In the rural stillness of Ahaus-Wüllen, Westphalia, atop a hill crowned by a hulking Cold War relic, something unexpected crackles to life. Once a NATO microwave relay site designed to survive nuclear war, the massive concrete tower now plays host to a very different sort of signal: amateur radio. It’s a resurrection that’s both deeply technical and delightfully human—welcome to DARC Ortsverband Wüllen (N62).
Antennas, Awards, and Ahorn Trees
Founded in 2013 with just 17 members, N62 is a relatively young Ortsverband (local chapter) of the DARC. But youth, in this case, comes paired with remarkable dynamism. Their club call sign, DP4E, has become increasingly common in European contest logs. Their members? Just as likely to be mowing the club’s lawn in February as they are to be receiving QRZ.com awards or tweaking a Beverage-on-Ground antenna at 150 meters above sea level.
Their Vereinsheim, a once-hardened NATO installation, serves as both heritage site and technical playground. From HF to microwave, from SOTA to satellite, and even QO-100 experiments, the spectrum of activity is as broad as the bands themselves.
Contesters Welcome, Schlafsack Optional
Operating under DP4E, the club’s contest team is one of the most inclusive in the DARC ecosystem. Their motto could well be: Come for the points, stay for the pork chops. The site includes overnight accommodation, a kitchen, showers, and even camping space—perfect for DX weekends or 160m CW marathons. The team regularly competes in top-tier contests, including CQWW CW 160m, deploying innovative antenna arrays and embracing digital logging with gusto.
Contesters and casual ops alike are welcome, regardless of membership. It’s a culture of competence without snobbery—a rare trait in the competitive world of radio sport.
Science with a Soul
But N62 is more than kilohertz and key clicks. Its members are storytellers, tinkerers, and teachers. Take Wilhelm, DG2YK, for example. After decades away from the hobby, he returned not with a linear amp, but with a passion for meteor scatter and ATV. His experiments with France’s GRAVES radar and plans for a gesture-controlled video repeater exemplify the blend of curiosity and courage that defines the club.
Then there’s the Ahorn Tree, pruned with tactical precision because it interfered with a standing wave ratio. Or the Frühjahrsputz, where club members wield both brooms and soldering irons. This is a place where lawn care and low-pass filters coexist.
Not Just a Hobby
Amateur radio is often painted as a nostalgic indulgence—a pastime for those unwilling to let go of knobs and noise. But N62 proves otherwise. Here, radio is resilience, community, and intellectual pursuit. It is a club where field strength meets field day, and where technical excellence is tempered by Westphalian humility.
As DB0AW’s signal now reaches into Remscheid and beyond, it's clear the transformation is complete: from fallout bunker to beacon of open-source experimentation. In a world of disposable tech and virtual everything, DARC N62 offers something refreshingly tangible.
And if you’re lucky, Rita might even make you breakfast.
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