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QSL Radio Tour, Potenza 101.8 MHz

July 17, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

OOps… I checked my Spam inbox and had a nice surprise: a few weeks ago I received a QSL from Radio Tour, a smaller regional station from the Potenza area. I heard them on 101.8 MHz, a transmitter from Potenza with 500 Watts. I sent my report with MP3 to scrivi@radiotour.fm and received a reply within a day!

email to QSL my reception of regional station Radio Tour from Potenza, Italy

Radio Tour operates 13 fairly low power transmitters from the Potenza area. And that’s what I like about this catch! The strongest station is 4 kW on 100.3 MHz, also from Potenza. There is an 800 Watt transmitter in Balvano, and their third strongest transmitter is the one I received… The slogan of Radio Tour is “Radio Tour Viaggo in 1^a classe nel passato” – “Radio Tour, I travel 1st class journey into the past”… which I found a bit surprising as I heard songs from the 90-ies… but that’s probably because of my own age…

QSL CM Obrecht via Channel 292

July 16, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

Channel 292 brings a number of interesting programs. Often I just make an SDR recording during the weekend so I can listen to selected shows during the week.

CM Obrecht is one of the programs that stands out due to the music selection. While shortwave might not be the best medium to appreciate music, you can discover new artists to add to your on-line play lists.

Obrecht is a musician himself, composing and producing electronic music. Learn more about him on his website where you can listen to his music, but also find out about the next broadcast times of his program..

I received the above e QSL within a day, having sent my report to c.obrecht@swissonline.ch .

QSL NDB B-395 Bilbao

July 15, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

The fifth and last on my recent QSL email for NDBs in the North of Spain: NDB B-395 Bilbao. The beacon is situated on Punta Galea, left of the Bilbao harbour entrance, next to the golf club.

Below the ENAIRE datasheet submitted with my QSL, and a slightly better picture taken from Google Maps. Similar to San Sebastian NDB HIG it is a dipole suspende between two towers at 12 m height.

Slightly better picture of the NDB B set-up on Punto Galea, Bilbao (Google Maps)

QSL NDB HIG-328 San Sebastian

July 15, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

Another NDB from the north of Spain on my recent QSL from Enaire: HIG-328 San Sebastian. The call sign refers to Cabo Higuer, which is where the beacon is located. The frequency is 328 kHz.

Enaire always sends nice data sheets with their emails. Unfortunately the resolution is a bit on the low side. But NDB HIG can be “approached” in Google Maps, which gives a good impression of the set-up. The antenna is a dipole suspended by two towers (orange arrow) at 12 mtrs height. The dipole is fed (green arrow) from the little building (red arrow). Nice detail is the ENAIRE sign post.

QSL NDB SA-416 Santander

July 13, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 2 Comments

Earlier I posted about my QSL for NDBs C-410 and C-401 from A Coruña. These beacons were confirmed as part of a set of 5 NDBs I received from the north of Spain. The other beacons are SA, B and HIG. NDB SA on 416 kHz is located near Seve Ballasteros – Santander Airport.

Email to QSL my reception of NDBs C, COA, SA, B and HIG in the North of Spain

Seve Ballasteros was a well know golfprofessional who at the age of 54 after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. In 2015, four years after his death, the Santander Airport was named after him.
The position of the beacon in relation to the airport can easily be seen on the ourairports website. It sits nicely in line with the runway.

And as always the information desk at Enaire included a datasheet for this beacon:

QSL Radio Piko 5980 kHz

July 10, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

Radio Piko is a new legal LPAM station from Finland. It is broadcasting from Asikkala in the south of Finland with 10 Watts only. Despite a few efforts I couldn’t receive Radio Piko as well as Hugo Matten for example did, mainly because of higher noise levels.

But when I compared my recordings with what I heard on the WebSDR of the Finnish DX Association I discovered that the female station ID in English was clearly audible. With that typical pitch when pronouncing “Radio Piiiko”. Traces of 1940s music could also be picked up.

Radio Piko Asikkala Finland — e QSL from low power (10 W) station Radio Piko from Finland

I sent my report – which was basically just my MP3 recording – to pikofinland@gmail.com , and Jari – who is also an avid DX-er – was so kind to confirm my reception with the beautiful e-QSL card. Jari wrote that he didn’t expect perfect reception outside Nordic countries. With 10 watts carrier it is just for DX catch. 5980 kHz brings a solid signal in Nordic countries in evening. 49 and 75 metres antenna is a simple wire in forest.

Radio Piko is on air typically two hours on saturday and sunday evening, on 3990, 5980 or 9770 kHz. Most often they broadcast in LSB, with the occasional SSTV snippet as well. Check the Radio Piko website for the latest schedule information.

I admit, I had to look up where Asikkala was on the map: 1606 kms from my QTH.

QSL SAQ Grimeton Alexanderson Day 2024 on 17.2 kHz

July 9, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

QSL SAW Grimeton July 2024 — e QSL SAQ Grimeton Alexanderson Day 2024

June 30th was the celebration of Alexanderson Day (the day named after the inventor of the Alexanderson Alternator) at SAQ. Despite mid summer conditions reception was quite good as was also the case last year. This resulted in another SAQ Grimeton QSL.

A nice feature of these SAQ broadcast is that they broadcast the event via YouTube with a live chat channel where DXers from around the world compare how well they receive the station.

Coruna Airport NDBs: C-410 and COA-401 kHz

July 8, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 1 Comment

Enaire is a reliable verifier of my receptions of NDBs. That’s nice as there are still quite a few NDBs active in Spain. I received NDB C on 410 kHz, and NDB COA on 401 kHz, both close to Coruna Airport. For this weblog I googled a Coruna Airport picture and I was surprised to see an Estrella Galicia beer commercial on their tower 😂.

Enaire always includes datasheet pictures in their reply. Can someone comment on the antenna lay out, it almost looks like a dipole?

QSL Citrus AM 1332 kHz

July 5, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 2 Comments

Citrus AM on 918 kHz is, if only because of the name, a station I wanted to receive. But it is virtually impossible to receive this station at my QTH. Initially Monique 918 AM dominated the frequency, and when they left the frequency Sitara from nearby Houten ramped up their power.
When we spent some time at Luttenberg for a dog event, I was able to listen to this station. I sent my report to info@citrus-am.nl. Four months later I received this beautiful QSL… Bear in mind, Citrus AM is a hobby station, so I don’t blame them for taking some time.

The Netherlands is a pretty flat country. But there are still factors that influence propagation. I already noticed that LPAM stations in the central part of the Netherlands where three big rivers and polders set the scenery are received very well. But between Emst (the QTH of Citrus AM) only 80 kms away and my location the Veluwe, a sandy ridge 80 meters high, is pretty effective in blocking local AM signals.

Citrus AM is truly a hobby broadcaster. Currently they are operating from a – as Erik from Citrus AM describes – fairly simple AM frequency generator with amplifier. Their provisional antenna is relatively short and will be replaced in future.

QSL Radio Maria España 88.5 MHz

July 5, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

Radio Maria operates 95 radio stations in many countries around the world. I have received Radio Maria stations from Austria, Colombia, Italy, Venezuela. A few years ago they were even active on the former Dutch national radio frequency of 675 kHz before this transmitter was closed. But unlike similar world wide religious broadcasters like AWR or TWR they have no presence on shortwave.

QSL Radio Maria Espana on 88.5 MHz — F/d email to QSL Radio Maria España, received on 88.5 MHz.

Mr. Lopez from Radio Maria España was so kind to confirm the report of my reception made during a Sporadic E opening on June 24th. I sent my report to radiomaria@radiomaria.es . Unfortunately their are 4 stations present on this frequency, all low power. Given reception conditions that day my guess is that Toledo (2kW) was the transmitter I received, Marbella being less likely.

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