Part of the interest group Intruder-Watch

A well-coordinated team with many years of expertise

We are the symbolic lighthouse when it comes to illegal radio services in the exclusive amateur radio shortwave bands.

As the Intruder Watch interest group, we are made up of the former employees of the Intruder Monitoring Department of DARC e.V. From 2020 to 2024, we formed the association's band watch and developed the concept for a professional intruder-watch.

Since March 2024, we have been contributing our many years of expertise independently and on a voluntary basis and are available to all radio amateurs and SWLs when it comes to intruders in the amateur radio bands on shortwave.

Our wealth of experience

Some of us have a background in civil or military radio intelligence, while others are process managers or foreign language translators. Together, we are a team of around 60 people who follow defined processes. In the days of the DARC band guard alone, we processed almost 2000 cases submitted by radio amateurs and achieved a whole series of successes in protecting our frequency capacities.

Independent and flexible

The independence of the association (DARC) and the parent organisation (IARU) offers us more opportunities and flexibility as well as our own scope for action.

Own network of experts

We have an extensive network of contacts ranging from qualified physicists to foreign language translators. We also work in direct contact with the authorities, including the Federal Network Agency and broadcasting providers.

Pan-European measuring and receiving stations

Our interest group operates its own network of measuring and receiving stations, which are distributed throughout Germany.
In the field of radio location, we also have access to a global infrastructure with software. This means that radio location is possible on all continents.

Some of the members of our core team

Daniel DL3RTL
Monitoring and signal analysis
Backoffice

Alex DB3TA
Monitoring and signal analysis
Backoffice

Erwin DL2KCW
Monitoring and
radio localisation

Jürgen DL2SCH
Monitoring and signal analysis
Beacon specialist

Norbert DL8LAQ
Monitoring and signal analysis
Beacon specialist

Michael DJ3QF
Monitoring and
signal analysis

Uli DL1US
Monitoring and
radio localisation

Andreas DK7RCA
Monitoring and
radio localisation

What we do

+ We scan the bands for external radio services that are illegally using our frequency capacities.
+ We report these transmitters to the Federal Network Agency for further processing.
+ We support radio stations in the event of unwanted spurious transmissions and interference.
+ As an association-independent band guard, we support all radio amateurs and SWLs.
+ We have deliberately kept the hurdle for reporting very low. Anyone can contact us with just a few details. We take care of the rest.

What we don't do

- We do not denounce other hobby radio operators. Neither radio amateurs nor CB radio operators.
- We are not ‘reporters’ to the Federal Network Agency, but whistleblowers in the event of interference.
- We don't just ‘collect’ intruders to fill a logbook, we take a strategic approach.

Measuring and receiving stations

Our interest group operates 8 measuring and receiving stations, which are geographically distributed throughout Germany.

Each site is privately operated and contains at least one SDR as well as different analysis software. This allows us to achieve a high level of diversity in our equipment.

Open location map* >

Example: Berlin measuring and receiving station

At our Berlin-Tempelhof site, we have one of our state-of-the-art facilities. Several SDRs in conjunction with analysis software are available for tasks such as monitoring, signal analysis and radio localisation.

2000

Cases Experience

Radio amateurs and SWLs have already contacted us more than 2,000 times with an observation report. We thank you for your trust and remain available for reports.

5

Minutes response time

Our average response time is less than ten minutes. Thanks to a very high degree of automation and digitalisation. Closely coordinated processes reduce our workload and allow us to concentrate on the important cases.

50

Contributors

Our core team and network comprises more than 50 people. We are experts in the fields of monitoring, radiolocation, system administration, foreign language translation and much more.

100

Cases with the BNetzA

Wir melden im Rahmen der rechtlichen Möglichkeiten Intruder auch der BNetzA (Bundesnetzagentur). Hier können wir bereits auf einen großen Erfahrungsschatz und Routine zurückgreifen.

An experienced team