My third activation. This time walking 1 kilometer to end up in the forest area of Ameland. PAFF-0073. A strong wind wiped over the island when I found a reasonably sheltered spot in the woods next to a lake.
Determined with the help of Google Maps and Easy QTH locator (iPhone app) that I had ended up in the designated area. After I set up the antenna and set up the set found a frequency. Ian, G7HFS/M was kind enough to relinquish 7,144 to me. After a few calls, Kurt, ON4CB came back for me. Then it was eerily silent. While explaining to an unsuspecting passerby what I was doing I changed frequency and ended up at 14.244. There neatly asked if the frequency was in use. I received no response to that. After a number of calls, a station 9++ came in to tell me ( instructed me) to stop transmitting because he had been on or around that frequency for 9 hours. When asked for his callsign I was only told to stop transmitting. So much for the gentleman in amateur land. Because no one had come back in the meantime and I also had something better to do, I broke things up again and went home. I enjoyed being in nature.
Lessons learned. Do not activate in a contest weekend…….
