow, that was a bit of luck! OK on 6.6 megs. It was a brilliant way to get going on HF, albeit illegal! It's still in use today, would you believe. Anyway, thanks for the info. Cheers, Ray.

[@michaelaldred6529]

I love your old story's remind me of my late uncle he use to work for PYE building TV's back in the day .

[@g4nsj]

Happy memories.

[@duanetrivett750]

We are very interested in these storys. Please do more !

[@jasontwynn7356]

Love the stories,keep them coming please.

[@gzappa]

Great work Ray, I used to be a MW pirate in the 1980s in Suffolk. Took them two and a half years before they busted us and we were on from 8 pm -12 pm 4 nights per week. Keep the memories coming.

[@adamhousden6349]

Hey John, did you know a fat bloke with a red subaru, a guy with dreads and live next door to my mate vikki???

[@gzappa]

@@adamhousden6349 No, where did he live?

[@adamhousden6349]

@@gzappa about 10 miles out of Braintree, was on 11m as well. Sorry if you are the wrong person, trying to find folks not seen for a long time is quite frustrating

[@gzappa]

@@adamhousden6349 I'm 7 miles north east of Bury St Edmunds, good luck in finding him.

[@adamhousden6349]

@@gzappa cheers dude

[@richiep7812]

Keep the stores coming. All good fun, and happy memories

[@g4nsj]

Thanks!

[@simonsparks2602]

More please,love it

[@glenjarnold]

I remember listening to fishing vessel crews in the 80s, and particularly the fishermen chatting between themselves ship-to-ship. Some of the colourful language and tales they were telling would make your hair curl!

[@g4nsj]

Glen Arnold yes, I remember that!

[@glenjarnold]

Radio Workshop I had a quick scan around 2 and 4MHz last night but nothing heard unfortunately.

[@g4nsj]

Glen Arnold keep listening, you will hear something.

[@101jumpit]

Too right we are interested,sounds just like a page from my introduction into pirate/hamradio in the 1960's.Keep up the good work and thank you very much for the memories. :-)

[@alanserl4046]

Love the Pirate Radio stories, Ray!

[@g4nsj]

Thanks!

[@RGC198]

Hi Ray, Thanks for another great video. I also started listening to radio in the 1960's, on my dad's Oceanic MW/SW radio in the lounge room in Sydney NSW. We had a long wire antenna going around the picture rail from the radio. My first transistor radio was a Tokai radio, which my dad bought for me in 1967. I still have it and it still works. The old radios here used to have all the stations written on the dial and the MW dial was reversed in those days with 550kHz (or Kc's) to the far right going up to 1600 to the far left. Incidentally, my dad told me that back in the 1930's, amateurs used the MW band late at night after the regular stations sign off. In those days, the amateurs played music and entertained like the regular AM stations. I suppose, they were the early versions of community stations that we have there days. Anyway, take care. Robert.

[@bignishnash6707]

Hi Ray let's have more radio and other radio related stories from the past its very interesting and also keep up the absolutely fantastic videos cheers mate from martin M6MJK west Yorkshire all the best mate 73s.

[@g4nsj]

Thanks Martin, I will try and make some more videos soon. Cheers, Ray.

[@TheSmortaus]

Very interesting and informative, It's good to hear stories of how the old days where. I got into radio when I was 8 and that was in 1970 via a mates fathers solid state all band Panasonic SW radio. I never stopped playing with radio final got my Full Call back in 2005. Please do put more videos up...

[@g4nsj]

Hi Danny, more videos are on the way. Cheers, Ray.

[@mike97525]

I love this stuff, please continue your stories Ray

[@junglejammer1]

Great stuff, Ray. I never tire of hearing these stories from the past. Can't wait for the next installment. Cheers!

[@MyNikolaas]

I love your stories!!!! Keep them coming!

[@petemoss1938]

Yes keep the stories coming Ray! Happy times -great memories!

[@TelfordO]

Great Channel, i found Radio shortwave in the early 70's as young boy, then CB radio opened the world for me as a young teenager, listened to Shortwave/Hams, broadcasts, number stations all night, then decided i would start modding ssb radios down to 25mhz, thats where me and friends used to play :) rolling along i then did the ham course inc Morse gaining my G0SGO call sign, a few years later i lost interested in "working the world" i still listen though. Enjoyed tvdx too and MW. Thanks again for the memories.

[@g4nsj]

I mostly listen these days although I do have a chat on 40 metres now and then. It's a great hobby. Thanks for commenting. Cheers, Ray.

[@miker8379]

Meeting people, that’s what I miss about the 70’s Cb thing in America. And the antenna raising parties

[@SimonsSolarShed]

I look forward to hearing your stories ray.i say keep them coming,it would also be nice to see you repairing some of those old beautifully crafted receivers. keep up the great videos. kind regards. Simon.

[@grahamrdyer6322]

I remember all those "blue" 807's, great stuff

[@Isochest]

My transmitter had an 807 in the final. Built it from an article in SWM 1978. Covered 6-30mhz AM and CW

[@telstarvision1509]

Hi Ray, the story that you have just told about a couple of mates being patched through the coastguard pretending to be a ship at sea sounds exactly like my old step dad & his mate because that was the self same story that him & his old mate told me a few years ago.sadly they are both no longer with us ,they were pirates for a good many years,until my step dad got nabbed.he was fined & prosecuted. .somewhere i have still got the article from the pirates prosecuted section that i came across in radcom a few years ago.A couple of my mates & me used to have a bash around on 81ish megs for 4 or 5 years, then 27 megs am/sideband,but then things started to get a bit risky so i decided to go legal & do the rae & morse test & have held my real dads call since 1985.he emigrated when i was very young & he has sadly been a silent key for about thirty plus years.we all fondly remember the guv of GWM radio.he managed to find me through another ham friend about ten or so years ago to call me in to have a bit of a chinwag & to give me some of my real dad's qsl cards.sorry to ramble on, keep up with the stories & vids mate.all the best from a very avid listener & subscriber to your channel.cheers.

[@g4nsj]

Dave Shute hi Dave, it's nice to hear from you. Les Grout at GWM, a brilliant guy. Gone now, sadly. Blimey, there were a few pirates around back then, thanks for telling me about your step dad. Happy days! Cheers, Ray.

[@greggaieck4808]

RADIO Work Shop Your Store ABOUT Old Days. Are NITRESING

[@fordprefect80]

Your tales of the old pirate radio scene seems rather similar to the early phone phreaking and computer hacking scene. All those old-school underground electronic devices and uses of such devices has always interested me. Enjoyed the video.

[@g4nsj]

Thanks!

[@nathanpc]

Love the stories, they are simply amazing to hear! Please keep them coming!!

[@g4nsj]

Moore coming soon!

[@NigelDixon1952]

It's a bit late Ray, but I want to wish you and all your followers the happiest new year possible. Please keep those videos coming, the ghost stories too.

[@g4nsj]

Happy New Year, Nigel! Take care and all the best, Ray.

[@misseryguts]

Keep them coming Ray, very enjoyable

[@dirtycaty]

Ray all your videos are interesting, it's the way you tell em, looking forward to the next

[@migalito1955]

Love your stories.

[@reallybadaim118]

Thank you for sharing. I have fond memories from long ago on shortwave as well. Not as far back as you but through the 70s. I really enjoy watching you.

[@g4nsj]

Hi Tim, thanks for commenting. Cheers, Ray.

[@pirateradio8420]

Interesting. Love your videos!

[@G4MOF]

Cheers Ray great video I remember seeing Ron Dalton in G.W.M ..

[@nextellcup8]

I love hearing the old stories

[@aamoir536]

Great videos, TNX

[@tonyblench3200]

Have just found your channel. Love the stories. I started my working life back in the late 1980's working in a tv showroom and spending all my lunch breaks talking to the engineers. Used to love the tales they told. Keep it up.

[@g4nsj]

Thanks, Tony. It's nice to hear from you. Cheers, Ray.

[@ChatGPT1111]

Ray, I really enjoy your stories and info. Started my radio journey as a teenager in 1975 on CB in LA California. Back then, the CB band was 23 channels (year later 40) and every channel was jam packed. The truckers only used channel 19 and emergency on channel 9 was clear though. I was later stationed by the USAF as an A10 Avionics Specialist (UHF/VHF Comm/Nav) in the UK (RAF Woodbridge) 1982-84 near Ipswich and have lived in Florida working at Kennedy Space Center since then. But in Suffolk, East Anglia back in the 80's, we listened to Radio Caroline and Radio Luxembourg which were both great. Cheers! Jim, AA1JV Cape Canaveral

[@g4nsj]

Hi Jim, thanks for commenting. Radio Caroline and Luxembourg were brilliant. There's nothing like it today. So sad. Cheers, Ray.

[@RussWWFC]

Keep the stories coming Raymondo, good to have as background sound while I get on with other stuff

[@darrencoe5795]

Enjoyed the series of story videos Ray, thanks.

[@g4nsj]

Darren Coe thanks, Darren.

[@stevengibson398]

Hi Ray, Another interesting, educational and funny story from the Radio Workshop. Yes please, more story,s. Looking forward to something about the Cold War comms you mentioned. Keep up the great work. 73.

[@paultroiani255]

I find your stories both enjoyable and educational. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[@g4nsj]

Thanks!

[@carryclass6807]

are we interested? hell yes, pirate, ghost stories, technical stuff Ray what ever you want to talk about. you are a master speaker and story teller.

[@g4nsj]

carryclass thanks! 😃

[@johnbrown1835]

Love your story's Ray keep up the good work remember all the Ex WD stuff in the fifties used to be tons of the stuff around my home town Hereford unfortunately as a kid in the fifties never had the cash to take advantage of it Best regards JB Sydney Australia

[@timg5tm941]

Love these videos Ray. I live just down the road from Worthing and have just got my M6 through the Worthing Club. Might bump into you one day. 73s and thanks.

[@g4nsj]

You never know!

[@vk6op648]

Keep on going ray, its great history. Magic stuff

[@stevedyer120]

Love all the stories😊

[@ponyboymidnight]

LOVE your stories, Ray. Please keep them coming! I wish we lived in the same local area. I could come around and learn gobs of knowledge for sweeping up the place...However, I live in the Colonies. (USA South Carolina)

[@g4nsj]

Sweeping up, I like it! Thanks for your comments. Cheers, Ray.

[@G4WTV]

Thanks Ray for the memories, GWM Radio and Les Grout, Simon etc. all sadly missed now; Aladdin's cave I used to call it. All the best mate, Roy.

[@g4nsj]

Thanks, Roy, They were happy days!

[@clifffiftytwo]

Enjoy these history videos very much - thank you.

[@TommyBrownIII]

Ray, I began my radio adventures when I was in the 5th grade. Using a old Robyn T 240 D cb radio. Spent alot of time talking to all who I could. I then found shortwave in high school and really enjoyed it and still do.. I got my amateur radio lic. in 2003. Love to hear your stories. Thanks Ray

[@g4nsj]

Hi Tommy, thanks for your comments. I'm pleased that you enjoy the stories... more coming soon! Cheers, Ray.

[@alaska3333]

Hi Ray! Thanks for another great story from the good old days! It is very recognizable those days back then you're telling about. It was such a fun and adventurous time on FM and MW here in Amsterdam (not done by me of course) ;) Keep up the good work!! 73 Eric.

[@g4nsj]

Thanks, Eric. There is quite a lot of music coming from your area around 1650kHz in the evening. Excellent! Cheers, Ray.

[@rogerhalford8320]

Hello Ray, this reminds me so much of when I started, straight from school into a busy radio & TV workshop at the age of 15, when I started I made the tea and 10 years later the workshop manager made the tea as I was pretty busy clearing the service work.. Like yourself the stories I could tell about things that happened , we certainly had some fun times particularly on field service work! But the work was always carried out to a very high standard, I left there in 1976 as the standard of consumer electronics was getting very shoddy and moved into the electronics industry and have been there ever since, I restore a lot of antique radios but mostly cathedrals from the early 1930,s, keep up the good work I like to hear your stories oh and I am licensed too.

[@g4nsj]

Hi Roger, thanks for your interesting comments. They were happy days and I miss them. At least we have the memories. Cheers, Ray.

[@driverfilmsshortwavechannel]

I always enjoy these videos, keep them coming!

[@KarlDenver]

I remember me and my mate getting into CB a few years before it was legalised, we must have been 18-19 years old. The Severn bridge services was a popular meeting place.We were there the one night when a fight broke out among two rival football teams. it was fun getting back to Wales as there was police everywhere due to the fight. There were 10-15 cars all rigged up having to cross the bridge with police at both ends.As far as I know, no one got caught.Now I'm looking at doing my foundation course for the HAM licence .And I come across your channel while looking for Info on radio HAM .Please keep the stories coming your doing a great job.

[@g4nsj]

Blimey, a convoy of illegal CBers crossing police lines. Haha, love it! Cheers, Ray.

[@Dodgerm1cbo]

Thanks Ray, love these stories, reminds me of my youth a few doors down was a radio ham who also listened to the trawler band. He got me interested in all things radii, I have been a swl since 1968, had am cb and later fm cb, eventually getting my amateur licence call m1cbo keep these stories going and the ghost stories, thanks again, regard Roger m1cbo

[@g4nsj]

Hi Roger, thanks for commenting. Glad you liked the video. More ghost stories coming soon. Cheers, Ray.

[@keithpotter4135]

What an amazing and somewhat parallel early experience to my own, the differences I shall describe below. Back in 1969, aged 16, I purchased an Eddystone 358X receiver. It gave me hours of enjoyment and I went on learn everything about valve radio communication. Although I'm very interested in electronics, it was s steep learning curve. A couple of years later a friend introduced me to a 19 set and Echo Charlie. I was bitten by the bug. By this time I became an apprentice at GPO telecommunications test an inspection. As part of my practical, I built multimeter which was mine to keep. I wired it across the IF in the 358X to make an S meter. Sadly I had to leave the GPO after my parents moved and I could no longer afford to live where I was. My parents had moved to a nice detached bungalow with plenty of room in the attic for a Joystick VFA aerial matched with a Joymatch ATU. Every Sunday I was getting contacts from all over. Some good QSO's in the days of relatively low noise. In the village where I lived there were some nice walks where it is quite 'hilly'. On one such walk I saw a green GPO van with a loop on top which was parked up on top of one such hill. I thought nothing of it. I apologise for the following picture I'm about to paint, but here goes.... It was a Sunday morning and I'd just got out of bed and switched the LT supply to the valves on, to let them warm up and stabilize. I heard a knock at the door and I heard my dad say "we've got visitors" who promptly came into my bedroom to find me standing stark naked in front of my rig, which was clearly tuned to 6.6Mhz Echo Charlie. It was the first and only time I've really been caught with my pants down. I wasn't soft, but I was in tears as they took my prized rig from me, even going into the loft to get my Joystick (which wasn't the only one on display that day). I was taken to court and fined £30 (lot of money in those days) for being a menace and a danger to aviation communication. Let this be a lesson to you naughty, naughty people out there... do not try this at home : ))

[@g4nsj]

Hi Keith, wow, that's amazing. Thanks for sharing with me. A good lesson for naughty people! Cheers, Ray.

[@ianmbell2007]

I'm interested, please keep them coming Ray. Ghost stories too.

[@g4nsj]

Will do!

[@rambo1152]

Crikey Ray I could write a whole book in response to that, but mercifully I'll keep this to one or two anecdotes. Your mention of the smugglers cove incident reminds me of the Magpie network. The thing about this story is that although I had a shack full of amateur radio gear, all I needed to listen to these stations an ordinary AM/FM radio perhaps with a tweak to the osc coil but it wasn't always necessary. The channel I used to listen to in the late eighties was just LF of the official broadcast band at about 86.7MHz The Manchester operation I think was based in the Customs building at Salford docks, and the controller was "Magpie Oscar". The field operatives had callsigns in the form Magpie+2digits. Repeater talkthrough was permanently on. The operations were very exciting to listen to, hugely expensive in manpower with perhaps three cars used to tail a target vehicle with a constant commentary of speed and number of cars between the operative and the target and every so often he would drop back and allow a colleague to resume the tail to avoid suspicion. If the driver only tuned a bit lower than The Jimmy Yong show, he would have heard what was going on behind him! One day I was listening in my car and realised that the operation was taking place in a nearby side-road, seemed it involved a container load of illegal CB radios. So I went to have a look, but it wasn't long before I heard something like "Magpie 14 Magpie 11" "Go ahead 11" "14, I don't like the look of that blue car with the long aerial on the roof" Shit, that was me and my ASP 5/8 for two meters. I was off sharpish, I nearly got busted for listening to a car radio!. From the bottom of Band II, lets now go to the top of MW and the early cordless phones. It's despicable to listen to your neighbours phone calls I am sure you agree Ray A journalist at the time pointed out to BT that the phones they were selling to their customers could be monitored so easily, spokesperson for BT in reply calmed they never knew it could happen, yeh right. There were some high power cordless phones, several watts. Popular with used car dealers based on where I saw the tell-tail pair of folded dipoles. These tended to be VHF/VHF but there were some VHF/MF. I accidentally heard one, a kitchen fitting company that was at least 2 miles away, loud and clear, talking to his burglar alarm supplier in great detail about his alarm. You couldn't make it up could you? So how about a video on what you could hear on an ordinary AM/FM set?

[@rambo1152]

Just to add that a few years later there was a drama series on ITV called "The Knock" and the radio procedures were very similar, but not nearly as exciting as real-life.

[@johnserou6466]

I love your story's.

[@Ged-711]

Great to see you posting regularly Ray, I look forward to seeing new notifications from your channel. And yes it is a shame that the HF bands are so quiet these days. 30 odd years ago the bands were crammed full with all sorts of comms on a daily basis. I seem to remember 10m being open a lot more back then as well. Keep those stories coming! 73's

[@g4nsj]

Thanks, Ged. More coming son.

[@andylinton2798]

Fascinating reminiscences! It echoes some of my experiences (see what I did there?) albeit a few years later. My first home-made tx has an ECC83 and EL84 in the modulator, and a self-exciting 807 choke modded. It sounded remarkably good - I took it into school one day and borrowed a scope and sign gen (the only test equipment I had was an AVO 8), loaded the tx into a light-bulb* and looked at it on the scope - it was modulating really well! * The best light bulbs for dummy loads were the ones from trains, we found. "some" people used to buy a train ticket from Three Bridges to Crawley - 5 minutes for 12p - and 'obtain' a few dummy loads en route. Not me, of course. I used to buy some stuff from GWM, some from a place in Horsham, and some from Z&I's in Tottenham Court Road. They had a cellar full of boxes of 10X and FT243 crystals, many on the pirate frequencies! Have you done any videos of refurbishing old radios? I've a DAC90 here which works fine, but I also have another very old set, 1934 I think, externally in great nick but the electronics needs complete reforming. Maybe I'll get it to you one day!

[@g4nsj]

Hi Andy, great stuff! Light bulbs made perfect dummy loads, not that I ever nicked them from trains! Haha, good idea! I don't deal with 1930s radios, only 1940s. Sorry about that. GWM Radio... such a shame they've gone. Cheers, for now, Ray.

[@andylinton2798]

@@g4nsj Well maybe its not 1934, I'll let you know the model and if you can do it - all the better. if not, it'll have to stay as a long term project for me! I have a set of valves for it, but you know how it is when things get put on the long finger!

[@g4nsj]

Andy Linton OK, great.

[@chopperboi89]

Greetings from KD2CXU. Absolutely love hearing these stories from the good ol' days. You mentioned "Grace Brothers" and I had a bit of a flash back. Growing up, and even now, I watch a lot of what we here in the states call "Britt-coms." Are you being served? was a weekly show, as well as Keeping up Appearances, Waiting for God, One Foot in the Grave, and all the rest! Keep up he great work & 73!

[@g4nsj]

They were great shows and some are still being aired. It was Captain Peacock in Grace Brothers, not Mr Partridge as I said in the video. Cheers, Ray.

[@1fanger]

Hi Ray, excellent SW memories. I don`t go back as far as you and have very limited electronics knowledge, but I love hearing about the various radio gear from times past. I started listening to SW in the mid 80`s. There were quite a few interesting programs then, in America. There were even some on single side band in the mid 90`s. The general feeling amongst alternative news outlets then, was if shortwave ever came under gov`t control, SSB would be a way to get the word out much like pirate radio does here, below 40 meters here in the states, late night on Sunday. Would be interesting to hear of any clandestine broadcasting or communication on SSB in UK. 73. KC3BXZ Joe

[@101jumpit]

Happy Day's indeed ray :)

[@M7BVV-Phil]

Great story's please keep them coming , ☠️👻👽🤖👍👍

[@m0dad]

These stories are priceless Ray, very interesting and entertaining. It brings back some of the nostalgia. I have had much more fun from my homebrew transceivers than any commercial set i`ve owned. Love the story about the ship to shore phone patch. I remember I always looked forward to the weekends to listen on my old shortwave receiver to the 6 mhz pirates and the music stations. Very interesting times. Keep the stories coming.

[@g4nsj]

There was so much interesting stuff going on beck then. It's ok these days, but nothing like the good old days. Cheers, Ray.

[@chrishenniker5944]

Radio Workshop This is oral history at its finest.

[@harryf4566]

Ray you are a natural storyteller. Looking forward to more brilliant anecdotes. Some stories from the trade would be good and keep the technical stuff coming too. Thanks mate.

[@g4nsj]

OK, more tech stuff too. Cheers, Ray.

[@Wenlocktvdx]

Marvelous, wish I'd had a decent receiver in those days. Keep the stories coming please

[@g4nsj]

More stories on the way!

[@BoB4jjjjs]

Of course we are interested in your stories, many more of them please.

[@g4nsj]

bob4jjjj thanks!

[@SpectreOZ]

Cheers Ray, really enjoying the recollections and reminiscing, cold war intercepts sounds intriguing as well :)

[@g4nsj]

Excellent, thanks!

[@Mudsuitable]

Breaker Breaker! Howdy Ray, Gypsy Rover here, I Love Your Stories! Since I found your channel I listen to your stories every time I'm in my shop tinkering and creating, they give me a boost and quite an inspiration when I'm stuck on a project or working on something stressful and for that I am extremely grateful. Its stories and passion from guys like you that pull in the interest and invoke the passion for creativity from younger generations that makes the future and the "Now" an exiting place to be. Thank You Ray! Gypsy Rover Out

[@g4nsj]

Howdy Gipsy Rover! Glad you like the videos, more coming soon. Cheers for now.

[@colinsmith4185]

Good stuff Ray,I wish I could go back to the GWM days,made many trips from the Croydon area,nostalgia is a powerful narcotic,regards Colin G1PGI

[@g4nsj]

Colin Smith We were probably there at the same time. I virtually lived in that shop!

[@frankm7490]

great stories ray i used cb am in thr 80s in belfast used a few burners caused a lot of tv eye main problem was early 80s the troubles here outside ariels gps horizontal beams they drew a lot of attention so i give it up back them im back now when radios in your blood you can never give it up.cheers ray

[@g4nsj]

frank m Aerials do tend to be giveaway. Happy days, though. 😃

[@eckeynecker]

Love your videos ray ,irm 48 used to listen to luxemburg ,laser 588 ,local pirates scr andstuff everynight when i was a kid and the police when they was on fm .

[@g4nsj]

Happy days! Glad you're liking the videos, more coming soon. Cheers, Ray.

[@eckeynecker]

Cheers ray ,its funny how the stuff that intrested me in my younger days ,has kinda come back of intrest to me nearing my 50,s ,ive recently bought an old school sidebander and have been mucking about with that .not as many on these days though still a few though here and there ,a chap was telling me a few more are steadilly coming back every month theres a few new/returning stations .

[@g4nsj]

That happened to me. I lost interest in my thirties and then it all came back. Happy days now!

[@RingwayManchester]

I think I speak for everyone when I say I love these videos Ray, nothing better than to sit down to one after a hard day at work. Looking forward to more.

[@g4nsj]

Thanks for your kind comment. It's nice to know that it's all worthwhile. Cheers, Ray.

[@RingwayManchester]

I'm 29 Ray so I love hearing about the days gone by as you said in your video. Can't wait to see what else comes in the future. Lewis

[@g4nsj]

Ringway Manchester Thanks, Lewis. More coming soon. Cheers, Ray.

[@notvalidcharacters]

You're a fine storyteller Ray, including the tangents. Don't change anything :) I suspect we're about the same age and with similar experiences.

[@g4nsj]

notvalidcharacters thanks. Glad you enjoy the stories. More coming soon.

[@evanstj5]

Cracking story, well told.

[@g4nsj]

Thanks!

[@DextersTechLab]

Love these stories!

[@g4nsj]

Thanks. More coming soon!

[@ianharling9569]

Hi Ray....I love these stories and I'm proud of my Pirate Radio history...Such a great learning curve into our amazing hobby.I used to view GWM radio and also Arthur Sallis in Brighton...Happy days...73...Ian Harling.G7HFS in Eastbourne.☺

[@g4nsj]

Hi Ian, I spent hours in the GWM radio shop. I almost lived there was I was young. Happy days, indeed! Cheers, Ray.

[@ianharling9569]

Radio Workshop . Hi Ray.Yes happy days indeed.I will be doing some HF portable operating this afternoon from about 2.30pm from Beachy Head so may catch up with you on 5mhz if you are free?..73.Ian G7HFS.☺

[@g4nsj]

Ian Harling OK, I’ll see if I can get away from work for a while.

[@g4nsj]

I was listening but must have missed you. There were a couple of stations on but I didn't have time to stay and chat. Cheers, Ray.

[@ianharling9569]

Radio Workshop Good morning Ray. I had several qso's on 5mhz on 5398.5 and 5363khz.I then spent a few hours on 7Mhz as the band was open to UK and Western Europe . Hopefully catch up soon.I will be up at Beachy Head again around 12pm today.73 Ian.

[@alancordwell9759]

My God Ray you really took me back with that one! I used to listen to the old shore station phone patches, mostly operational stuff or parts being ordered, that sort of stuff. But now and again you'd get a really good one with some sailor chatting to his girlfriend and telling her something along the lines of 'nothing in the history of human sexual Congress could equal my intentions vis a vis your good self'- or somewhat less decorous words to that effect!! You're right that short waves was packed with interesting stuff back then- do you remember the old German numbers station with the clock chimes tuning signal? that sound used to give me the creeps. And you're also right about the propagation, when I got my amateur license (which was on the back of illegal cb by the way, back in the very early eighties) I used to work a lot on 15m because it was often open to really interesting places- dead as a doornail nowadays. If ever I come down your way I would love to meet up for a pint! Take care, and keep the videos coming!

[@g4nsj]

I do remember the number stations, very interesting. 15 metres was good back then, I'm not sure what it's like now. Anyway, thanks for commenting. Cheers, Ray.

[@ka0clg431]

You know what? You are Right! I think propagation has changed for the worse. I can hardly hear anyone these days and I'm trying all kinds of things with antennas, grounding on and on and still, crummy reception. It was better in late 70's when I started. Thanks Ray!

[@g4nsj]

Nice to hear from you!

[@ado75]

Great again Ray. Thumbs up from me. 73 Adrian

[@g4nsj]

Thanks, Adrian.

[@tinkmarshino]

Man you lugged an old MOD model 19 home on a bike for 2 miles.. that was dedication son! Always interested since we lived in the same time period me in the US you in the UK.. such fun..

[@g4nsj]

Happy days!

[@tinkmarshino]

@@g4nsj Yeah Ray.. much happier than now I think..

[@uavxtc1296]

Love these stories! Subb'ed Used to run Sonnet Radio Europe on 48m up to around 2009 with a tube rig constructed by Ex Woofferton BBC Engineer Dave Porter

[@g4nsj]

BBC engineer! Wow, I bet that was a nice rig.

[@miata149]

I am here to just echo what others have said: yes, please continue, my good man!

[@ianmorton5943]

We are very much interested thanks great vid

[@g4nsj]

Thanks Ian.