The wonderful world of listening to the radio

Tag: LPAM (Page 1 of 4)

QSL Golden Oldies Radio 1224 kHz

An e QSL for a new LPAM station from the Netherlands. Golden Oldies Radio from Hoogvliet near Rotterdam started broadcasting on 1224 kHz earlier this year. Power is 100 Watt. Here in Woerden (Hoogvliet is about 45 kms south west from here) reception is good during day time, but in the evening COPE Lugo is causing interference. At the same time it has become more difficult to receive the Radio 1224, another LPAM from Lunteren, some 50 kilometers to the east from my home QTH.

I sent my report to contact@goldenoldiesradio.nl . More info on the Golden Oldies Radio website.

eQSL Dutch LPAM “Golden Oldies Radio” from Hoogvliet on 1224 kHz

QSL Scandinavian Weekend Radio 11690 kHz

An e QSL for Scandinavian Weekend Radio on 11690 kHz. According to their website this is the first Finnish legal radio station to broadcast on MW and SW. The 100 Watt transmitter is located in Virrat, some 80 kilometers north of Tampere in central Finland. True to their name they broadcast during the weekend on various frequencies.

You can also get a paper QSL for 5 Euros, 3 USD or 2 valid and properly stamped IRCs.

QSL Scandinavian Weekend Radio from Finland
e-QSL from Scandinavian Weekend Radio from Virrat, Finland

QSL Radio Piko 5980 kHz

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 Citrus AM 1332 kHz

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.

Citrus AM 918 kHz transmitter

Citrus AM antenna

QSL Radio Aktief 828 kHz

Radio Aktief is a LPAM station from Tilburg. With 50 Watt listed they have a little bit less power than most LPAMs that operate with 100 Watt. At 60 kilometers to the south of my QTH they are still a relatively easy catch. My guess is that last year Smooth Radio got in their way, otherwise I should have picked them up earlier. But Smooth has left AM…

Radio Aktief is built around a very enthusiastic club of technical people and DJs. RadioKidoki is an alternative station ID. They offer a great variety of music styles, so there is a big chance that you will hear something special. I listened to the “Full Experience Show” with a lot of alternative rock, sometimes almost psychedelic.

eQSL from Radio Aktief

I sent my report to contact@radio828.nl . Within a day I received an email and eQSL, and yesterday I received a couple of nice flyers by “snail mail”.

Nice set of Radio Aktief flyers received by regular mail! Thank you!

1287 kHz changes: Kilrock and Unique

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

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 Zender Zanussi & Radio Hercules 819 kHz

eQSL Zender Zanussi en Radio Hercules

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.

LPAM Kilrock 1287 kHz off air from June 1st

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

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!

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