NO-3217 Sykehusparken

Sykehusparken is an area in the city center of Sandnes, Rogaland county, only 1-2 minutes from the main street. It was my first visit to this area.

I used my KX-2 and a GP antenna (the “red China whip” – a 5.5 meter whip and a ground spike). The conditions were marginal for QRP, but in the end I had 17 QSOs from 10 DXCCs on 20 and 30 meter.

DXCC: DL, EA, F, G, GM, I, ON, SM, SP, W.

LAFF-0090, NO-0850 Hundorp

After the activation of LA/OL-200, I stopped at Hundorp Nature Reserve. I had hoped to have a sufficiently number of QSOs in order to qualify fot WWFF (i.e. 44 QSOs). That didn’t happen, so I need to visit it again later. The conditions were relatively poor.

In the end I had 10 QSOs from 8 DXCCs, all on 20 meter, in the log (5 SSB and 5 CW).

DXCC: DL, HA, I, SP, UR, W, YO, 9A.

LA/OL-200 Segalstadsæterkampen

Once again I activated Segalstadsæterkampen, one of the easiest 4-points summits in LA. As last year, I used my KX-2 and a linked dipole (Bandhopper 3). The HF conditions were fair, and the weather nice.

The activation resulted in 16 QSOs, 5 on SSB, 11 on CW, all on 20 meter from 10 DXCCs.

DXCC: DL, EA, G, GW, I, LX, OE, S5, SP, UR.

LAFF-0060, NO-2581 Svartskog

A HF rig to less than NOK 1300, would that work? I got an offer of a uSDX transceiver which (on sale) cost a little les than NOK 1300,-. Before I purchased it, I consulted SaltyWalty. He owns all these cheap Chinese rigs, and in one of his videos, he claims that it would work. I decided to test it.

I tested it a little at home, and I was a little curious about how this would work. I have heard someone who claimed that the modulation wasn’t very good. However, it seemed to me that it works. Obviously, it is not a KX-2 or an IC-705, but actually it seemed to work quite well.

However, “the proof of the pudding is the eating”.I thus went out to my local area/park for testing. I used a 20 meter EFHW erected an inverted vee.

I started to call on 20 meter SSB, and I got 11 in the log without any modulation complaints. Then, I QSYed to CW, and got 16 more QSOs. Finally, I made a few calls on 15 meter, and got three QSOs. I had plans to be active on 40 meter as well, but I run out of time. I just made a few test calls in order to be spotted on reversed beacon network, which I in fact was.

In total, I had 30 QSOs from 11 DCXXs.

DXCC: CT, DL, F, G, HB9, I, LY, OH, PA, SV, 9A.

LAFF-0060, NO-2581 Svartskog

It was the first Tuesday in May, and I went out to Svartskog for an activation. First Tuesday means Nordic Activity Test on 2 meter. Knowing that it was unlikely to obtain the necessary 10 QSOs on 2 meter, I also brought with me whips for HF work. I only got 2 QSOs on 2 meter. 20 meter was also tough, but I 40 meter was quite OK. Finally, I made a few calls on 60 meter, which resulted in 2 QSOs. Totally, I achieved 15 QSOs from 11 DXCCs.

DXCC: DL, E7, EA, G, I, LA, OH, OM, PA, SM, SP.

LAFF-0060, NO-2581 Svartskog

It was nice weather, and I decided to once again activate LAFF-0060 / N-2581 Svartskog. The plan was to use the KX-2 and an EFHW. However, with no coax, that didn’t work. Then it was time for plan B, a longwire. I always have 7.6 meter wire (and a 7.6 meter counterpose) in the KX-2 bag, but I haven’t used it so far. I erected the LW as a sloper, and it worked quite good. In the end I had 13 QSOs from 9 DXCCs in the log on 12, 20, and 30 meter. All CW.

DXCC: CT, DL, F, HA, HB9, I, OK, OM, TA.

LA/AH-014 Toåsen

It was my 7^th activation of Toåsen. It was 4 years since my last activation. I parked as usual at Alværn ungdomskile, N 59.8208, E 10.63413. The weather was great, however, the conditions were rather tough. In the end I got only 7 QSOs (4 on SSB, 3 on CW) from 5 DXCCs, all on 20 meter.

DXCC: CT, EA, F, HB9, LA.