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Tag: Norway

Norwegian Coastal Radio QSLs from the past: Florø, Tjøme and Aalesund Radio

When you are collecting QSLs it is ups and downs. Sometimes you receive a QSL every single day, and sometimes the (e)mailbox is a barren desert. It was like that when I started this hobby in the 80-ies, and it’s still like that since I returned to the radio waves.
But… it is also a good opportunity to reflect upon some old QSL cards. And since my last post was on “Kystradio Sør”, I’d like to share three QSLs from Norwegian Coastal Radio Stations that don’t exist anymore as “independent” stations: Florø, Tjøme and Aalesund.
In the 80-ies there were at least a dozen stations Norwegian Coastal Radio stations active on MF. 2182 kHz was the “calling frequency” where vessels and coastal stations made the initial contact. Announcements of weather bulletins and navigational warnings were made here. Most sought after by DX-ers were the stations like Jan Mayen, Bjørnøya and Longyearbyen, as they provided the opportunity to QSL Jan Mayen and Svalbard, two separate EDXC radio countries (I did hear Jan Mayen once, but never got a QSL… I had to hunt NDBs to get these countries).
Receiving the stations was one thing, but QSL-ing the Norwegian stations was another challenge. In the end I only managed to get three of them: Florø, Tjøme and Aalesund. Want to learn more? Check this Wikipedia article on the history of Telenor Kystradio.

QSL Floro Radio, Norway
QSL Florø Radio, a former coastal radio station from Norway.
QSL Tjome Radio, Tjome, Norway
QSL Tjøme Radio, Norway, from 1982
QSL Aalesund Radio from 1988, Norway
A QSL from Aalesund Radio from 1988. In those days Norway had a dozen or more coastal radio stations.

QSL Kystradio Sør (Rogaland Radio) 2187.5 kHz

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 Flor. 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.

QSL Kystradio Sor, Rogaland Radio, Sola, Norway
QSL Kystradio Sør (Rogaland Radio) 2187.5 kHz

QSL Bodoe Radio 2187.5 kHz

Not all Maritime stations respond to reception reports. But those who do might send beautiful (e-)QSL cards, like this one from Bodoe Radio, Norwegian Coastal Radio North. In Norway there are only two centres left, north and south, that coordinate maritime radio transmissions. The Floro, Alesund, Tjome stations of the past are no more. But this beautiful QSL for my reception of Bodoe radio DCS on 2187.5 kHz makes up for that. Big compliments to the folks at Norwegian Coastal Radio North for providing this service to us DX folks!

QSL Bodoe Radio, DCS, 2187.5 kHz

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