In 1993 I was invited by the Federation of the Romanian Radio Amateurs to visit the hams in the YO-land.  For 26 days I toured the country and I photographed the amateurs in 24 localities.  Later I published a couple of travel notes and sent to their radio clubs a bunch of magazines with those articles. The hams were happy to see their photos in American publications but then I received a number of invitations from amateurs living in cities I did not see before.  They also wanted the 15 minutes of fame, Andy Warhol was talking about.
   Here I will describe what I saw in six cities, all located in the Transylvania region of Romania: Satu Mare, Baia Mare, Baia Sprie, Sighetu Marmatiei, Sf. Gheorghe, and Miercurea Ciuc, as well as in a couple vilages in the area.
   First of all let me tell you what Transylvania means.  It means “across the forest.”  The Carpathian Mountains, covered with forests, separate a large part of the country from the rest of the provinces; people referred to that region as   the one “across the forest,” thus Transylvania.  The name derives from Latin, the origin of the Romanian language.
   As far as Count Dracula and the nasty little vampires are concerned, I have to tell you that during my 35 years living in Romania, not far from Transylvania, I never heard of them.  It seems that the poor Count is better known abroad than in his own homeland.  He could not make the history books but he is very popular in the Hollywood-produced horror movies.
   The first four cities are somehow grouped together in the north-western corner of the country, thus quite far from Bucharest located in the south-eastern part of Romania.  At the Federation we discussed the various ways of getting to our destination and we came up, not with the simplest, which would have been taking a plane, rather with the most complicated solution.  Costel YO3GDS, the owner of Conex, a store selling electronic parts and equipment, had to go on a business trip to the western part of the country.  He agreed to drive Gil YO3FU, the second in command at the Federation, and myself, to the city of Oradea, from where we would take a train north to Satu Mare.
    From Bucharest all the radio clubs we were going to visit were alerted and instructed to announce the amateurs in their cities and ask them to clean their shacks, prepare callsigns to be placed on their equipment, and practice their smile because they will be photographed.  Furthermore, they were asked not to insist in serving any alcoholic beverages, a request - to the enjoyment of my traveling companion - was largely ignored.
   We left Bucharest late afternoon and Costel YO3GDS and Gil YO3FU alternated in driving.  I drive in New York City; that is not easy but I would never dare to drive in Romania, especially in larger cities.  Even as a passenger I was often scared to death by the many lunatics driving around.
   We arrived to Alba Iulia close to midnight and we looked for a hotel in which to stay.  We found one but a room was 22,000 lei for Romanians, and 88,000 lei for foreigners.  So Costel and Gil took a room and they smuggled me in the hotel.  I was a stowaway in a Romanian hotel.  The room had two beds; because I was the illegal alien, I got to sleep on the floor.  In the morning I had to jump ship, I mean to leave the hotel as I came in: very carefully.
   During my travels through Eastern Europe I found three types of hotels:  deluxe A, when the water in the bathroom could not be turned off; deluxe B when it could not be turned on; and deluxe C, when the bathroom was at the end of the hall and I did not have the key.  Fortunately, now we had accommodations deluxe A.

                                                          SATU MARE

   We continued our journey as planned.  In Oradea we said good-bye to Costel YO3GDS, and Gil and I took a train to Satu Mare, located on the banks of the Somes river.  There we had to find a taxi driver who knew where the street we were looking for was located.  The first driver said he knew it well and rushed to get us in his cab but when we asked him a couple of questions, he confessed that he has no idea.  He just wanted to take us for a long ride.  The second cabby seemed to know his business and indeed he took us to Costi YO5AOM.
   Costi, a retired army colonel, is in charge of the county radio club where the YO5KAW station is located.  He is a very nice person but his former occupation reminded me of a story.  At a training camp, each draftee was questioned by an officer:
   “What would you like to be in the army?”
   “A colonel, just like you , Sir.” answered one of them.
   “Are you crazy?” yelled the angry officer.
   “Sorry, Sir,” said the soldier, “I did not know that is absolutely necessary!”
   Here is another story.  One night, on a very dark street, a soldier bumped in an general and knocked him to the ground.  The general, very angry, screamed:
   “Do you know who I am?”
   “No, I don’t,” answered the soldier.
   “I am the commanding officer of this regiment!” yelled the general.
   “But do you know who I am?” asked the impertinent soldier.
   “No, I don’t,” replied the general.
   “Thank God for that!” said the soldier and disappeared in the dark.
   And the last one about men in uniform:
   A colonel inspecting a military unit observed that the soldiers were very dirty.  Right away he ordered that everyone should take a bath and change underwear.  Next day the officer returned and saw in front of the baracks a heavyset soldier, completely nude, holding his undearpants in his hands.
   “What is it with this soldier?” asked the commanding officer.
   “Nobody wants to exchange underwear with him, Sir!” answered respectfully the officer.
   Costi YO5AOM took us to the radio club where a couple of local operators gathered.  The station is well equipped and is quite active in contests.  I took several pictures, first only with Costi, the chief operator, then a group photo with Ady YO5OEE; Tibi YO5LE; Costi YO5AOM; and Mihai YO5OCP.  I saw their QSL bureau that is more of incoming then outgoing because of lack of funds.
   I started to visit some hams with personal stations.  The first was Mihai YO5OCP, who has a great setup, all homemade equipment, as well as a computer.  The next one was Joska YO5QAW, with a small factory-made transceiver.  Then came Grig YO5QAL, with every piece of gear designed and built by himself.  The next one was Ioan YO5BQQ, with a good old Heathkit HW-101.  Iosif YO5AT followed; he is using both home-made and factory-made equipment.  Iosif is an excellent technician; he published several construction articles in ham magazines.  Tibi YO5LE was the last one; he lives in the small town of Seini, near Satu Mare.  He is also using a combination of home-made and manufactured pieces of gear.  Tibi is teaching his very young son Emanuel, already a short wave listener, the ways and means of amateur radio.

                                                         BAIA MARE

   From Satu Mare on our way to Baia Mare, we went by car to the village of Tautii Magheraus  to see the very well made-up station of Miki YO5AJR.  Judging by the size of his linear amplifier, Miki is running the power of a broadcast station, and when he turns it on, the lights in his village dim.
   When was time to continue our journey, Miki YO5AJR, the host, and Gil YO3FU, my traveling companion, objected because they just started the second bottle of a fine Romanian moonshine plum brandy.  The problem was solved only after Gil graciously agreed to take the bottle with him.
   In Baia Mare, an old mining town, we went to see the county radio club where YO5KAD, the club’s well-equipped station is located.  There we met Geo YO5ODW, the chief operator, and we took a couple of photos.  Two more hams showed up: Alex YO5AFJ, whose son Alex Jr. is also an amateur radio operator: YO5BJW; and Vasile YO5ODU, who is from the neighboring town of Baia Sprie.
   Considering that Baia Mare is a city of the size of Satu Mare, I expected to see the same big number of active amateur radio operators; however I met only a couple, and only at the club.  The only explanation I can think of is that the chief of club of the county radio club in Satu Mare is working harder than his counterpart in Baia Mare.
   On a positive note I have to note that the amateurs of Transylvania, regardless of their languages and ethnic backgrounds, Romanian or Hungarian, are in good, friendly relations.  Speaking of languages, here is a story: a Romanian went to the “Little Bucharest” restaurant in New York City and was surprised to be served by a Chinese waiter who spoke Romanian.
   “It is wonderful” he said loudly “In America, a Chinese waiter who speaks Romanian!”
   The manager came quickly and whispered:
   “Please keep quiet, he thinks I am teaching him English.”

                                                            BAIA SPRIE

   We continued our journey by car to Baia Sprie, also a very old mining town; the first documented mention of this place dates to the year 1329.  There we visited three hams.  The first one was Vasile YO5ODU, whom we met earlier at the radio club in Baia Mare.  Vasile has a well-equipped station, mostly homemade stuff.  The next one was Laszlo YO5OCZ, with a modest station but he is quite active on the air.  The third one, Mircea YO5AXB, using lots of home-brew equipment, can often be worked, both on SSB and CW.  Mircea, a well-known painter and sculptor, was preparing for his upcoming exhibition in The Netherlands.  This reminds me of a piece of art history: Rembrandt painted in his lifetime about 300 paintings of which nearly 1,000 are in America.
   In Baia Sprie we visited an amateur but he had nothing prepared.  He gathered from here and there pieces of equipment, however he did not have either a microphone or a telegraph key.  I asked him if he has a log in which he notes his QSOs.  “Certainly!” he said and went to find it.  He returned after 10 minutes with a bottle of home-made brandy but without his log.  He completely forgot about it.  I left him without taking his picture but the enteprizing Gil YO3FU confiscated the bottle.
   In this town I heard talking with admiration about an amateur:
   “He does not make the same mistake twice.  He always finds a new one!”

                                                SIGHETU MARMATIEI

   We left Baia Sprie, driving straight north about 35 miles to reach Sighetu Marmatiei.  This is the northernmost city of Romania, located at the junction of three rivers; the largest one, Tisa, creates the border with Ukraine.
   Before the second World War, Romania was neighboring at  north with Czechoslovakia and Poland.  After the war, probably to simplify the geography, Soviet Union, our great friend, extended its boders towards west, taking over not only Romanian but also Czech and Polish territories and we wind up with a new neighbor, the Ukraine.
   Here we went to the municipal radio club where a modest but functional station, YO5KAP, is located.  First I photographed the chief operator Csaba YO5AUV, and then I took a group photo with Alex YO5AAA, a retired music teacher; Dan YO5OFD; Csaba YO5AUV; Ferdy YO5YJ; and Anton YO5BIN.  I have known Alex YO5AAA for almost 40 years; he used to live and teach in my home town of Timisoara.
   Ferdy YO5YJ was the first individual radio station we saw in this town.  Recently I received his QSL card for a contact made in 1990.  Now I can figure out about when I’ll get the cards for the QSOs made this year.  Ferdy is using a Heathkit HW-101 that 38 years ago I gave as a gift to my father-in-law Stefan, that time YO2BGP.  Stefan sold his equipment when he left Romania and he is now living in Chicago, IL.
   We also saw an amateur radio couple: Emi YO5QBY, and her husband Anton YO5BIN.  They use both factory made and home-brew equipment as well as a computer.
   From Sighetu Marmatiei, Gil YO3FU and I bought tickets for a sleeping compartment, boarded a train in the evening and in the morning we were back in Bucharest.

                                                      SF. GHEORGHE

   At the Romanian Federation of Amateur Radio, Vasile YO3APG, the General Secretary, called up some amateurs in the cities of Sf. Gheorghe and Miercurea Ciuc, and set up with them a visiting schedule.  He did this for all our trips and worked out quite well.
    On this trip I went by myself and arriving at the Sf. Gheorghe railway station, I was met by four hams; two from each city.  The two local amateurs wanted to take me to a restaurant “to talk.”  Yaking is a favorite pastime for most hams but I was there to do a job and I insisted on starting to do it.  The local hams told me that they are not prepared; they don’t have nice stations, etc. and we should better go and eat.  I had not eaten since a day before; I was hungry but I suggested that instead of doing the socialist way; first eating, yaking, and relaxing, then later perhaps working, let’s do it the capitalist way; first doing the work and after that resting.  They confessed they are not yet accustomed to this novel idea, but finally they all agreed to try it.  My argument was that if their station is not that nice now, how nice they will be after we eat, drank and relaxed.
   Sf. Gheorghe is the administrative center of their county but they don’t have an active radio club.  They are not very good in organizing, creating publicity for amateur radio, attracting, and training new hams.
   I started to visit the two local amateurs who came to the railway station.  First I went to Gyula YO6CVN, who is using only equipment made by himself.  Then I saw Dody YO6UO, who also uses homemade gear but in addition has factory-made test instruments, and a piece of army surplus.  I gave them one of the packages I prepared for every city: a 1995 ARRL Handbook and various radio magazines; I hope they will trigger some further interest in our hobby.
   Gyula and Dody tried to show me the radio station at the “Children’s House” but they could not find the instructor.  After we finished the job, according to our agreement, we went to a restaurant and we had “mititei,” typical Romanian small spicy, barbecued sausages and they were very good.  I guess after not eating for a day and half, everything would have tasted good, but the “mititei” were indeed delicious.
   After dinner we said good-bye to the locals, and Kalman YO6OEK and Gabi YO6JN took me by car, straight north about 40 miles, to their town, Miercurea Ciuc, in the heart of the Carpathian Mountains.
   The mountains of Romania offer a rich variety of wild animals.  An amateur hunter showed a friend a rug made of a bear skin and boasted:
   “This one I shot myself.  It was dangerous; either him, or me!”
   “Well” said his friend “him makes a much nicer rug.”

                                                  MIERCUREA CIUC

   This city is about the size of Sf. Gheorghe but is has a much bigger and more active amateur community.  I started the visits with Kalman YO6OEK, who is using a “Volna” transceiver made in Ukraine, and he is also active on packet.  Peti YO6FCV, was the next one; he was very helpful acting as a host, taking me to the other hams and even providing a place to sleep.  Pista YO6BGT, operates only on 2 meters, and is a member of FIRAC, an international association of radio amateurs employed by the railways.  Next was a family of three amateurs; husband Lacy YO6CFB; wife Ildiko YO6OBZ; and their 13-year-old son Lacika YO6OEY.  They share a homemade transceiver and admittedly have a lot of fun together.  Laci YO6FDP is using only home-brew equipment and, judging by his log and the QSLs he received, he is doing quite well.
   Another ham family followed: husband Tibi YO6CBI; wife Kety YO6FDE; and son Biti YO6OFA.  I had to take of them several pictures until I got one just right because or one, or another, moved or did not look friendly enough for me.
   Next was another ham family; wife Eniko YO6ODZ; and her husband Peter YO6BZL.  Everything is homemade in their shack; the front panel of their transceiver has lots of knobs, dials and buttons, and if they would not be enough, it has some extra holes to add more when required.
   Attila YO6OBI was the next, also with homemade equipment as well as a piece that looked like an old army surplus, however his 2-meter rig is factory made.
   Peti YO6FCV, took me to their county radio club where YO6KNE is located.  It is in the “Children’s House” and when the youngsters use it, the callsign is YO6KNS.  Peti is a scout master and is very much involved with work with children.
   Bela YO6OAF is using a single piece of homemade transceiver but it is a big one; I mean the cabinet is big, what’s inside only he knows.  Wily YO6FCW, a very active ham was the next one to visit in this city.  He uses a factory made transceiver and an HT for 2 meters.  Wily YO6FCW, as the previously mentioned Pista YO6BGT, also works for the railways.
   The last one to see was Gabi YO6JN who set up his station, not at home but at a place he owns at the outskirts of the city.  There he has a two-element Quad antenna for 10-15-20 meters, and a modern factory-made transceiver.  It is an ideal shack for working in contests or DXing.
   When I took the train back to Bucharest, seven local hams came to the railway station.  Besides the six I met and visited earlier, Lajos YO6CBH, from the nearby Baile Tusnad, also came to make sure that I was leaving for good.

                                                      CONCLUSION

   On my previous trip to Romania I saw amateurs in a bunch of other cities of Transylvania; now I visited another six.  There are many more places with strong amateur radio activities but I had to come home to rest and eat, then rest and eat some more.  I know that we bothered each other enough; they continuously pushed me to drink (and I did not start to drink when my wife refused to let me free), and I kept asking them to smile for the camera.  I am glad I made this trip; it was not easy but meeting friends is the most enjoyable (OK, the second most enjoyable) pastime for an old man like me.  I do recommend it.