Author: Peter Reuderink (Page 48 of 63)

WCBS 880 New York

November 7, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 4 Comments

In the last week of October I received strong signals from WCBS 880 New York. Click the link for a YouTube recording. On the internet I could find a QSL report from 2016, but nothing of a more recent date.

WCBS Newsradio 880 is operated by the Audacy group in the United States. Audacy apparently owns 235 radio stations. In 2017 they took over CBS radio, which might explain why I couldn’t find a QSL of a more recent date as Audacy appears to be not very “friendly” to DX-ers or even listeners overseas in general. All of their websites can’t be viewed in Europe for example, unless you use a VPN to bypass the IP blocker. And if you do so: contact email addresses are nowhere to be found.

So in addition to a traditional mail, on which I didn’t receive a reply, I sent them a Facebook message for my reception in January this year. All I got was a generic message expressing their appreciation… Disappointing that a group with a 1.5 billion USD revenue can’t do a little bit more in terms of public relations.

QSL NDB BLK-340 Banja Luka (and some Balkan politics)

November 5, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

And guess what, a day after my first QSL from Bosnia Herzegovina I received my second. A QSL for NDB BLK-340 Banja Luka. This time the email sent to info@bhansa.gov.ba apparently made it to the right desk. Mr. Stanisic who is head of Air Traffic Control Banja Luka was so kind to send me a confirmation.

Email to QSL NDB BLK-340 kHz from Banja Luka, Bosnia Herzegovina

What is a bit confusing is that Banja Luka is situated in Republica Srpska. This translates as Serb Republic, but should not be confused with the Republic of Serbia, which is an independent country (and also still on my “QSL to-do list” by the way). Since December 1995 The Republica Srpska, together with the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina form the independent country Bosnia and Herzegovina…. But as the Republica Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia Herzegovina couldn’t agree on who was to own Brčko, that was turned into a third autonomous district in 1999… pretty complicated eh?

To make things even more complicated: the Republica Srpska consists of two parts and according to their current leadership the Republica Srpska should be an independent state. Which would possibly result in a new EDXC radio country as well, and possibly even two (like West and East Malaysia), as they are separated by Brčko …

But as much as this would be nice for us DX-ers, please don’t let them fight another Balkan War over it…

Bosnia Herzegovina consists of the Federation of Bosnia Herzegovina, the republic Srpska and the Brčko district.

QSL NDB TU-445 Tuzla. My 189th radio country!

November 3, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 3 Comments

Yesss… a new radio country confirmed: Bosnia Herzegovina. I got an email from Mr. Adnan Becic to QSL NDB TU-455 from Tuzla. If I’ve counted correctly, this is my 189th EDXC radio country. In the 80-ies I was able to receive and QSL Radio Sarajevo. But that was before the Balkan war, and Bosnia Herzegovina was still part of Yugoslavia.

BHANSA is the organization responsible for aeronautical navigation services in Bosnia Herzegovina. I tried sending a report to BHANSA directly about my reception of the Banja Luka Beacon BLK-340. But I only had their corporate email address so it probably never reached the right department. I never got an answer.

So this time I decided to write to Tuzla Airport instead and sent an email to Mr. Brcaninovic, technical manager at Tuzla Airport. He forwarded my message to the BHANSA team (translated from Bosnian language):

Guys.. greetings!

You see if you want to answer this lover of radio signals. I have no idea how (probably the contacts on our website for the technique) but it’s not my responsibility, so I’m forwarding it to you for your attention and possible action. As nice as it is to know that you can hear from Holland 😃

And as you could see, it worked! Thank you Mr. Brcaninovic and Mr. Becic for allowing me to add another country to my list!

Note: the email address was not available in public domain and therefore not published here. You can contact me for further details by submitting a comment.

QSL Jake-FM heard on Channel 292

November 2, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

A QSL for Jake-FM heard on Channel 292, broadcasting from Ingolstadt, Germany. I sent my report to qsl@jake-fm.de . Jake-FM is basically a hobby internet station. As the operator Michael Fischer writes on the Jake-FM website: Why another internet station? Because the operator enjoys it!

QSL Jake-FM via Channel 292 — A nice e-QSL from Jake-FM for my reception of their program on Channel 292

The station got his name from a local cult-music bar “Black Jake”. FM was added because it sounds better than Jake-digital or Jake-internet, and stands for Fabelhafte Musik (Fabulous Music).

From their website: JAKE-FM’s basic program consists of a non-stop music mix that emphasizes Classic Rock, but also includes many other genres, such as blues, soul, pop, oldies. Under no circumstances will you hear hits, folk music, hip-hop, techno or the latest chart noise here.

JAKE-FM can be heard on the “real” radio every 4th Sunday of the month via Channel 292. From 2 p.m. local time on the frequency 6070 kHz with the “JAKE-FM – Shortwave Show”. It’s repeated the following Saturday at 10 a.m. local time (may be postponed). Check Jake-FM website or Channel 292 for the latest info.

QSL WBBR 1130 Bloomberg Radio … Wow!

November 1, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 9 Comments

I got a QSL WBBR 1130 Bloomberg Radio… Wow!

WBBR on 1130 kHz is one of these stations (like CJYQ and VOCM) that most European DX-ers use to see whether there are favorable Transatlantic reception conditions for either the USA or Canada. It is really a fairly easy to catch station. That said, having lived in Canada for 4 years listening to these sort of stations always brings back memories… On the 25th of October conditions were really good!

But easy to receive doesn’t mean easy to QSL. The station started as WNEW in 1934, with the call sign referring to their slogan: “New York’s newest radio station”! And as such I heard this station often in the 80-ies, when they were still broadcasting music programs on 1130 AM. But they also featured the famous Larry King… although I have to admit that in those days I wouldn’t have known who Larry King was. I sent multiple QSL requests to WNEW… never got an answer.

In 1992 Bloomberg bought the station. And since you can receive them with one of the best slogans in the world (at least that is what I think): “From the financial capital of the world, this is WBBR New York, Bloomberg 11-3-0“. I submitted a QSL request earlier this year (never give up) and made a second attempt a week ago… and guess what!

A nice answer from Bob Janney, who is a HAM, which always helps! Bob is also a fan of the famous Friesian horse breed from the Netherlands!

QSL Radio Delta, Elburg 6060 kHz

October 30, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 3 Comments

While busy processing IQ.wav recordings for CLE-297 of the NDB list group, I enjoyed listening to Radio Delta. Within a day I received this e- QSL Radio Delta, Elburg, The Netherlands, 6060 kHz.

Radio Delta is on the air weekends on 6060 and 12075 kHz. Check their website for the latest schedule. Not only their website is pretty nice, but they can also be very proud of their studio! Professional! On 6060 they featured a program “Radio Delta goes DX”, reading listeners reports from all over Europe. Their signal is certainly strong enough!

QSL Radio Delta 6060 kHz — e- QSL Radio Delta, Elburg, The Netherlands

QSL Bogusman 6070 kHz

October 28, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

Not sure if Bogusman still is active as a pirate station, it definitely used to be, but I sure liked their program on Channel 292, Germany. While some stations merely mimic Radio Caroline, Bogusman brought nice “alto” pop from the 80-ies.

I sent my report to: differentradio@yahoo.co.uk.

Bogusman via Channel 292 — Nice e-QSL from the Bogusman, transmitting via Channel 292

“Ukraine” QSL from NEXUS IBA 1323 kHz

October 25, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

Following a brief email confirmation in August I received this beautiful “Ukraine” e- QSL from NEXUS IBA 1323 kHz. They broadcast from Villa Estense in Italy.

As they wrote in the accompanying email; “Our latest QSL card is dedicated to all the people in Ukraine, those who died, and those who left their home country as refugees during the current times of war. The card was designed by Pauline Marx, a young German artist who joins us in expressing a message of hope to the people in Ukraine because there is always hope for a better future”.

NEXUS IBA 1332 kHz QSL card dedicated to Ukraine — NEXUS IBA 1332 kHz QSL card, dedicated to the people in Ukraine

They continue:
“We run extraordinary high power broadcast on Shortwave and Medium Wave (1368 kHz) in the evenings with news and inspirational programs to reach those in the current conflict zones. If you wish to know more or support our efforts, please visit our web pages:

Humanitarian Radio Broadcasting at the time of the Ukrainian war

You may also donate to our fund to sponsor the cost of airtime and allow us to
continue these broadcasts:

https://www.nexus.org/ukraine-donate-to-humanitarian-radio-broadcasting/ “

Radio Romania International English Schedule

October 24, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

The English desk of Radio Romania International has always been so kind to verify my reports, even for local Radio Romania stations. So I’d like to do them a little favor in return by publishing their winter 2023-2024 schedule, valid from October 29th. More info can be found here.

Radio Romania International English schedule winter 2023-2024

QSL Woofferton Transmitting Station 17785 kHz

October 21, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 4 Comments

QSL Encompass Woofferton United Kingdom — e QSL for the reception of the Encompass program celebrating the 80th Anniversary of the Woofferton Transmitting Station

A special e- QSL for Woofferton Transmitting Station on 17785 kHz. Encompass Digital Media is the owner of this transmitting station at Woofferton, United Kingdom. Formerly owned by the BBC it was handed over to Encompass in 1997 as a part of the privatization of the World Service distribution and transmission.

On October 17th, Encompass brought a special program celebrating the 80th Anniversary of the Woofferton Station. The program featured various personal stories of people that are working or had worked on the station. I thoroughly enjoyed it, as having been an operational manager myself (albeit in a different line of business) I can really appreciate how a team can be proud of running a complex technical facility together.

(Thanks to Franz Bleeker for bringing this broadcast to my attention!)