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Nykoebing 640


By Søren Black-Petersen

The cows have been driven away from the 340 m long landing strip, the aeroplane is landing and stops at the sign "Hesselø Air-Terminal" which consists of a fire extinguisher and a bench. We are on the island of Hesselø, 172 acres 30 km north of mouth of the Isefjorden inlet in the Kattegat.


By the "shuttle bus" – a red tractor with a trailer – we are brought to the only farm on the island where the overseers, Kirsten and Jørgen Lønstrup, are living. For 12 years they have been the only residents of Hesselø. For 9 months of the year they are all alone on Hesselø which since 1937 is owned by the F.L Smidth group.

The Swedes have now and then, latest in 1983, claimed Hesselø to be Swedish territory according to the Peace of Roskilde in 1658. Every time it has, however, been proved that this is not the case, and if you need evidence, just pull up a radish from the soil: "If it is red and white, you should not be in doubt!" Jørgen Lønstrup says jokingly.

An Expensive Client
As early as in 1883 the Telegraph Service established a single core submarine cable between the town of Nykøbing Zealand and Hesselø. The cable was drawn ashore at the south-western side of the island and via a small cable house it was carried to the lighthouse of the island. From here it was used as a telegraph cable and telephone connection to the mainland.

In 1953, Copenhagen Telephone Company Ltd. (KTAS) took over "the subscriber: Nykøbing 640" on Hesselø from the Post & Telegraph Service. It soon turned out to be an expensive acquaintance to KTAS. In 1963, the submarine cable had to be relinquished due to exorbitant repair costs. A new submarine cable would cost almost half a million kroner, and according to the rules the subscriber on Hesselø could not be charged a higher fee than other telephone subscribers. Hastily, transportable VHF radio equipment was rigged which was only to be used as a temporary emergency connection.

Instead of a new submarine cable KTAS chose in 1967 after much thought to establish a wireless telephone installation from the Swiss company Autophon. In 1967, the installation cost 50,000 kroner including spare parts. Antennas were installed on top of the lighthouses of Spodsbjerg and Hesselø. The installation was set up to function in the fully automatic system when the exchange in Hundested was automated in 1968.

Digital Dreams
In the 1980’s it was replaced by a similar analogue Storno installation and in case of failure, there is an emergency line to the life saving station in Gilleleje. But there is still only one telephone subscriber on the Island. Jørgen Lønstrup would like to have a digital connection which could be combined with the Internet: "With only a fax machine and postal communication once a week we have got accustomed to reading old newspapers on Hesselø".


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