Welcome To International Bycross Radio
48 meters~6277.8KHZ Shortwave.
Bycross AM first began during autmn 2001, running 100mw from a simple AM transmitter on 590khz. This simple set-up could barely manage to broadcast across the street, and shortly disappeared from the airwaves. But that simple unit had sparked something, and in september 2005 Bycross AM returned on 1590KHZ, running 250milliwatts. This new transmitter was able to make broadcasts with a range of 1/4-2 miles, depending in which direction you went from the transmitter site. The station could be heard regularly Monday-Thursday evenings playing a mix of rock music from artists like U2, REM, Nickleback and others. Whilst certainly 'small fry', it set us on our course.In July 2006 , the station left the air. The transmitter died after being coupled up to the wrong power supply! A hurried rebuild, and we came back on air - for only two weeks. The tuning capaciter had failed. Rather than spend more money with little return, Bycross Radio scavenged the parts to build a half-watt shortwave TX. This was ready by September. The transmitter carried out Narrow Bandwith TV tests for several weeksbefore falling silent.
In November 2006 yours truely first heard the European Shortwave pirates. The rig was a 1948 HMV 1120, brought for the princely sum of £15! It cleaned up well and, after some minor restoration, was fired up one sunny sunday morning. There was the usual 45 second wait for the valve heaters before the set crackled into life. Only three minutes were spent tuning on Shortwave before hollands RADIO SCOTLAND filled the room. The Pirate bug bit, and Bycross Radio is the result. Running a mere 10 watts from our QTH in the british Isles, We transmit our Rock filled 'Free Europe Radio' programes, as well as 'London Calling' specials - each dedicated to a UK band or artist. Transmissions will be made Saturday and Sunday weekends. Times will usually be early mornings (8-9:30) to avoid interfierance with Laser Hot Hits on 6275 KHZ. Special broadcasts will be made on important occasions like new year, Birthdays and Halloween. Other frequencies in use are:
6200KHZ, using QRP power.
12400KHZ, again with QRP.
These frequencies utilise the 'Celt' 12 volt minature TX capable of 0.1 - 2 watts on either frequency. This is a re-tuned and much hacked old military unit. It fits comfortably in the hand, and it was quite a job to squeeze the 6200 Xtal in! Inside a doubler circuit can be selected to provide the higher frequency, although 1240KHZ has not been used yet. The unit can run over 48 hours using two 'torch' 6 volt batteries.
To date, Bycross Radio has had reception reports from Eire, Wales (Cymru), England, France and Germany. In the UK we have had reception reports from Plymouth, Exeter, Cardiff, London, Poole and Andover.
Enjoy!
The celt is now resting, and has been replaced on air with the 'Crusader' QRP transmitter capable of 0.5 - 1 watt output between 6200 - 6215Khz.
The Crew:
Rob: Station operator. Owns the transmitter and antenna’s, the driving force behind Bycross Radio – a hobby turned obsession! Generally regarded to be in a semi-permanent state of denial, nobody is too sure what he is denying. Famed for his spectacular, and possibly suicidal, skill at rugby. When off air, this fearsome beast lurks deep in the graveyard that is the LongWaves. Addictions: Sherbet Lemons and Radio.
Video: Testing the rig.
The Shortwave Transmitter.
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This E-mail address can be used to contact the station or confirm / QSL reports. We also QSL via loggings on the Alpha Lima Forum: http://www.alfalima.net/
