Tag: Spain (Page 1 of 5)

QSL NDB RUS-424 Reus

September 12, 2025 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

A QSL for NDB RUS operating on 424 kHz for Aeropuerto de Reus in Spain. Checking the statistics on NDB list this shouldn’t be a difficult catch. But despite receiving many Spanish NDBs, July this year was the first time I received RUS.
And my reception was far from perfect. In the Pskov recording I made you can see that the beacons was briefly visible with RUS in morse: .-. ..- …

Enaire was again so kind to confirm my report and included their usual data sheet. I sent my report to informacion@enaire.es .

Most flights from Reus Airport are seasonal, carried out by budget airlines like Ryanair and Jet2.com.

QSL NDB LRD-404 Lerida

September 10, 2025 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

I write Lerida as the call sign of this beacons is LRD and it is know as Lerida, but the formal name of the city in Catalan is Lleida. The NDB LRD is operated and maintained by Enaire who verified my report with the usual fact sheet. It shows that it is one of the typical Sistema radiante de tipo T antennas fed by a 200 W transmitter.

Factsheet NDB LRD Lerida at 404 kHz provided by Enaire

Now I’m not entirely sure if you can associate this beacon with Lleida-Alguaire Airport or not. But if so, while most of the NDBs from Spain I got confirmed were either associated with an Aena Airport or the military, Lleida-Alguaire airport is operated by Aeroports de Catalunya. It was constructed in 2010 by the Government of Catalunya at the cost of 130 million Euros.

Lleida Alguaire Airport… new, modern, but not much used

LRD is one of the Spanish beacons heard most easily at my QTH, and reported by European NDB listeners. But the airport seems to be less of a success though. Airnostrum seems to operate flights to Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca. But that’s all. For that reason the airport seems to target “aeronautical services” today. That means niche businesses as flying schools, aircraft storage and maintenance services.

QSL NDB SGO-356 Sagunto

September 4, 2025 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

NDB SGO on 356 kHz is another typical ENAIRE beacon: 200 Watts in a “Sistema radiante de tipo T”: three horizontal wires between two towers. The navigational function is linked to Valencia Airport. The beacon is located in Canet d’en Berenguer, north of Valencia. I’m not an expert, but when I checked on flight radar I noticed that flights pass north of Valencia, making a U-turn to land in an easterly direction.

The info sheet for NDB SGO shared by Enaire

If search for the beacon on GoogleMaps you will see that it is a bit of a weird location, in front of a hotel and in right in the centre of a nice beach resort and yacht club. But I guess the beacon was already there when the development of the resort started around 2001.

NDB SGO Sagunto is located next to the lighthouse, in front of a hotel (GoogleMaps).

My report was confirmed via informacion@enaire.es .

QSL NDB ECV-319 Colmenar-Viejo

September 3, 2025 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

ENAIRE confirmed my reception of the NDB ECV-319 at Colmenar-Viejo airbase in Spain. This is the home of the Fuerzas Aeromóviles del Ejército de Tierra (FAMET), the Spanish Army Airmobile Forces. There are 4 helicopter batallions that have Colmenar-Viejo as their base, including BHELTRA V who fly Chinook (which is cool as my nephew and godson flies a Chinook as well).

Chinooks at Coronel Maté base Colmenar-Viejo

I sent my report to informacion@enaire.es

QSL NDB ZRZ-389 Zaragoza

August 29, 2025 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

QSL for NDB ZRZ Zaragoza on 389 kHz. A beacon with a strong signal, but somehow often compromised by QRM at my location. The ZRZ beacon is located 15 kms NW of Zaragoza Airport.

My report was confirmed by informacion@enaire.es .

NDB ZRZ Zaragoza (green circle) is located 15 km NW of Zaragoza Airport

Zaragoza Airport history goes back to the Cold War. Constructed by the US it was one of three major USAF Cold War airbases in Spain. But what I didn’t know is that is was used as a Transoceanic Abort Landiing facility for Space Shuttle missions.

QSL COPE Palencia 105.1 MHz

August 14, 2025 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

I picked up COPE Palencia during the sporadic E opening on July 20th with their local ID on 105.1 MHz. With 2 kW they are broadcasting from Monte Viejo to the south of the city of Palencia in Spain.

Manuel Lobejón, editor at COPE Palencia was so kind to reply with a fully detailed email confirming my reception. I sent my report to palencia@cope.es .

In the audio file you hear the annoucement of the network program “Fin de Semana” presented by Cristina Lópex Schlichting and the local ID.

QSL Radio Chinchilla 105.3 MHz

August 13, 2025 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

Whereas it is always nice to hear and receive a QSL from a local outlet of one of the bigger networks in Spain, getting a smaller local radio station with a single transmitter confirmed is even more special.

Coverage of Radio Chinchilla (FMScan.org)

During the very good Sporadic E opening on July 20th I received Radio Chinchilla, the local radio station for Chinchilla de Montearagón (Albacete) in Spain. They are broadcasting with 500 Watts and again I’m flabbergasted with the quality of the reception. During 20 minutes I was able to listen to a program called “The Story de Kylie Minogue”. Unfortunately they did fade out before I heard an ID:

My report to rchinformativos@gmail.com was confirmed with a brief email reply within a day:

Radio Chinchilla began broadcasting in December 1988. According to Wikipedia it has one of the highest audiences. Most of the programming it offers is self-produced, including news, music, sports, entertainment… It has its own news services and broadcasts 24 hours a day.

I didn’t know the small city of Chinchilla de Montearagón which has a population of 4600. But it is one of these beautiful Spanish towns with lots of history!

QSL NDB AV-414 Asturias/Aviles

August 7, 2025 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

A QSL for NDB AV on 414 kHz, located 8 km from Asturias Airport near Aviles, in line with the only runway. Aviles is a small harbour town situated on the north coast of Spain in the Asturias region.

On the data sheet that Enaire sent with the confirmation it looks like one of the antenna towers is crooked. Not sure what to think of it, I don’t see it on the Googlemaps Streetview pic:

Asturias Airport sees close to 2 mln passengers a year, with domestic flights but also quite a few scheduled international flights to other European countries.

My reception, as always, was confirmed by informacion@enaire.es .

QSL NDB VTA-345 Vitoria

August 5, 2025 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

The QSL for NDB VTA on 345 kHz for Vitoria Airport in Spain revealed that it has a different antenna set-up from other Enaire beacons. In the info sheet I got as a QSL it shows what they call a “Sistema radiante de tipo margarita” (which refers to the daisy flower not the cocktail 😉) as opposed to most Enaire beacons that have a dipole: “Sistema radiante de tipo T”.

Vitoria-Gasteiz airport seems a modest airport in terms of passenger traffic with only a few Ryanair destinations abroad. But it is the 4th cargo airport in Spain.

NDB VTA Vitoria on Googlemaps Streetview

My report was again confirmed by the folks of ENAIRE via informacion@enaire.es. A big thank you for providing me with all these details!

QSL EBT-362 Valencia/Bétera

July 31, 2025 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

NDB EBT on 362 kHz supports the navigation of the army heliport Valencia/Bétera in Spain. The heliport is part of the Jaime I military base.

Bétera It is the home base of the Batallón de Helicópteros de Emergencia núm. II (BHELEME II), whose Super Puma and Cougar rescue helicopters (HU-21 and HU-27, respectively) are stationed here.

The Base Militar “Jaime I” near Valencia

My reception report was confirmed by Enaire (informacion@enaire.es). Without their usual data sheet as the beacon is operated by the Spanish Military.