Peter's DX Corner

The wonderful world of listening to the radio

Tag: MW (Page 10 of 15)

QSL WBBR 1130 Bloomberg Radio … Wow!

November 1, 2023 / / 5 Comments

I got a QSL WBBR 1130 Bloomberg Radio… Wow!

WBBR on 1130 kHz is one of these stations (like CJYQ and VOCM) that most European DX-ers use to see whether there are favorable Transatlantic reception conditions for either the USA or Canada. It is really a fairly easy to catch station. That said, having lived in Canada for 4 years listening to these sort of stations always brings back memories… On the 25th of October conditions were really good!

But easy to receive doesn’t mean easy to QSL. The station started as WNEW in 1934, with the call sign referring to their slogan: “New York’s newest radio station”! And as such I heard this station often in the 80-ies, when they were still broadcasting music programs on 1130 AM. But they also featured the famous Larry King… although I have to admit that in those days I wouldn’t have known who Larry King was. I sent multiple QSL requests to WNEW… never got an answer.

In 1992 Bloomberg bought the station. And since you can receive them with one of the best slogans in the world (at least that is what I think): “From the financial capital of the world, this is WBBR New York, Bloomberg 11-3-0“. I submitted a QSL request earlier this year (never give up) and made a second attempt a week ago… and guess what!

A nice answer from Bob Janney, who is a HAM, which always helps! Bob is also a fan of the famous Friesian horse breed from the Netherlands!

“Ukraine” QSL from NEXUS IBA 1323 kHz

October 25, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Following a brief email confirmation in August I received this beautiful “Ukraine” e- QSL from NEXUS IBA 1323 kHz. They broadcast from Villa Estense in Italy.

As they wrote in the accompanying email; “Our latest QSL card is dedicated to all the people in Ukraine, those who died, and those who left their home country as refugees during the current times of war. The card was designed by Pauline Marx, a young German artist who joins us in expressing a message of hope to the people in Ukraine because there is always hope for a better future”.

NEXUS IBA 1332 kHz QSL card dedicated to Ukraine
NEXUS IBA 1332 kHz QSL card, dedicated to the people in Ukraine

They continue:
“We run extraordinary high power broadcast on Shortwave and Medium Wave (1368 kHz) in the evenings with news and inspirational programs to reach those in the current conflict zones. If you wish to know more or support our efforts, please visit our web pages:

Humanitarian Radio Broadcasting at the time of the Ukrainian war

You may also donate to our fund to sponsor the cost of airtime and allow us to
continue these broadcasts:

https://www.nexus.org/ukraine-donate-to-humanitarian-radio-broadcasting/ “

QSL Vocea Sperantei 1584 kHz

October 18, 2023 / / 0 Comments

The medium wave scene is pretty dynamic right now. And 1584 kHz has always been a frequency where several low power stations compete. I got this QSL Vocea Sperantei for my reception of their program on 1584 kHz. I sent my report to rvs@rvs.ro .

QSL letter from Vocea Sperantei
e QSL letter from Vocea Sperantei, Romania, 1584 kHz

Vocea Sperantei has 4 transmitters on this frequency. All have a rather modest power of 1 kW only. Nevertheless I hear them quite often, battling with SER stations from Spain, Greatest Hit Radio from the UK, or Studio X from Italy.

Vocea Sperantei means “Voice of Hope”. The station is part of the Adventist World Radio network (as you could have guessed from the three trumpets in the logo).

As they write on their website: “In an indifferent, confused world with toppled values, Voice of Hope is a different kind of radio, with a different message. Because of the current topics, the warm and optimistic tone of the producers and the interest in the problems of the listeners, Vocea Sperantei radio is for everyone who needs a friend, strength and hope”. And indeed in these troubled times I can only applaud them for their effort.

QSL United AM, Neede 1008 kHz

October 2, 2023 / / 1 Comment

Yesterday I was cleaning up my email inbox and to my surprise I found an e-QSL that I forgot I had. Late 2021 I was thinking about what I wanted to do when I retired and I started to explore the radio bands a bit again. I soon found out that a lot had changed. With my JRC ND535 attached to a simple long wire for example, I struggled to hear anything because of high noise levels. So I tried the Twente WebSDR.



But not only the reception conditions had changed, the whole band use had changed as well. For many years 1008 kHz was a key frequency for Dutch national radio broadcasting. Initially from Lopik (only 15 kms from my QTH in Woerden) and later from Flevoland with a powerful 400 kW transmitter. In 2004 national radio left mediumwave, and the frequency went up for auction. Radio 10 – a commercial broadcaster – took over. From 2007 Groot Nieuws Radio, a radiostation with a religious backgrond, used the frequency until New Years Eve 2018.

e-QSL from United Am, Neede on 1008 kHz

Soon after the frequency was made available to LPAM stations. United AM from Neede started broadcasting on this frequency and as they are located close to Twente University and their WebSDR I was able to receive them very well. I decided to give it a try and sent a reception report. I got a nice e-QSL showing the huge antenna setup near a relatively small house.

But after 5 years United AM shut down as well… and like their big brother on New Years Eve. Their QSL is still my first QSL from the new Dutch LPAM scene!

Closing announcement of United AM 1008

QSL Torshavn Radio 2187.5 kHz

September 19, 2023 / / 0 Comments

I started this weblog a few months after I resumed DX-ing. As a result there are a few QSLs that I didn’t post yet. One of those is this comprehensive Word document I received as QSL Torshavn Radio. Torshavn Radio – call sign OXJ – is part of the MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) on the Faroe Islands. I received them with a DSC test message on 2187.5 kHz. It is a pity that they forgot to tick the DSC box on the document, but I applaud them for sending this neat QSL. I sent my report to MRCC@vorn.fo.

QSL Torshavn Radio, Faroe Islands
E-QSL letter from Torshavn Radio, Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands are part of the Kingdom of Denmark, but with a very high degree of self-governance. They are not part of the European Union. The debate on whether they should become fully independent of Denmark lingers on… For us DX-ers and QSL-hunters that doesn’t make a difference: the European DX council has long declared it a separate radio country.

QSL CBI Sydney 1140 kHz

September 16, 2023 / / 0 Comments

UPDATE!: Earlier I wrote about my recently received QSL for my reception of CBI Sydney on 1140 kHz. In addition to my email (not knowing if it would be answered) I also filled in a web form on the CBC site. Pat from CBC Client Services was so kind to return a detailed email confirming my reception.

I got quite a bit of information about the program I listened to. It was called “Unreserved”. It is a platform for the voice of the indigenous voices of the people in Canada. That also explained why the nice music I listened to was not the usual country or “middle-of-the road” style.

Pat explained that QSL cards were sent in the past. An example from CBW Manitoba 990 kHz was attached. While thanking Pat for taking the time to provide all this nice feedback I also suggested the use of an e-QSL card. It would have taken less time! We DX-ers are usually not part of the target audience of the stations we receive. But I do believe it is important that, as a community, radio stations make a little investment to connect with listeners that tune in to the radio from a more technical perspective. Even if it was only to interest talent for technical careers in support of their stations.

Email QSL from CBC
No, not a QSL for CBW Manitoba, but an example from “the old days”

QSL Radio 1224 Lunteren

September 12, 2023 / / 1 Comment

I received this beautiful e QSL Radio 1224 Lunteren. With 100 Watts this is one of the many legal LPAM stations that are active in the Netherlands.

Lunteren is only 50 kilometers away from my home QTH. Compared to other LPAM stations reception in Woerden is worse than I would have expected. The city of Utrecht and the Utrechtse Heuvelrug (a slightly – 50 meters – elevated forest area) are in the reception path. My guess is that this plays a negative role.

Operator/owner Teun (who is also a licensed HAM: PA3GDL) writes that they are active for 4 years now. Programs are presented by a team of 12 DJs who work remotely (from their own home) for convenience. You can learn more about Radio 1224 on their website where you can also submit your reception report.

QSL LPAM Radio 1224 from Lunteren
eQSL LPAM Radio 1224 from Lunteren, The Netherlands

QSL Radio Centrale Milano 1575 kHz

September 11, 2023 / / 2 Comments

UPDATE!: Today I received another email from the Centrale Milano Team. I received their testsignals – with only 10 Watts – a few weeks ago. I was promised a QSL Radio Centrale Milano 1575 kHz and here it is:

QSL Centrale Milano from Alessandria, Italy
eQSL from Centrale Milano, Alessandria, Italy on 1575 kHz

I’m really pleased with this QSL. It confirmed the low power and it shows the beautiful Cathedral in Milan which I had the opportunity to visit some 20 years ago.

Enzo from Centrale Milano wrote this in his email:

Here our QSL for your archive and some other picture of the studios and myself (Enzo) recently and during the seventies in American Radio Milano.
I was a former DJ in many Italian radio station and a speaker/voice actor for many years.
Now, my mission is to keep alive the Medium Waves in Italy and in Europe if possible….. with 10w and more (:).
We are authorized to use the historical Rai 1575Khz frequency up to 1kw so, it seem it should work very well.

Thank you very much again.
Stay Tuned !

Enzo
Radio Centrale Milano
www.centralemilano.com

On the pictures below you see Enzo today and Enzo in the past! Stay tuned for this new station as they prepare for regular broadcasts!

QSL CBI Sydney 1140 kHz

September 5, 2023 / / 3 Comments

Let me start with saying that receiving stations from Canada is always special for me. I lived 4 years in Edmonton, Alberta with my family. My (then 8 year old) son learned to play hockey in those years and is still playing hockey (I always have to say “ice hockey” back in Europe 😉) and my wife became a hockey-mum and is still watching NHL plays of the Edmonton Oilers at night. #97 Connor McDavid is our hero! So I really liked listening to CBI with the CBC One program from Sydney on 1140 kHz.

Better enjoy it while it lasts as they are planning to move to “FM only”. Fortuntaely, as FM coverage is a concern they are still in the air on 1140 kHz. Good for us DX-ers! I have to admit that when we lived in Canada we relied heavily on satellite radio services like Sirius XM given the distances we traveled through sparsely populated areas.

As CBI is one of the trans-Atlantic stations that are easier to receive I was surprised to find out that I did not have a QSL in my possession from my early days as a DX-er. So I was very pleased that Meredith Dellandrea replied to my email to confirm my reception report.

Email QSL for CBC One/Nova Scotia on 1140 kHz

QSL TWR Roumoules 1467 kHz

September 2, 2023 / / 4 Comments

The transmitter site at Roumoules is owned by Monaco Media Diffusion. Located in France they are among the most powerful in the world. The 2000 kW long wave transmitter on 216 kHz went silent however in 2020 when Radio Monte Carlo decided to focus on FM and internet only. The 1000 kW transmitter on mediumwave is still in use by TWR (Trans World Radio). For my reception report I received this nice QSL TWR Roumoules 1467 kHz.

e- QSL from Trans World Radio, Roumoules, France
e- QSL card from TWR broadcasting from France

I listened to a program in the Arab language (which I don’t speak) and then it is difficult to pick up details. But then I heard the name of Brother Andrew mentioned a few times. Checking on Wikipedia I learned that he was a Dutch missionary. For his activities in smuggling bibles and christian literature into communist countries during the Cold War he earned the nickname “God’s Smuggler”. So even if you don’t understand a language, you can still learn something in this hobby!

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