We are PA8ØOV
Hello (again) visitor from
Back in 2025 for the third consecutive time with this special event station; we added another 5 years to our callsign.
Again it's our pleasure to announce a special event station in the Gennep region commemorating 8Ø years of freedom: PA8ØOV.
This special event station combines both the city of Gennep and Operation Veritable just like the previous editions in 2020 and 2015.
This operation is made possible by several amateur radio operators from Radio Club Limburg.
Operation Veritable, namesake of the station and the successor of Operation Market Garden, was the northern part of an Allied pincer movement. More info is available here.
Meet our Team Check out our ActivitiesCheck out our Event Poster here.
History
Operation Veritable
Operation Veritable (also known as the Battle of the Reichswald), namesake of the station and the successor of Operation Market Garden, was the northern part of an Allied pincer movement. The operation took place between the
8th of February and the 11th of March 1945, with the objective to clear German forces from the area between the Rhine and Maas rivers, east of the German/Dutch frontier, in the Rhineland. It was part of General Dwight Eisenhower's "broad front" strategy to occupy the entire west bank of the Rhine before its crossing.
Operation Veritable is not known very well to most people. It was the battle which formed the prelude to the leap across the Rhine after which the eventual defeat of Germany soon followed. Both operations took place in the Land of Maas and Niers.
More info on Wikipedia, © Wikipedia.
Picture above: the battle in Gennep has begun. Fighting near the city tavern.
Gennep and Veritable
The Gennep region played a special role and in Gennep city in particular you can experience Operation Veritable. The Battle of the Reichswald forest and the Battle of Gennep formed the prologue to the successful crossing of the Rhine. The Martinus Tower in Gennep bears the scars of Operation Veritable. The tower is nowadays the starting point of two cycle routes which, among other things, lead through the Reichswald where the last big battle on the western frontier took place. Here you will also find the largest war cemetery of the 2nd World War in Europe and the largest German war cemetery of the Lower Rhine area. To be able to get the allied troops across the Maas the longest Bailey bridge of the 2nd World War was built in Gennep. The Gennep region became a battlefield during Operation Veritable and most of the inhabitants had to take refuge. It took a long time of heavy fighting before the region was truly liberated. Many people and militairy were killed and buildings and bridges were destroyed. At the cost of many young soldiers the Gennep region was conquered and liberated.
Picture above: to be able to get the Allied troops across the river Maas the longest Bailey bridge of the WW-II was built in Gennep.
Gennep during the war
Gennep was attacked by the Germans on May 10th 1940. An armored train with German troops managed to penetrate the Peel-Raam-line using the Gennep railroad bridge and were able to reach Mill. The Germans used the railroad bridge as a regular bridge to get all their troops and material across the Maas. For the same reason they also built a pioneer bridge near the ferry house. After 4 years of occupation, on June 6th 1944 D-Day starts, the landing in Normandy, France, the beginning of the end. September 1944 the Allies have a risky plan with Operation Market Garden, which, in the end leads to a status quo of nearly 5 months. October 1944, evacuation of the civilians from Gennep. In February Operation Veritable begins and ultimately Gennep is liberated. This liberation was essential as a prologue for the Rhineland offensive.
Slide for videos about Gennep and Veritable (5 in total).Jewish families in Gennep
At the beginning of 1941 all Jewish families in Gennep had to register, about 45 persons in total. Several families had already lived for several generations in Gennep. When the deportations started in The Netherlands on July 1942 about 28 persons were still registered als Jews. On August 24th 1942 they were announced to report in Maastricht the next day, from which they would be sent to camp Westerbork. From Westerbork they were transported to Auschwitz after two days either to work as slaves or to die in the gas chambers. Others died in Buchenwald or at the slave camps. On March 29th 1943 another 18 persons were sent to camp Vught. These persons ended in camp Sobibor and were killed upon arrival. Most oft hose who left Gennep in 1941 in an early stage survived.
More info on Monarch Foundation, © Monarch Foundation.
Picture above: the Kaufmann family leaves Gennep in 1943 and heads to camp Vught for an uncertain future.
History on the map
Choose your preferred maptype [ Grayscale | Terrain | Streets | Satellite ] at the top-right of the map.
Commemorate and celebrate
Let´s commemorate and celebrate 8Ø years of freedom. The activities will take place throughout 2025. Members of Radio Club Limburg will activate the special event station. During 2025 we will activate the callsign PA8ØOV and try to work as many amateur radio operators across the world. Whether you are an amateur radio operator hoping to contact a new country or a casual visitor, we welcome you to our website.
The live event will take place from Friday, February 14th 2025 to Sunday, February 16th 2025.
Radio amateurs, who are also member of the the SRS (Surplus Radio Society), will join us during the the live event and will demonstrate - and transmit with - old (restored) WW-II militairy equipment.
During the three days of the live event you are welcomed to visit us in the city of Gennep in the old town hall. The location is here.
Picture above: RP-3 rockets being loaded into Land Mattress launchers in preparation for the offensive in the Reichswald, Germany.
Visit us
If you find yourself in the vicinity of Gennep, near Nijmegen, be sure to visit us throughout the live event of the special event station from Friday, February 14th 2025 to Sunday, February 16th 2025.
We are situated in the city of Gennep in the old town hall, click here to have a look on the map.
Our contact info is here.
You might take the opportunity to visit the National Freedom Museum, only at 10 minutes driving distance.
Please also have a look at the website of the Veritable Foundation (only in Dutch). This website is also dedicated to Operation Veritable.
Picture above: British infantrymen advance through the Reichswald during Operation Veritable, 8 February 1945.
Special Event Station
Commemorating WW-II Operation Veritable and celebrating 8Ø years of freedom
Team
Consisting of members.
Our radio room
This is a panoramic image of our radio room at the second floor of the Gennep city hall. This room will be converted into a room with several radio stations in February. Have a look around.
Activities
Radio activities PA8ØOV
Radio activities in SSB, CW and Digi on several amateur radio bands. Frequencies will be disclosed on the DX Clusters.
RCL team members and others
Radio activities PA8ØOV with WW-II radio equipment
Radio activities in AM, SSB and CW on several amateur radio bands. Demonstrations with old restored WW-II equipment. Frequencies will be disclosed on the DX Clusters.
PA0AM, PE3BB, PA0CWF
Presentation HF propagation
The fundamentals of propagation and radiocommunication on the HF bands.
Jan, PA2P
Demonstration QO-100 communication
How to work (transmit and receive) over the QO-100 satellite?
Hans, PA3ETC
Demonstration meteosat reception
How to receive meteosat signals and generate your own weather images.
Hendrik Jalving
Radio activities PA8ØOV
Radio activities in SSB, CW and Digi on several amateur radio bands. Frequencies will be disclosed on the DX Clusters.
RCL team members and others
Radio activities PA8ØOV with WW-II radio equipment
Radio activities in AM, SSB and CW on several amateur radio bands. Demonstrations with old restored WW-II equipment. Frequencies will be disclosed on the DX Clusters.
PA0AM, PE3BB, PA0CWF
Presentation HF propagation
The fundamentals of propagation and radiocommunication on the HF bands.
Jan, PA2P
Demonstration QO-100 communication
How to work (transmit and receive) over the QO-100 satellite?
Hans, PA3ETC
Demonstration meteosat reception
How to receive meteosat signals and generate your own weather images.
Hendrik Jalving
Radio activities PA8ØOV
Radio activities in SSB, CW and Digi on several amateur radio bands. Frequencies will be disclosed on the DX Clusters.
RCL team members and others
Radio activities PA8ØOV with WW-II radio equipment
Radio activities in AM, SSB and CW on several amateur radio bands. Demonstrations with old restored WW-II equipment. Frequencies will be disclosed on the DX Clusters.
PA0AM, PE3BB, PA0CWF
Demonstration QO-100 communication
How to work (transmit and receive) over the QO-100 satellite?
Hans, PA3ETC
Demonstration meteosat reception
How to receive meteosat signals and generate your own weather images.
Hendrik Jalving
Special Event Station
Commemorating WW-II Operation Veritable and celebrating 8Ø years of freedom
QSL/Log
QSL card
2020 version
The new QSL card will be disclosed in time.
QSL manager
PD8RW
Your QSL card is not required. So don't send it.
We will confirm all contacts with our card, which card will be sent via the bureau.
Our QSL manager:
PD8RW, Roy, QRZ.com
For direct requests from:
- The Netherlands: your card + SASE
- Within Europe: your card + SAE + $2
- Outside Europe: your card + SAE + $3
Logsearch
Clublog
For the time being the logbook of another SES station.
Contactform
Info
If you want to contact us for whatever reason, please use the contactform. Your message will be sent by e-mail to the PA8ØOV team.
Your information will only be used to reply to you and will not be used for commercial purposes, nor shared with third parties.