Tag: DSC (Page 4 of 5)

QSL Taupo Radio 8414.5 kHz

August 7, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 2 Comments

Last night I received Taupo Radio, New Zealand, with a DSC message on 8414.5 kHz. Within the hour I received a polite email confirming my reception report via maritime@kordia.co.nz .

QSL email Taupo Radio DSC New Zealand — Email QSL from Taupo Radio, New Zealand

Now obviously I’m very grateful that operators of Taupo Radio took the time to send me answer. I do realize that replying to reception reports is not their core business. Many stations don’t even bother… But while a reply within the hour is an example of efficiency, it also makes me longing for the old days and it raises some concern…

In 1989 I received Awarua Radio, ZLB. It was one of 4 coastal radio stations in New Zealand, and it was the one that covered HF. So with proper propagation conditions you could pick up their CW signals. Yep, we were still on morse code. I think rationalization kicked in between 1991 and 1994, and 4 stations became one: Taupo Radio. And in itself that was not a bad thing. You can learn a bit more on this site about NZ coastal radio station history and here on Awarua Radio in particular.

At the time my reception report took about three weeks to land on their desk and another three weeks for an envelope to drop in the mailbox. The days we worked with printers if not typewriters. When there was no email and we had to rely on airmail. But I received a comprehensive letter with lots of information about the station, their transmitters, the receivers (JRC NRD515s – nice detail is that I made today’s Radio Taupo reception on my 30 years old JRC NRD 535!). And a beautiful QSL card that displayed pride in the coastal radio stations of New Zealand.

QSL Awarua Radio New Zealand — Proud of your Coast Radio Station… the QSL of Awarua Radio shows it!

And that is what is lacking today. Call me an old dude, a radio geek whatever… but I do think it is an opportunity missed. Driven by efficiency and bureaucrats who don’t understand the difference between a Volt and an Ampere there is no more space and time for pride and passion in engineering and technology and what it brings society… How much effort would it take to just include one promotional picture in an email from an interested listener? Promotion has never been so easy…
And that – as a PhD Physics and retired technology manager – worries me… How are we going to foster interest in engineering studies so much needed in western society? Your thoughts? Leave a comment!

QSL Bremen Rescue 2187.5 kHz

August 5, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

Earlier this year I received this beautiful QSL Bremen Rescue 2187.5 kHz. I really appreciate DSC stations (and other stations) that offer this service. Somehow I do hope that it helps younger people to develop an interest in the hobby and therefore in radio and electronics. I sent my report to mail@mrcc-bremen.de .

QSL MRCC Bremen 2187.5 kHz — QSL from MRCC Bremen on 2187.5 kHz.

QSL Tokyo Coast Guard 12577 kHz

July 29, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

For my reception report of Tokyo Coast Guard from Japan on 12577 kHz I received this nice QSL letter. I heard Tokyo Coast Guard with a DSC message as you might already have guessed.

I added two dollars to cover return postage. They were donated to the Blue Feather Donation as you can read in the letter. Two blue feathers accompanied the QSL: pretty cool!

QSL Tokyo Coast Guard Radio Japan — QSL Tokyo Coast Guard Radio, Japan

Thanks to Hugo Matten who confirmed to use the address below:
Japan Coast Guard, 2-1-3, Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8976, Japan

QSL SHN Buenos Aires on 12577 kHz

July 3, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

During my stay on a campsite in the north of the Netherlands I enjoyed good conditions on 12 MHz in a relatively noise free environment. That resulted in the reception of a lot of new DSC stations. SHN (Servicio de Hidrografia Naval) in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was one of those!

QSL Servicio Hidrografia Naval Buenos Aires — QSL… just three letters, but I got my QSL for MRCC Buenos Aires!

The email reply took hours only and was the shortest possible. But it carried the three key letters: “QSL”! (I added their logo to the email myself to improve the appearance of this post).
I sent my report to shn@hidro.gov.ar. Confirmation followed via snautica@hidro.gov.ar, which is probably the Coast Guard branch.

Honiara Radio, Solomon Islands on 12577 kHz

June 27, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

Soon after my return to the hobby a couple of months ago I picked up my interest for maritime radio as well. Thirtyfive years ago I received stations in morse code with CW and VVV markers. This allowed me to to QSL countries that were almost out of reach otherwise: D4A Cabo Verde, P2M Port Moresby, 3DP Suva…

But CW is gone, and DSC is what we got in return. And during the winter months I managed a couple of nice receptions on 2187.5 kHz in particular like Aasiaat Radio. But on the higher frequencies I was less successful, apart from nice catches like Charleville/Wiluna and Valparaiso. Despite the distance those stations are quite common however.

But since last week conditions are great. In the community I see DSC loggins from all over the world were made in Europe. My personal best catch was Honiara Radio from the Solomon Islands, the reception looked like this with the YADD decoder:

TIME: 2023-06-26 06:16:21 FREQ: 12577.0 DIST: — Km
SYMB: 120 120 053 080 008 005 030 108 000 055 070 000 010 118 126 126 126 126 126 126 126 122 107 122 122
FMT: SEL
CAT: SAF
TO: SHIP,538008053,???
FROM: COAST,005570001, UNID
TC1: TEST
TC2: NOINF
FREQ: —
POS: —
EOS: ACK
cECC: 107 OK

And yes, it read UNID. But the DSC community made me aware that 005570001 is MRCC Honiara, Solomon Islands! The ship contacted was a bulk carrier “Golden Pearl” on the Coral Sea. The emails are out, letters soon to be followed. Let’s see if I can QSL this one!

QSL Guangzhou Coast Radio 8414.5 kHz

June 22, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

This post is a bit of a “catch up” as I received this nice QSL letter by email from Guangzhou Coast Radio 8414.5 kHz before I started this webblog. I sent my report to gzrdoxsq@163.net.

I was very pleased with this QSL. I received Guangzhou Coast Radio with their callsign XSQ many years ago when they were still broadcasting “VVV” markers in CW. But where Shanghai Radio did return a QSL – the tiniest QSL in my collection – I never got one from Guangzhou. Today it seems the other way round, unless some of you can give me a better address for Shanghai.

As always I attached a photo of my home town Woerden with my report. In return I got a beautiful picture from Pearl River and Guangzhou city. It is always nice to see how proud people are of their city! If I look at their skyline I’m living in a prehistorical hamlet 😊

QSL Valparaiso Playa Ancha Radio on 12577 kHz

May 13, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

I bought a RSPdx receiver plus Boni Whip antenna for use on the campsite. It immediately delivered some nice results. My catch of Valparaiso Playa Ancha Radio, CBV, Chile was awarded with this beautiful QSL. I listened to a DCS message on 12577 kHz.

I also got a nice detailed letter plus some photo’s of their facilities.

QSL Valparaiso Radio CBV, Chile — QSL Valparaiso Playa Ancha Radio CBV

Controlroom Valparaiso Radio CBV, Chile — Controlroom Valparaiso Playa Ancha Radio CBV

QSL Charleville Wiluna Radio 16804.5 kHz

April 23, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 20 Comments

Charleville Wiluna Radio with DCS messages on 16804.5 kHz is a relatively easy catch. Two things are a little bit more complicated:

First problem: what was the station I was actually listening to? Australia is a big country. In the 80-ies, individual stations had dedicated callsigns. I received VIP (Perth), VIS (Sydney), VIM (Melbourne) etc. in CW. But like in many other countries everything is now centralized, and Charleville (east coast, near Brisbane) and Wiluna (west coast, near Carnarvon) operate under the callsign VIC (formerly the Carnarvon callsign if I’m right). Mind you, both Charleville and Wiluna are not even coastal towns. Bad news: this is probably not going to change anymore…

QSL Perth Maritime Radio VIP — 1988 OTS QSL received via VIP Perth Radio, showing all call signs in use in those days

Second problem: whom to write to? Again “modern times”. As far as I know RCC Australia falls under the responsibility of AMSA “Australian Maritime Safety Agency“. But my email to them was answered with “this is something for Kordia”. Kordia is a service provider in Australia. But when I searched the internet I learned that Kordia was changing to “Ventia”. From my own experience I know that such changes typically result in a change of email addresses etc… so I decided to send a physical letter to the RCC Canberra address.
And here comes the good news: my letter ended up with Craig Bloom, Senior Communications Operator at what is still Kordia. Craig answered with a kind email and the beautiful VIC QSL card! Drop a comment if you want to receive the contactdetails as I don’t like to publish email addresses that are not part of public domain.

UPDATE: Craig confirmed that rebranding of Kordia is complete, but their part of the operation will continue as Kordia.

QSL RCC Australia VIC — QSL Charville Wiluna Radio, RCC Australia VIC

QSL Mariehamn / Turku Radio 2187.5 kHz

April 10, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

With centralization and the introduction of remote operation it is not always easy or even possible to identify what you actually heard. Sending DSC messages with MMSI 002301000 this station is referred to as Mariehamn Radio in the DSC community. The ITU list gives MRCC Turku as the station however, and Turku is definitely the control centre for operations in the western part of Finland. Helsinki seems to be the other main control centre.

Anyway, as QSL Mariehamn / Turku Radio for a reception of their DSC test message on 2187.5 kHz I got a short email from mrcc@raja.fi, which is the email address for the headoffice in Turku.

In the old days things were easier: I added the QSL I received in 1989 for my reception of Mariehamn Radio on 1852 kHz which definitely originated from the Aland Islands.

QSL Turku Radio — QSL email from Mariehamn / Turku Radio

QSL Mariehamn Radio 1989 Aland Islands — The QSL I received in 1989 definitely confirmed reception of Mariehamn Radio, Aland Islands, Finland.

QSL Kystradio Sør (Florø Radio) 2187.5 kHz

April 3, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

I already made a post about the QSL from Kystradio Nord, Bodoe, Norway. Earlier this year I also received a QSL card from Kystradio Sør (Coastal Radio South) from Sola in the southern part of Norway. It was broadcasting a DSC message.
In the past the station in Sola was called “Rogaland Radio”. But with the merger of the operations of Tjome Radio, Floro Radio and Rogaland Radio, the name was changed to Kystradio Sør. Actually, the TX location I received was located in Florø. Kystradio Sør operates with 24 operators, mainly on VHF and MF. Everything south of 65N is the responsibility of Kystradio Sør, everything north of it is for Kystradio Nord. Both stations are operated by Telenor and are not owned by the government.