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This weekend it was the annual Nordic VHF-UHF-SHF meeting. This time it was held in Sweden at a place called Knottebo. Several LA’s were visiting. I joined a few of my friends and went there. It was very nice to meet several old and new friends. Here is the official website for this years meeting.

When I came home on Sunday, 6M was open, so I had to take a look. After listening a lot after something new and interesting to work, the path to 6W1SJ finally opened up. A quick call and he was in the log for #113 on 6M, thanks Jovica. I was also looking for TN5SN, but no such luck. Hopefully I’ll have a shot later this summer. I worked TA2ZAF who was very strong, nothing new as I worked him last year. I did hear SV9GPV and SV5BYR, but did not bother to call. SV1JMO in KM08 was worked for a new grid.

I see I didn’t report about working EB6ADS in KM29 for a new grid. He was worked on Wednesday. On Thursday, the band suddenly briefly opened up to the east coast of USA. I managed to work K1TOL and W1JJ. They were very marginal though. I knew the path was opened when I heard TF2JB with a strong signal a bit earlier. I also gave TF8GX Gulli a quick call. He had a nice signal that evening.

Today Monday, I was looking for JA, but no signals up here. The band was open to somewhere according to the tv-broadcasters I heard on 49.750MHz +-, but not many signals on the band at all. I gave several CQ’s in different directions and worked a few stations. A nice surprise was when OH2AUK called in from KO19 and gave med grid #532. 

Soundclips:

• K1TOL Lefty 6M CW Thursday June 11th
• W1JJ Mick 6M CW Thursday June 11th
• TF8GX Gulli 6M SSB Thursday June 11th
• 6W1SJ Jovica 6M CW Sunday June 14th – the signal was much weaker most of the time
• C37NL José 6M CW Wednesday June 10th
• C37NL José 6M SSB Wednesday June 10th

6M has been pretty much quiet since Saturday here. Thanks to OH5LID, I still have managed to work a few new grids. On Sunday, he went to KP43 activated it. He was in KP54 the day before, and he was just as easy to work from KP43. On Tuesday, he asked if I wanted to try with him from home, since I need KP41. We both fired up JT6M and started working. It was done in a few minutes with good reflections each period. Thanks again Janne. 3 new grids in 4 days is very good. I also worked Markus OH1MN on JT6M. He is in KP10 and has a 3 element. We did finish, but it took a bit longer. After finishing with Markus, Henri OH3JR called in. We were finished in just a couple of minutes. Very nice reflections each period here also. Bigger antennas certainly helps.

On Wednesday I was just finished eating, and checked 6M. I Noticed C37NL was spotted, so I quickly checked the band. There he was on CW. One quick call and he was in the log for #112 on 6M. I have never heard C3 active, though I have seen a few spots now and then, so I am happy to finally get this in the log. A few minutes later, I also got him in SSB. José EA7KW is there on an expedition, thanks for a new one! Read more about the expedition here.

Last weekend I finally put the final touches to my new antenna project. With big help from LA7HJA, we raised the tower in the evening on May 30th. I exchanged my old 4 element yagi on 6M for a much bigger 7 element M2 6M7JHV. It is now about 10-11M above ground. Conditions on the other hand, was worse. Local tests with antenna seemed to indicate that it is working good.

While waiting for 6M openings, I spent some time on HF. On June 4th, I worked TR8CA on 30M and 40M CW. 40M was a new one (#237). Thanks Alain. A few hours later, I managed to work 5H2WK on 40M CW (#238). Even later in the evening, I was listening around 6M. All the 3 JW beacons showed up, and the signals were quite good. Listen to the soundclip below.

On June 5th, things really started happening on 6M. In the evening the band opened to most of Europe. I didn’t really bother to work many stations, mostly looking for new or more exotic things. Many EA8 stations were heard, but only bother to work a few. I worked EA8YT and EA8BPX on SSB. EA8/HB9ZY called me when I called CQ on CW. He didn’t give grid, but gave qth as Lanzarote. Does anyone know his grid? EA8BLL also called with a nice signal. OH5LID was out on one of his many trips. This time qrv from KP54. I got him pretty quickly on JT6M for a new grid (#524 6M). Janne had a nice signal and was in for most of the periods.

On Saturday, June 6th, the band was slow to open, so I went gridhunting again. I managed to work SM2A in KP04 (#525 6M) and OH8UV in KP34 (#526 6M). I worked them both on MS CW. A few hours later, the band started to come alive. CT3HF was suddenly coming in on CW. After a few calls, he was worked for a new CW country on 6M. The band opened more in the direction to EA and CT. I worked a few of those, but nothing new. Then John ZB2EO was coming in, so I gave him a quick call. ZB is quite rare here on 6M, so always nice to hear them. I took a break for a few hours, only to find out the band opened to southeast. I heard JY4NE, but didn’t work him. He was pretty weak then. SV9CVY Mike were coming in with heavy qsb up and down all the time. I worked him on SSB. HV0A was in on SSB. I gave him a quick call when he had no takers. That pretty much sums it up so far.

Soundclips:

• SV9CVY 6M SSB
• HV0A 6M SSB
• CT3HF 6M CW
• CS3BSM/B beacon
• JW5SIX, JW7SIX and JW9SIX beacons

The radio front has been quiet, but there are a few contacts to report about. 4U1ITU was worked on 12M CW and SSB May 23rd. That makes #219 on 12M. I did hear A61Q and A92GE, but couldn’t get through. That would have been 2 new ones there. On Monday this week, I got ZK2V on 20M CW. He wasn’t strong, but he sure heard well. That makes #307 on CW and #272 on 20M. I also uploaded the log on LoTW, and ZK2V was allready confirmed. That means I have #227 LoTW only and #200 on CW LoTW only. Thank you very much Chris. Other nice ones confirmed on LoTW are AP2ARS on 12M, 17M and 30M, S79UCX on 20M CW, R1ANL on 20M CW and 6 contacts with 4K9W, two of them with JW8AJA. Thank you all.

LA5UKA Bjørn and LA9VDA Tony are qrv this weekend from Vågsøy, EU055. They will probably be active till tomorrow. I spoke to LA5UKA earlier today, and he told me that they decided to take a weekend trip. QSL via LA9VDA. According to the cluster, they have been spotted on 10M, 17M, 20M, 30M and 40M. Go get them while they are qrv.