The shortwave pirates are an odd and enduring phenomenon that predates social media and the Internet. They operate intermittent, illegal broadcast stations with potentially wide reach (regional to global), but on frequency bands that most people aren’t equipped to receive. The authorities (in the US, lately) largely ignore them.

The urge to scream into the void is a strong one.

@mattblaze I mean, enforcement costs money, and if they aren't really bothering anyone or interfering with licensed interests... (Or doing other illegal things on top of it)

And unlike say camping in a national park, where you leave a mark regardless of how careful you are, with radio, once the transmitter's off, it's like it was never there. (Assuming they're not running enough power to fry any of the local bird population that gets too close, of course)

EDIT: and shortly, I'll have the equipment to listen to them myself. I have a shortwave receiver kit coming in the mail that I can tinker with.