OH0AB: High tower with 144 and 432 MHz antennas, 50 MHz antenna to the right. Shack visible among the trees.
By Henryk Kotowski, SM0JHF/K6JHF
May 17, 1999
In September 1997, I visited the Åland Islands and met a few ham operators at the OH0AA club. As a result of this brief visit, I wrote a report that appeared in the March 1998 QST. A year later I paid another visit to Åland. To my surprise, I found myself accused of being unfair and reporting only of parts of the total activity from OH0.
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OH0AB: High tower with 144 and 432 MHz antennas, 50 MHz antenna to the right. Shack visible among the trees. |
Well, my second visit lasted longer and I was able to meet a few more people, to see a few more shacks and antennas, and to visit another active club station. The spirit of competition is strong. A few years ago a club call sign--unused for a long time--OH0AB, was activated by a small group consisting of a few young hams and one senior radio enthusiast. Harry, OH0AZZ is 75 years old and the technical brain of the OH0AB group. Peter, OH0JFB, arranged a piece of land on his family's property to be available for antennas and a shack. And I do mean a shack: it's only 6x8 feet, with one operating position but equipped for 6 and 2 meters as well as for 70 cm.
The activity is as high as from OH0AA and the competition is tough. When AA is first, AB is close behind. And when AB is first, AA is second. Other active members, Andreas, OH0JET, and Tobias, OH0JKB, are--like Peter--in their early 20s.
To learn more about the OH0AB team, visit http://www.atc.aland.fi/~andper/reg.html.
At the time I am writing this, huge rotary towers with beams are installed beside a newly built larger wooden cabin. This is a result of cooperation with a contest gang from Helsinki that will sign OH0AW. The landscape and the skyline are rapidly changing in the Åland Islands, at least from our point of view.
OH0AB: Peter, OH0JFB standing in front of the new shack, which is bigger and dedicated to HF operation. |
I dropped by at the OH0AA contest station again. A new tower with a 6-meter beam and an additional 2-meter antenna had been added since my first visit. Sture, OH0JFP, with some help from others, already is working on new towers and antennas.
When approaching the capital, Mariehamn, by car, one will notice a high tower on the left side. I first thought it was a cellular tower, but it turned out to belong to Roland, OH0AZX--his pride and joy. Roland runs the local cable TV company, and it all actually started in his backyard as a side effect of his ham radio interest.
Much more modest is the operating set up of Holger, OH0NC. A tiny trailer and an extendable ladder as antenna support, stand near by a wind power station on a hill. Activity is low here. Holger's home QTH is in town and lacks significant antennas.
Despite living in town, Harry, OH0AZZ, has a few antennas on the roof, even more in his garage. When I visited his home I could not say if it was a shack-shop with some dwelling space or the vice versa. His technical interest in radio is profound and multifaceted.
OH0AB: Harry, OH0AZZ, shows the group's first 2-meter "very long" Yagi. |
His neighbor Lars, OH0RJ, has large antennas. No, not in town. Lars is retired and spends much time in his cottage by the water, far in the woods. Lars boasts the highest HF activity among the permanent inhabitants of the islands. He takes care of the Market Reef (OJ0) diesel generator and even holds a permanent call sign to be used on the reef, OH0MB. He originally comes from the mainland, Finland, where he was both OH6RJ and OH2RJ.
From the same area comes Melcher, OH0QF. First licensed in 1951 as OH6QF, he is a retired doctor and in spite of being the oldest ham in the islands, still active every morning on 75 meters and occasionally on CW on other bands using almost invisible sky wires.
Satellites and 6 meters are the interests of Marcus, OH0HEH. Marcus got his license only recently, but his neat shack is already well-equipped. Computers are his profession, and he contributes his know-how in this field to the OH0AA club.
OH0AB: Harry, OH0AZZ, at the operating position. Stacked rigs from 6 meters, 2 meters and 70 cm. |
It is worth pointing out that even members of the OH0AB team are also members of the OH0AA group, and there is no general schism. I interpret the current situation as a healthy sign of human need to compete and do things in an own and different way. I predict a period of very high activity from Åland islands, not only because of the improving sunspots.
As a result of my latest visit to OH0, I became a paying member of the group. Anyone engaged in Amateur Radio who plans even a short visit to the Ålands should doing likewise. It's US$10 a year.
Editor's note: Henryk Kotowski is a native of Poland. Originally licensed in 1960 as SP5AHL, he left Poland in 1975 and was licensed as SM0JHF three years later. He also holds a US Amateur Extra class license, K6JHF, and Polish visitor license SO5JHF. He's been very active from the SK0UX club station near Stockholm during the past 10 years. His interests include HF CW & SSB. He enjoys contesting, working DX, and visiting DX operators. He is an ARRL member. Readers may contact him at sm0jhf.henryk@telia.com.
Melcher, OH0QF, at home. |
OH0AZX QTH. Roland, OH0AZX (left), and Sture, OH0JFP, look at Roland's antennas atop his 100-foot tower. | |||
OH0AZZ QTH. Harry, 75 in his combined shack and shop. |
Roland, OH0AZX, in his shack. | |||
OH0AZX's tower visible in the background when approaching Mariehamn. |
OH0NC's portable setup. A wind power station is in the background. | |||
OH0RJ, Lars, at his cottage QTH. A vertical for low bands in the background. |
The OH0RJ tribander, a few yards from water. | |||
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