Charly Tango International DX-Group recently added some new special QSL Cards to its pages

One of a kind brand new QSL Card will be surely impressive for our friend Kim Yong Un in the Democratic Republic of North Korea (D.P.R.K.). As one of the worlds leaders he should be transmit on the 11-meter band as well as his country's Radio Stations will provide News and Info from DPRK daily on several short wave Radio frequencies in AM. 

So the team of Charly Tango International DX-Group in Germany thought it might be a good idea to have an E-QSL for division #334 available just in case if you're working one of those pretty rare countries like North Korea on 27MHz.

New E-QSL from Charly Tango DX-Group North Korea

At the Charly Tango International DX-Group's homepage as well as in this blog you will find plenty of QSL-cards which are free to use for sending as an E-QSL or even per mail if you going to print the card of your choice on printing paper.

Chances to catch a Station from far away in the world are still very good because of its highest solar flux which is to expected somewhere this year of 2025. While American Stations could hear signals from Asia by beaming west European's should turn their Antennas east to receive Asian stations depending on propagation. 

It's good known that the path of the High Frequencies are unpredictable so it could be also possible to hear a better reception via the long path by turning the antenna in the opposite direction. 

However, have fun doing a lot's of DX and if you still didn't join us, I mean running a Charly Tango callsign, then just don't hesitate and give our Admin a phone call and get one for free as well as the life time membership in this good known Charly Tango International DX-Group.

Hope to catch y'all in the air. 13CT30, Alex

Charly Tango - Special Santa Claus QSL

This time the Charly Tango International DX-Group provides a special EQSL with season greetings for each QSO with a Charly Tango member. You can get a free copy now under pages Charly Tango QSL-Cards in this blog or even at the Charly Tango homepage www.dx-charlytango.de .

Special Santa Claus QSL

Until Christmas there will be still a good chance to have contact with one of the Charly Tango members at the 11mtr. Band and a Special Santa Claus EQSL will be sent to you via 13CT30@gmail.com .

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2025 !

Yours 13CT30, Alex

Mountain DXpedition and the lightning (static) strikes

 It was June the 29th while I joined a nation wide DX event at CB-Radio from a mountain located in the Teutoburg Forest south of Osnabruck (JO42AE). The tower I went on is called Hermannsturm.

While in a pile-up under ground wave conditions I made contact down to Bavaria and other regions in Germany as well as to the Netherlands.

In the meantime severe thunderstorms aproached close to the tower so couldn't make it far this night. I've heard loud noise from my radio speaker discovering it was static in the air coming down through the antenna. 

So I shortly removed the PL-plug from my radio, took a video of what happend, and fast left the tower afterwards to avoid being hit by the appearing lightning.

Warning: Never enter a tower during severe thunderstorm weather conditions !

Yours 13 CT 30, Alex

Official DX-CharlyTango.de On Zello

Zello Channel: DX-CharlyTango.de

The Official Charly Tango International DX-Group has its own channel using the Zello app.

You can find us by typing the following channel name.

DX-CharlyTango.de

You can also download the free Zello app for your cell phone at Play Store.

73s, Alex 13 CT 30

13CT1 keeps Charly Tango alive - Stickers for CT members now available

 Now that time has passed since the esteemed founder of the Charly Tango Club Eberhard Albrecht died in 2000, his successor Wolfgang has finally adopted his call sign and has risen to number one in the call sign list in honorable continuation to the previous founder of the Charly Tango International DX-Group.

Admin of Charly Tango Wolfgang M.

His old call sign 13CT1203 is now free and can be reassigned.

With the admin's call sign change the Charly Tango International DX-Group now offers its members stickers with their call signs on it.

Sticker at Wolfgang's car

They are available in black or white, dimensions 25cm diameter for 5 EUR per piece or 12.5cm diameter for 2.50 EUR per piece. Plus 2 EUR shipping.

If you would like to have one or more, please do not hesitate to contact Wolfgang via email and place your order with him. He will forward it to the CT member who makes the stickers.

Charly Tango Call Sign - Why & How to apply

 One of the most questions which keeps coming up is about Charly Tango call signs.

People have been a bit confused listening to the air bands hearing Charly Tango stations and then have asked what these call signs are about. Most certain questions were "Do I need to get a Charly Tango call sign or do I need one anyways, do I have to pay for it, and if I want one where do I get one from ?"

First thing to let you know about that is as simple as if you're not an amateur radio call sign holder using ham radio frequency's you don't need a call sign to do the hobby such as CB-Radio !

These things of the past doesn't apply anymore today because there isn't any requirement anymore.

Now if you want to come back on radio you are free to name yourself like ever you want for example your first name is Peter from London you will be Peter from London which would be just fine. If you're Michel from Berlin then that's not at problem too or even Natasha from Moscow would be absolutely fine. Jason from Washington, DC or even Valtyr from Iceland, that's great.

You know, the thing is how to make yourself better recognizing by having a long distance chat on the radio which is called DX. This is the main point of why to use call signs on the radio. 

So let's think you are having a chat with me at the 11 metre CB band. My call sign is 13 Charly Tango 30 and my name is Alex. I know a couple of guys who are named Alex too so the chance could be very high to catch another guy with the same name which could lead into confusion on the radio but it shouldn't happen if you are using a call sign which, such from Charly Tango usually is unique. Next point is that those call signs, where ever you apply for has a country code in front of it which is kind of equal like telephone numbers. Mine has got a 13 which stands for Germany so my locations country will be regognized just by telling my call sign. Now you are in example Carl from London, Ontario, Canada hearing me calling "CQ DX this is 13CT30" you suddenly know that I'm from Germany while on the other hand you might reply "Here is Carl from London" I probably think you're from the United Kingdom but not thinking about there is another London far away which would make this contact definitely worth it. To avoid those mistakes a call sign like those from Charly Tango definitely can help. We might also exchange QSL-cards but how should it be done properly without a call sign ?

You are free to do whatever you want. You want a DX-call sign, go ahead and get one but make sure you gonna chose the right one which matches for your needs. I guess there are still clubs out there who aren't free of charge which leads us to the next question:

"If I want a Charly Tango call sign do I have to pay for it ?" No, absolutely not !

If you decide to join the Charly Tango International DX-Group you will get a lifetime call sign with your membership for free. Since the old Borderland DX-Group is not registrated as an official association anymore there are no obligations to todays members of Charly Tango anymore.

With other words: A Charly Tango call sign is free for your lifetime.

If you want one then simply give our admin in Charly Tango a shout on his phone number +4916098486171 , use the register form by clicking the link at the Charly Tango homepage, or write an email to the webmaster.

Just make sure to apply with www.DX-CharlyTango.de which is the original Charly Tango DX-Group as I often state to watch for the letter "Y" in the name Charly but NOT "IE" ! You know it's just like fake news one different letter could let you fall into the trap of a fake group or just like in this case a stolen idea because you can't see any differences on the call signs.

It's also useful to have a call sign list available to look up call signs during or even after a chat on radio with a station who is registered with a DX-club like Charly Tango. That's pretty easy to look up just for the basic info about name and location as well as an activity status just in case you have missed this information during a QSO while the propergation got down or QRM level led you not to understand the station you have had a chat with.

There are many good points for having a call sign but like I've already mentioned it isn't required so it's your choice. For myself I've decided to use my CT call sign for DX while for local calls I'm using another one. Just like I said there are many ways of use but when it comes to if's and but's I myself prefer to have a call sign instead of not being heard with low signals in kinda noise jungles sometimes.

73's and good DX yours 13CT30, Alex

What exactly is the Charly Tango International DX-Group ?

This question supposed to be a good one mostly asked by people who didn't come across CB or even Ham-Radio equipment which is to be used for communication between at least two devices on frequency's designed to bring so called high-frequency-waves off an antenna into the air using a transmitter while on the other side someone might receive this air-waves with a receiver which is included in every 2-way-radio, designed for the frequencies those two opertators like to use.

CB-Radio

Apperently there are still people out there who don't know the simple technical specs of 2-way-radios even better known as walkie talkies. So I am trying to bring this technique in a brighter light for a better understanding.

Actually most people will already know how to use those radios as they have seen many movies in which radios like handheld devices or even mobile radios in police cars have been used as well as truckers who were talking on channel 19 using a CB-radio. But that kind of radios are just small examples of its wide pallet of communication equipment a DX-Enthusiast could be using to make contacts to the neigborhood or even around the world.

Ham-Radio Transceiver

A good knowledge of operational technology will be necessary to be a good operator of high frequency equipment but don't be scared it isn't that much. To know a few basics will be surely enough for having fun by doing the first contact on the high frequency-air-bands.

Therefore, like any hobby got its specs, also DX-enthusiasts might have their access points to meet people who enjoying the same hobby sometimes.

The Charly Tango International DX-Group is exactly one of that meeting points sharing a platform to folks who having the same intensions. And it is absolutely free of charge !

Yes, you heard that right it does not even cost a simple penny to join this group.

You may ask why should someone enter a DX-Group just for sharing the same hobby. Well there are even more characteristics this club has to offer.

A very good point for a membership in Charly Tango is that this club has a callsign list available on the website DX-CharlyTango.de and every member will get his own lifetime callsign which makes contacs to unknown users on the air bands much easier while they could check the information of each CT member online. This feature comes a little bit close to those radio amateurs who also will get their own callsign in order of the relevant authorities.

1985 the Charly Tango DX Group were founded by Mr. Albrecht who has lived in Western Germany close to the Dutch border. That was why in coorperation with a member from the Netherlands Charly Tango became an official association named "Charly Tango Borderland DX Group" with over 6,000 active members worldwide. 

Unfortunately the founder of this association past away after serious disease in the age of only 49 but since then this heritage goes on and the member Wolfgang, 13CT1 (previously 13CT1203), became an admin of the group when the association officially has been canceled which for today means that this club will be absolutely free of charge for every member, today as well as in the future.

In my opinion a membership in Charly Tango International DX-Group is absolutely worth it, not only by using the CT callsign but also through a well known background of a club who connects people who are having the same intensions in a non-profit community.

Well then get your Charly Tango callsign today !

You can start being a lifetime member with only giving our admin a phone call, using the link to the contact form at the CT homepage, or by writing an email to the webmaster requesting a CT callsign.

If you are new to this hobby don't be worry. Charly Tango DX-Group got many new members as well as long time radio amateurs who always have open ears for questions asked by new members. Charly Tango will keep this hobby alive and once you turn a CB-Radio on you might hear a station using a CT callsign calling for international contact which means "CQ DX".

73's and good DX, yours Alex (13CT30)

Video: Advertising Charly Tango DX-Group

 

CB Radio Network Germany - The Idea

Free voice communication from city to city, without providers, contracts and costs. That's the idea of Radio Network Germany.

The people behind Radio Network Germany are enthusiastic CB Radio Operators and also Ham-radio amateurs. While CB radio was very widespread in the 80s and 90s, this hobby became uninteresting for young people due to the Internet and cell phones and it is becoming increasingly difficult, even for those who have remained loyal to CB radio, to set up the relatively large antennas required for it. Restrictive landlords and neighbors, house or building regulations can quickly lead to the end of the hobby.

Use existing opportunities and create new ones

Our idea is to build a modern radio network that is as wide as possible across Germany, based on the radio frequencies released for everyone (CB, Freenet, PMR, WIFI) in order to enable free voice communication from city to city.

For this purpose, we are planning various so-called “gateways, crossband repeaters, repeaters which, depending on the location, can supply a district or even an entire city. The locations should be accessible to local users with as little effort as possible - ideally with a handheld radio without an external antenna.

The gateways, repeaters, crossband repeaters are networked with each other via radio link and Internet technology (Voice over IP) and forward the conversations to each other.

In case of an emergency situation some old Radios like CB's might be still working in case when real help is needed but regular cell phones or equal digital communication could be useless during network failure.

Charly Tango International DX-Group goes blogging

 Charly Tango members have been busy doing DX on 11 Metre Band these days because of its solar storms reflecting the HF-Waves high effective from the atmosphere. Recent conacts have been made nearly daily to the North and South Americas, Middle East as well as Asia which reportedly already made some Ham-Radio operator's jealous. 

Our members are proud to be part of the Charly Tango International DX-Group which remains to be free for every DX enthusiast out there who is willing to join our team.

Apply for a membership today and get your free call sign at DX-CharlyTango.de !

Yours 13 CT 30, Alex