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93SD158

03 / About

Across the airwaves, from Valletta.

Welcome to my corner of the radio world. This is the home of 93SD158, transmitting from Valletta, the capital city of Malta, and sharing a passion for radio, DX contacts and island life.

Radio brings people together, one contact at a time. Between contacts, the camera comes out — for the bastions of the capital, the village festas, and the ancient stones that make these small islands feel enormous. Thanks for stopping by. If we meet on the air, it will be a pleasure to hear you.

Callsign
93SD158
QTH
Valletta
Region
Mediterranean
Sign-off
73 & good DX
An ornate corridor and painted ceiling inside the Grand Master’s Palace.
Inside the Grand Master’s Palace · Photo: Marika Caruana

The setup. Nothing more.

One radio. One vertical antenna. Connecting from Malta.

01 · The radio

Icom IC-7300

At the heart of the station — a compact HF transceiver with a real-time spectrum scope, transmitting from Valletta.

Icom IC-7300

Original photo: Icom · AI-edited cutout

02 · The antenna

Sirio Monsoon

One vertical antenna, paired with the IC-7300 for contacts across the Mediterranean and beyond.

Sirio Monsoon

Original image: Limmared · AI-edited

Home waters

Small islands. Wide horizons.

Malta’s main island is roughly 27 km long and 14.5 km at its widest. Sitting in the middle of the Mediterranean, it is a fine place to call CQ from.

  1. MaltaMain island246 km²
  2. GozoGħawdex67 km²
  3. CominoKemmuna3.5 km²
  4. FilflaProtected islet0.06 km²
A sweeping panorama of Mdina and Rabat from Mtarfa
Mdina from Mtarfa · Christian Formosa · CC BY-SA 4.0

Malta through the ages

From ancient temples to the George Cross.

  1. 3600 BC

    Temples and seafarers

    Prehistoric communities raise the great stone temples of Ġgantija, Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra — older than Stonehenge.

  2. 1429

    The siege of Mdina

    A Hafsid force from North Africa devastates the countryside. Mdina holds and is never taken.

  3. 1530

    The Knights arrive

    The Knights of St John make Malta their home and begin fortifying the Grand Harbour.

  4. 1565

    The Great Siege

    Fort St Elmo falls, Birgu and Senglea hold. Victory is still marked every 8 September.

  5. 1566

    Valletta is founded

    Grand Master de Valette lays the first stone of the capital where 93SD158 transmits today.

  6. 1798

    The French invasion

    Napoleon’s forces end the rule of the Knights on the way to Egypt.

  7. 1942

    The George Cross

    After relentless wartime bombing, the people of Malta are awarded the George Cross.

  8. 1964

    Independence

    A republic from 1974, an EU member from 2004, on the euro from 2008.

Read the full history