Gday from sunny Melbourne
I started ABC England. I used the name Roger St John. I had been involved in mw stations around Cambridge / Newmarket area for a few years with Chris Cortez of 42 Arran Close fame and Dave Caine a well known Cambridgeshire dj and Radio Caroline night watchman, as he had some stints minding the lady together with two hams John and Phil, later to be Gary Day. I see cosmo already posted here. Chris and I were visiting another pirate in Colchester and he gave us a 10 watt sw tx.
It had been used by a station called Radio 69. I took it back to Mildenhall and on the Sunday Dave and myself put out a test. Chris had told us na no good you wont get far its not strong enough. Well by the following Thursday heaps of mail and ABC England was on air. We had an inverted vee antenna. Reports were coming in by the sack full. Chris started his ABC Calling dx section. That just took off and I think we were the only English shortwave pirate to make it into the World Radio TV Handbook.
I left and moved to Germany. Chris, Dave and Gary Day continued for a long time. I still have contact with Chris, saw him two years ago when last in the UK.
Great times, a few court cases

but we did give Mr Hawkins and the radio inspectors a heap of Sunday overtime and met a heap of nice people. Dave Cain, Chris Cortez, Freddy Archer (Radio Caroline SW) many hams and a lot of people who ended up working for offshore stations VOP, Caroline and others.
I'm now 56 and will always on a Sunday flip down the band from 7mhz and have a quick listen on 6270
Wishing all the fellow pirates all the best for 2009
take care 73
Roger