Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (D)
To : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Dec 14 2018 09:36 pm
KICKER: WHEN DXING TAKES A DETOUR
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We end this week's report with a story of some DXing
that took a detour. For one ham in Austria, the childhood chase of a
QSL card brought home a very unexpected message. Ed Durrant, DD5LP,
tells that story.
ED: In an interview recently with the Austrian state broadcaster ORF,
Erich Moechel, OE3EMB, shared the story of his pursuit of a QSL card
back when he was a 16-year-old schoolboy. It happened in the early 1970s -
during the Cold War - after he and a friend had become devoted shortwave
listeners, starting first as broadcast DXers.
ERICH: We would sit there, and listen, and it was all Cold War blaring
into the household at that time. Voice of American on one side, Radio
Liberty on the same side - and on the other side, Radio Peace and
Progress from Moscow, and numerous other strong, strong stations all
around Europe. Every day, the postman would bring at least one QSL card
for a while, because I had spent all my pocket money on stamps.
ED: After getting their fill of pop and rock on pirate radio, and
receiving signals and QSL cards from China, Cuba, and Russia, Erich and
his friend looked elsewhere for more exciting and interesting reception
reports.
ERICH: Both of us became utility DXers, Normally by law, it was somehow
in the gray zone in Austria. It was de facto forbidden to listen to
phone calls, and we wouldn't do that.
ED: Still, there were definite concerns outlined in the shortwave
listening newsletters the boys received.
ERICH: There were warnings in these newsletters not to send reception
reports to certain stations. Amongst them was Cable and Wireless in
London, and Norddeich Radio in Germany.
ED: One day by accident, however, he intercepted a conversation without
knowing he was hearing the German Federal Intelligence Service, and the
UK's Secret Service, a shortwave exchange not meant for the public.
Still, he and his friend wondered: since they get such beautiful QSL
cards from Cable and Wireless in Central Africa and Liberia, why not
London? So they sent their reception reports - but instead of getting a
card, Erich's parents received a formal complaint: Officials from the
Austrian Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications in Vienna had been
contacted by officials in Germany and the UK. They warned: Erich must
stop listening, or face confiscation of his radio equipment.
ERICH: Only very much later, I learned that these were the centers of
radio communication in England and Germany, and it was the secret service
guys checking everything and promoting a policy of intimidation.
ED: Erich now spends his time on HF, and he's pursuing QSL cards as a
seasoned ham. He notes on his page on QRZ.com that his policy is "ultra
relaxed" when it comes to QSL cards. People can send them - or not.
"Just say hello the next time we meet on the bands" he writes. In case
you're wondering, cards from shortwave listeners are always welcome, too.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed Durrant, DD5LP.
NEWSCAST CLOSE: We conclude this week's report on a personal note. The
Amateur Radio Newsline team extends its deepest sympathies to our
colleague Skeeter Nash, N5ASH - Timothy Goodrich - on the recent loss
of his brother, Marty Goodrich. Skeeter, all of your friends are wishing
you peace and comfort at this difficult time.
With thanks to Alan Labs; Amateur News Weekly; AMSAT-NA; the ARRL; the
Austrian Broadcasting Corporation ORF; CQ Magazine; the Gaston Gazette;
Hap Holly and the Rain Report; Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin; Southgate Amateur
Radio News; Ted Randall's QSO Radio Show; Wireless Institute of Australia;
WTWW Shortwave; the YLRL-Harmonics newsletter; and you our listeners,
that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline.
Please send emails to our address at
[email protected]. More
information is available at Amateur Radio Newsline's only official
website at www.arnewsline.org.
For now, with Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, at the news desk in New York,
and our news team worldwide, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB, in Wadsworth,
Ohio, saying 73, and as always, we thank you for listening.
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.
--- SBBSecho 3.06-Win32
* Origin: RadioWxNet: The Thunderbolt BBS tbolt.synchro.net (801:1/2)
� Synchronet � Temple of Doom BBS - tod.eothnet.com
