The wonderful world of listening to the radio
The control tower boasts “International” but Kunovice Airport is not a public airport. Instead it is home to three aircraft manufacturers: Czech Sport Aircraft, Evektor-Aerotechnik and Let Kunovice. (source: Wikipedia).
There are two NDBs for this airport: KUN on 416 kHz and KNE on 434 kHz. Mr. Najman from ANS Czech Republic was so kind to confirm my reception. He also included the photos of the beacons:
Together with the QSLs for NDBs GE-421 and CVT-417 the Enaire email also served as a QSL NDB EAL Almagro, Spain on 332 kHz. But the usual Enaire info slide was not available, as the beacon is run by the military:
Le confirmamos que la recepción de las estaciones NDB con indicativos GE, CVT y EAL es correcta. Estos sistemas están operativos actualmente en España y apoyan procedimientos de aproximación. Se adjunta para su información datos relativos a la ubicación y características de dichas instalaciones. En el caso del NDB EAL, pertenece al Ejército no a Enaire, luego solo disponemos de los datos publicados en AIP.
NDB con indicativo EAL:
– Ubicado en el Helipuerto de Ciudad Real/Almagro. Instalación perteneciente al Ejército que da apoyo a los procedimientos instrumentales del Helipuerto.
– Frecuencia 332.000 kHz
– Coordenadas publicadas en AIP. ETRS89: 38º57’10.0”N 003º45’17.0”W
The Almagro airbase is named after “Coronel Sánchez Bilbao”. It is the home of the Attack Helicopter Battalion #1 — BHELA I of the Army Airmobile Force. Which sounds wonderful in Spanish: Fuerzas Aeromóviles del Ejército de Tierra.
A QSL for NDB CVT-417 Madrid/Cuatro Vientos. Like Getafe Airport the Cuatro Vientos Airport is one of the oldest airports of Spain, established in 1911. Quatro Vientos translates as “Four Winds”. I received my QSL and a photo of the beacon via informacion@enaire.es.
One of the oldest Airfields in Spain!
NDB GE-421 Madrid/Grinon is a navigation aid for Getafe Air Base, a military base 14 kilometers south of Madrid. Established in 1911 Getafe is one of the oldest airfields in Spain. In addition to a logistics squadron from the Spanish Air Force the base hosts Airbus manufacturing facilities where the Eurofighter Typhoon is produced.
I sent my report to informacion@enaire.es and after a reminder got an email reply within a day including the photo of the beacon and the usual Enaire info sheet.
Campbeltown is a small airport located on the tip of the Kintyre peninsula at the west coast of Scotland. Mr. Tom Harper from HIAL was so kind to confirm my reception report for NDB CBL for Campbeltown on 380 kHz.
Like so many other airports in the United Kingdom Campbeltown started as an Royal Airforce base. Since 1960 it served the US Marine Corps as the airport was used to guard the entrance to the Firth of Clyde where the US had stationed nuclear submarines. In 1995 the US Navy handed the airport back ending NATO operations. But this little aerodrome still features the longest runway of all airports in Scotland, with apparently only 2/3 off it leased to HIAL.
A friendly email from Sumburgh ATC to QSL my reception of the beacon SBH Sumburgh Head, 351 kHz on the Shetland Islands. Sumburgh is one of the bigger airports operated by HIAL with flights to various cities in the UK as well as Kirkwall on the Orkney Islands.
Chloe form Sumburgh ATC also sent a nice picture of the runway with the red and white box containing the NDB transmitter clearly visible.
QSL for NDB RBU on 401 kHz and NDB RS on 336 kHz. Both are serving Roros Airport, a small airport in mid Norway. Wideroe operates flights to Oslo from here. Like NDB NMS-329 Namsos the beacon is inspected by FNT Midt at Avinor. Mr. Aune was so kind to confirm my reception.
A QSL for NDB DND at 394 kHz for Dundee Airport. Mr. LJ Smith from Air Traffic Control at Dundee was so kind to confirm my reception within a day. This is my fifth confirmation from a HIAL airport. They operate 11 airports in the Scottish Highlands. With 708 km Dundee is the one closest to my location. As before I sent my report to info@hial.co.uk, asking them to forward it to the local Air Traffic Control officer.
Dundee Airport sells itself as “the gateway to golf” as championship courses at St Andrews, Gleneagles and Carnoustie are nearby. It is a small airport though, mainly used by charters and private aircraft. Loganair operates flights to London City Airport, Kirkwall (Orkney) and Sumburgh (Shetland).
The fifth and final beacon of this series. A QSL for NDB OD-322 Örnsköldsvik Airport. Not in Lapland but close. Örnsköldsvik is the first airport in the world to have a remotely controlled air control tower. It is controlled from Sundsvall–Timrå Airport.
Below please find the excerpt of the email to QSL the Lapland beacons. Thanks to Chris from AVISEQ. Feel free to contact me for the QSL address by dropping a comment!
The fourth beacon from the Lapland region in Sweden. Chris from Aviseq sent me an email to QSL NDB DK at 328 kHz, Vilhelmina. The beacon serves as navaid for South Lapland Airport, 1547 km from my QTH.
As is the case for Lycksele and Hemavan Airport there are daily flights from Vilhelmina to Stockholm Arlanda. Vilhelmina itself has a population of only about 4000. Apparently the huge distances to be covered in Sweden justify the airport.
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