New radio room

The wind and rain is battering the windows as I sit in a brand new radio room at the top of the house updating the blog. I'm listening to Nachtzwerver - the Night Tramp - playing classic 70s rock on 1655 kHz and drinking a very nice chocolate stout (Stoutzilla 20 from Unbarred - it's a good one, Maurits!). 

It's been a very busy week at this side, but I've managed plenty of radio listening, enjoying some much better propagation conditions on shortwave during the daytime before turning my attention to MW during late afternoons and evenings. And here is what I've heard from the Netherlands:

Freq Time Station name SINPO

Friday, December 18, 2020

1690 1428 Ultra 25332 (m)

1640 1526 Josje Power 35333 (m)

1648 1526 Professor Sickbok 25222

1638 1619 Interpol 45444 (q)

1630 1619 Brugwachter 45444 (q)

1616 1625 Witte Duif 34333 (q)

1613 1629 Interpol 45444 (q)

1627 1633 Napoleon 35333-45444 (t)

1655 1713 Belladonna 35333-45444 (m)

1645 1716 Nachtzwerver 35333 (q)

1631 1739 Ros Am 45434 (t)

1638 1805 Telefunken 25222-35333 (m)

1648 1826 Avia 35443 (m)

1662 1842 Digitaal 45444 (m)

1656 2231 Nachtzwerver 35433-45434 (m)

1645 2231 Meteoor 45444 (q)

1638 2232 Bluebird 55444-55555 (m)

1646 2241 Vonkenboer 25332-35333 (q)

1656 0006 Monte Carlo 45444 (q)

1635 0036 Polkaman 25322 (m)

1625 0038 Pandora 55444  (q)

(m) = station was broadcasting a music programme
(q) = station was qsoing
(r) = station asking for a reception report from another station
(t) = station was testing

Observations

• There were some interesting catches today, starting off with one nice and early at just before 2.30pm in the UK when I heard Ultra coming through on 1690 kHz. This was the first time I had heard the station, who was doing well to get across the North Sea well before sunset.

• I don’t hear Interpol too often, but he had a strong signal, first on 1638 kHz and then on 1611 kHz while qsoing with Witte Duif, another one I don’t hear very often. Looking back at what logs I do have for this station, 1616 kHz appears to be his regular frequency.

• Great to catch Avia a couple of hours after the sun had gone. He was putting in what I think must be the best signal I have heard from him, with some super peaks on 1648 kHz.

• There was an enjoyable qso later in the evening when Meteoor was spinning some Christmas music while qsoing with Vonkenboer.

Thursday, December 17, 2020

1630 1450 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 35333 (q)

1650 1454 Baanbreker 25222 (q)

1629 1458 Mosfet 45444 (q)

1629 1504 Noordzee 35443 (q)

1640 1510 Professor Sickbok 35443 (q)

1625 1513 Uniek 25222 (q)

1644 1527 Professor Sickbok 35443 (m)

1629 1646 Monza 45444 (r)

1615 1725 Poema 45434 (m)

1670 1800 Digitaal 55444-55555 (m)

1628 1805 Zwarte Arabier 55444 (m)

1645 1819 Telefunken 35433 (m)

1617 1955 Uniek 32432-35333 (m)

1642 2014 Turftrekker 55434 (t)

1611 2032 Eldorado 44444-55444 (m)

1630 2049 Meteoor 45444 (q)

Observations

• The highlight of today’s activity for me was an appearance from Poema on 1615 kHz. I met the station operator a couple of years back when we spent a summer’s afternoon with Barones, Edelkampioen and Salo. He was kind enough to show me all around his place, studios new and old, and I have since chatted to him regularly on WhatsApp, so it’s always a pleasure to hear him on air. He wasn’t running a huge amount of power but his signal was still very good over here and it was a pleasure to listen. Just a short time after he closed down, he was kind enough to send over this smart qsl card

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

1620 1635 Zwarte Boekanier 35333 (r)

1670 1704 Digitaal 45434 (m) (later 1665)

1645 1717 Kleine Man 35333 (m)

1655 1722 Belladonna 35333 (m) 

1617 1941 Marianne 45444 (m)

1638 1951 Quintus 35443 (m)

1630 2245 Toulouse 35333-45444  (m)

1656 2255 Vrolijke Mijnwerker 55444 (m)

1630 2320 Monte Carlo 35333 (q)

Observations

• I enjoyed catching the signal of Toulouse this evening. On one of my early trips to the Netherlands back in the 1990s I met the station operator when I visited his studio together with Utopia. Hard to think around 25 years have since passed, but we are all still enjoying the hobbby. Not sure I speak any more Dutch nowadays than I did back then, although I might understand a little more.

Monday, December 14, 2020

1611 1205 Utopia 25442 (m)

1638 1525 Kaaiman 35443 (m)

1645 1554 Casablanca (Twente) 25222-35443

1625 1625 Pandora 35443 (m)

1640 1743 Wegpiraat 25332

1629 1747 Mosfet 35443-45444 (q)

1670 1809 Concorde weak signal (m)

1631 1823 Digitaal 45444 (q)

1629 1825 Monza 45434 (q)

1665 1828 Concorde weak signal (q)

1617 1921 Concordia 45444 

1638 1935 Bluebird 45434 (m)

1629 2005 Rebel weak signal 25222 (m)

1647 2010 Armada 25222 (m)

1621 2017 Blauwe Koe 45434 (m)

1625 2341 Pandora 45434 (m)

Observations

• I was idly tuning around MW at just after midday today when I heard some music on 1611 kHz. It was only distant, but it was there nonetheless. And then I heard the well-known voice of Radio Utopia. I stayed listening for a few minutes until he closed down. It turns out Utopia wasn’t running full power during the broadcast, so to hear him at midday is impressive.