Valsfjellet, LA/OL-100

Valsfjellet, LA/OL was activated. on July 31. Also for this activation the operation time was limited. Thus, I hoped that SSB would be most effective mode. Unfortunately, this was most likely a wrong decision. Three stations were worked in three minutes, but then I didn't get any response to my calls. I QSYed to 40 meter, and then to 80 meter, but no QSOs were achieved. Finally, I QSYed back to 20 meter and managed after a while one more QSO. I then concluded that CW is the SOTA-mode, QSYed to 30 meter, and was just about to start calling when it started to rain, and I had to go QRT. In the next activation, CW will be the primary mode.

DXCCs: DL, HA, LA, 9A

Storaberget, LA/RL-009

On July 23, Storaberget, LA/RL-009 was activated. I parked at N 59 53.676 E 005 50.661. According to the owner of the geocache GC1BCH7, the walking time is estimated to 45 minutes. I needed an hour.

It was perfect activation weather. Due to limited acitivation time, I decided to operate SSB only. I'm not sure it was a good idea.

I started the activation on 20 meter, but did only manage to work a single station. After QSYing to 40 meter nine more stations were worked in 15 minutes.

DXCCs: G, GM, HA, HB9, OK

Hvalebykampen, LA/OL-038

Last Tuesday, June 22, I activated Hvalebykampen, LA/OL-038. Skiforeningens web-site suggested that it was convenient to park at Lynnebakken. That's correct; the parking place is 2 kilometers away and 160 meter below the summit. However, it was not a good idea to use google to determine the route. I drove on some of the most terrible roads I have ever driven. Probably the activation was delayed by approximately an hour due to this bad decision.

The weather was perfect for a SOTA activation; sunny, calm, and 22C. And the shack provided a magnificent view.

The pole was erected only a few meters away from the highest peak of the summit, and the 20 meter longwire anteanna ended in a nearby tree.

I started mye activation on 20 meter SSB. Four stations were worked in 8 minutes. After calling CQ for several more minutes, I decided to QSY 30 meter CW. This resulted in 11 QSOs. Before leaving, I QSYed once more, this time to 40 meter CW, and six more QSOs came in the log. Originally, I had also planned to make work SSB on both 40 meter and 80 meter. However, during the 40 meter operation, quite a lot of people arrived at the summit, which made in impractical to work SSB. I thus decided to go QRT. May be I will work more SSB the next time...

DXCCs: DL, G, HA, HB9, LA, OE, OK, SM, SP

Kvitberget, LA/OL-184

Last Saturday I activated Kvitberget, LA/OL-184 in a beautiful, weather; calm, sunshine, and temperature slightly less than 20C. The summit is located not far from Harpefoss in Sør-Fron municipality (but the summit itself is in Nord-Fron municipality). It is easy to access, the parking place at Rudlandssætra is much less than a kilometer from the summit, and it is approximately 80 meter of climbing only. The last kilometers to the parking place is a toll road (road fee: kr. 30,-; cash only).

I mounted the pole at the trig point at the summit, and the end of my 20 meter longwire antenna to a nearby tree.

I first worked 4 stations on 20 meter. After calling CQ for several minutes, a new selfspotting and no resulting QSOs, I decided to QSY to 30 meter. This resulted in 11 more QSOs. Before leaving the summit, I made calls on both 2 meter and 70 cm FM, but did not get any answers to my calls.

DXCCs: 9A, DL, F, G, HA, HB9, LA, OE, S5

Brandbukampen, LA/OL-044

Brandbukampen was activated in an early afternoon on May 14. The summit is an old volcano, and it offers a magnificant view. During an internet search in order to find a suitable path to the top, I discovered that a geocache is located at the summit. Those who hide this cache, recommended to start the walk at a cabin located at N 60. 27.220, E 010. 29.918, following the border of a nearby field, and then enter the path to the top. This path was not at all easy to follow, especially during the descension. The next time, I will instead start from the west, pass through the hanggliders starting area, and then head towards the summit (as described by Skiforeningen, i.e. The Association for the Promotion of Skiing).

Close to the summit it is an excellent "shack" with some small bushes nearby for supporting the antenna pole.

I started to operate on 30 meter. The conditions were quite bad, and after four QSOs I QSYed to 40 meter and spotted myself on sotawatch. This gave me 12 more QSOs. Finally, I QSYed to 80 meter and had a little QSO with LA1DNA. Before leaving the summit, I made some calls on two meter and 70 cm FM, but no QSO valid for SOTA was acheived (only a little chat with LA1ESA via a 70 cm repeater).

DXCCs: 9A, DL, G, HA, HB9, OE, PA.

Tryvannshøgda, LA/OS-003

It has been a long while since my last activation; almost 8 months. That's a long time. Therefore, it was fun to activate Tryvannshøgda today (and as an extra bonus, season points were also obtained). I had planned a short activation before I had to go to job.

I started on 30 meter CW. The conditions were quite bad with a lot of QRM. After three QSOs, the band became dead. I then QSYed to 20 meter SSB, but no QSOs were obtained (even though I had spotted myself). Thus, I QSYed once more, this time to 40 meter CW. The conditions on this band were good, and I worked 14 more QSOs before I had to go QRT and go to work.

It was a relatively cold wind and the temperature was around 0C. My only problem during the activation was that I started to freeze after a while, so it became difficult to operate the CW paddles, hi.

DXCCs: DL, G, GM, HA, HB9, OE, OM, S5, SM.

Lifjellet, LA/RL-010

Lifjellet (or actually a summit close to it) was activated in the evening on July 12. It is relatively easily reached from Hommersåk, a small village in Sandenes municipality. Most of the hike is on a road; only the last 80-90 meters of climbing is quite steep.

This evening I was accompanied with am infinite number of flies and - even worse - gnats, which made the activation unpleasant. In addition, the center of the coax between the antenna tuner and the transceiver was (partly) broken. I first tried calls on 20 meter SSB and 40 meter SSB without noticing the coax problems. After, QSYing to 30 meter I realizing that something was terrible wrong. However, by holding the paddle between the knees and using one hand for the coax connection, it was possible to work 6 QSOs before the gnat attacks were too intense.

DXCCs: 5S, 9A, G, HB9, I.