SARTG Contest team decided to activate OJ0SARTG as a Multi/Single effort during the contest. Operators was OH2BP, OH9GIT, SM4RGD, SM5FUG, SM7BHM and YL7A.
We arrived at Åland at Wednesday August 18th 2010. Early morning on Thursday the sea was calm at Åland and we put all our equipment in the leased boat that will take us to Market Reef. However when we approched the island it was obvious that landing was impossible. The waves was much too high and the wind came in from north, the most difficult direction. Nor was landing possible by zodiac. We had contact with the temporary crew on the island and after half an hour we decided to go back dissapointed. The forcasts was that the wind should turn west but when we contacted the island at Friday morning and again at noon the information was that the situation hasn't improved much. At that time we had to make a choice; hope for a new try at Friday afternoon with very little time to set up equipment for the contest or to operate from a site on Åland, OH0. We was offered to borrow a good station so we decided to take this offer and by doing this we was sure to be able to take part in the contest.
Our first approch was to use OH0/OJ0SARTG, we had obtained license for OJ0SARTG. But when we tested this call sign we found that our software, N1MM, did not recognize that as a "Call sign" and clic-and-crab did't work. So we realized that is not really a good call to use in a contest and we went for OH0BP instead. Kari/OH2BP has the license also for OH0BP.
We had the set up running late Friday evening and was able to start at 00Z on Saturday morning.
During the rest periods we made a few QSOs also as OH0/homecall.
If we didn't had to keep the schedule for the contest we would have waited for better weather, we later heard that a boat was able to land on Saturday.
We had a very good time and learned a lot for our next try for OJ0, next year or?
QSL for OH0BP, only for QSOs 2010, via SM7BHM, buro or direct (US$2, €2 or 1 IRC).
Ewe Håkansson
Pilspetsvägen 4
SE-291 66 Kristianstad
SWEDEN
QSL to OH0/homecall via the home call of the operator.
QSL for OH0BP 2009 and earlier via OH2BP.
Diary from Market Reef
Market Reef in Wikipedia
Rules SARTG WW-RTTY contest
SARTG Home page