PA3ADN – Arno

All Day & Night

Arno’s callsign, PA3ADN, has a special meaning: All Day & Night, or in Dutch, Alle Dagen & Nachten. It is a fitting callsign for someone whose life has been connected with radio for more than fifty years.

His home station is located in Loosduinen, on the western side of The Hague and approximately one kilometre from the North Sea. Shortwave listeners are always welcome to send reception reports.

From PD3ADN to PA3ADN

Arno passed the Dutch Novice examination in Vlaardingen on 23 May 2014. His first amateur radio callsign, PD3ADN, was registered on 5 June 2014 and became active after he received the official licence card.

Exactly five years later, on 23 May 2019, he successfully completed the Dutch Full examination. The callsign PA3ADN was registered on 5 June 2019. On 13 June 2019 he received the official PA3ADN licence card from the Dutch Radiocommunications Agency.

The first transmitter

Arno’s radio story began long before he became a licensed radio amateur. In June 1975 he put his first transmitter on the three-metre FM band. It was a WZ-5 from Wolfers Electronics.

The WZ-5 was soon replaced by a valve transmitter using an ECC85. Later a QQE03/12 output valve was added. During these early years he used station names including CROS and ACT, meaning Amateur Cros Terug.

During summer holidays and mobile broadcasts he also used special station names such as Pionier Deurne and ERP Mobile.

Pirate radio and Peter Petersen

In 1978 Arno began presenting programmes for pirate music station Radio West, previously part of Radio Centraal. During the period from 1975 to 1978, while he was still a minor, his station was taken off the air four times.

On one remarkable day he was caught twice: once after a live programme and again later that evening. Because he was still a minor, the result was a conditional sentence and a fine of 200 Dutch guilders.

In 1979 he joined Radio Veronica Den Haag, where he began using the radio name Peter Petersen. During the 1980s the station continued as Telstar Radio, connected to the Telstar TV project.

From 1979 onwards he also made radio programmes for many stations in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom. These included Radio Coralfisher International, Radio Mi Amigo Ederveen, Radio Lawaaipapegaai, Radio Marina, Radio IBEON, Radio Ramona, Radio Benelux, Radio Alpine, Radio Atlantis, Radio Westpoint and Radio 49 International.

A memorable final pirate broadcast

In the early 2000s Arno made what would become his final pirate broadcast. At around four o’clock in the morning, while the transmitter was still on the air, the doorbell suddenly rang.

He quickly disconnected the transmitter, removed components and nervously opened the door. It was not the authorities. It was a neighbour bringing fresh fish because he had noticed that Arno’s lights were still on.

That same neighbour had once worked as a cook aboard the Radio Veronica pirate radio ship. Arno later rebuilt and tested the transmitter, but never put it on the air again.

The return to radio

On 4 November 2013 Arno bought a Perseus SDR. Hearing shortwave and medium-wave pirate stations again brought his old radio enthusiasm back to life.

On 29 November 2013 he bought an INTEK HR-5500 for 28 MHz. Heavy PLC interference made operation on 11 metres difficult, but a friend studying for the Novice examination inspired Arno to begin studying as well.

That decision led first to PD3ADN in 2014 and later to his Full licence and the callsign PA3ADN in 2019.

CQ SSTV

Today Arno is active in digital amateur radio modes including SSTV, BPSK31, JT65 and WSPR.

Through CQSSTV.COM, SSTV images are received continuously on 20 metres and 2 metres.

On 20 metres, reception takes place on 14.230 MHz using a Perseus SDR and an MFJ-1772 folded dipole installed as an inverted V. On 2 metres, SSTV is received on 144.500 MHz using a five-element Diamond A144S5 antenna.

Operating from Zoetermeer

Arno sometimes stays with family in Zoetermeer, where he can also continue listening and operating. From this temporary QTH the skylines of Rotterdam and The Hague can be seen in the distance.

For VHF and UHF operation from Zoetermeer he uses an MFJ-1729 antenna.

Transceivers and radio equipment

Arno has assembled a versatile station for HF, VHF, UHF, digital modes, mobile operation and amateur television.

Antenna system

Radio communities

Arno is involved in several online amateur radio communities where operators share received images, technical information and experiences.

Radio beyond amateur radio

Radio has also remained part of Arno’s professional life. As radio presenter Peter Petersen, he reads regional news for Radio Horizon in South-East Brabant.

He has also presented an early-morning radio programme from 06:00 to 10:00 for Family Radio Beiaard in Dendermonde, Belgium.

In addition, Arno records beta-science study books for people with a reading disability.

Amateur radio organisation