Category: Netherlands (Page 1 of 4)

LPAM Kilrock 1287 kHz off air from June 1st

April 2, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

One of my favorite LPAM stations because of their music selections, Kilrock 1287 kHz, will go off air June 1st as the owner is relocating. As they write on their website (translated in English):

Dear medium wave listeners,

KilRock currently broadcasts radio on 1287 kHz AM. These broadcasts will have to be stopped for a longer period of time as of June 1. Our program offering remains available online via kilrock.nl and the websites that offer KilRock radio on their own pages.

Why does KilRock stop broadcasting on 1287 AM?

Willem moves to another home. Our transmission system will have to move with us, as it is located at Willem’s home. There is no other installation location available, unless a temporary installation location for our transmission installation can be found elsewhere in the Hoeksche Waard. We do not expect to be able to realize something like this in the short term. The move is scheduled for July 2024. The antenna mast and transmitter must be dismantled well in advance and ready for transport. The disassembly work will start on June 2. That is why KilRock will no longer be receivable via 1287 kHz from Saturday, June 1 after 6:00 PM. The intention is to resume medium wave broadcasts from the new location as quickly as possible.

New start date unknown.

It is still unclear from what date we can switch the channel back on. This depends, among other things, on how quickly we can obtain an environmental permit at the new location; Such a permit is required if you want to install a transmission tower over eleven meters high. We will inform you via our Facebook page and this website if there are any new developments. Always keep in mind that KilRock is a hobby project. There are often more important things in life than pursuing a hobby. A move should be considered one of the most important things in life, whether it is fun or not…

QSL Backyard AM 1116 kHz

March 15, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 1 Comment

Received on my little Grundig G6 Aviator while spending some time with family in Akersloot: Backyard AM, a low power AM station from Zaandijk. Somehow I did not yet receive them on my home QTH in Woerden. My guess is that this is because they are active weekends only. More importantly: Danko Radio from Hungary might get in their way. That said, according to their schedule they are a little bit longer in the air on Sunday’s than Danko Radio (between 20 and 21 h UTC) so that could provide a window of opportunity.

Their beautiful QSL shows one of the most iconic views of the Netherlands, the “Zaanse Schans“, close their QTH Zaandijk.

Older DX-ers might remember that 1116 kHz was once the frequency of Radio Bloemendaal. This religious broadcaster was the first religious broadcaster in the Netherlands, and for a long time the only legal station other than the state radio company that was heard on medium wave. But I will dedicate another post to them!

QSL Dutch Coastguard Den Helder 518 kHz

March 6, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

Not exactly DX from my location, but I am also a QSL collector and the Dutch Coastguard issues this nice QSL email. So here it is. I received my QSL Dutch Coastguard Den Helder 518 kHz for one of their NAVTEX transmissions.

e- QSL Dutch Coastguard Den Helder 518 kHz

The Dutch Coastguard has a nice website in English, but their history is best told on the site in Dutch (use Google to translate). Coastguard activities in the Netherlands started following a tragic incident with a Navy ship “Zr.Ms.Adder” in 1882. The ship sank near Scheveningen, but nobody noticed the ship was missing. Only when the first bodies washed ashore alarm bells went off. From 1882 onwards the crews on the lighthouses – which were already there as navigation aids – had to monitor traffic actively and had to report incidents.

Over the years 6 different departments in The Netherlands developed activities on the North Sea. Fishery, Traffic, Justice, Defense, Finance and Internal Affairs. In 1987 it was decided these departments had to work together from a central location in IJmuiden. I have a PPC QSL from 1993 indicating that in those days radio traffic was limited to emergency frequencies (2182 kHz and VHF) only. Telephony/telegraphy including weather and navigational warnings were broadcast via PCH Scheveningen Radio.

In 1994 it was concluded that the cooperation between the 6 departments needed improvement. The Coastguard was established as an independent entity, with its operations coordinated under responsibility of the Royal Dutch Navy. As a consequence the Coastguard centre moved to Den Helder which is the main port of the Navy.

With more an more communication going via satellite Scheveningen Radio closed in 1998. My guess is that since then navigational warnings via NAVTEX were transferred to the Coastguard.

1980 QSL for Scheveningen Radio on 2182 kHz. Scheveningen Radio went off air in 1998.

QSL Zender Akenzo 5845 kHz

January 18, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

Dark clouds are gathering on this e-QSL from Zender Akenzo 5845 kHz. Not sure if there is a connection with the three lightning bolts…

e-QSL from Zender Akenzo, a Free Radio station from The Netherlands

Radio Akenzo is a Free Radio station on the 48 meter band. I sent my report to akenzoteam@hotmail.com .

QSL Radio Veronica 5955 kHz

January 18, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

A fully detailed eQSL from Radio Veronica on 5955 kHz. The transmitter is located in Westdorpe/Overslag in the Zeeuws Vlaanderen region near the border of The Netherlands with Belgium. The transmitter is listed with 1 kW. HF propagation can be a bit tricky, but given the signal strength overhere in Woerden (120 kilometers) I do think they are broadcasting with less power than that.

I sent my report to qsl@radioveronica.nl and received the eQSL from qslcards@radiocorp.nl

Sunlite is now Radio Veronica on 5955 kHz

The station is owned by Herbert Visser. He is founder/owner of Radiocorp , the company behind radiostations like 100%NL, SLAM! and SUNLITE. Herbert apparently runs the short wave station on 5955 as a hobby project. Broadcasts started in December 2021, intially relaying the Sunlite programs.

In 2023 Radiocorp was bought by Mediahuis, the company that also bought Radio Veronica. This probably explains the switch to relay Radio Veronica programs since end 2023. Herbert changed his eQSL format accordingly. Many shortwave listeners had hoped that Veronica Vintage would be relayed, which would be a better fit for an AM transmitter.

QSL Rivierenland Radio, Huissen 891 kHz

January 17, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

Since December 29th the LPAM station Rivierenland Radio can be heard on 891 kHz. Their 100 W transmitter is located in Huissen near Arnhem. That is only 74 kilometers east from my QTH. The only other station on this frequency is Radio Algerie which, coming from the south, can be “nulled out” easily with my loop antenna. So pretty good reception here!
I sent my QSL request to rivierenland-radio@rivierenlandradio.nl

Email QSL and logo of Rivierenland Radio, Huissen, 891 kHz

There is quite a bit of variety among the Dutch LPAM stations. Some of them, like Album AM, are hobby stations interested in technical aspects and DX reception. Other stations are a legal continuation of a former Free Radio station, bringing a few hours of music a week, mostly during weekends only.

And there are stations like Rivierenland Radio who have a more professional 24/7 approach, and where the AM presence is a just an extension of what they are already doing on DAB+ and internet. Via DAB+ Rivierenland Radio can be heard between Arnhem and Eindhoven, in the eastern part of the Netherlands.

QSL Zuid West Brabant AM 1467 kHz

January 8, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

Zuid West Brabant is a low power medium wave station from Heerle. A little village between Bergen op Zoom and Roosendaal in the province Noord-Brabant in The Netherlands. With 100 Watt they are active on weekends. Within a day I got their QSL via zuidwestbrabant@hotmail.com.

QSL Zuidwest Brabant AM, Heerle — eQSL from LPAM station Zuid West Brabant AM from Heerle on 1467 kHz

Funny detail: I happened to come across this station while listening via a KiwiSDR in the North of Scotland. At 970 kilometers distance reception was still quite good. Nevertheless I switched to my home QTH, only 80 kilometers away from Heerle.

Merry Christmas from the tallest Christmas Tree in the World!

December 21, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 2 Comments

I would like to take the opportunity to wish everyone who follows or just visits my blog a Merry Christmas!

On the picture above you see the Tallest Christmas Tree of the World. Almost 370 meters tall, with lights connected on the guy wires of the Gerbrandy Radio/TV tower near IJsselstein. The tower is about 14 kilometers away from my QTH, but I can easily see it from my house! If visibility permits, you can even spot this tree from 40-50 kilometers distance. This year we celebrate the 25th time that the lights went on.

More info on: De Grootste Kerstboom

QSL Radio Blackstone Int. 6270 kHz

December 19, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

The eQSL from Radio Blackstone International on 6270 kHz is very appealing. One of the nicest in my collection now. Thank you Herman!

QSL Free Radio Blackstone International — e QSL from Radio Blackstone International 6270 kHz

Radio Blackstone International is a Free Radio station that is irregularly in the air on short wave. Herman uses home made tube transmitters, or vintage army transmitters. For the transmission that I received on 6270 kHz a Telefunken T400 transmitter from 1958 was used.
Radio Blackstone International is located in the province of Drenthe, The Netherlands. I sent my report to radioblackstone@outlook.com. Herman is also operating as “Zeewolf” on mediumwave.

QSL NDB NW-373 Beek

December 14, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

There is only one NDB (nondirectional beacon) left in The Netherlands, and that is NW at Beek, or Maastricht/Aachen Airport. This airport is also “home” of Dutch Air Traffic Control (LVNL), so I sent them an email (info@lvnl.nl) to ask what makes NW so special. I got a friendly reply (thank you!):

LVNL has phased out all NDBs and Locators in recent years, with the exception of the NW beacon. The reason for this is that we now use satellite navigation and these beacons are no longer needed. The navigation procedures have been adjusted accordingly. This was possible in most of the airspace above the Netherlands. Only part of the airspace and route structure in the south of the Netherlands is currently too complex to use satellite navigation. As a result, more time is needed to safely introduce the satellite navigation-based procedures in the border area with Belgium. It is expected that this will be possible sometime in the coming years. After that we can also phase out the NW beacon.

Belgium still has 11 active NDBs, with SLV-386.5 in Spa and ONL-290 in Liège close to Maastricht.