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

DX the horizontal way - What's the difference ?

 Now that it will be slowly fall with dropping temperatures portable-DX would not be recommend anymore unless you are sitting in a camper equipped with a heater but indeed being home at the Transceiver could be also an event. Therefore I have build such an easy antenna which also could be interesting to bring it up for the next field day or something like that.

A Delta-Loop-Antenna like that one I've built is an inverted triangle which could be very easy to be installed if you have a portable mast build of fiber. I used to do it with a copper wire of  2.5mm diameter and 11.1m length which will bring the antenna about in range of 27.2 up to 28 MHz. 

Usually a Delta-Loop will have a high impedance of about 100 to 200 Ohms depending on the length of each side of the triangle. The more those three sides having an equal size the higher will be the impedance. But don't worry about 200 Ohms. You can bring it down on the wanted 50 Ohms easily by using an about 1.80m. long koax of 75 Ohms like those TV cables which has to be connected between the antenna and the 50 ohm antenna cable. You could use two simple lamp terminals for fix it between the antenna and the 50 ohm koax just with a little screw driver.

In my case I have already two masts on my balcony and unfortunately there is no more room to build up wider antennas like i.e. a dipole antenna which for the 11 meter band will be at least 5,5m wide so the only chance I have is to do it vertical, that's what I thought until now.

3 Antenna Masts on balcony - Delta Loop in the middle

The electric length of a Delta-Loop-Antenna works for fact equal compared to a Dipole-antenna so your signal being received by someone will be about the same as from a dipole. One more point for the delta-loop is that while a dipole will be installed without the possibility to turn it easy in the right position you can do it easily with a Delta-Loop because of its smaller size. The second good point which speaks for a delta-loop is that you only need one mast while a dipole has two points on which you bring em up in the air. Like every antenna also a delta loop works best if it is installed at least one wave length above the ground which in my case is 11m for the CB-band.

Above the roof (from left to right):
11m. vertical, 11m. Delta Loop, 2 Antennas VHF/UHF

I simply took a PVC-plastic-pipe of 3.20m length and drilled a hole in the middle of it so the top element of my 14 meter long fiber mast from the German specialists Spiderbeam could get through that hole. Then I also got a piece of rope fixing it on top of the mast and to both sides of the pipe to hold the ends of the pipe in an upright position. Then I put the antenna-wire through the PVC-pipe and bend to rest of wire at each side down until it reached back to the mast in equal length. Now, because of my other Antenna's on the balcony which gave me less space to put a wider antenna between it, I measured only 3.20 meters of pipe so I was able to turn that antenna between those other antenna's and, additional to this size the delta-loop has been automatically matched to have 50 ohms impedance so I didn't need the piece of TV-cable to be installed and the SWR shows 1,1:1 at 27.5 MHz.

Delta Loop Antenna: The Drawing

As the band was wide open on that sunny day in October 2024 there were lots of stations to hear. So I called CQ and made contacts all over the world. Sometimes I found out to turn the antenna will be more effective for some stations which were not in the right direction before. In the afternoon there was a spot open to Melbourne, Australia coming in with S7 and I was been heard by S3. Same experience I made with Iceland. My reading was S7 and I was been heard by S3. The States of Maine, Kentucky, Tennessee, and also Nebraska in the US were showing the same effect. They all have been about 4 steps stronger on my S-meter as they could hear me but at last it was good enough to make the connection. The horizontal polarization works really great because of its flat radiation angle which will be reflected somewhere in the Ionosphere or other magnetic charged air layers while on the other hand stations under ground wave conditions I still work better with a vertical because they do the same polarization.

All in total I can say that a smaller antenna won't be the super power thing. That's for sure.  But it will be useful if you're having less space to build bigger antennas. The more space you have available the bigger antennas you can build up in the air and the stronger your signal will be received at the other side of the planet. The more elements you will add to one of those delta-loops the more gain it will have. The horizontal polarization will made up a plus of possibilities by intercontinental DX connections and you can turn it into the right direction to get rid of QRM what comes from other sides. A delta-loop like mine with only one element works equal in both directions as in front and back so if you turning it north you will also work south the same quality. Probably there will be something happen to the regular ways of the radiating HF between antennas set up so close beside each other like mine. Happily I couldn't find any interference but who knows how the aluminum masts having influence on the HF coming out of the delta-loop. I was actually very impressed how this antenna is still working. According to many antenna books there won't be the best antenna for everything, such for any frequency or even for every situation, but all I could say after testing this one is that the Delta-Loop is one of a kind !

Yours Alex, 13CT30.

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

Back tracking your own HF-signal - The use of SDR technique

Online SDR from Pardinho, Brazil

 Did you ever wonder how to make sure that your signal can be heard in different countries while trying to have a DX-contact with them ?

First of all someone might tell you about it but just in case you don't receive an answer of your CQ a SDR website could be used for receiving your own signal while transmitting which provides you the information about if your signal could be received and it also indicates how strong your signal might be in the area where the SDR is located. A Web SDR stands for a Software-defined Radio Receiver which can be tuned via Internet which gives you the abillity of using a remote controlled receiver far away from your QTH without any human responding to your call.

For connections with South America I like to use the SDR receiver from Pardinho in Brazil which is located about 200 kilometers west from the City of Sāo Paolo. It might be also interesting listening to the range of other stations being received in Pardinho you probably can't hear on your own radio but on the SDR. Sometimes those stations are still able to receive your signal i.e. from North America to which I made a QSO to Florida while listening to that station and my own signal at the Pardinho SDR.

Pardinho Web SDR, Brazil

Just give it a try and set your working frequency at the SDR. Sometimes it doesn't need much PWR to hear yourself back. Beside lot's of Brazilian stations there is a big receiving range from foreign signals available depending on propagation. If you are an Amateur Radio licence holder you might choose a quite frequency for testing your receiving signal to this device in Brazil while CB radio operators have to expect way more QRM most of the time. 

The Pardinho Web SDR belongs to the Ham radio OP William, PY2GN, and its antennas seem to be quite impressive not only from the pictures view but also from the receiving range of his Web SDR compared to others. At last this is why I personally like to use the Pardinho SDR much more than different SDR providers in that area.

Martin, LU9EFO, wrote a special report on Willams Web SDR in Pardinho, Brazil.

For other Web SDR pages I recommend the map of Kiwi-Web-SDR on which you will find the best SDR station for your needs worldwide.

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

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

Avoid TV interference on short wave bands - The "Ugly Balun"

The hamuniverse website describes how it works: A plastic tube, 2 lids, wrap a few meters (about 18 - 21 feet) of RG213 around the tube, connect it close to your antenna and you're good to go between 160 and 10 metres.

I made one of these by myself on a 110 mm savage pipe out of the hardware store in town where I also got those lids in which I drilled holes to put a SO-239 socket into each. Then I got the RG213 coax wound around the pipe 17 times so the length of it is about 6,40 metres on the outside while at the end of the wounds I brought some more of it through a drilled hole into the pipe and fixed it with cable ties, then soldered the coax to the SO-239 sockets in the lids and closed them carefully. 

Thereafter I fired up my hot glue pistol which finally fixed the RG213 unmovable in position. Then some hot glue around the sockets to make the whole thing waterproof and well done, finished !

Basically a so called "ugly balun" could be built with the coax completely outside and with PL-259 connectors on it but I have chosen to do it the hard way which means soldering the coax to the SO-239 sockets and then closing the lids without losing the soldered coax off the sockets. That could be kinda tricky.

But fortunately everything went well and it works like it use to be.

The first try was with a homemade T2LT antenna which is better known as a flower pot antenna after VK2ZOI. But I have calculated the size for 10.4 MHz as well as I built it without the so called flower pot which is the resonant balun in order to connect it with the ugly one.

Then I went outside onto the balcony and fixed a 12 metre portable mast with the antenna to the railing. The result of checking the SWR were quite impressive.

The vertical antenna works resonant on many bands as tested on 60 mtr, 30, 15, as well as at the repeater range on 10 mtr ham band.

Additionally to those bands a regular antenna tuner like those equipped in some transceivers can be also tune it on 80 as well as 160 metre band which I could not believe at the first place but that's simply the way it works.

The following night I kept listening to radio stations from far away and I found out that the receiving range with this antenna combined with that ugly balun was large enough so I could listen to some stations around 500 kHz which I've never heard by using a simple end feed wire antenna without balun at the same height.

I am really not an expert in knowing stuff like that but generally all I found out this night was that the Flower Pot Antenna combined to the Ugly Balun works as good as it gets.

But don't get me wrong, that's just a first result which turned out to be good enough and useful. I haven't done more tests yet so don't ask me for further specs about the homemade balun or even the antenna but better visit the website of hamuniverse.com and of course the page from VK2ZOI on which every information about it is published.

For my project well done I have to thank Mr. Don Butler (N4UJW) for his awesome website which inspired me of building the air wound ugly balun as well as I want to thank John (VK2ZOI) who's website also inspired me to build so many flower pot antenna's for different bands and ranges.

Finally I will end up at this point with my last statement about the Air Choke Ugly Balun. Its purpose is not only to be a resonant balun which turns high resistance low down to the wanted 50 ohms but it also works as a wave barrier that brings radiation out of the antenna only but not off the coax which means the power stops radiating at the balun which for sure is not always that ugly.

73 and good DX, yours Alex (13CT30)

Charly Tango vs. Charlie Tango: Original vs. Fake

So let's be honest. If someone dies, it doesn't automatically mean that the house they lived in is dead too. Of course, the house continues to exist even after someone dies as long as it didn't collapsed.

The same applies to a club that continues to exist as an unregistered club because someone makes themselves available for this task to continue it. Fairy tales are now being told in the United Kingdom that the original Charly Tango Club from Germany has long since died. So you guys legitimize yourself on the Island and continue the legacy of the once great German club by founding an internet forum, even though you know that the German club is not dead at all but actually still exists.

King Henry the 8th would certainly have said that no matter what the Germans do, original clubs in Britain will be beheaded, just as the Kingdom wants.

Now the times of this King and his seven wives are over as well as is the Second World War, in which the boys from the island actively helped, so that the German people are again able to say in free self-determination whether their club is dead or not. And this is a fact, the Charly Tango International DX Club is NOT dead, but has existed since it was founded in 1985.

I myself have already tried to make a "peace offer" to my "friends" in the U.K. in order to get the problem with the duplicate callsigns under control.

The answer was that there had been no acrimony at all and the German admin's language barrier was far too big an obstacle, because the world language is English. So I was immediately threatened with removing my profile picture off their forum because it contained a callsign which also shows a different name in their list (obviously someone from Bavaria who applied for his call sign in the U.K. but with the Original DX group from Germany) and that would violate the forum rules. Shortly afterwards, one of the admins removed my profile picture, showing how much the Charlie Tango Fake Club is dealing with the truth.

And the threat to ban me from the forum is not the first time that admins of the UK fake group have implemented this to one of their forum members. There are references to this on YouTube while Fred in the Shed says I have to ask in the forum.

26CT1008 probably made up the same experience with those guys. If he would apply for a call at the real Charly Tango's we wouldn't kick him out at all.

The fake can already be recognized by its name.

While Charly Tango is spelled with Y, the fake group uses the letters IE, like Charlie Tango. However, you can't tell from the call signs. They are all like my own (13CT30) starting by countries division code, followed by CT and the membership number.

The Original Charly Tango International DX Group is still insisting on a peace settlement regarding double issued call signs. But as long as the U.K. group refuses to cooperate with the Original Charly Tango DX-Group, we will continue to spread the truth about this British based fake group which is recognized starting its CT group in the U.K. in the year 2009 by calling themselfs "Originals" which is nothing but a lie !

All efforts to continue the Charly Tango's idea in the 26 division now reveal themselves as a miserably failed attempt to convince its members that the original club died with the passing of our esteemed founder Eberhard Albrecht (previous call 13CT01) in the year 2000.

However, this is not intended to be hate speech against our British friends, because after all, everyone makes mistakes. We also have some members from the U.K. listed at DX-CharlyTango.de as well as from Scotland, Wales, and the rest of the world. The big difference in the call sign list of that fake group is that there is no status of active or inactive members in their forum. What's more, so-called SWL's are added there as members, which gives the appearance of many members who probably doesn't even exist as DX-radio-operators.

So the big question will be how to handle 2 possible equal call signs in a QSO with such a foreign countries station by not to state that one turned out to be the result of a stolen idea ?

Well, it looks like the cart is stuck in the dirt, doesn't it ?

The Original Charly Tango International DX Group will continously spread the truth while keeping the legacy of the old Borderland idea alive in the spirit of every DX enthusiast nowadays. No one ever has the right to remove a person's grave or even attempting to write a new name on the headstone unless the legacy of its owner is respected. For example, if someone tries to reissue Coca Cola by claiming that the original is long dead, then it will certainly be a short attempt that will bring nothing but trouble.

To all radio operators out there who are willing to join Charly Tango DX-Group in order to get a lifetime call sign; You are very welcome to apply via email at dx-charlytango@gmx.de or just use the contact form in this link. Also current members of the British fake group can be easily change over to the Original call sign list with the German Charly Tango Club. CT call signs from the fake group are not protected in international radio operations and can only be assigned by the Original DX group from Germany !

By searching for Charly Tango in the internet it will be always a good idea to search for DX-Charlytango unless you are looking for something wrong which I've had mentioned above, been written with IE and turned out to be fake. Its proper relation to search engines will let many interested Charly Tango applicants fall into a trap.

By the way, the Original Charly Tango International DX-Group is completely free of charge. They also don't work in cooperation with CB-Shops but only to keep the heritage of this good know DX-Group running on the air waves. In case of the truth there won't be a reason for the original DX-Group to keep silent at all. Free speach is adviced to all Charly Tango members while the fake group can't do anything about it if not finding a conclusion to be insightful. 

Because insight is the first path to improvement.

Yours Alex (13CT30)

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