WRTC 2002, HELSINKI, FINLAND
HIMOS CAMP
WED-FRI, Jul. 10-12. After a 3½ hours bus ride, we arrive in
town of Jämsä where Himos Camp is located. A ski resort in wintertime, but
this year a ham radio mecca, as SRAL, CCF and WRTC 2002 meet. Everywhere
around camp, antennas are found, including a guest station with the official WRTC
beam. Always, a busy hang out and very popular with the competitors who
were checking out the propagation from this latitude.
Saunas are deeply rooted in the Finns, and every morning the
smoke sauna is being prepared for 6 hours before it can be used. To anyone
whom has never seen this before, the smoke saunas cabins, look like a house on
fire, as even the doors and windows are smoking.
Day and night (if you could actually distinguish
night!) there would be big conglomeration of people in front of the restaurant
plaza. If empty, there was probably some event in the big
tent.
Walking around camp; there was definitely people from all around the
globe. The tents, caravans and cottages, often had flags identifying the
residents' country.
Shared a cottage with the Finnish YLs from OH2YLS. Thanks for the
hospitality. Great location: close to the lake, the big tent, and the
Hotelli Plaza.
WRTC STATION VISIT: ZS- TEAM @ OH2BAD
SAT, Jul. 13: Bernie and Chris doing a last minute
check of rig. The photos however, almost costed me the film. (African
hunters!) Picked blueberries and some strawberries too.
OI2HQ
SUN, Jul. 14. Worked at OI2HQ for a
little bit on Sunday. 24-elements on 20m :)
HELSINKI
MON, Jul 15. Helsinki city tour in the
morning.
The anticipated event was the award dinner at
Kipplan restaurant in downtown Helsinki, which can only be reached by
boat. After reading the live score updates, everybody wanted to know the
final results.
Back at Hesperia after dinner. WRTC is over: it's either back
home, or the optional tours...
ÅLAND ISLANDS
TUE, Jul 16: OH2BH (Marti) become our personal tour
guide for the first day of the Åland Islands. Took the ferry from
mainland Kustavi - Åvo - Brändö island. We were greeted by OH1RY
(Pekka), and after a lunch at the Gullivan, the group was allowed to operate 4 hours @
OH0B. Overnighted on Kumlinge island.
WED, Jul 17: Visit to OH0AZ and OH0Z stations. We are
welcomed by Harry (OH0AZZ), Lars (OH0RJ), and OH0JKB. Lunch at the Soltuna
restaurant, and where the towers from OH0V can be bumped into.
Mariehamm, the capital of the islands, and very picturesque. As a
reminder, Swedish is spoken on the Åland Islands.
MISCELANEOUS
A picture is worth a 1000 words.
last updated:
28-Aug-11
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