Mike G4BLH

During our trip from Liverpool John Lennon Airport to the Lake District we stopped at a motorway service station by M6 to meet Mike G4BLH. We had a nice chat and a cup of coffee.


Photo: (left to right): Halvard LA1DNA, Mads, LA1TPA, Aage LA1ENA, Mike G4BLH and Kjell LA1KHA

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LA/TM-094 Braknesheia

Saturday Aage LA1ENA, Kjell LA1KHA and I LA1TPA were going to activate LA/TM-070 Brunane.

On the parking spot by the gate we were approached by a nice farmer letting us know that there were a lot of moose hunters in the area. We quickly decided not to activate the summit and instead try to climb LA/TM-069 Rønnomnipa.

We knew in advance that some parts of the track were very steep and a little scary. Aage reached the summit while Kjell and I chose to return to the lower grounds.

On our way home we all activated LA/TM-094 Braknesheia. I started to call on 14.285MHz but couldn't get any answers. Kjell was nice enough to take a break from 40m so I could work for a while to get the 4 needed contacts. At the end I tried to QSY to 80m but to the QRM from Europe was just to loud.

Lesson learned: We need wider spacing between the antennas on the summit

7MHz: 6 QSOs
DXCCs: GW, G, ON, DL

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LA/TM-049 Holtankollen

I have had some problems with high swr on the 88 feet doublet lately and decided to activate Holtankollen to check the antenna. I met Kjell LA1KHA on the summit while he was doing a lunch break activation.

After a chat with Kjell I started to erect the antenna and found out that one of the legs of the doublet had broken loose from the 300 ohm feeder. I fixed this temporarily and started to call on 14.285MHz. If I didn't get the callsign completely wrong I managed to work HL4RBR in South Korea but I didn't notice until I was logging the QSOs back home!

After QSYing to 40m I worked 7 stations, 2 of them running 10W QRP. On 80m I didn't get any answers at all.

Thanks to HA7UL for the spot on the DX Cluster!

144MHz: 2 QSOs
14MHz: 9 QSOs
7MHz: 7 QSOs
DXCCs: LA, S5, ON, G, HA, OE, EI, RX9, HL(!?), DL, F, GW, MM

LA/TM-100 Tekslefjellet

Despite of the ongoing big game hunt in LA/TM I chose to activate Tekslefjell after looking for hunters and their cars along the forest road. I couldn't see any near the summit. The path to the summit from lake Langen was easy to follow. On the summit I signed the visitors book and started to erect the 88 feet doublet. I called for a while on 14.287.5MHz but didn't get any answers so I QSYed to 7.140MHz. After a few QSOs the SWR started to get very high and the FT-817ND powered off several times. I posted the message "ant. probs. Pse qrx" on sotawatch before I corrected the problem and luckily there were still chasers waiting for me when I was back on the air.

At the end I tried some calls on 3.660MHz but the band was very noisy so I didn't bother to spot on sotawatch.

I also worked Aage LA1ENA/P and Kjell LA1KHA/P s2s from LA/TM-050.

144MHz: 2 QSOs
7MHz: 15 QSOs
DXCCs: LA, G, DL, HB, PA, ON, GW, GM, OE, S5
Summit to summit: LA1ENA/P and LA1KHA/P on LA/TM-050

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LA/TM-049 Holtankollen

On my way back home from Hestefjellet I decided to also activate Holtankollen before heading home for dinner. It was still raining so I just grabbed my logbook, the Yaesu VX-6 and a spare battery. I sent a SMS to the local chasers before I started the climb. I worked LA6GOA, LA1KHA/M and LA1DNA/M. This was my 17th activation of Holtankollen so I didn't bother to stay longer trying to get 4 QSOs.

On the car park I met Kjell LA1KHA who was about to make his daily activation of the summit.

144MHz: 3 QSOs
DXCCs: LA

LA/TM-092 Hestefjellet

The fog was thick and the rain was pouring down when I activated Hestefjell today. I accidentally left my Gore Tex back home but luckily I had an old raincoat in the trunk of my car. At the summit I made a shelter with the Helsport Mountain Tarp and started to call on 40m. I worked 12 stations before the frequency went quiet and I called for a while on 80m but didn't get any answers. I also tried some calls on 2m and managed to work Hans-Petter LA6GOA who where mobile in Skien. On my way back to Skien I had a nice chat with Kjell LA1KHA/M on our local repeater.

7MHz: 12 QSOs
144MHz: 1 QSO
DXCCs: DL, ON, G, S5, OE, HA, LA

LA/TM-037 Rognlifjellet

Today XYL and I decided to walk to LA/TM-037 Rognlifjellet. The ground was snow covered after a light snow fall last night. At the summit we signed the visitors book and struggled to erect the 88 feet doublet in the heavy wind. As usual I started on 20m but only managed to work 3 stations. I worked Aage LA1ENA/P s2s on LA/TM-072 and Svein LA1BNA on 2m before QSYing to 80m where I could hear GM7UAU calling me once. Sadly he was not able to hear me. I QSYed to 40m and worked 18 stations.

I'm terribly sorry that I had to QRT even though more stations were calling but the wind was heavy and we were cold. I hope to work you all next time.

While packing my gear I also managed to work Halvard LA1DNA/P and Kjell LA1KHA/P s2s on LA/TM-020.

Thanks to DG0JMB and ON6UU for spots on the dx cluster.

14MHz: 3 QSOs
144MHz: 4 QSOs
7MHz: 18 QSOs
DXCCs: S5, 9A, OE, LA, ON, F, DL, G, GM, SP, PA
Summit to summit: LA1ENA/P on LA/TM-072 and LA1DNA/P and LA1KHA/P on LA/TM-020

Road fee: 50 nok, coins or credit card