List of Pirate Radio Frequencies

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Pirate shortwave broadcasts tend to be on well-known frequencies. This allows listeners to quickly find a pirate station when it comes on the air, as they only have a relatively few number of fixed places to look. Some of the locations on the HF band that are in frequent use as of September 2007 include:

(Updated August 2018)

1710 AM - Mediumwave pirates
1720 AM - Mediumwave pirates - known as the "AM pirate clear channel"
3375 AM/USB - used by Amphetamine Radio
3425 AM - used by The Crystal Ship (also reported on 3430)
3465 AM - reported used in 2017
4020 AM/USB
4025 AM/USB
4060 AM/USB
4065 AM/USB
4080 AM/USB
4085 AM/USB
5010 AM - used by Relay Station
5015 AM - used by Relay Station
5150 AM - used by Relay Station
5200 AM - used by Relay Station
6150 AM - used by European Pirates
6220 Used by Mystery Radio in Europe
6750 AM/SSB - reported in use August 2017
6770 AM - used by Old Time Radio and UNID stations
6780 AM/USB - including nearby frequencies 6777 kHz, 6777.7 kHz and 6778 kHz
6790 AM/USB - including nearby frequency 6789 kHz
6840 AM
6850 usually AM
6855 usually AM
6870 AM/USB
6875 usually AM - noted use by The Crystal Ship (often 6876 kHz or similar close frequencies)
6880 usually AM - used by Relay Station (noted use in late 2018)
6888 usually AM - noted use by Unknown Name Radio Network
6900 usually AM, although 6900 LSB and 6900 USB are both heavily used by Spanish-speaking "peskies"
6905 AM - noted use by Unknown Name Radio Network, another commonly use pescadore frequency in LSB mode
6910 AM/USB - Used by Seven Trees Radio and Clever Name Radio
6915 AM/USB
6920 AM/USB
6923 AM/USB - previously used by Amphetamine Radio, Fess Parker Radio and others
6925 most common frequency - virtually all modes have been heard
6930 AM/USB
6935 AM/USB - Latin American pirates can also be heard here
6940 AM/USB - noted use by Clever Name Radio
6945 AM/USB
6950 AM/USB
6955 AM/USB
6960 AM/USB
6965 AM/USB
6969 LSB - Used by Cold Country Canada
6970 AM
6973 AM - Latin American pirates can also be heard here
6975 AM/USB - often used by XFM (also heard on 6970)
6995 AM/SSB - recently (July 2017) used by KUNT
7415 historically, an extremely active frequency, more recently occupied by WBCQ
7470 AM - noted use by YHWH religious pirate
15070 active in the early 1990's by Europirates and pirates in North America, but recently quiet due to the solar cycle low


6925 kHz is the most used frequency at this time; however, it's important to note that the list will change. Broadcasters will experiment with new frequencies according to the season, and the appearance of utility, military, and broadcast stations on a favorite spot may also force stations to move to new locations. During periods of minimum solar activity, there has been some movement down to the 3-5 MHz region.

The 43 meter band (6765-7000 kHz) is where most US-based pirates are found, generally clustered around 6925 kHz. Because many pirates use older-generation transmitters, it is not uncommon to find stations on "6925" actually using 6924 kHz to 6926 kHz. AM transmissions operating in the 6924.5 kHz to 6925.9 kHz area are often logged.

Pirates tend to use 5 kHz steps up to 6975 kHz. However, use "split" or "offset" frequencies is also common, examples include 6912.5 kHz, 6969 kHz, 6929.5 kHz, etc. Offset frequencies (for example, 6876 kHz instead of 6875 kHz can sometimes be due to quirks of transmitting equipment).

In late 2018, several stations appeared around 6775-6790 kHz, including 6780 kHz, 6789 kHz, 6777.7 kHz and other nearby frequencies. Old Time Radio or OTR continues to be heard on 6770 kHz AM.


The 43 meter band is also heavily used by so-called "peskies" (a play on the Spanish term "pescadores - meaning "fishermen"), stations engaging in two-way radio chatter in Portuguese, Spanish and other languages (including English). Peskies generally use LSB mode. 6925 kHz LSB is one of the most active peskie frequencies, which can cause serious interference issues for pirates operating in AM mode on 6925 kHz or adjacent frequencies. The area around 6900 kHz (including 6895 kHz and 6905 kHz) are also heavily used by Spanish-speaking stations in both USB and LSB modes. Unknown Name Radio Network has recently started using 6900 despite heavy QRM from SSB traffic on or near 6900 kHz. Other pirates deliberately interfere with pescadore/freebander communications.

Later in the evening when propagation on 43 meters is unfavorable, pirates will sometimes move the lower frequencies, including the 90 meter band (most commonly 3375 kHz, 3425 kHz, 3465 kHz) or the 70 meter band (roughly 4000-4100 kHz).

A good place to look to get an idea of what frequencies are in current use is the HF Underground Shortwave Pirate logging section. and some stations will also announce a broadcast ahead of time on the HFU Broadcast Announcements section.


Euro-Pirate Radio Frequencies

  • 3920-3950
  • 6200-6300


Previously Active Pirate Radio Frequencies

  • 1616 - Used by AM pirates in the 1970s and 1980s
  • 1620 - Used by AM pirates in the 1970s and 1980s
  • 1625 - Used by AM pirates in the 1970s and 1980s
  • 1630 - Used by AM pirates in the 1970s and 1980s
  • 6250 - Used in the 1980s
  • 6840 - Used Voice of the Voyager and others in the 1980s
  • 7425 - The most popular pirate frequency in the early 1980s.



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