Tag: The Netherlands (Page 1 of 2)

QSL Citrus AM 1332 kHz

July 5, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 2 Comments

Citrus AM on 918 kHz is, if only because of the name, a station I wanted to receive. But it is virtually impossible to receive this station at my QTH. Initially Monique 918 AM dominated the frequency, and when they left the frequency Sitara from nearby Houten ramped up their power.
When we spent some time at Luttenberg for a dog event, I was able to listen to this station. I sent my report to info@citrus-am.nl. Four months later I received this beautiful QSL… Bear in mind, Citrus AM is a hobby station, so I don’t blame them for taking some time.

The Netherlands is a pretty flat country. But there are still factors that influence propagation. I already noticed that LPAM stations in the central part of the Netherlands where three big rivers and polders set the scenery are received very well. But between Emst (the QTH of Citrus AM) only 80 kms away and my location the Veluwe, a sandy ridge 80 meters high, is pretty effective in blocking local AM signals.

Citrus AM is truly a hobby broadcaster. Currently they are operating from a – as Erik from Citrus AM describes – fairly simple AM frequency generator with amplifier. Their provisional antenna is relatively short and will be replaced in future.

1287 kHz changes: Kilrock and Unique

May 31, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

As announced earlier: from June 1st Kilrock Radio on 1287 kHz will be off air as the owner of this LPAM station is moving house. At the same time Unique Gold, currently active on 675 kHz from Wijchen, is planning to add 1287 kHz from Malden. Given the proximity of Wijchen to Malden my guess is that they will use this frequency to broadcast another of the 4 audio streams Unique produce.

I suggested that this might create a conflict with Kilrock Radio when they resume broadcasts. The answer I got from Unique is that they deliberately waited for Kilrock to go off the air. And the owner of Kilrock apparently moves to the province of Zeeland (further away) and might even come back on a new frequency (they have to reapply for a license). If that is the case it will be interesting to see if they retain the name Kilrock Radio, as the “Kil” in Kilrock refers to the river “Dordtsche Kil” close to their current location.

QSL Unique Gold 675 kHz

May 30, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 2 Comments

I received a polite email as QSL for my reception of Unique Gold on 675 kHz. Unique Gold is a LPAM (100 Watt) station in Wijchen, about 66 kilometer away from my QTH. As is the case with a few other stations from that area their signal is surprisingly strong. I suspect that the rivers flowing through the central part of the Netherlands help to promote propagation. And they have antenna at 70 meter height next to a lake. I sent my report to info@unique.am .

Hans Coenen of Unique Gold also told me that they are planning to start broadcasts on 1287 kHz as well. That will create a bit of a conflict with Kilrock when they return on the air after the relocation.
UPDATE: I learned that Kilrock might relocate to the province Zeeland. In that case there is probably no conflict, they might even apply for a new frequency. Will be interesting to see if they retain their old name, as “Kil” refers to the geographical area they are broadcasting from.

Unique Gold is one of 4 radio streams offered by Unique via the internet and they are also active on DAB. You can read more about this station on: https://unique-fm.nl/en/who-we-are/ .

QSL Radio Batavia 6280 kHz

May 29, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

QSL Radio Batavia 6280 kHz. I received a brief email and an e-QSL card for my report to radiobatavia@hotmail.com . Radio Batavia is a pirate station operating from the Netherlands. They use a home made tube receiver on an inverted V antenna 2×12 meter. When I listened to them they played a Radio Batavia song.

QSL Radio Casanova Int. 6060 kHz

May 20, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 2 Comments

Last weekend I was able to receive Radio Casanova International on 6060 kHz. This is a legal shortwave station broadcasting from Winterswijk in The Netherlands. They are in the air on 6020 and 6060 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They use 400W, 1600 PEP via an inverted V antenna. Within a few hours I received their beautiful eQSL via radiocasanova@hotmail.com .

Despite their strong signal the reception quality was a bit compromised due to interference from solar panels as it was a sunny day.

Free Radio Service on air April 28th

April 26, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 2 Comments

Free Radio Service will be on air the coming weekend. For more details visit their website. QSLs will be awarded!

QSL Dutch Coastguard Den Helder 518 kHz

March 6, 2024 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

Not exactly DX from my location, but I am also a QSL collector and the Dutch Coastguard issues this nice QSL email. So here it is. I received my QSL Dutch Coastguard Den Helder 518 kHz for one of their NAVTEX transmissions.

e- QSL Dutch Coastguard Den Helder 518 kHz

The Dutch Coastguard has a nice website in English, but their history is best told on the site in Dutch (use Google to translate). Coastguard activities in the Netherlands started following a tragic incident with a Navy ship “Zr.Ms.Adder” in 1882. The ship sank near Scheveningen, but nobody noticed the ship was missing. Only when the first bodies washed ashore alarm bells went off. From 1882 onwards the crews on the lighthouses – which were already there as navigation aids – had to monitor traffic actively and had to report incidents.

Over the years 6 different departments in The Netherlands developed activities on the North Sea. Fishery, Traffic, Justice, Defense, Finance and Internal Affairs. In 1987 it was decided these departments had to work together from a central location in IJmuiden. I have a PPC QSL from 1993 indicating that in those days radio traffic was limited to emergency frequencies (2182 kHz and VHF) only. Telephony/telegraphy including weather and navigational warnings were broadcast via PCH Scheveningen Radio.

In 1994 it was concluded that the cooperation between the 6 departments needed improvement. The Coastguard was established as an independent entity, with its operations coordinated under responsibility of the Royal Dutch Navy. As a consequence the Coastguard centre moved to Den Helder which is the main port of the Navy.

With more an more communication going via satellite Scheveningen Radio closed in 1998. My guess is that since then navigational warnings via NAVTEX were transferred to the Coastguard.

1980 QSL for Scheveningen Radio on 2182 kHz. Scheveningen Radio went off air in 1998.

QSL Album AM 846 kHz

November 13, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

René L’Baum, PE0RL, sent me a comprehensive email to QSL my reception of Album AM on 846 kHz. Album AM is one of many LPAM stations that are active in The Netherlands. The station is located in Uden, 66 kilometer from my QTH.

Compared to a few other stations at comparable distance their signal is very strong, almost always better than SINPO44444 (in the evening hours there might be some interference from Irish pirate Radio North). That is so strong that I was wondering whether they started up a relay at Linschoten (only 3 km away) as Album AM bought the right to broadcast from this location/frequency as well. But if I understood René correctly that was not the case.

Contrary to some other LPAM stations who try to bring a program to a local audience, René is mainly interested in being received over the longest distance possible. So far René has received reception reports from 14 countries. Recently he organized a DX event, transmitting with a little offset to the 846 kHz frequency to avoid Radio North. The most distant report came from Murom, 300 km east of Moscow (2410 km). Listening from a car with simple receivers and a small (23 cm) loop antenna, the morse ID “Album AM” was picked up on the hour.

I think it is very well possible that René will organize future DX events, so suggest you monitor his website albumam.nl !

QSL United AM, Neede 1008 kHz

October 2, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 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.

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!

QSL Radio 1224 Lunteren

September 12, 2023 / Peter Reuderink / 0 Comments

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.