Category: Netherlands (Page 2 of 6)

1287 kHz changes: Kilrock and Unique

May 31, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

As announced earlier: from June 1st Kilrock Radio on 1287 kHz will be off air as the owner of this LPAM station is moving house. At the same time Unique Gold, currently active on 675 kHz from Wijchen, is planning to add 1287 kHz from Malden. Given the proximity of Wijchen to Malden my guess is that they will use this frequency to broadcast another of the 4 audio streams Unique produce.

I suggested that this might create a conflict with Kilrock Radio when they resume broadcasts. The answer I got from Unique is that they deliberately waited for Kilrock to go off the air. And the owner of Kilrock apparently moves to the province of Zeeland (further away) and might even come back on a new frequency (they have to reapply for a license). If that is the case it will be interesting to see if they retain the name Kilrock Radio, as the “Kil” in Kilrock refers to the river “Dordtsche Kil” close to their current location.

QSL Unique Gold 675 kHz

May 30, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 2 Comments

I received a polite email as QSL for my reception of Unique Gold on 675 kHz. Unique Gold is a LPAM (100 Watt) station in Wijchen, about 66 kilometer away from my QTH. As is the case with a few other stations from that area their signal is surprisingly strong. I suspect that the rivers flowing through the central part of the Netherlands help to promote propagation. And they have antenna at 70 meter height next to a lake. I sent my report to info@unique.am .

Hans Coenen of Unique Gold also told me that they are planning to start broadcasts on 1287 kHz as well. That will create a bit of a conflict with Kilrock when they return on the air after the relocation.
UPDATE: I learned that Kilrock might relocate to the province Zeeland. In that case there is probably no conflict, they might even apply for a new frequency. Will be interesting to see if they retain their old name, as “Kil” refers to the geographical area they are broadcasting from.

Unique Gold is one of 4 radio streams offered by Unique via the internet and they are also active on DAB. You can read more about this station on: https://unique-fm.nl/en/who-we-are/ .

QSL Radio Batavia 6280 kHz

May 29, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

QSL Radio Batavia 6280 kHz. I received a brief email and an e-QSL card for my report to radiobatavia@hotmail.com . Radio Batavia is a pirate station operating from the Netherlands. They use a home made tube receiver on an inverted V antenna 2×12 meter. When I listened to them they played a Radio Batavia song.

QSL Johnny Tobacco Radio 6275 kHz

May 25, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 2 Comments

A QSL for Johnny Tobacco Radio on 6275 kHz. At first I thought I received Akenzo, which is also broadcasting on this frequency.

Johnny Tobacco runs a 1.5 kW transmitter on a dipole. And yep it was “booming in”. Location is in the north east of the Netherlands. I heard “Abu Dhabi” as an alternate ID. I got the address through this excellent website: https://shortwavedx.blogspot.com/

QSL Zender Zanussi & Radio Hercules 819 kHz

May 21, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 2 Comments

With Impact AM from Wassenaar frequently dropping off the air, I had the opportunity to listen to, and QSL Zender Zanussi & Radio Hercules on 819 kHz. I sent my report to radio819am@hotmail.com .

Zender Zanussi & Radio Hercules is (are) operated by two brothers Johan and Andre. On Saturdays Johan runs Radio Hercules playing English music mainly. On Sundays Andre runs Zender Zanussi with with mainly Dutch music. And indeed I heard Zender Zanussi with polka music (the music typically played by pirate stations from the Netherlands) and some German classics as well.

Johan and Andre have been active in the pirate scene since 1977. But like a few other stations in the eastern part of the Netherlands they used the opportunity created in 2016 to start a legal 100 W LPAM operation. They are active on 819 kHz since December 2023 from the village of Mastenbroek, Overijssel province, The Netherlands. In the western provinces of the Netherlands Impact AM is usually dominant on 819 kHz. The other LPAM station “Studio Denakker” from Klazienaveen is apparently not active yet.

QSL Radio Casanova Int. 6060 kHz

May 20, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 2 Comments

Last weekend I was able to receive Radio Casanova International on 6060 kHz. This is a legal shortwave station broadcasting from Winterswijk in The Netherlands. They are in the air on 6020 and 6060 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They use 400W, 1600 PEP via an inverted V antenna. Within a few hours I received their beautiful eQSL via radiocasanova@hotmail.com .

Despite their strong signal the reception quality was a bit compromised due to interference from solar panels as it was a sunny day.

QSL FRS Holland 5940/7405 kHz

May 16, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

I received a paper QSL card, nice letter and sticker for my reception of FRS Holland on 5940 and 7405 kHz. I sent my report to P.O.Box 2702, 6049 ZG Herten, The Netherlands, and added 5 Euro. They also have an email address frs@frsholland.nl and a new website: https://frsholland.nl/

The station started in 1980, and has been off and on in the air. On their website you can find plenty of info about the rich history of this station. They welcome QSLs, also for reports from WebSDRs. If you want to receive a hard copy (paper) QSL please make sure to included 3 Euro or USD to cover return postage. More info on: https://frsholland.nl/qsl-policy/

The QSL that I received is on glossy paper, A5 format, printed on both sides. You can actually choose a QSL card design from their collection of legacy QSLs. The one I received was #5 showing the Akai tape recorder used to produce jingles.

It looks like the next broadcasts of FRS Holland are scheduled for July 21st and 28th, do check their website!

LPAM Kilrock 1287 kHz off air from June 1st

April 2, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 1 Comment

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.