Story 21/161DX018




20/09/2008

Hi All,

short info from today.
Unfortunatelly- totally zero in propagation.
Early morning during trip I heard some French stations and after that thought that will be better day.
We arrived ( my mother in-law and my son ) around 9:30 to Justnabben island and in this place we spent around 40 minutes, next was Svino island- 300m from the previous one.
The same story, around 30 minutes and we start trip to EU-037.
On this island we spent over 4 hours and during back trip once again short break on Svino and Justnabben.

Final result - a lot of beautifull impressions ( I visited this place over 15 years ago ) and only one single station in the log. I met on Justnabben on parking place Polish car with CB antenna on the roof. After short discussion we agree that he is very interested to work with me during this trip. He stayed little longer and waited for me, it was not so difficult to drive 300m from Justnabben to Svino and after that back for 5 minutes to Justnaben when my Polish colleage started his trip to Norrkoping.

After that I started once again trip to EU037 direction through 16,3 km long bridge, where driving parallel ( my Polish colleague on E22 way, we on way 137 ) we made last qso with 5/2 reports only. That's all in my log, he promised to send his qsl cards to DXRC Bureau.

Totally 400km on counter, during back trip we visited 2 small Baltic islands ( N/V) in Vastervik city.

If will be even very low propagation I will try to visit this place tomorrow early afternoon - only 70km from my city.
Thank you very much for your patience, thanks Marc for support and a lot of sms's.
Hope to catch you before Wednesday when I start back trip to Poland

73's
161DX018 Slawek
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22/09/2008

Hi All,

today not bad day, over 30 stations in both logs.
First time stations from 16 and 19 division in the logs,
Tomorrow I plan to go to Hackelbo island - iwi close to Rimforsa city.

73's
161DX018 Slawek

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26/09/2008 - ONCE BACK HOME

Short story from my activations in Sweden.

We ( my son Filip and me ) started our journey on 16th of September as Summer vacation - should be Autumn if you take under consideration middle of September.
Our trip started from Gdynia where we boarded at 9:00 and at 19:30 local time we reached Swedish port of Karlskrona.

After 4 hours of driving we reached our destination in Åtvidaberg.
The following day was for rest after such a long trip, and no activity done. On the 18th of September, just after waking up, we discussed with the family, and thanks to my mother in-law ( Tack så mycket mina svärmör for dina hjelp ) we agreed to make a trip to Visingsö island, located on Vättern lake- the second highest lake in Sweden. After 20 min. trip on Ebba Brahe ferry our destination was achieved.

First was northern direction, when road was finished we walked to small lighthouse to collect proofs.
On the picture you can see myself during a conversation with Soren - unfortunately by phone, not on 11 m. band.
Few calls from this place and nothing in log. I decided to go to southern direction and by the way first station - Marc 181 in my log. In the meantime few drivers driving on E4 and only single QSO with local station from Jönkoping city.
That was all for almost the whole day, after 2 hours we were back home. I can not say that I was satisfied with the day and due to this reason and after few sms's exchanging with Marc I decided to go once again on the following day, hopefully that would be a better day.
It was good decision because 14 stations were logged in.

Next day, 20th of September and next activations - due the reason of 200km distance, I decided to try to activate 3 islands in one day.
Unfortunately, the band was closed and in my log only one station - a Polish driver with his family that we would later meet at a parking place on Justnabben island. He was interested to get QSL cards from my activation and we agreed that he would wait a little for me while I changed my location-.
Our last QSO was while we were driving - he was going to Norrköping, we to Borgholm on Öland island.

I tried once again calling and calling (at 300m from Summer house of Swedish Royal family) - but the band was still closed.
During our trip back once again a short break on Svinö and Justnabben islands but the same single station in logs.

On 21st of September our next trip was heading to activate Stora Askö island and Lilla Askö island- both in Loftahammar area city.
Propagation was not so bad and 34 stations in logs. A lot of stations from 161 div. were logged thanks to Waldi support.

Another day and next 2 islands, Lucerna and Gransö, both in Västervik city.

Propagation not as bad as in previous day and 33 stations in logs.
I thought that it would be the end of my activity, but thanks to my family I could go to another area, only 30km from my location.
The original plan was to activate Hacklebo island but at the last minute I discovered that it would be possible to activate also Grönan island with only 20 sq.meters available for car parking place.
Few stations in log and after 1 hour I changed location to Hacklebo where Darran was the 1st logged station.
Time went very fast and after 1 hour other 7 stations made it into log.

Good time is over and it was time to go home. Taking advantage that boarding place is located on Verkö island 11th islands on our counter.
I tried to call starting from 5:30 GMT but only good known signal: zzzzz in all range of frequency ( Marc informed me by sms that heard some voices on 540 - I heard him only 3/1 ).
I made only local QSO's with truck's drivers arriving to Sweden. At a quarter before 7 GMT we were boarded and Swedish adventure was over.

A lot of very good impressions, much more friendly like impressions people - thank you very much Sweden for such a good time, thank you very much to All logged and not logged thanks to propagation (I remember Simon how much hours you spent by microphone). I hope to catch you from another islands - for now from Poland,
Regards,

161DX018 Slawek
Sofia- my mother in-law
Filip- my son, return