Biography

My name is Harm de Haan. I have been a Radio Officer in the '60's and early '70's, having sailed in the Merchant Marine for approx. 7 years (Radio Holland). During these years I have sailed on cargo ships, tankers and most cruise ships of the Holland America Line, amongst which several years on board of the old ss 'Nieuw Amsterdam'/PGGF; hence my present call sign. Than I changed this interesting job for work ashore (Marine Cargo Surveyor). I have retired for several years now and during this ‘post-work’ period I picked up this radio hobby after having succeeded in getting my Radio Licence (2017/N and 2019/F). I also have been a Radio Ham operator in the radio shack on board of the ss 'Rotterdam' (PHEG/PI4HAL/PA60HAL), which is the old flagship of the Holland America Line and presently moored at Rotterdam and used as a hotel, conference centre etc. Here a group of ex Radio Officers (incl. myself) also started the Morse Academy (in 2022) where we teach radio hams the art of beating brass, using the Koch/Farnsworth method. We try to promote and preserve the immaterial cultural heritage of the 'ímmortal alphabeth'. In 2024 I moved house from a suberbian town near Rotterdam and settled in a small village near Apeldoorn/Arnhem in the province of Gelderland where I rebuilt my shack with the same equipment as before, including both my Magnetic Loops which I positioned next to each other in a concealed area at the back of my garden at approx. 2 m. height, both facing East-West.

Worked DXCCs:

Equipment

My Radio Shack includes an Icom IC-7300 transceiver and Magnetic Loop Antennes (INAC AH-521 and AX-314 incl.remote control LAC2). I also use an antique/nostalgic BC-348R as additional receiver. In 2020 an ICOM-5100 was added to the shack, feeding a Diamond V-2000 antenne, enabling me to not only work VHF/UHF (and DStar), but also 50 Mhz via my ICOM-7300.

I used a Vibroplex bug in the past, but have purchased a Begali Contour Gold paddle which works exceedingly well. I also purchased a Kent morse key to pick up the old art of 'pumping brass'again. An additional CW machine completes the set and is a good aid to demonstrate the morse code on a laptop.