Peter's DX Corner

QSL Radius FM Minsk 72.11 MHz

July 7, 2026 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

My first OIRT Band QSL for Radius FM, broadcasting from Minsk, Belarus on 72.11 MHz with 9 kW. Via office(at)radiusfm.by I received a fully detailed email in Dutch:

QSL email, in Dutch (!) for my reception of Radius FM, Belarus on 72.1 MHz

Radius FM was launched on July 12, 2003, in Minsk, Belarus. Despite it’s commercial contemporary youthful style it is is part of the Belarusian National State Television and Radio Company. As such it falls under the umbrella of the state media structure, which is directly overseen by the Office of the President of Belarus. This explains its extensive nationwide coverage and status as a major network. The Minsk transmitter on 72.1 MHz is the only outlet in the OIRT band, all other frequencies are in the regular FM band.

Today, more than two decades after its debut, Radius FM continues as a leading hit radio brand, blending current international and local pop music with digital streaming, a mobile app, and strong social media presence. It has evolved while staying true to its core identity as “the wave of top music.”

Peter’s DX corner goes QSY

July 5, 2026 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

Hello to all the followers of this humble DX blog.

You’ve probably noticed that I’ve been a bit less active lately. Nothing to worry about, the reason is that our new house is nearing completion. So there are a lot of other activities that keep me busy.

The good news is that I’m getting a fantastic shack—hopefully in a QRM-free location as it is pretty rural. The first coax cables are already waiting for me 😉.

Closure of the Droitwich 198 kHz transmitter: the end of an era

July 3, 2026 / Peter Reuderink / 4 Comments

The BBC Radio 4 long wave service from the Droitwich transmitting station has come to a quiet but historic end. For decades, the powerful 198 kHz signal beamed out from the iconic Wychbold masts near Droitwich in Worcestershire, reaching across the UK and deep into Europe. Together with auxiliary transmitters at Burghead and Westerglen in Scotland, it formed a resilient national network that ensured Radio 4 could be heard in remote areas, at sea, and even in parts of Ireland and mainland Europe where other signals faltered.

My recording of the last minutes of BBC4 via the Droitwich Long Wave transmitter

The closure on 27 June 2026 at 01:00 BST marked the final broadcast after the Shipping Forecast and “Sailing By,” followed by a poignant sign-off. A looped retuning message played briefly before the transmitter was powered down permanently on 30 June. This brought to an end 92 years of long wave transmissions from the site, which began in 1934 with the BBC National Programme and later carried the Light Programme, Radio 2, and finally Radio 4 from 1978. The aging equipment, including hard-to-replace high-power valves, had simply reached the end of its operational life, prompting the BBC to prioritise cost savings and digital alternatives.

This switch-off represents the end of an era for British broadcasting. Long wave offered unparalleled coverage and reliability for generations of listeners, from wartime audiences to farmers checking the Shipping Forecast or night-shift workers tuning in. Its low-frequency waves could travel hundreds of miles by hugging the ground and reflecting off the ionosphere, a technological marvel in its time. While FM, DAB, and online streaming now dominate, the loss of this analogue lifeline has prompted nostalgia and even a campaign to heritage-list the towering 700-foot masts as symbols of a bygone broadcasting age. Droitwich’s silence closes a chapter that began nearly a century earlier, reminding us how technology evolves while leaving behind a rich auditory heritage.

COPE Lugo says goodbye to 1224 kHz

June 20, 2026 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

On June 19th I received COPE Lugo broadcasting a message inviting listeners to switch to 90.0 FM if they wanted to continue to listen to COPE. So another one bites the dust…

Below my recording of their announcement which is somewhat compromised due to heavy thunderstorms as well as the fact that my loop is in a fixed 90/270 degrees position.

QSL NDB LOS Losinj 429 kHz

June 18, 2026 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

QSL for NDB LOS Losinj on 429 kHz. The beacon is associated with Losinj Airport in Croatia, a small airport, mainly in use for smaller private airplanes and taxi services. It is situated on Losinj Island, and definitely one of the easier to receive beacons here in the Netherlands.

LOS Losinj is a pretty easy to catch NDB. Pskov recording.

As with the other beacons from the Istria region my reception was confirmed by Mr. Birkić, head of Istria/Kvarner ATC at Croatia Control.

QSL Radio Blitz 86.9 MHz (and a bit about 3 mtr pirates)

June 16, 2026 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

45 years ago I was active on 3 meter FM radio as a pirate station called Radio Arcadia. Nothing special, only 1-3 Watt, just enough to chat with school friends. And just enough to create a bit of interference on the radio of our neighbours if positioned my mid frequency on top of Hilversum 3.

We were active on 100+ MHz. Radio’s were already equipped with the 87-108 MHz band, but in those days Dutch legal stations were only broadcasting up to 100 MHz, later 104 MHz. So there was 4-8 MHz of bandwith available.

Radio Blitz suddenly popped up with a huge signal on 86.9 MHz

I thought FM radio pirates were sort of dead. A memory form the past. But here on my new location in Drenthe the FM pirates are alive and kicking. Not only in the 100+ MHz band, but apparently also below 87.5 MHz. In my youth that’s where you listened to police traffic (which wasn’t scrambled in those days). And so when screening the lower end of the FM band for Sporadic E DX I suddenly saw the very strong signal from Radio Blitz popping up on 86.9 MHz.

(e)QSLs are difficult to obtain, as are email contact addresses. But often a telephone number is mentioned on air or as RDS information, inviting you to send a Whatsapp. Now and then I just like to drop a message. Usually you get a friendly thank you like the one Radio Blitz sent me. Including a pretty interesting picture of their antenna configuration 😉.

Radio Laikos 87.6 MHz

June 11, 2026 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

With the sporadic E conditions in the past few days, Radio Laikos, or 87.6 Laikos from Thessaloniki, Greece, could be received well here in Coevorden. One evening I could listen to them for almost an hour, with wonderful Greek music and occasionally the typical Laikos jingle, as you can hear in the recording below:

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to send them a report via email as it bounced. So I sent a message via Facebook instead. Only to be quite disappointed that the response was nothing more than a thumbs up… it is what it is these days I’m afraid.

Radio Laikos specialises in λαϊκό τραγούδι , which translates as laïko – popular, and tragoúdi – song. Or: Greek folk-pop music. So I guess the name Laikos refers to that as well. That one year of Greek language lessons I took in grammar school does pay off😉.

The station is described as playing “the best Greek repertoire with love and care,” appealing to all ages — from nostalgic older listeners to younger fans of modern Greek music. Since it launch is 2001 it has developed into one of the top-rated local stations in Thessaloniki. And I can see why!

The picture above shows the White Tower of Thessaloniki. I vividly remember how during the height of the Macedonia naming dispute in the 1990s, unofficial souvenir banknotes depicting the White Tower of Thessaloniki were printed in North Macedonia (then Republic of Macedonia). It sparked intense anger in Greece, as the tower was viewed as exclusively Greek cultural heritage.

QSL Radio Capital 95.5 MHz Rocca di Papa

June 8, 2026 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

A nice fully detailed QSL email from Radio Capital for my reception of their signal on 95.5 MHz from the powerful 50 kW transmitter at Rocca di Papa.

Radio Capital is a prominent Italian national private radio station known for its mix of classic hits (primarily from the 1970s–1990s), adult contemporary music, news, talk shows, and infotainment. Its slogan is “Solo bella musica” (“Only beautiful music”) as you can hear in my MP3 recording:

It is owned by Elemedia and shares sister stations like Radio DeeJay and m2o. Two stations I have received also, but never managed to get a QSL from.

QSL NDB BRZ Breza 400 kHz

June 5, 2026 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

A QSL for NDB BRZ Breza, the “sister” beacon of NDB RI Rijeka. This approach and landing beacon is situated on the opposite end of the Rijeka Airport runway in Croatia. As with the other beacons in Istria such as NDB PLA and KAZ for Pula Airport, Mr. Birkić, head of Istria/Kvarner ATC was so kind to confirm my report.

Pskov recording of NDB BRZ Breza on 400 kHz

This beacon shows up nicely on Googlemaps, and the funny thing is that is actually situated close to the city of Rijeka, while NDB Rijeka is only close to the airport.

QSL NDB RI Rijeka 289 kHz

June 3, 2026 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

Rijeka Airport in Croatia has two approach and landing NDBs: NDB BRZ Breza to the north west and NDB RI Rijeka to the south east, as can been seen on the excellent Skyvector website.

As with the NDB PLA and KAZ for Pula Airport, Mr. Birkić, head of Istria/Kvarner ATC was so kind to confirm my report.

While the city of Rijeka is situated on the mainland of Croatia, the airport and NDB RI are located on the island Krk.