The wonderful world of listening to the radio

Tag: Shortwave (Page 2 of 13)

QSL Welle 370 Das Funkerberg Radio

QSL Welle 370 Funkerberg Radio
QSL card from Welle 370 “Das Funkerberg Radio” via Nauen

A QSL card from Welle 370 “Das Funkerberg Radio”, from Königs Wusterhausen, Germany. I’m not only very pleased to receive an old school QSL card, but this is also a broadcaster that represents a lot of radio history.

As early as 1911 the “Telegrafentruppe” of the “Deutsches Heeres” (German Army) started radio activities from the Funkerberg, just southeast of Berlin. Initially the antennas were raised using balloons, but between 1913 and 1916 impressive antennas and transmitter facilities were built on this location. Soon the facilities were in use for the distribution of telegrams and weather messages. On 22 December 1920 a “Weihnachtskonzert” was broadcast from this location: the start of the “Rundfunk” in Germany. In 1925 there were already 20 transmitters operating from this location.

After WW2 the transmitters were removed from the Funkerberg, but new equipment was also added, including a new 100 kW LW transmitter. It seems that most of the operations ended in the 90-ies with concern for “electro-smog” being quoted as a reason with only an 800 Watt FM station “Sender KW” remaining.

Today Funkerberg is a Museum, a must do for radio enthusiasts. And Welle 370 is still broadcasting from Funkerberg on 810 kHz (370 meter), albeit with only 8 Watts. Given the presence of Radio Scotland on the same frequency that makes it a bit challenging to receive them in the Netherlands. But fortunately they also broadcast their programs from Nauen (as was my reception) and other relay stations.

Welle 370 has very nice programs made by radio enthusiasts with topics on German radio history. I listened to a student who made a program on the competition between radio and record companies. Please follow them on their website and tune in to their programs!

QSL Radio Frieloo 6290 kHz

For the reception of Radio Frieloo on 6290 kHz I received a friendly QSL email from the operator. I sent my report to frieloo(at)outlook.com .

Radio Frieloo is a pirate station operating from the province Gelderland in The Netherlands. The operator told me that he is not often in the air. When it is the case it is mostly to test antenna designs. The transmitter is a R&S with 100 Watt as shown in the picture.

R&S SK010 at Radio Frieloo

Diamond Certificate SWL 2024 contest

This summer I decided to participate in the SWL 2024 contest. This contest was organized by Franck F0DUW . Aim was to log as many broadcasters in each metre band. I had a slow start as I was very busy in June with Sporadic E receptions, but in July/August I focused a bit. In the end I was able to log 425 broadcasters. This was not only more than enough to qualify for the “Diamond” certificate, but it also makes clear that shortwave isn’t dead!

Certificate for participating in the 2024 SWL contest
Certificate for participating in the 2024 SWL contesti

I plan to give more information about what I heard in a future post, but that will take a little bit of time. Stay tuned!

Thanks to Franck for organizing. On his facebook page he announced that there will be another contest starting January 1st, 2025.

QSL Radio Taiwan Intl from Tamsui

In June this year the German service of Radio Taiwan executed some test transmissions to determine the best frequencies broadcasting from Tamsui

“Sie Hören ein 10-minutige Testsendung von Radio Taiwan International…. von der Sendeanlage Tamsui”.

And it made sense for them to perform these tests because their signal on 11995 kHz was excellent, whereas on 9545 kHz the quality was average at best. Worse, on 7250 kHz I didn’t manage to receive them at all…

My reception reports were awarded with an “old school” paper QSL… which is fitting for an “old school” request for listeners to report on reception quality! Thank you RTI!

QSL card from Radio Taiwan International for test transmissions in German

QSL Cruisin’ the Decades via Channel 292

Cruisin’ the Decades is a program created by Brad Savage. On a weekly basis the 60 minute program brings one songs per decade, from 1920 to 2020. A very nice concept. Cruisin’ the Decades is broadcast via many stations. On shortwave I’ve heard the Cruisin’ the Decades show via Channel 292 Germany and WRMI Miami. Apparently there is also a slot with WBCQ Monticello.

The email QSL below is for the reception of this program via Channel 292, Rohrbach in Germany (6070 and 9670 kHz).

QSL email from Brad Savage to confirm reception of Cruisin the Decades via Channel 292

QSL Radio Sylvia via Ch.292 6070 kHz

e QSL Radio Sylvia Hamburg (front)

A beautiful eQSL from Radio Sylvia, Hamburg, broadcasting via Channel 292, Rohrbach on 6070 kHz. It’s not a program that is heard every week, but if it is on it is definitely worth listening to as they play music which is a bit different from the main stream. Or as they say it themselves:

The station started broadcasting back in 1977 as a pirate. We were active for many years on FM, medium wave and shortwave. In 1984 Radio Sylvia was raided by the German authorities and we were sentenced to heavy fines. After that we changed our name to Radio Scorpio and were relayed on a regular basis by Belgian, Scottish and Irish shortwave stations.

In 2009 we restarted Radio Sylvia as an internet station. We are now broadcasting 24/7 with studios located in Hamburg, Germany. In addition to our online activities, shortwave transmissions are conducted as well on every first Saturday of a month on 6070 kHz from 18:00 to 24:00 CET and on 3955 kHz from 18:00 to 20:00 CET. So we hope you’ll tune in again on 7th September.

Our aim has always been (and still is) to provide a musical alternative to the “official” pop music radio stations. We focus on non-mainstream music and also support little-known bands and artists worldwide.

You can view the full history, our aims and all station details on our website www.radiosylvia.de.

e QSL

QSL KSKO via Space Line 5900 kHz

KSKO is definitely not one of the typical broadcasters on shortwave. The program of this public local station from McGrath, Alaska is broadcast across Europe every Friday 21-22h UTC with 50 kW via Spaceline in Kostinbrod, Bulgaria.

The program is their regular program, with local sponsors, quiz, music and DJ. The only thing which is different is greeting their European audience. And why do they do this? Well, as they said themselves in the show: “Just because…”. But I do suspect that the alaskaradionerd email address of verie signer Paul Walker explains a lot. Thank you Paul for offering European radio enthusiasts to familiarize themselves with Alaska Public Radio KSKO!

QSL KSKO Alaska via Kostinbrod Bulgaria
eQSL KSKO from Alaska via Kostinbrod, Bulgari

QSL Radio Cuckoo 6295 kHz

A traditional QSL postcard from Radio Cuckoo on 6295 kHz. Radio Cuckoo is a pirate station broadcasting from Ireland using a home-built tube transmitter. They broadcast popmusic from the 80-ies. Reception quality suffered from some noise, but the way “Cuckoo” was pronounced made it easy to catch the identification.

I received their new QSL (see below) as well as their old QSL card plus sticker within a week after sending my report to radiocuckoo(at)yahoo.com . Thank you Dave!

QSL card from Radio Cuckoo on 6295 kHz

QSL Radio Northsea Nijmegen via Channel 292, 6070 kHz

This weekend, August 31, it was exactly 50 years ago that Radio Noordzee went off the air. The Dutch authorities signed the Straatsburg Treaty against piracy forcing Radio Noordzee off air. Radio Veronica, another Dutch offshore station, stopped on the same day.

There were quite a few shows on various relay stations like Channel 292 and a couple of pirate stations to commemorate all of this. Radio Northsea Nijmegen rented three hours of time on Channel 292 in which the last hours of Radio Noordzee were replayed. Michel Boon was so kind to confirm my reception report with a nice eQSL.

eQSL from Radio Northsea Nijmegen
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