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Rijksinspectie Digitale Infrastructuur   RDI
Dutch telecom athority · RCD

Rijksinspectie Digitale Infrastructuur (State Inspectorate for Digital Infrastructure) abbreviated RDI, is the Telecom Authority of the Netherlands, responsible for digital security, space-related communication, frequency allocation, enforcing the Telecom Law and monitoring the use of the frequency spectrum. It is part of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and is based in Groningen and Amersfoort (Netherlands). Over the years, the organisation was renamed several times. In the distant past, it was part of the Dutch Post Office (PTT) and fell under the Ministry of Transport.


Until 1 January 2023, the organisation was known as Agentschap Telecom (AT). The new name – RDI – is supposed to better reflect the agency's responsibilities in the digital era [15]. Never­the­less, the general public commonly refers to the organisation by its earlier names AT and RCD. Here are the names by which the organisation was/is known (further details below):

RCD | BNV | BD | BRD | OCZ | GMP | RCD | RDR | IVW/DT | AT | RDI


RCD equipment on this website
OSS (CIA) aperiodic receiver SSR-201
Portable radio direction finder (US, 1942)
WWI portable direction finder in suitcase
Quante StSG 52 portable surveillance receiver
Sadelco field strength indicator FS-3CE
Radio Direction Finder (RDF)
Radio Direction Finder (RDF)
Radio Direction Finder (RDF)
Bendix ADF-T-12-C automatic direction finder for LF/MF
NRP field strength indicator with built-in frequency counter
TAIYO TD-L1706 direction finder
Essa BMR-1000 frequency counter with integrated field-strength indicator
Automatic Frequency Counter
Schlumberger Minilock Programmable Precision Receiver
Purpose-built high-end PAN-1000 receiver
General coverage panoramic intercept receiver (2 GHz)
History
Introduction
The history of the RDI (formerly: RCD) is somewhat clouded and most websites give incomplete or incorrect information. The most complete overview up to 1995, can be found in Frans Kluiters' book Index of Security Agencies in The Netherlands [1]. The agency started life in 1927 as Radio Controle Dienst (Radio Monitoring Service) – abbreviated RCD – and was at that time part of the state-owned Dutch Post Office (PTT), operating under and on behalf of the Ministry of Transport.

Original RCD stationary head


World War II
Although the name RCD did not disappear until 1989, its work was interrupted by WWII. During the war, the RCD continued to exist, but was only allowed to investigate radio interference, under strict supervision of the German occupant. Nevertheless, some RCD personnel, such as Anton van Schendel, were active members of the Dutch Resistance, and used the RCD as a cover to travel the country with clandestine radio equipment without raising suspicion. The clandestine radio equipment, generally known as spy radio sets, where used by various resistance groups for passing messages and intelligence to the Dutch Government in Exile in London.

 More about the Dutch resistance
 More about Anton van Schendel

Post-war
After the war, the newly established Bureau Nationale Veiligheid (BNV) took over the task of finding clandestine transmitters. This resulted in the Bijzondere Radio Dienst (BRD) and eventually in two separate units responsible for the work: OCZ (for civil tasks) and GMP (for military tasks).

Finally, in 1975, the OCZ and GMP were merged again under the name RCD. The new RCD acted under supervision of the PTT. During the 1970s and 1980s, the RCD arguably had its most busy era when The Netherlands was flooded with clandestine radio stations, also known as pirates.

Initially, the RCD had its headquarters in Den Haag (The Hague), but in 1974 all departments were moved to the magnificent building on the right: the iconic history-rich NERA radio station in Nederhorst den Berg where, back in 1954, the RCD had installed a radio monitoring station.
  

The building at NERA (Nederhorst den Berg Radio) was erected shortly after WWII — in July 1948 — for the international radio traffic of the PTT. The central location of the premises and the moist terrain had proved to be ideal for the reception of (weak) radio signals. It was opened in 1950.

Nederhorst den Berg
After the first trans-atlantic telecommunications cable became available in 1956 and the first telecommunications satellite was launched in 1958, the interest in radio for long distance communication declined rapidly. In 1974, the last radio link (with Paramaribo) was closed [2]. In the meantime, several other organisations had used the premises for experiments and research. Once the radio station was closed, the PTT moved all departments of the RCD to NERA and gave it full control over the premises. On 7 May 1981 the fully refurbished NERA building was reopened.

One of the first events at the new premises was a visit from the (then) State Secretary of Traffic, Mrs. Neelie Smit-Kroes. The director of the RCD, Daan Neuteboom, gave her a tour through the building, presented his 'troups' and complained about the fact that he was understaffed. When Mrs. Kroes asked him how many extra people he needed, he stared at the ceeling for a moment, and replied 'Fourty Mrs. State Secretary' [3].

She promised him his new staff and also gave the green light for the development of a new high-end surveillance receiver: the PAN-1000.
  

This situation lasted until 1989 when the PTT was privatized. As the RCD had law enforcement tasks, it was put under the supervision of the newly erected HDTP and was renamed RDR. A few years later, in 2002, the agency was detached from the Ministry of Transport and came under the supervision of the Ministry of Economics. At the same time, its name was changed to the more generic Agentschap Telecom (Telecom Agency), abbreviated AT, headquartered in Groningen.

Groningen and Amersfoort
In 2005, the AT left the NERA building in Nederhorst den Berg and moved its operational division to Amersfoort, where it is still located today. The large mast is still present and is now remotely controlled from Amersfoort via a radio link. Plans for demolition of the building and development of the surounding area for housing, have been met with great critisism [2]. In 2010, NERA became a listed building and has meanwhile been bought by a private party, largely for nostalgic reasons.

In 2023, after 20 years, the name of the agency was changed again, this time into Rijksinspectie Digitale Infrastructuur (State Inspectorate for Digital Infrastructure), abbreviated RDI. According to the RDI's website, the new name was necessary 1 to emphasize the agencies new tasks with res­pect to digital continuity and security [15]. In addition, all e-mail addresses and telephone num­bers were changed. Check the RDI website for the current contact information.

 Timeline

  1. This doesn't seem to make any sense whatsover, as the old name covers the entire domain of telecommunication, whilst the new one is restricted to the digital sub-domain only.

The former RCD headquarters in Nederhorst den Berg
The former RCD headquarters in Nederhorst den Berg
The sign at the rear gate shows that AT is the current owner
The rear gate allowing entrance to suppliers
The main building seen from the rear
The big mast with numerous antennas
Close-up of some monitoring antennas
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The former RCD headquarters in Nederhorst den Berg
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The former RCD headquarters in Nederhorst den Berg
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The sign at the rear gate shows that AT is the current owner
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The rear gate allowing entrance to suppliers
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The main building seen from the rear
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The big mast with numerous antennas
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Close-up of some monitoring antennas

Equipment
Over the years, the RDI/AT/RCD has used and still uses a wide variety of equipment for its many different tasks. Some of the (historic) equipment is highlighted on this website:

SSR-201
SSR-201 was an aperiodic or non-selective receiver, developed during WWII for use by the OSS, the forerunner of the CIA. It was used for finding clandestine radio stations, operated by – mainly German – spies in the US and in the UK.

After the war, the device was also used by the Radio Monitoring Services of several European countries, including the Netherlands.

 More information

  

DAG-1
DAG-1 was a portable radio direction finder, initially developed in 1942 for the US Navy, but later also used by other military services and even by law enforcement agencies abroad.

In the period following WWII, the DAG-1 was used in The Netherlands by the Special Radio Service (BRD), which monitored the frequency spectrum for spies. The BRD was dissolved into the RCD in 1975.

 More information

  

BC-792-A   SCR-504-A
BC-792 – also known as SCR-504 – was a portable covert direction finder, developed in 1943 and used by the OSS (the predecessor of the CIA) for finding clandestine transmitters operated by spies during WWII.

The device is concealed as a regular leather travel suitcase, and was also used during the early part of the Cold War in various European countries.

 More information

  

Quante StSG-52
In the early days of the of the RCD, small portable direction finding receivers were used for finding pirate radio stations. One example is the Wilhelm Quante StSG-52 shown on the right.

In his early days as an inspector, RCD director Daan Neuteboom toured the countryside with this device, seated on the back of a bicycle.

 More information
  

Sadelco FS-3CE
Especially for measurements and locating in close proximity of an (illegal) transmitter, the tunable FS-3CE field strength meter was used. The portable meter was made by Sadelco in the USA and has a surprisingly acurate readout.

Furthermore it can demodulate the received signal, so that the operator can check whether the correct station is being traced.

 More information
  

ADF-210
During the 1970s and early 1980s, the RCD used several models of a Radio Direction Finder (RDF), or Automatic Direction Finder (ADF), made by the American company Ocean Applied Research.

The first model to be used was the ADF-210 which was suitable for 10 crystal controlled channels in the 27 MHz CB band (which was prohibited in the Netherlands at the time)

 More information
  

ADF-320
The ADF-320 was similar to the ADF-210 (above), but was suitable for frequencies in the VHF-H band (148-174 MHz).

These frequencies were used for two-way radio traffic by police, commercial parties and for maritime communication.

 More information
  

ADF-940
The ADF-940 is a later version of the 10-channel ADF-210, which was rather limited, and the 28-channel ADF-928, which was only suitable for the original 28 CB channels in AM.

Instead, the ADF-940 covers all 40 channels of the expanded 27 MHz CB-band, in both AM and FM. Furthermore, it has a built-in scanner.

 More information
  

ADF-T12
The ADF-T12, was a radio direction finder that was used in airplanes for finding the bearing to a long-range radio beacon when naviating.

The RCD discovered that the device was also highly suitable for finding clandestine radio stations (pirates) that operated in the Medium Wave (MW) AM broadcast band.

 More information

  

PAN-1000
The PAN-1000 was an intercept and surveillance receiver, developed in the early 1980s by the Dutch Radar Laboratory (NRP) for the RCD. It was used for finding clandestine transmitters and was designed to fit inside a regular car.

Development of the receiver took several years and a single unit was priced at NLG 160,000 (~EUR 73,000). About 30 units were made.

 More information
  

NRP-FS
Alongside the PAN-1000 intercept receiver (see above), the NRP also released this small portable field-strength indicator that was used by the law enforcement officers to pinpoint the location of clandestine transmitter at very close range.

This unit has a built-in frequency counter that could be enabled temporarily by the user, to quickly determine the frequency of the signal.

 More information
  

BMR-1000
This mobile frequency counter was mounted in the dashboard of some intercept vehicles, in some cases in the bay that was intended for the car stereo. The counter automatically locks onto the strongest signal in its vicinity, so that the in­tercept officer immediately knows the fre­quen­cy of the signal to intercept.

The BMR-1000 was succeeded around 1997 by the CR-3000C (below).

 More information

  

CR-3000/C
This mobile frequency counter was mounted in the dashboard of some intercept vehicles, in most cases in the bay that was intended for the car stereo.

The counter automatically locks onto the stron­gest signal in its vicinity, so that the intercept officer immediately knows the fre­quen­cy of the signal to intercept.

 More information
  

TAIYO direction finder   TD-L1706
For real direction finding jobs, the RCD/AT used the TAIYO TD-L1706. It was introduced in the late 1980s for use in combination with the PAN-1000 intercept system, and was later used again with its successor, the PAN-2000.

The system consists of a main unit, a compass display (shown on the right) and an flat antenna that could be disguised as the sunroof of a car.

 More information
  

Minilock
Minilock was a series of high-end receivers that were ideal for surveillance and intercept tasks. The RCD used a variety of such communications receivers, including the Minilock 6910.

 More information
  

PAN-2000
In the mid-1990s, the PAN-1000 was succeeded by the PAN-2000, developed by ELCOM GmbH in München (Germany). It was based on a modified ICOM IC-R9000 communications receiver, with an external FFT Processor connected to it.

The PAN-2000 was capable of intercepting signals up to 2000 MHz (2 GHz). The TAIYO DF unit was reused with this set.

 More information

  


Vehicles
For tracing clandestine radio stations and for finding sources of radio and television interference, the RDI has to rely on mobile radio monitoring installations. Depending on the task, suitable contemporary vehicles are used. Below is a non-exhaustive overview of vehicles that have been used by the agency. Some of these vehicles were equipped with direction finding equipment.

Ford Transit
One of the first mobile monitoring stations used by the agency, was housed inside a Ford Transit van. In order to hide its true identity, the Transit was disguised as a camper van, complete with curtains and a roof rack. The rather large circular direction finding antenna, was installed as a 'spare tyre' on the roof rack. These Ford Transit camper vans were used well into the 1970s.


The image above shows one of the Ford Transit vans that were used by the Bijzondere Radio Dienst (BRD) during the 1960s. The picture was taken on the Waalsdorpervlakte in Scheveningen (Netherlands) during an experiment with VHF direction finding. The man standing in front of the car is Gerard Mulder. His boss, Piet van Egmond, is standing aside the vehicle [4].


The image above shows the interior of the Ford Transit camper van. Central in the picture is the Telefunken Telegon direction finder that was used on the HF bands. It was connected to a large direction finding antenna that was installed on the roof rack, disguised as the spare tyre. The unit to the left of the Telegon, is a VHF converter that was used for an experiment. This type of vehicle was still in use when the agency changed its name back to Radio Controle Dienst (RCD) in 1975.

Ford Granada
In the late 1970s, when The Netherlands was flooded with clandestine radio stations and illegal CB band users — commonly known as pirates — the RCD started using regular sedan-type cars. One of the first standard cars to be used was the Ford Granada, shown in the image below. It was choosen because it attracted far less attention than the bulky Ford Transit camper van, and had a plastic rooftop under which some of the (directional) antennas were discretely hidden from view.


As the pressure was high and budgets were thight, it was decided to by the cheapest variant of the Granada in the standard colour: white. As part of the conversion into an intercept vehicle, the cars were sprayed in a less obtrusive colour – like dark blue or metallic beige – and most of the interior was stripped in order to accomodate hidden antennas, cabling and a lot of equipment.

The equipment that was needed for reception and direction finding, was housed inside a small 12U 19" rack that was placed on the passenger seat, in such a way that the equipment could be operated by the driver. In the rare image on the right the contents of the rack are clearly visible.

It contains a Bendix direction finder, an ADF-940 direction finder, a Sadelco field strength meter, a 27 MHz CB transceiver, a computer scanner, a tape recorder and a pager. In addition, some vehicles were equipped with a two-way radio that was mounted to the right side of the rack.
  

The rack was mounted on a bracket, so that it could be removed within a few minutes, which was necessary as some operators used the vehicle as the family car during the weekend. Apart from the equipment in the rack, the car was fitted with a digital Blaupunkt car radio (with its control panel on a flexible arm to the right of the steering wheel), an early car phone and an attenuator.

In the diagram below, the 19" equipment rack is shown in yellow, marked with the letter 'A'. The image on the right shows another variant of the intercept rack inside the blue Ford Granada with licence plate FZ-36-YF, taken around 1985 [3].

In this particular setup a special VHF variant of the OAR direction finder was used, probably with the model number ADF-928, whilst the Sadelco field strength meter is visible just below/behind the steering wheel. The wide unit at the bottom of the rack is a high-end Handic 0016 computer scanner, which was very popular at the time [3].
  

In the early 1980s, after the RCD had moved from The Hague to Nederhorst den Berg (NERA), the purpose-built PAN-1000 receiver was introduced. It replaced earlier less accurate receivers and was built inside the trunk of the existing Ford Granada vehicles, with a panoramic display mounted at the dashboard, and an intuitive remote control unit in between the two front seats.


The 19" racks (1) and (2) are mounted in the trunk. The interface between the receiver and the display would be fitted inside the glove compartment (3) of the car, whilst the display itself was mounted on the dasboard (4). Finally, the remote control unit was mounted between the seats, just aside the handbrake (5). The antenna was mounted somewhere on the body of the car (6).

Although the Ford Granada was a rather unobtrusive car, it soon became an RCD icon and was widely known by the pirates who assembled long lists of RCD licence plates. In order to catch more pirates, the agency then started using other vehicles as well, such as the Peugeot 204.

 More about the PAN-1000

BeigeFord Granada with licence plate DN-55-DS (source unknown)
Blue Ford Granada with licence plate FZ-36-YF (copyright Crypto Museum)
Equipment rack inside the blue Ford Granada
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BeigeFord Granada with licence plate DN-55-DS (source unknown)
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Blue Ford Granada with licence plate FZ-36-YF (copyright Crypto Museum)
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Equipment rack inside the blue Ford Granada

Footage
1983 - Radio pirates
Documentary of Dutch TV station KRO about the ever increating number of clandestine radio stations (pirates) in The Netherlands in 1983.

RCD employee John Roth shows how clandestine transmitters cause radio interference, whilst enforcement officer Cor Moerman demonstrates how he locates an unmanned pirate station with his EP-35T panoramic monitoring receiver.

Source: KRO Brandpunt, 1983 [11]
  





1983 - Mobile Monitoring
This video shows a number of stills from a 1983 documentary about the Mobile Monitoring group of the RCD, with voice-overs by RCD employees Gerard Mulder and John Roth.

It shows a number of vans with a selection of monitoring receivers and scanners, used for identifying and locating sources of radio inter­.ference (RFI). From 1975 to 1982 the name of this department had been CPG [5].

Source: Youtube user LIONS [5]

  

1985 - RCD Museum
This is a recording of radio program Parnassa, aired by Dutch station Hilversum 2 in the mid-1980s, RCD enforcement officer Cor Moerman gives a tour around the RCD's internal museum in Nederhorst den Berg. When the RCD left the premises in Nederhorst den Berg in 2005, the internal museum was closed and most of the museum objects were discarded.

The video shows a random collection of images related to the RCD/RDI.

Source: Atlantic Hilversum [16]

  

1986 - Brandpunt
This episode of Brandpunt was aired on a Sunday in 1986 by Dutch television broadcaster KRO. At the time it was estimated that more than 10,000 pirates were active in the country — more than 60% of all radio pirates in Western Europe.

The video shows how clandestine commercial radio stations in Hilversum and Den Haag were captured, and how they resumed their broadcasts in less than an hour.

Source: KRO Brandpunt [14]

  

1990 - Jetphone
In this television documentary of 1990 it is shown how clandestine wireless telephone sets caused radio interference in the radio traffic of the Dutch Air Force and the Military Police (Marechaussee) around 1990.

Sales of these telephones was illegal, but many shops sold them under the counter. At the time it was estimated that 150,000 - 500,000 of such clandestine telephone sets were in use.

Source: NCRV, Hier en Nu [6]

  

1999 - Radio Lokaal Nijmegen
Documentary in which we see enforcement officer Gitta in action against radio pirates Lokaal and Power FM in Nijmegen (Netherlands).

At the time, the RCD was known as the RDR. Radio Lokaal was active from 1983 to 2000.

Source: De achtervolgers, 1999 [13]

  

2003 - Etherflits
In 2003, the Radio Monitoring Service, by then known as Agentschap Telecom (AT), launched a new campaign against clandestine radio stations (pirates) under the name Etherflits (ether flash).

It was estimated that ~ 800 pirates were active in the eastern part of The Netherlands. The pirates caused interference with legal broadcasters that had payed substantial amounts of money for the use of the frequency spectrum.

Source: RTL 4 Nieuws, 28 April 2003 [7]

  

2003 - Actie Etherflits
In this news item of 28 April 2003, NCRV television program Netwerk shows radio pirates in the eastern part of The Netherlands, who are complaining about the ever increasing fines they get from the AT in operation Ehterflits.

The pirates explain that they think they are entitled to a part of the frequency spectrum for free usage.

Source: NCRV Netwerk, 28 April 2003 [10]
  

2003 - Radio Bloemfontein
Documentary of NPS Gewest, aired on 17 July 2003, about radio pirate Bloemfontein in Kollum (Netherlands), who had been caught by the AT no less than 24 times. Each time he looses all of his equipment and receives a fine.

The height of the fine depends on how often you are caught and increases progressively, varying from EUR 2200 to 120 hours of community service and eventually even prison.

Source: NPS Gewest, 17 July 2003 [8]

  

2003 - Blikvangers
Documentary of regional TV station RTV Oost of 11 August 2003, about clandestine radio stations (pirates) in the eastern part of The Netherlands.

The documentary features radio pirate Hans ter Grote, who complains about the effects of the AT operation Etherflits, in which the radio spectrum is monitored 24 hours a day and pirates are sometimes caughts within minutes.

Source: RTV Oost, 11 August 2003 [9]

  

2017 - Cor Moerman
Presentation by former enforcement officer Cor Moerman, about his time with the RCD/AT, recorded in 24 May 2017 at a radio camp of the Dutch amateur radio society VRZA.

Cor joined the BRD in 1960 – merged with the RCD in 1975 – and retired in 1991.

Source: VRZA, 24 May 2017
  





Nomenclature
The Dutch Radio Monitoring Service is currently known as RDI, but this was not always the case. In the past, the agency has been known under various names, of which Radio Controle Dienst (RCD) is arguably the most well-known one. Here are some of the abbreviations:

PTT   Staatsbedrijf der Posterijen, Telegrafie en Telefonie
1915-1989. Dutch state-owned monopolist for telecommunication and post. Privatized in 1989 and later split into several companies, such as Postbank (bank), KPN (telecom) and TPG (post).  More  Wikipedia
RCD   Radio Controle Dienst
1927-1940. Radio Monitoring Service. Established as part of the Department of Post, Telephony and Telegraphy (PTT) of the Ministry of Transport (Verkeer en Waterstaat). Temporarily interrupted during WWII (1940-1945).
BNV   Bureau Nationale Veiligheid
1945-1946. National Bureau for Security. This Bureau had a special Radiodienst (Radio Service) that took over the tasks of the RCD.
BD   Bureau Bijzondere Diensten
1947-1952. Bureau for Special Services, sometimes known as Bureau BD. Established by the PTT as a co-operative body between the PTT and the BNV.
BRD   Bijzondere Radio Dienst
1952-1975. Special Radio Service. Post-war agency to follow up on the dismantled BNV, combining the efforts of the PTT and the BNV. Initially called Bureau BD, but in 1951/1952 changed to BRD. The first Chief of the BRD was Ton van Schendel. After his death in 1958, he was succeeded by Daan Neuteboom, who later became head of the RCD.
OCZ   Opsporingsdienst Clandestiene Zenders
1947-1975. Law Enforcement Agency for Clandestine Radio Stations. Department of the post-war BRD (formerly Bureau BD). Later part of the RCD.
GMP   Groep Mobiele Peilers
1969-1975. Mobile Direction Finding Group. A new department of the post-war BRD specialized in mobile direction finding. A combined effort of the PTT and the Dutch Security Agency BVD (Binnenlandse Veiligheidsdienst, now called: AIVD).
RCD   Radio Controle Dienst
1975-1989. Radio Monitoring Service. Part of the Dutch PTT. In 1975 the entire post-war BRD was integrated with the PTT (as RCD6). The same happened to the OCZ that was renamed to RCD7. At the time, the PTT acted on behalf of the Dutch Ministry of Transport.
HDTP   Hoofd-Directie Telecommunicatie en Post
1989-2001. Main Division for Telecommunication and Post. In 1989 the Dutch Post Office (PTT) was privatized and the RCD was moved to the newly created HDTP; the new Dutch organization for Telecommunication and Post.
RDR   Rijksdienst voor Radiocommunicatie
1989-2001. National Department for Radio Communication. This was the new name of the RCD when it was moved from the PTT to the HDTP. The full name was: HDTP-RDR.
IVW   Inspectie Verkeer en Waterstaat
2001-2012. In 2001 the inspection and (law) enforcement tasks were separated out of the Ministry of Transport (V&W) into the separate entity Inspectie Verkeer en Waterstaat (IVW) under which the RDR would reside as Divisie Telecom (DT) or IVW/DT. The DT didn't last long, as a year later it became part of the Ministry of Economics (EZ) and was renamed AT. The IVW existed until 2012 when, after a merger with another governmental oversight body, it was renamed Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport (ILT).
DT   Divisie Telecom
2001-2002. After the RDR was moved from the HDTP to the newly established IVW, it was renamed DT (Division Telecom) and became known as IVW/DT. The new agency was short-lived, as a year later it became part of the Ministry of Economics (EZ).
AT   Agentschap Telecom
2002-2022. Following the move from the Ministry of Transport to the Ministry of Eco­nomics, in July 2002, the agency was renamed Agentschap Telecom (Telecommunication Agency), abbreviated AT. This name would be used for the next 20 years.
RDI   Rijksinspectie Digitale Infrastructuur
2023-Present. To reflect the increased responsibilities of the agency, in particular in the digital domain, the name was changed once more on 1 January 2023, into Rijksinspectie Digitale Infrastructuur (RDI), the Dutch Authority for Digital Infrastructure, residing under the Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy.
Timeline
The diagram below show the complex and cluttered history of the Dutch Radio Monitoring Service (RCD). The diagram consists of three columns, of which the leftmost one is the responsible mi­nis­try. The rightmost column shows the responsible intelligence/security service. The RCD itself is at the centre. It was established in 1927 as part of the National PTT — at the time the state-owned tele­com monopolist — which fell under the Ministry of Transport. During WWII, under German occupation, its tasks were temporarily limited to finding causes of radio interference.

After WWII, the tasks of the RCD were moved to the newly established National Security Bureau (BNV) — the successor to the wartime Intelligence Bureau (BI) in excile. After two years (1947), the RCD became part of the Special Services Bureau (BD) which in 1952 became the Special Radio Service (BRD). Both the BD and the BRD fell under the joint responsibility of the PTT (i.e. the Ministry of Transport) and the national intelligence service CVD, which in 1949 became the BVD.


In 1975, the BRD was detached from the intelligence service and became an integral part of the PTT again. At the same time, it got its old name RCD back. This situation lasted until the pri­va­ti­zation of the of the PTT 1989. The RCD was detached from the PTT and came to fall under the HDTP of the Ministry of Transport. At the same time it was renamed National Radio Service (RDR).

In 2001, following an internal reorganisation at the Ministry of Transport, the Inspectorate Traffic and Water Management (IVW) was spun out of the Ministry of Transport and got control of the RDR, which became the Telecom Division (DT). This situation lasted for just one year, after which the radio monitoring service was moved to the Ministry of Economic Affairs. At the same time, the DT was renamed Telecom Agency (AT). In 2023, in an irrational move 1 to give the agency a more suitable name, it was renamed Digital Infrastructure Service (RDI) [15].

  1. According to the press release [15] it was necessary to rename the agency one again, as the new name better fits the wider scope the agency faces today. However, this doesn't make any sense, as the old name covers the entire domain of telecommunication, whilst the new one covers only the digital sub-domain.

Current addresses
  • Headquarters
    Rijksinspectie Digitale Infrastructuur
    Emmasingel 1
    9726 AH Groningen (Netherlands)
    0800-0416000
    E-mail: info@rdi.nl
    Website: www.rdi.nl

  • Monitoring and Enforcement
    Rijksinspectie Digitale Infrastructuur
    Piet Mondriaanlaan 54
    3812 GV Amersfoort (Netherlands)
    Radio interference: 0800-0416400
References
  1. F.A.C. Kluiters, De Nederlandse inlichtingen- en veiligheidsdiensten. Sectie 2.
    The Dutch Intelligence and Security Agencies, Part 2 (Dutch).
    ISBN: 90-12-08179-3. Den Haag (Netherlands), 1995.

  2. NERA Gebouw, NERA en de Horstermeer
    Website for the preservation of the NERA building (Dutch). Retrieved January 2013. 1

  3. Anonymous former RCD enforcement officer
    Interview at Crypto Museum, May 2011 and December 2016.
    Images copyright Crypto Museum.

  4. Cor Moerman, Photographs of RCD vehicles
    Courtesy of Museum Jan Corver. February 2012.

  5. RCD, PTT Radio Controledienst 1983 - Afdeling Mobiele Monitoring
    YouTube user LIONS, Posted 18 October 2019.

  6. NCRV Hier & Nu 1990, Jetphone
    YouTube user LIONS, Posted 10 November 2019.
    Aired: 1990.

  7. RTL 4 Nieuws, Etherflits
    YouTube user LIONS, Posted 20 October 2019.
    Aired: 28 April 2003.

  8. NPS Gewest, Radio pirate Bloemfontein, Kollum
    YouTube user LIONS, Posted 20 October 2019.
    Aired: 17 July 2003.

  9. RTV Oost, Blikvangers
    YouTube user LIONS, Posted 20 October 2019.
    Aired: 11 August 2003.

  10. NCRV Netwerk, Actie Etherflits
    YouTube user TV zoals het vroeger was, Posted 3 October 2012.
    Aired: 28 April 2003.

  11. Brandpunt, Radio Controledienst RCD, opsporing radio piraten
    YouTube user LIONS, Posted 17 October 2019.
    Aired: 1983.

  12. VRZA, Cor Moerman over zijn werk als opsporingsambtenaar bij de RCD
    24 May 2017. YouTube user VRZA, Posted 26 May 2017.

  13. De achtervolgers, radio controledienst in aktie tegen Lokaal Radio Nijmegen
    1999. YouTube user Frank de Wit, Posted 16 September 2010.

  14. Brandpunt, Radio Controledienst vs radiopiraten
    1986. YouTube user LIONS, Posted 19 October 2019.

  15. Agentschap Telecom vanaf nu Rijksinspectie Digitale Infrastructuur
    RDI, 2 January 2023.

  16. RCD interview met opsporingsambtenaar uit Den-Haag Cor Moerman half jaren '90
    ~1985. YouTube user Atlantic Hilversum.
  1. Website no longer available in 2017.

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