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NORA
r.y.
This shortened NORA history doesn't unfortunately include all of those
people, who are / have participated in club. All members share the same
honour of having a funtioning club, because without active members all
this wouldn't be true. Numbered are also those things and happenings
that aren't mentioned here. All these will remain in memories and photographs
as well in the printed documents. But let's begin ...
In the founding meeting 08.11.1971 there were 32 persons presented. The meeting was about Kalervo Korjus's (OH2CX) proposal of the forthcoming clubrules (bylaws) and direction of activities. Clubs funtionarities
28.12.1972 club was accepted to association registry and on the same year as a member of Finnish Amateur Radio League (SRAL) and got it's callsign OH2AV. First year's December there was a contest about clubs name in Nokia Electronics magazine; 20 proposals participated the contest, and yearmeeting 1972 ranked Raimo Leppänen's NORA out from the top 6 ideas.
1973 NORA got its first clubroom from Nokia Cablefactory's roof-top in Salmisaari. There was no heating, but it suited for radioamateur-activities, so OH2AV was heard there for the first time, when club took part to contests.
1974 club moved to new accommodation to Karamalmi, when Nokia Electronics moved from Salmisaari to Espoo. Contest-activity fully started on autumn 1974, after NORA got station from Pikkala, Kirkkonummi and a callsign OH2AW. Pikkala had many antennas covering radioamateur-frequencies, and also a lifesaving basestation. Nora was pioneer on teamworking, calling many radioamateurs to the station.
There were two (2) lifesaving-practices during 1974. First one on 24.7.1974 between Helsinki-Pikkala, and another one concerning whole Suomenlahti area on 11.09.1974. This one included basestation OH2AV in Pikkala, Finnish Red Cross (FRC), police and fire department and Ministry of the Interior, where was located the leadership center. Navy commendant and FRC thanked the club from excellent communications via Lars Ravander (OH2SF). From these practices - which were first and widest in Finland - formed the co-operation between SRAL and voluntary rescue service (VAPEPA).
NORA was part of the real rescue missions working as a basestation to rescueship Merikokko (13m long, 2.5m wide), owned by Finnish Life Saving Society, and maintained by Pikkala lifesaving society. Nokia Cable's employees worked as ships crew.
Power-characters during Pikkala era (1974-1984) were Johan Urnberg (OH2UC), Kurt Henriksson (OH2KA) and Karl Sihlman (OH2BIA). Their merits among others are work parties, maintenances, inviting contestors to stations, and many more - also surprising - happenings.
1977 started shortwave listenings, pulled by Matti Niemelä ( OH2ZT), they joined to Finnish Shortware Listeners (OH3SWL) and got a callsign OH2-200. NORA is also a member of Finnish DX-League.
Many national, international, and scandinavian radioamateur contests were natural part of 70th century,in Karamalmi and Pikkala stations. Also co-operations with other clubs, presentations in exhibitions and schools and many positions of trust in Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority, SRAL and Kakkosten Kerho (OH2AA).
Special announcement shall go to International Telecommunications Unionin's one day activity contest, where a special sign -ITU was given to only one club in each administrative district. In Uusimaa district, this callsign OH2ITU was given to NORA.
On year 1981 started the research co-operation with Finnish Meteorological Institution and Finnish Broadcasting Company about ES-progress in VHF-area pulled by Kalervo Korjus (OH2CX). Co-operation continued many years and there were many themepresentations in the capital area.
On
year 1982 our clubmembers took part to CQ World Wide DX Contest held
in Ahvenanmaa, together with 12 radioamateur clubs and 60 top radioamateurs.
OH0W placed itself excellently:
- Phone-portion; World and European championship, European championship
in points
- CW-portion; European championship, European record in points and 2nd
place in the world, plus world record in coefficients.
From
the 80's century can be told, that the club took part to Nokia recruitment
campaignes and GHz-area achievements :
- 1st 10 GHz beacon built in Finland, callsign OH2SHF.
- 1st 10GHz radioamateur-TV-connection
in Finland, operated by Reino Talarmo (OH3MA) and Jarmo Mäkinen
(OH3CU).
- 1st 10GHz CW-connection in Finland, operated by Jarmo Mäkinen
(OH3CU) and Leif Friman (OH2AVF).
- 1st 5.7Ghz connections on 14.07.1989 between Hyvinkää-Orivesi
(103km) and Finland-Estonia (Tallinn).
- 1st experiment connections on a new 1.2Ghz area in 1991.
In
the beginning of 90's century, NORA moved to "Space Era",
inspired by increasing number of satellite-, tropospheric progress-,
meteorscattering-, and EME- (Earth-Moon-Earth)
connections. This leaded to have many members in AMSAT-OH-project,
started in 1990:
Jyri Putkonen (OH7JP) 1990-1999 and Michael
Fletcher (OH2AUE) since 2000.
First
satellite launch was in early 1997, taken to its orbit by ARIANNE5-rocket
launched from Guayana, France. Latest radioamateur built satellite Phase
3D headed to space on 16.11.2000 on Arianespace flight nr. 135. Phase
3D is officially AMSAT-OSCAR 40, callsign DP0WH.
"Space Era" requested NORAs clubrules and QSL-card - drawn
by Viki Lamberg with his known style - to be lifted to new levels.
25 anniversaries where held to VIP and other guests in club accommodations
on 08.11.1996 with "open doors" principal.
25-year historic was published and photographic gallery about radioamateur
activity was held in Karamalmi on 04.-15.11.1996.
Intranet pages were built to Nokia network.
On year 1996 there started a massive modernization in club room, which
finished just fine for the 30th anniversary on 08.11.2001.
Bringing radiostations up to date started at the same time, even though
their renewal is slow because of lack of resources and funds.
On year 1997 started regular clubmeetings, next year we got more room
from Viipale 1, where components and new construction- and testplaces
were moved.
NORA ry made "area-capture" to art world in 1998. Textile
artist Johanna Virtanen is NORAs "adopted artist",
club supports her with material donations.
Finnish
Radio Amateur League (SRAL) has awarded NORAs clubmembers with recognition
of merits:
- Kurt Henriksson (OH2KA) 1975: Arvo Laro award, from especially distinguished
work for the benefit of club activities.
- Reino Talarmo (OH3MA) 1976: Lindell award, technical achievements
for the benefit of radioamateur activities.
- Kalervo Korjus (OH2CX) 1977: Iceland (Jäämaa) award, from
meritorious activities for the good of radioamateur hobby.
- Ritva Korjus (OH2CJ) 1980: Iceland (Jäämaa) award, from
meritorious promotion of SRAL activities.
- Jarmo Mäkinen (OH3CU) 1983: Lindell award, from promoting technology.
- Kalervo Korjus (OH2CX) 1986: Decoration of honour, from noticeable
activities for the benefit of radioamateur hobby.
- Ritva (OH2CJ) andKalervo Korjus (OH2CX) 1991: Special award of educational
activity, from long-term work in the field of education.
Award was recognized for the first time and it was handed
by Minister of Transport, Ole Norrback.
- Markku Toijala (OH2BQZ) 2000: Iceland (Jäämaa) award, from
meritorious promotion of SRAL activities.
NORA
is taking part of radioamateur worlds happenings and development, aswell
as looking for the future challenges,
bringing up Nokia Ltd. for its part. This PR-work is done in radiowaves,
working as one of subjects to Nokia Ltd. domestic
and foreign guests visiting company, aswell in its new QSL-card.
One of many aims of the club has and always will be the
ability to offer its members a framework to meet the demands of the
time, and take an interest in high standard radioamateur hobby.