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Alexey, TF/VE2XAA and TF4X

Alexey, VE2XAA – Silent Key (SK)

By On · Leave a Comment · In Amateur Radio, Visitors at TF4M

Alexey, VE2XAA became a Silent Key on August 21, 2011 from a heart attack, only a few weeks after his visit to Otradalur, where he operated TF4X in the IARU Contest 2011.

From Hávamál :

Cattle die, and kinsmen die,
And so one dies one’s self;
But a noble name will never die,
If good renown one gets.

It was a pleasure to meet Alexey and we already talked about his next visit to Otradalur.

VE2XAA de TF4M SK ——————————-

Outside of the contest,  Alexey operated from my station using the call sign TF/VE2XAA.

TF VE2XAA
TF VE2XAA 1

Our last QSO was on the 14th of May, 2011 on 20m CW.

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Here is an album of photos I took of Alexey during his visit.

VE2XAA @ TF4X
VE2XAA @ TF4X

Alexey, VE2XAA piloted TF4X in the IARU HF Contest 2011.

63 Photos

During his stay, Alexey suggested some improvements to my engineering  - I have already begun to implement some of his suggestions.

Alexey had prepared to work the contest on SSB and had recorded his contest exchanges into the voice keyer of the radio.   However, he decided to do a CW only effort.  The recording was discovered by chance recently.

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I believe Alexey was very pleased with his visit.   He wrote in my station Guest Book:

…unic place in the planet, unic landscape with real Elves and unic antenna farm. ….In 10-20 years one more forest will cover the place where it was never before.   And on top of the trees the Arctic King with Arctic Quinne will rule their Otradalur Kingdome!

The result of the contest IARU 2011:

total: 1876 QSO, 770400 points,  beside contest 2200 QSO.  Total for 3 days ~ 4000 QSO.

Main station impression:   usually you do not hear the stations calling you.  This problem does not exist in Otradalur farm.   You hear even 160 m band with full daylight days in July!  ”White nights” – is not a problem for Arctic King!

73! Alexey, VE2XAA

Most of Alexey´s TF4X operation was recorded as follows:

VE2XAA@TF4X recording 01

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VE2XAA@TF4X recording 02

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VE2XAA@TF4X recording 03

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VE2XAA@TF4X recording 04

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VE2XAA@TF4X recording 05

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VE2XAA@TF4X recording 06

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VE2XAA@TF4X recording 07

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VE2XAA@TF4X recording 08

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VE2XAA@TF4X recording 09

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VE2XAA@TF4X recording 10

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VE2XAA@TF4X recording 11

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VE2XAA@TF4X recording 12

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VE2XAA@TF4X recording 13

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VE2XAA@TF4X recording 14

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VE2XAA@TF4X recording 15

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TF3CW visit

By On · Leave a Comment · In Amateur Radio, Visitors at TF4M

 Siggi, TF3CW visited my station during a working trip and made a few contacts on 160 Meters with the Arctic King using my call sign.  - (20. October 1850z – 1925z)

TFM 4147 DxO
TF3CW operating TF4M with the Arctic King
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Arctic Egg

By On · Leave a Comment · In Amateur Radio, Food, Visitors at TF4M

 During my recent travel to Sussex, England, I was served with a heavenly fried egg for breakfast.

My wife and I stayed at Millers Bed & Breakfast in the beautiful historic town of Lewes.

I can recommend Millers without hesitation – we had a wonderful stay.

On the last morning of our stay I was allowed to observe how the lady cooked her eggs and the photo shows my first attempt with the method.

TF4M 10388 DxO
The Perfect Egg!

The egg alone was worth the trip to England.

TF4M 10397
Alexey, VE2XAA with two perfect eggs!
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VE2XAA visit

By On · 4 Comments · In Amateur Radio, Visitors at TF4M

 Alexey, VE2XAA visited my station and operated the IARU HF contest with the call TF4X.

He made 1876 QSOs for a total score of 770,400 points in the contest.

Alexey became interested in visiting my station after we worked on 160 meters when he was QRV from Zone 2 in last years CQ World Wide Contest.

Propagation was poor due to Aurora and as a result most of the contacts were made on 20m.  

Despite 24 hour daylight, Alexey made 14 QSOs on 160 Meters during the contest.

Before the contest Alexey operated my station as TF/VE2XAA and made another 2,300 QSOs for a total of more than 4,000 QSOs during his stay.

Here are Alexey´s comments on his operation :

First of all I would like to thanks Thor TF4M for a great opportunity to see and use his
Super Station with unique Antenna Farm on the surface of 1500 hectares!
Before the contest I decided to participate in phone category but during first 6 minutes
of the contest was no phone QSO at all! So the mode was switched for CW and run
started on 20 m band – the only opened band at the moment. Time to time I did check
15m and 10m but it was no whisper on the bands. Finally I did a few QSO on 15m with
big troubles but 10 m was close during the contest completely. 20m was surprising: I did
expect that run on 20m will stop after a few hours as usually for my home location; that
will be already no new stations on the band and I can start hunting for multipliers; but
pile-up had no stop! The flat rate of 120-140 QSO was continued after 5, 6, 7…hours
of the run! The stations with High Power, Low Power and QRP had almost the same
signal level! The Otradalur Antenna Farm did a work perfectly and stack-match box
let me separate EU-USA-JA directions just with push on one button! Amazing! In 10
hours I had already more than 1200 QSO only on 20m and did expect to have a good
run on other bands to make same number of QSO for other 14 hours. But after 12 hours
of run somebody on the sky decided to switch off the light, put night Aurora cover on
Iceland and told: OK guys, now you can relax and go to sleep, it will be no propagation
for you for next few hours! It becomes nightmare: all bands closed, only big-guns were
on the bands, QSO rate drops for 10-20 per hour… Nice moment was on 160m: “Arctic
King” antenna was doing the work very well: on each 1 kHz distance I heard HQ or other
powerful stations with S7…S9, but they did not hear my 1 kW signal! Probably they
had other receiving directions except Arctic. With big difficulties spending 2-3 minutes
for each contact I was able to make a dozen QSO on 160m despite 24 hour day-light at
Island! Thor TF4M did not very good antenna, but exceptionally perfect!
Thanks to every one for the contacts and hope to see you in the other contests.
73! de Alexey VE2XAA

TF4M 10323
 
TF4M 10326
 
TF4M 10345
 
TF4M 10352
 
TF4M 10354
 
TF4M 10411
 
TF4M 10413
 
TF4M 10637
The local hot pool.
TF4M 10688
Birta – Magyar Vizsla with VE2XAA
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VE3SUN visit

By On · 2 Comments · In Amateur Radio, Visitors at TF4M

TF4M was honoured to have  Peter, VE3SUN and his wife Jane visit the station and tour the antenna farm during their short visit to Iceland.

Peter is the webmaster of the NCDXF International Beacon Project.

TF4M 10091
Peter, VE3SUN @ TF4M
TF4M 10092
XYL Jane and Peter, VE3SUN @ TF4M
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TF3DX surveys the King

By On · Leave a Comment · In Amateur Radio

The designer of the Arctic King, Villi, TF3DX arrived to inspect and salute the King on Thursday along with his brother Gunnar.

In between measurements, we rummaged in my “junkbox” (several outbuildings) for High Voltage RF Capacitors and adjustable Inductors which will crown the King at a later date when 80m capability will be added.

Villi operated TF4X casually in the Oceania DX Contest – CW and in between consuming good food and wine, we also watched the stars and the Aurora and a historical First Ever QSO was made in this contest with KH6ZM in Hawaii on 160 meters.

Finns in Iceland

By On · Leave a Comment · In The Farm, Visitors at TF4M

My Finnish visitors expressed a desire to have a cold shower after a hard day of sightseeing.

I took them to our waterfall in Otradalur´s River where it is possible to have a nice shower and swim in the pool.

Water temperature is a chilling 4° C and it was obvious that they were experienced winter bathers.

One (warm) day I will take the plunge myself…

waterfall01
waterfall01

36 Photos

IARU 2010 by OH1RX

By On · Leave a Comment · In Amateur Radio, Visitors at TF4M

Jouko, OH1RX who was on a Salmon fishing trip visited my area with his group and operated TF4X in the IARU contest.

Conditions were rather poor, but this was to be expected at this time of the year.

Antennas and equipment performed without incidents.

Jouko commented to the contest organizers:

“Great experience to work agn from ultima thule at Thors fantastic  station. Bands are never kind to the ops above 64N, but his time it was a real uphill. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed couple of low band mults from TF!

CUL agn de Jouko OH1RX”

It was an honour to have such an accomplished contester operate my station.

I hope to see OH1RX again perhaps for a serious effort one day.

OH1RX wrote about the contest on his web site.

OH1RXTF4X
 
OH1RXTF4X 1
 
OH1RXTF4X 2
 
OH1RXTF4X 4
OH1RXTF4X 4
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