Tuesday, July 20, 2010

2010 Pirate Radio Annual book review

2010 Pirate Radio Annual
By Andrew Yoder

Anyone who has dabbled in shortwave listening, knows there is an underground component that borders on the quirky, if not bizarre side of the hobby.

Andrew Yoder, a pirate radio afficionado, has recently released his new 2010 Pirate Radio Annual, a 126 page book focusing on the pirate side of the shortwave hobby. Whether you’re a newbie or the seasoned hardcore pirate listener, this excellent edition will no doubt grace the likes of many radio listening post (including mine).

So, what is the great mystery when it comes to tuning in pirates ? It may surprise the beginner that it involves just listening! Andrew takes you through the pirate mine field explaining that listeners are no longer limited to their receiver, but now have access to the bizarre via the Internet. Additional information includes pirate web sites, QSLing Pirates, mail drops and QSL tips to get you started.

Classifying the stations, includes an explanation of the various classifications of pirate stations and a 97 page section of stations active in 2009 with detailed station information, and their active status during the year. Email and postal maildrop addresses are included, plus QSL card reproductions for each station to keep you up to date on QSLing

A CD is included that features 75 different pirate stations from on-the-air program recordings, a monitoring plus to those new to pirate chasing.

If you’re a seasoned pirate fan or have considered delving into the sometimes bizarre, 2010 Pirate Radio Annual is an excellent guide to assist your listening. The 2010 PRA is available for $15.00 plus shipping ($ 3.00 to US, $ 4.00 to Canada, or $9.00 to the rest of the world) from Cabinet Communications, P.O. Box 109, Blue Ridge Summit, PA 17214.

Reviewed by Gayle Van Horn for Shortwave Central and Monitoring Times.