"It's not true I had nothing on, I had the radio on" - Marilyn Monroe

Tag: QSL (Page 1 of 58)

QSL NDB LU-397 and NA-383 Banja Luka

A few weeks ago I received an email from Mr. Goran Nikolic, Systems Engineer at BHANSA. He asked me if he could use the information of my reception report of NDB „TU“ on 445 kHz near Tuzla in a technical book he was preparing on radio navigation aids. The idea was to explain that NDBs can be received over much longer distances if propagation conditions are favourable. As Mr. Nikolic wrote: “It is a very useful practical example for explaining a phenomenon that can otherwise remain rather abstract.”

Of course I agreed, but I took the opportunity to ask Mr. Nikolic if he could confirm my reception of a number of beacons from Bosnia Herzegovina. My request was forwarded to Mr. Borenovic, Head of CNS department in Banja Luka. He confirmed my reception of beacons NDB LU on 397 kHz and NDB NA on 383 kHz. But also informed me that both beacons have been taken out of operation in 2026.

It is sad to see that this part of our radio hobby disappears as NDBs are replaced with more modern navigation systems. The picture below from OurAirports shows the position of these former beacons. Quite frankly I do think the exact location is a little bit more to the left, in line with the runway.

This is the equipment at the LU location as shown on Google Streetview:

Banja Luka International Airport (BNX), also known as Mahovljani Airport, began construction in 1976 as a secondary facility intended only for domestic flights within socialist Yugoslavia, and it saw little scheduled traffic even then. After the Bosnian War Banja Luka became the de facto capital of Republika Srpska, giving the airfield new political and practical weight; it opened to civilian traffic on 18 November 1997 and briefly served as the hub of the short-lived flag carrier Air Srpska (1999–2003).

Facilities were upgraded in 2002–2003 ahead of Pope John Paul II’s visit. For years passenger numbers remained modest, but the arrival of Ryanair in 2018 and Wizz Air in 2021 transformed it into a low-cost gateway. By 2025 it handled nearly 485,000 passengers, making it Republika Srpska’s only international airport and a vital link for Banja Luka—Bosnia and Herzegovina’s second-largest city—connecting the region to Belgrade and numerous European cities and supporting tourism, business, and the entity’s economic integration with the wider continent.

More info about the Republika Srpska can be found in my post on NDB BLK on 340 kHz.

QSL Taiwan Area Fishery Radio Station 1143 kHz

A QSL letter from Taiwan Chu Yuyeh Kuangpo Tientai, 台灣區漁業廣播電台
(Táiwān Qū Yúyè Guǎngbō Diàntái). Also known as Taiwan Area Fishery Radio Station on 1143 kHz. With 100 kW they also broadcast on 738 kHz. I couldn’t copy them there unlike other Benelux DX Club members. Their third frequency is 1593 kHz but that one has 3 kW only.

It is always a pleasure to receive a nice envelope that has traveled halfway around the world:

I heard them at 19:59 h UTC with time pips and a female ID for Fishery Radio:

Much stronger was the reception a later that evening with a Radio Taiwan International program:

By the way: Radio Taiwan International confirmed my reception as well with a f/d email and promised a dedicated QSL card. Let’s see.

Taiwan Area Fishery Radio Station (now Fisheries Radio Station, or FRS) is a government-run mediumwave service created to keep fishermen at sea informed and safe. It broadcasts 24 hours a day on AM 738 kHz and 1143 kHz from Penghu and 1593 kHz from Yilan. Programs are also carried in parts of eastern Taiwan by partner stations.

Taiwan is surrounded by sea and has a large fishing industry. In 1980 the Ministry of National Defense’s General Political Warfare Headquarters asked the Intelligence Bureau to plan a dedicated station that would deliver timely, accurate marine weather and related information so crews could protect lives and property and make better use of ocean resources. Trial weather broadcasts began on 1 July 1983. After provincial government reorganization in 1999 the station moved under the Fisheries Agency. It has belonged to the Ministry of Agriculture’s Fisheries Agency since 1 August 2023.

Programming also includes general information and entertainment and is produced in Mandarin, Taiwanese, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Filipino, and indigenous languages to reach both local fishermen and foreign crew members. Mediumwave was chosen because it travels well over water and can be received on simple shipboard radios far from shore.

QSL WMLB 1690 kHz Avondale Estates

The old logo of WMLB 1690 AM

A QSL for my reception of WMLB 1690 Avondale Estates, or WMLB 1690 AM Atlanta as this is what they themselves advertise. My first QSL for an AM broadcaster from the state of Georgia! I received a ‘simulcast’ of a program from WCPT, with the WMLB station ID on the hour:

As the WRTH provided links to WCPT Heartland Signal sites only I left a message on their website. Rodney Gibbs, General Manager confirmed my reception report. He states that they recently launched the station and are preparing to add local programming soon:

As far as I know WMLB 1690 is not (yet) owned by Heartland Signal. The FCC licensee is still John Fredericks’ Disruptor Radio, LLC.

Most of the news talk stations I have received so far voice a conservative opinion (like WXKS for example). Heartland Signal however brings a progressive voice. The format is “live, local & progressive”: discussions with activisten, journalists and politicians from the MidWest, with news from the digital newsdesk of Heartland Signal.

QSL CKOC Hamilton 1150 AM

A QSL for CKOC Hamilton 1150 AM, Canada’s oldest continuously operating radio station. A station that has adapted through more than a century of broadcasting while remaining a local voice. Station CHAB, in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, began broadcasting a week earlier and is still on the air today, but was shut down for a period of time in 1933 before re-opening.

Recording of my CKOC 1150 AM reception, resutling in the first QSL on my new QTH

My reception report was confirmed within hours by Mr. Pervin, General Manager of the station. It is nice to be able to add this Canadian radio icon to my QSL Collection. And it is the first QSL from my new QTH!

A brief history of CKOC

Signed on May 1, 1922, by Herb Slack and George Crawford of Wentworth Radio and Auto Supply, the station began as a modest way to sell radios. Its call letters come from the original owner’s parent company, Ontario Cycle. Early broadcasts were limited, and the station hopped frequencies—including 880, 630, and 1120 kHz—before settling on 1150 AM in 1941. It served as a CBC affiliate from 1936 to 1962.

CKOC became a regional powerhouse during its Top 40 years from 1960 to 1992, competing with Toronto stations and earning a reputation as “The Busy Bee.” In 1992 it flipped to oldies as “Oldies 1150,” briefly using the CKMO calls before listeners demanded the original CKOC letters back in 1993. In 2013 the format changed scope from “Oldies” to “Classic Hits”.

Bell Media bought the station in 2013, and changed the format to sports talk in 2015, joining the TSN Radio network as TSN Radio 1150. In 2021, Bell Media ended the TSN Radio formats at CKOC as it did with CFRW Winnipeg and CKST Vancouver. CKOC continued as BNN Bloomberg Radio.

When Bell Media put the station up for sale in 2024 amid broader AM cutbacks the CINA Media Group acquired CKOC (along with sister station CHAM). In August 19, 2024, the new owners relaunched it as 1150 CKOC with a classic hits format branded “Superhits of the 70s and 80s.” The station now pairs that music with local news, including weekday morning newscasts and a simulcast of CHCH-TV’s Evening News at 6 p.m.

CKOC facilities

The CKOC transmitter site near Empire Corners (Google Street View)

Technically, CKOC is a Class B regional station with 50,000 watts daytime and 20,000 watts at night from a six-tower directional array near Empire Corners in Haldimand County, about 25 kilometres south of Hamilton. The signal covers the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. Its website is 1150ckoc.com.

QSL VOSR via Shortwave Gold 6160 kHz

VOSR e-QSL

VOSR International (Voice of Shortwave Radio) is a shortwave radio program focused on shortwave listening, equipment, history, listener reports, and related topics.It is produced and hosted by Jeff Silvers (also known online as WaveCrest Guy or similar handles), a shortwave enthusiast based in Hawaii (with mentions of Molokai and time spent on Oahu). The show started in early 2025 as a monthly program and has expanded over time.

QSL card from VOSR via Shortwave Gold 6160 kHz

You can listen to VOSR International via Radio Miami International and Shortwave Gold broadcasting from Winsen, Germany. Reception reports are welcomed via vosrint(at)yahoo.com, and the program features a mailbag segment, guest contributions, equipment discussions, and historical or practical shortwave content. Past episodes are available on the official website and the WaveCrest Guy YouTube channel.

QSL card VOSR via Shortwave Gold 6160 kHz

My reception report was answered within a day by email and an e-QSL. The real QSL card arrived 29 days after it was stamped in Honolulu Hawaii.

QSL NSE Radio Lima 1180 kHz

A QSL for my reception of NSE Radio from Lima, Peru, broadcasting on 1180 kHz mediumwave.

Reception quality was poor. With good DX ears the ID is recognizable in the first clip at 4 seconds: “NSE Radio…”.

The second clip features a female voice with messages and a typical tune in the background. It sounds very familiar, I think it was in one of my childhood piano lessons, but can’t find the tune anymore. Anyone?

NSE is an abbreviation of Nuestra Señora del Encuentro con Dios. Broadcasting on 1180 AM from Lima, Peru, this Catholic station is part of the broader NSE Radio and TV network dedicated to evangelization. The underlying Marian devotion and apostolic works trace their inspiration to Father Rodrigo Molina, with the title “Nuestra Señora del Encuentro con Dios” emerging around 1994 in Spain; the media ministry itself has more than 20–30 years of experience and has expanded across Peru (including stations in Arequipa and Cusco) as well as to other Spanish-speaking countries such as Chile, Argentina, Colombia, and beyond, while also producing content shared with partners like EWTN, Radio Católica Mundial, and Vatican Radio.

The Lima AM outlet (historically noted at around 10 kW) serves as a key production and live-broadcast hub, airing 24-hour programming that emphasizes religious teaching, spiritual formation, evangelization, sacred and other music, news, cultural and educational content, and special live coverage of papal events, all aimed at drawing listeners closer to God through Mary in accordance with Catholic Scripture and Tradition, largely sustained by volunteer efforts.

QSL Mondoradio TuttiFrutti 92,6 MHz

Mondoradio Tuttifrutti (also styled as Mondo Radio Tutti Frutti) is a local radio station based in Tricase, in the province of Lecce in Puglia’s Salento region, Italy. Founded in 1988 by a group of young people the station distinguished itself through active involvement in local musical and cultural events and collaboration with venues in the area. Its name “Tuttifrutti” is explained as meaning “for everyone”, reflecting a format aimed at a broad audience.

Mondoradio Tuttifrutti is a regional station in Puglia, the “heel of the Italian boot”

Today Mondoradio Tuttifrutti remains an active local broadcaster serving the Salento area, transmitting on FM frequencies that include 107.5 MHz in the city of Lecce zone and a more powerful (25 kW) transmitter at 92.6 MHz. The latter frequency is the one I heard. My report was confirmed with a friendly fully detailed email.

Below a recording and screen capture of my reception:

QSL Mad Radio Athens 106.2 MHz

Despite best efforts, my scoring percentage on getting Sporadic E receptions QSL-ed was low this year. And thus I am already pleased with a friendly “Thank You” email reply. So imagine my joy when I received a fully detailed e-QSL card for my reception of MAD Radio 106.2 MHz from Athens, Greece.

Mr. Nikos Milonas, Program Director sent me the e-QSL, logo’s (like the one above) and a nice email:

Mad Radio 106.2 (also known as MAD Radio) is a popular youth-oriented radio station in Athens, Greece, owned and operated by the MAD media group. It focuses on mainstream international pop, dance, and hits (roughly 90% international, 10% Greek), targeting younger listeners with high-energy programming, viral trends, and live shows.

Below my reception in pretty good quality of MAD Radio including a Target Sport Club commercial:

The station on 106.2 FM originated as Diva FM. In the mid-2000s (around 2005), following Greek media licensing and ownership changes, it was acquired by the Kouris family (linked to MAD) and renamed Mad Radio.

The broader MAD brand began with the launch of MAD TV (the first Greek music channel) on June 6, 1996. It grew into a major music and entertainment hub, including TV channels, events like the MAD Video Music Awards (MAD VMA), digital platforms, and retail. MAD Radio 106.2 is a key part of this ecosystem, extending the brand’s focus on youth culture, music, and lifestyle.

While most internet sources indicate that MAD Radio is broadcasting on 106.2 MHz only (with 40 kW), FMscan.org shows 4 additional transmitting sites, albeit with low (<2 kW) power.

Pop Shop Radio Canada Day QSL 9670 kHz

Having lived in Canada for 4 years I still remember Canada Day celebrations. So I had to tune in to the special Canada Day program of Pop Shop Radio via 9670 kHz, Channel 292 in Germany. My reception report was awarded with a nice eQSL reflecting the spirit of a typical Canada Day event.

Canada Day is seen as the birthday of Canada. It marks the anniversary of Canadian Confederation — the day in 1867 when the British North America Act united three separate colonies (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada) into a single country called the Dominion of Canada. Originally referred to as Dominion Day it was renamed into Canada Day in 1982. It symbolizes the birth of modern Canada as a self-governing nation, although full independence came gradually later.

QSL Radius FM Minsk 72.11 MHz

My first OIRT Band QSL for Radius FM, broadcasting from Minsk, Belarus on 72.11 MHz with 9 kW. Via office(at)radiusfm.by I received a fully detailed email in Dutch:

QSL email, in Dutch (!) for my reception of Radius FM, Belarus on 72.1 MHz

Radius FM was launched on July 12, 2003, in Minsk, Belarus. Despite it’s commercial contemporary youthful style it is is part of the Belarusian National State Television and Radio Company. As such it falls under the umbrella of the state media structure, which is directly overseen by the Office of the President of Belarus. This explains its extensive nationwide coverage and status as a major network. The Minsk transmitter on 72.1 MHz is the only outlet in the OIRT band, all other frequencies are in the regular FM band.

Today, more than two decades after its debut, Radius FM continues as a leading hit radio brand, blending current international and local pop music with digital streaming, a mobile app, and strong social media presence. It has evolved while staying true to its core identity as “the wave of top music.”

Radius FM station ID

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