Peter's DX Corner

"It's not true I had nothing on, I had the radio on" - Marilyn Monroe

Tag: Deutsche Flugsicherung

QSL NDB FS-374 Dresden

March 19, 2026 / / 0 Comments

Two years after I sent my report I received a beautiful QSL card from Deutsche Flugsicherung confirming my reception of NDB FS-374 Dresden.

A traditional QSL card for my reception of NDB FS 374 Dresden

There are still quite a few NDBs operational in Germany, even for large commercial airports like Dresden. NDB FS is located 4.5 miles (7.5 km) NE of Dresden International Airport in line with the runway. Below the Googlemaps images of the location:

Googlemaps pictures of NDB FS Dresden

Dresden Airport opened to commercial traffic on July 11, 1935. Driven by Germany’s rearmament program after 1933 it served as both a civilian and military airfield. Although initially designed for commercial use, its military significance grew rapidly during the Third Reich, and it served exclusively military purposes during World War II, including supporting an airlift to Breslau in 1945.
After Soviet occupation at the war’s end, the airport remained under military control until extensive reconstruction and negotiations enabled the resumption of civilian operations on June 16, 1957, in the German Democratic Republic. International flights to Eastern Bloc countries restarted in 1959.
Following German reunification in 1990, the airport modernized significantly—with a new terminal in 2001, runway extension in 2007, and rebranding as Dresden International—transforming into a regional hub serving tourism, business, and seasonal destinations.

QSL NDB NOR-372 Nordholz

February 27, 2026 / / 0 Comments

To my big surprise I received 4 QSL cards, the real stuff, by mail, from the Deutsch Flugsicherung. I sent my reception reports in 2023… 2 years ago. But they were worth waiting for:

DFS has a new QSL card

The first one was for NDB NOR on 372 kHz. This beacon belongs to the Nordholz Naval Airbase. Or in proper German: “Fliegerhorst Nordholz”. I like this “Horst” as it translates as “Nest of a predatory bird”, although I recognize that since WW2 it suffers a bit from a certain connotation.

NDB Nordholz and Nordholz Airport (courtesy: Skyvector)

Fliegerhorst Nordholz stands as one of Germany’s oldest aviation facilities, with its origins tracing back to December 17, 1912, when the Imperial German Navy established it as a key site for naval aviation. The base was initially serving as a major airship port for Zeppelins during World War I. It housed units for both the Navy and Army, supporting reconnaissance and bombing missions with rigid airships like the famous Zeppelin L 3 making early landings there.

Zeppelin at Fliegerhorst Nordholz



After the war, in compliance with the Treaty of Versailles, several Zeppelins were destroyed on-site by their crews in 1919. The interwar period saw shifts in control, and during the 1930s, the Luftwaffe repurposed and expanded the site under code names like “Neckar,” using it for fighter and other operations throughout World War II. Post-1945, the base fell under American occupation briefly, hosting U.S. fighter units like P-47 Thunderbolts before being handed to the RAF, which dismantled much of the infrastructure.

Today, in 2026, Nordholz remains the central hub of the German Navy’s Marinefliegerkommando (Naval Air Command), hosting Marinefliegergeschwader 3 “Graf Zeppelin” and Marinefliegergeschwader 5. Marinefliegergeschwader 3 operates Lockheed P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft (with the transition to the advanced P-8A Poseidon underway, as the first examples arrived in late 2025) alongside Dornier 228NG for pollution control and surveillance. Marinefliegergeschwader 5 handles helicopter operations, including the NH90 Sea Lion for transport and the new NH90 Sea Tiger for anti-submarine and anti-surface roles, with deliveries progressing to replace the aging Sea Lynx fleet.

© 2026 Peter's DX Corner

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑