It is hard to believe but it is 10 years ago that I did my first WWFF PAFF activity on June 27, 2011. I had just upgraded my license after getting back into the hobby in 2010.
Actually sharing the experience of it is only the third post I wrote on this blog.
As I was just back on the radio after 15 years of inactivity, I took equipment with me whenever I could, working /P and /M regularly. That day in June I was in the north of the country for work, staying in a hotel. At the end of the afternoon I was able to get out of the office and head over to national park Lauwersmeer (PAFF-0014). It was only the second day that I was using my new PH0NO callsign.
I had read about PAFF, probably on the blog of Hans PA3FYG or some other radio amateur website and was curious to see what it would bring to my /P operation.
In that period my FT897d was back to the dealer for repairs. So I only had an FT817nd that I bought as backup radio. With my whopping 5 watts, my end fed wire antennas and a rather thin Spieth 10m fiberglass pole (with extension rods to get the 20m wire off the ground) I was not expecting too much.
I was in for a surprise. It was the first time I had to deal with a pile-up. I logged more than 150 chasers and even one JA7 (mind you, SSB with 5W).
After this first experience I was sold. This started a hobby in a hobby doing many WWFF activities in various countries in Europe and VE, including memorable YNOMY team expeditions to LX, HB0 and GJ.
Being enthusiastic about the program I was keen to help grow it both in PA and worldwide. I ended up coordinating PAFF and working as part of the WWFF team a couple of months later and up till the present day.
Impressions from 10 years WWFF |
In all these years I met a lot of people. There are thousands of WWFF chasers but there is a hardcore group in the hundreds that have become familiar voices. I was also lucky to meet a couple of WWFF-ers in real life both in PA and abroad.
As a sort of commemoration I will be returning to PAFF-0014 on June 27. This year that is on a Sunday which is rather convenient. I will be using the last - so far unused - of the series of P*44FF calls that I have used before: PH44FF.
Hallo Lars, gefeliciteerd. Prachtig verhaal en leuk dat je weer aktief gaat worden op 27 Juni vanaf het Lauwersmeer gebied. Het is hier niet zo ver vandaan. Met de contestgroep PA6AA zitten we er ook elk jaar dicht bij. Hoop je te kunnen werken dan. Neem aan dat het niet met 5W is dit keer hi. Succes! 73, Bas
ReplyDeleteDank Bas! Plan is idd om wat meer vermogen mee te nemen. Spreek je dan.
Delete73, Lars / PH0NO
Vey interesting Lars, I too started with an Ft-817nd running 5w and had a lot of fun with it. Wish we had those conditions now
ReplyDelete73 & 44 Mike M0MCY
This time I will use a bit more power to compensate for the sun's calmness. Might even help me make it into the UK.
Delete73,44, Lars