The story of SI9AM
The first QSO with the special callsign SI9AM was on July 16, 1999 at 17.00 UTC.
The offical opening of SI9AM was on July 19, 2000.
Here you can follow what has happened since the first QSO in 1999 and until we closed down the visitor station SI9AM in December 2020.
The text (1999 to May 2012) is from the si9am.se website, which will be closed down in the summer 2021. However, some minor adjustments have been made of the original text.
Diary from June 2012 - 2020 visit www.si9am.com
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
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Present during the meeting.
From Jemtlands Radio Amateurs: SM3CVM/Lars, SM3EAE/Lars, SM3TIR/Sven
From Sundsvalls Radio Amateurs: SM3BQC/Arne, SM3CER/Janne, SM3ESX/Christer, SM3FJF/Jörgen, SM3LIV/Ulla
During the meeting following was discussed/reported:
Reports
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SM3CVM/Lars QRV from SI9AM, Friday January 15th from 11.00 UTC until Saturday January 16th, to 11.00 UTC.
We worket 1000 QSOs.
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Present during the meeting.
From Jemtlands Radio Amateurs: SM3CVM/Lars, SM3EAE/Lars,
From Sundsvalls Radio Amateurs: SM3BQC/Arne, SM3CER/Janne, SM3ESX/Christer, SM3FJF/Jörgen, SM3LIV/Ulla
From Gullängets Radio club: SM3WMU/Tomas
During the meeting following was discussed/reported:
Reports
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SI9AM celebrates its 10th anniversary and throughout the year the station will be activated at least once a month. This weekend SM3BQC/Arne, SM3EAE/Lars, SM3CER/Janne and SM3FJF/Jörgen went to Utanede, and already on Friday evening, February 5, at 18.00 local time, you could hear SI9AM in the air.
During the weekend they worked about 600 QSO. Unfortunately, it was very poor condition and therefore they could spend some time to do some maintenance on radio equipment. SM3EAE/Lars also took the opportunity to check the antennas in the antenna mast. There was a lot of snow so it wasn’t so easy to get to the antenna.
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SM3CER/Janne and SM3FJF/Jörgen went up to Utanede and SI9AM to work with amateur radio equipment, the computers and to do some cleaning.
They arrive in the afternoon and after a cup of coffee they started to work. SM3CER/Janne started with the amateur radio equipment and SM3FJF/Jörgen started to wash up the kitchen crockery.
In the evening SM3EAE/Lars arrived. They upgraded some software in the computers and installed Signa Link. It is an external sound card for digital traffic mode for example PSK31, RTTY, CW, SSTV. And it worked at the first key strike.
They got 110 premieres QSO on RTTY.
SM3CER/Janne was QRV for some hours during the night.
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Present during the meeting.
From Jemtlands Radio Amateurs: SM3CVM/Lars, SM3EAE/Lars,
From Sundsvalls Radio Amateurs: SM3BQC/Arne, SM3CER/Janne, SM3ESX/Christer, SM3FJF/Jörgen, SM3LIV/Ulla
From Sollefteå Radio club: SM3GHE/Nils
During the meeting following was discussed/reported:
Reports
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Present during the meeting.
From Jemtlands Radio Amateurs: SM3CVM/Lars, SM3DAL/Ove,
From Sundsvalls Radio Amateurs: SM3BQC/Arne, SM3CER/Janne,SM3FJF/Jörgen, SM3LIV/Ulla
From Sollefteå Radio club: SM3GHE/Nils
From Gullängets Radio club: SM3WMU/Tomas
During the meeting following was discussed/reported:
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This year's annual meeting on SI9AM was held on Saturday April 24 at Holmstagården between 10:15 and 11:15 local time. For the first time were offered the opportunity for member clubs to attend the annual meeting via a Skype connection. Hudiksvalls Radio Amateurs, SK3GA was represented by SM3FT Lars Molin.
Immediately after the annual meeting we held a Boarding Meeting. When the clock was 12:00 SM3CVM thanked all hams who had been present at Holmstagården and SM3FT on Skype for good engagement at today's meetings.
Our landlord Reine had arranged so that the restaurant was open extra for us so that we could had our lunch at Holmstagården.
After lunch, we made an optical inspection of the antenna park and we discussed the coming work with the antenna mast for a WARC Beam.
In the end of the day SM3CER/Janne SM3HFD/Håkan updated some software, for example a program to run PSK31 from SI9AM. Five PSK31 QSO:s was made before we went home again.
Yagi antenna from Belgium
A quarter to seven on Saturday morning the hams from Njurunda / Nolby started their trip to Utanede. It was SM3FJF/Jörgen and SM3HFD/Håkan. SM3BQC/Arne was picked up in Järkvissle. On the car roof rack was the Yagi antenna that we have received from ON4ACA/Jef and ON6UQ/Marcel.
Starting from Sundsvall
From Sundsvall started SM3EXM/Erik and he picked up SM3CER/Janne in Sundsbruk.
A trailer
From Östersund started SM3CVM/Lars and he picked up SM3GHN/Jan-Bertil, SM3DAL/Ove and SA3BDM/Ove. A trailer was rented and a stop was made at "Torpet" (QTH for SK3JR) where they brought with them a mast.
Morning Coffee
When they all arrived in Utanede, they had coffee out on the balcony while they were planning the day's work.
Five areas of work
The work was divided into five different areas of work.
SM3BQC/Arne, SM3DAL/Ove and SM3EXM/Erik cleared up in the area around the antenna mast.
SM3HFD/Håkan worked with the four elements beam which SM3FJF/Jörgen had with him. ON4ACA/Jef and ON6UQ/Marcel in Belgium have given us the antenna. The antenna has been shipped by truck to Njurunda and then by car to Utanede.
SM3CER/Janne worked with software updates in the computers.
SA3BDM/Ove, SM3EAE/Lars and SM3GHN/Jan-Bertil opened the package with the Spiderbeam, which SI9AM has bought and began to put the details together.
SM3CVM/Lars and SM3FJF/Jörgen continued the planning for the anniversary July 24.
160-meter dipole
After the lunch they continued to work and they also had time to repair the 160-meter dipole which had been damaged during the winter.
Thanks to all
At five o'clock they stopped the work the day and they went home.
Next Working Day will be Saturday, May 29
Present during the meeting.
From Jemtlands Radio Amateurs: SM3CVM/Lars, SM3EAE/Lars, SM3DAL/Ove
From Sundsvalls Radio Amateurs: SM3BQC/Arne, SM3CER/Janne, SM3ESX/Christer, SM3FJF/Jörgen, SM3LIV/Ulla
From Gullängets Radio club: SM3WMU/Tomas
During the meeting following was discussed/reported:
Reports
Friday, May 28
At 12:30 local time SM3FJF/Jörgen went to Sundsbruk to pick up SM3CER/Janne to drive to Utanede and SI9AM.
On the way up to Utanede they picked up SM3BQC/Arne in Järkvissle. At 20:00 local time on Friday evening SM3EAE/Lars from Hammarstrand joined them.
Updating software
During the afternoon and evening, they updated the computers with the latest software versions.
Just before midnight Arne went back to Järkvissle.
Saturday - Sunday May 29 to 30
At midnight between Friday and Saturday they finished the software updates and Janne and Lars went to bed to sleep an hour before the test. The contest started on Saturday at 02:00 local time. Before the contest while Janne and Lars rested SM3FJF Jörgen worked some new prefix for SI9AM.
First operator
SM3CER/Janne started as an operator in the WPX test, then continued SM3EAE/Lars.
Work planning
During Saturday Arne and Jörgen checked the Ham IV rotator which SI9AM had bought.
Later this year, a telescopic mast will be mounted and the rotor and a WARC Spiderbeam will to be installed.
Three operators
The three operators during the contest were SM3CER/Janne, SM3EAE/Lars and SM3FJF/Jörgen.
Results
The result was 1246 QSO: s and approximately 965 000 points.
Present during the meeting.
From Jemtlands Radio Amateurs: SM3CVM/Lars
From Sundsvalls Radio Amateurs: SM3BQC/Arne, SM3CER/Janne, SM3FJF/Jörgen, SM3LIV/Ulla
During the meeting following was discussed/reported:
A mail from ON5RZ.
Hej to you all,
Thanks for having me to use the station SI9AM for two days.
The accommodation was really ok and had a good sleep the first night, the second was too short because of DX the night before hahi,
I´ve had a nice lunch into the restaurant the first evening since I was too tired of the drive from Arvidsjaur over here.
After visiting the pagode yesterday, I dived again into the shack and had a nice pile-up for some times, was really great and the ACOM1000 makes the difference of course together with the beams on 10/20/15 and vy nice on 40 but conditions weren´t great on 40 to use it except for ON-land in the evening. Nice pileup also to the Americas from north to south, great!
Glad to have made the decision to do this visit and thx again for this short notice. I´ll may be coming come again and this time on longer notice and maybe with some clubmembers from Antwerp for a longer stay in this nice area, but all of Sweden is vy nice except for some cities in the south of course ;-)
Now I´m going to get on to the family in Åre / Ostersund this afternoon and hope to be welcome here again in the future.
73s, and thanks vy much,
Raf, ON5RZ
Setting up the exhibition tent
Also, this year we demonstrated Amateur Radio in the park in front of the Thai Pavilion. Already on the Saturday we went to Utanede to make preparation in the exhibition tent and putting up antennas. It was SM2GTZ/Tommy, SM3BQC/Arne, SM3FJF/Jörgen, SM3LIV/Ulla and Hasse (brother of SM3FJF) who made the preparations. SM2GTZ/Tommy and Hasse also took the opportunity to get a guided tour in the park by Daniel Bergstrom, which was much appreciated.
Wonderful Weather
Both on Saturday and on Sunday the weather was fine. It was nice and warm and no rain but unfortunately in blew a little, which we already noticed on Saturday. On Sunday we put stones on all the brochures we had in the exhibition tent so it wouldn’t blow away.
Power
On Saturday when we were testing the radio equipment, we had no power available, but that's no problem for a ham. On Sunday we took a battery with us. After some hours on Sunday, we found a place where we could take power from. It then became easier to show how to run PSK31 for the visitors.
Thai Market
On July 16 to 18 there was a Thai market outside the pavilion area and many tourists visited the Thai market and the Thai Pavilion this weekend.
Performances
The dance group, Kampangpet University's Dance Group from Thailand danced in the teak house and also on the grass in front of the Thai Pavilion.
Thai artists
A group of artists from Thailand have during a month painted inside the Thai Pavilion. The wall painting covers the entire wall behind the statue of King Chulalongkorn. The Thai artists name are Mr. Anurak Inta Wong, Mr. Jatuporn Pang Sang, Mr. Samram Maneerat, Mr. Sow Wayiasrisaeng.
This wall painting was inaugurated on Sunday afternoon by representatives from the Thai government and Therese Bengard from Ragunda municipal.
SI9AM 10 years
It was not so many who looked into our tent in Sunday morning, so SM3CVM/Lars, SM3FJF/Jörgen, SM3LIV/Ulla and SM3SZW/Sven-Henrik took the opportunity to discuss and plan for 10-year anniversary on Saturday 24 July.
The interest in amateur radio
In the afternoon there was a steady stream of visitors who stopped and wanted to see what we were doing. What pleased us most was that on three occasions, there was former radio amateurs who made a stop at the tent. After listening to PSK31, and in some cases to CW, they started thinking about resuming the hobby. SM3FJF/Jörgen told how they would proceed and also offered to help with contacts with SSA.
We who demonstrated amateur radio
We who were there on Sunday was HS0ZDY/Svante, SM3BQC/Arne, SM3CVM/Lars, SM3FJF/Jörgen, SM3LIV/Ulla and SM3SZW/Sven-Henrik.
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10 years
Ten years is a long time, but they who have joined us during the officially opening of SI9AM which was held outside "Holmstagården" in front of the outside door to our radio room on July 19, 2000, probably thinks that the time has run very quickly.
Before year 2000
In the summer 1995 an idea was born to form King Chulalongkorn Memorial Amateur Radio Society in Ragunda, Sweden. We contacted the leading radio amateurs in Thailand and their representatives in RAST, Thailand (the equivalent to SSA, Sveriges Sändareamatörer). We decided to form a "Visiting Amateur Radio Station" in Ragunda.
Already at an early stage we had an ambition to get the callsign SI9AM. In July 1999 we had confirmation from PTS, the Post and Tele communication Board, that our association had been granted the callsign SI9AM.
The aim with SI9AM
The aim with King Chulalongkorn Memorial Amateur Radio Society in Ragunda, Sweden, is to offer radio amateurs visiting the Thai Pavilion the possibility to make contact with radio amateurs around the world using the special callsign SI9AM from the summer of 2000.
Why the callsign SI9AM?
SIAM was the name of Thailand before 1939.
The number 9 is a lucky number for all Thais.
Seeing back
Opening If you have followed us during the years, you remember that the weather was not on our side on July 19, 2000. Five minutes before the official opening it started to rain and during the whole ceremony it was a heavy rain.
We were a little disappointed about the heavy rain during the whole ceremony, but now we are glad that the opening was on the 19th. At lunchtime on the 20th all roads around was closed because of heavy rain in the middle part of Sweden and had probably we have been forced to cancel the whole inauguration.
What have we done during these ten years?
We started with nothing. The only thing we had was the will to build up at Visiting Amateur Radio Station.
April 2000
SI9AM hold its first annual meeting and SM3CVM/Lars was elected as president.
May 2000
building starts for the antenna mast
June 2001
A lot of preparations and work for the antenna mast
June 2001
SI9AM received 120 000 SEK in EU funds
July 2001
Buying a 30-meter antenna mast.
September 2001
Casting of antenna base
April 2002
Buying a Yaseu FT-1000MP
July 2002
Installation of Tribander Yagi for 14-21-28 MHz and a 2 element Yagi for 40 meters
October 2002
The antenna mast is hoisted up
June 2005
SI9AM get internet connection via radio links to the Thai pavilion
January 2006
New QSL cards printed for SI9AM
June 2006
Installed wireless internet
April 2007 SI9AM
Received a SSA's scholarship
July 2008
Buying a news amplifier Acom1000
February 2009
New computers and 22 inch screens are mounted
April 2009 New refrigerator
The spring 2010
Buying a Spiderbeam and we received a 4-element Monobander for 14 MHz.
In our diaries you can read more about what we have done during the years.
Our equipment
Yaesu FT-1000MP with Acom 1000
Icom IC-751
Yagi antennas for 10-15-20-40 m, dipole antennas for 12-17-30-80-160 m
Yaesu FT-225RD, allmode VHF transceiver with vertical antenna
Logging Programs
DX4WIN, TR4W, Win-Test, Log4U and Ham-Log.
Internet
The computers have internet access.
What we are doing just now
We will soon mount a Spiderbeam for 10-18-24 MHz and a 4 elements monobander for 14 MHz.
Marketing SI9AM
During the years we have been represented at the International Exhibition for Radio Amateurs in Friedrichshafen. Thanks to SM6JSM Eric who helps us with marketing SI9AM. We have also been represented at the ham radio exhibitions every year at SSAs annual meetings.
Members of SI9AM
Radio amateur clubs in Gävleborg laen, Jämtland laen and Västernorrland laen can be members of the society. Members are:
SK3BG, Sundsvalls Radioamatörer in Sundsvall,
SK3EK, Sollefteå Radioklubb i Sollefteå,
SK3GA, Hudiksvalls Sändareamatörer i Hudiksvall,
SK3GM Kungsgårdens Radioklubb in Nyland,
SK3IK, Ådalens Sändareamatörer in Kramfors,
SK3JR, Jemtlands Radioamatörer in Östersund,
SK3LH, Gullängets Radioklubb in Örnsköldsvik,
SL3ZYE, FRO-section in Sollefteå.
Some of the foreign hams who have operated from SI9AM:
DF6JC/Joerg
DK7FK/Berthold
DK8GH/Heinz
DL1EJS/Stefan
DL1GRQ/Ralf
DL3DXX/Dietmar
DL5LYM/Tom
LA0BX(TF5SJ)/Sigfus
LA7JKA/OH8PB/Jukka
LBØB/Gudrun
OE3DDW/Rudi
OE3YTB/Martina
OH2TW/F5VGS/ Heikki
ON4ACA/OS2A/Jef
ON6UQ/OP1A/Marcel
ON5RZ/Raf
OZ1BLO/Roald
PAØIJM/Jan
PE9PE/Rob
Fosengruppen of NRRL
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Gathering in the morning
At eight a clock local time SM3BQC/Arne, SM3EAE/Lars, SM3FJF/Jörgen and SM3LIV/Ulla was ready to welcome the guests. SM0AGD/Eric Arild, SM0OTG/Eva, SM5DJZ/Jan and his XYL Birgitta had been sleeping at Holmstagården during the night so they were the first to come to our amateur radio tent and get the special card which gave you free entrance to the Thai Pavilion. Soon after that SA0AFU/Rolf and his XYL Maybritt arrived, then you could see SM3DAL/Ove and SM3GHN/Jan Bertil. Then our other guests arrived and most of them took the opportunity to walk around and answer the questions in our quiz before 11.00 a clock local time which was the time when the first lecture started.
Lecture by SM0AGD Erik Arild
SM0AGD/Erik Arild gave us an interesting and appreciated lecture from his sailing in the Pacific Ocean during six months, a sailing trip which gave 47 600 QSOs from 11 different islands/DXCC countries in the year 1982. As thanks for the interesting lecture SI9AM handed over the book "In the footsteps of King Chulalongkorn" to SM0AGD/Erik Arild.
SM2EKA/Rune, president of SK2AT – the society Umeå Radio Amateurs, took the opportunity to thank Erik Arild for his lecture and at the same time he congratulated SI9AM for ten years and handed over the book from their Anniversary of 60 years.
Lunch
After the interesting lecture by SM0AGD we were a bit hungry. Some of us stayed at Holmstagården and ate a delicious Chicken stew and the others went down to restaurant “Terasspaviljongen” and had a Thai buffet, served by Astrid Hammargården.
Lecture by SM5DJZ Jan
SM5DJZ/Jan also gave us an interesting and appreciated lecture about the way of the QSL card from you to the station you have worked. After that he talk about the DXCC Award and the IOTA Award.
As thanks for the interesting lecture SI9AM handed over the book "In the footsteps of King Chulalongkorn" to SM5DJZ/Jan.
Showing the Visiting Amateur Radio Station
For some of the guest, it was the first time they visited SI9AM and they found it very interesting to see the Amateur Radio Station and the Antenna.
QSO with Thailand
HS0ZDY/Svante or SM3DYU who is his call in Sweden had a time for a sked at 16.00 Local time with Thailand.
The Thai stations contacted: Tony/HS0ZDX, Kurt/HS0ZIE, Winit/E20AS, Swen/HS0ZFZ, Hans/HS0ZFU and Bob/HS0ZFD. But also Eddy/HS0/EA4BKA, Manfred/HS0ZEU, Fred/HS0ZFA and Kongprasert W./HS1CKC.
Enjoy time together during the day
Many hams hadn't seen each other for a long time and they found it very nice to have eye–ball contacts.
Prizes to the winner of the quiz
We had arranged a quiz. And the questions you could find inside and outside the Thai Pavilion area. We had been sponsored free entrance to the Thai Pavilion for our guest so they could visit the Thai Pavilion. The winner was Urzula Lind, who won the first price a Nagoya VHF-antenna from Mobinet. The second price to Anne Marie Fors who won a G5RV antenna from SRS and the third price to SM3GBA/Sven-Erik who won a Nagoya mobile Antenna from Mobinet.
Vi thank our sponsors:
Sanco, Mobinet, SRS, SSA, Jamtport and The Thai Pavilion for prices in the quiz.
Mingle before dinner
The entertainment before the dinner was the musicband “Frosthinken”, also called QRM and QSB.
Before dinner is served
Most of the day visitors stayed and enjoyed us during the anniversary dinner. The noise level get high at once. There was still a lot to talk about.
Anniversary menu
First course
A pie with the Swedish name “Västerbottenspaj” with a sauce of roe
Main courses
Pork with barbecue sauce and potato wedges
or
Beef tenderloin with potato and a green peppercorn sauce
or
Moose entrecote with root vegetables and red wine sauce
or
Trout with potato cake and sauce of whey cheese
Dessert
Summer cake with ice cream and berries
Coffee
Anniversary Lottery
Of course, there were many who hoped to win the first price an Alinco VHF FM transceiver from SANCO in Umeå. To make a bit of excitement we started with price No 22 and then we got closer and closer to the first prize.
Win No. 3, a G5RV wire antenna from SRS, to SA0AFU/Rolf.
Win No. 2, an Icom HF-46 speacher microphone, SM3CER/Janne.
Win No. 1, an Alinco VHF FM transceiver SANCO, to a very happy first prize winner Inger Holm.
Anniversary dinner
SM3CVM/Lars, chairman of SI9AM, wished everyone welcome to the table and to anniversary.
Kiki Fredriksson who represented Ragunda Municipality, gave us their congratulations to 10-year anniversary and wished us success in the future. Kicki Fredriksson handed over beautiful flowers to the SM3CVM/Lars president of SI9AM.
Next time SM3CVM/Lars talked, he thanked all who had come this day, everyone who had sponsored us and everyone who had work hard for the Visiting Amateur Radio Station and he didn´t name anyone. However, he wanted to specially thank one person for her work, who during all years had been treasurer, web master and been involved in a lot of activities for SI9AM - SM3LIV/Ulla. SM3CVM/Lars handed over the flowers, which SI9AM had received from Ragunda Municipality. Of course, he had permission from Ragunda Municipality to hand over the flowers to Ulla.
Daniel Bergström, who representative the Thai Pavilion, he thanked for the dinner and wished us good luck, major applauses to Daniel and Thai Pavilion.
A beautiful plaque was presented to Lars Aronsson, SM3CVM, President of SI9AM, on behalf of RAST by Svante (Sam) Nordenstrom, SM3DYU/HS0ZDY.
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We thank our sponsors:
Jamtport, Mobinet, Sanco, SSA, Swedish Radio Supply and the Thai Pavilion.
We thank our guests of honor:
HS0ZDY Svante Nordström, RAST
SM6JSM Eric Lund, SSA
SM6YBR Brita Renström Lund, SSA
Kicki Fredriksson, Ragunda Municipality
Daniel Bergström, Thai Pavilion
Nui Bergström, Thai Pavilion
Jasmin Bergström
SM0AGD Erik Arild Sjölund
SM0OTG Eva Benjaminson Sjölund
SM5DJZ Jan Hallenberg
Birgitta Hallenberg
We thank our guest speakers
SM0AGD Erik Arild Sjölund
SM5DJZ Jan Hallenberg
We thank Holmstagårdens staff who served us a delicious anniversary dinner
Ulf, Joel, Sara och Lotta
Thanks
to all of you who visited us this anniversary day
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and
Our guests during the Anniversary dinner
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A lot of hams
Also, this year SI9AM had a liaison mission during the Diggiloo show. A lot of hams were working from the early morning to midnight. Our mission was to park all cars on three parking areas. We also helped the "Diggiloo-people" with different small projects.
Work in the morning
We started with coffee and short meeting in the Museum when SM3SZW/Sven gave information about the mission during the day. We started too built up the HQ-station and a restaurant tent near the Museum.
QRV
We had 2-meters hand-held equipment and we were QRV on separate frequencies depending on the mission we had for the moment. The HQ-station was on 145,450 MHz and distributed information to all of us and answered all our questions.
Sunshine
It was a very warm and fine day with sunshine the whole day. For the hams on the parking areas without trees and no shadow it was a hot day. A lot of water was consumed.
Lunch
This year we had our lunch at Holmstagården.
Sandwiches and food
During the whole day coffee, tea, water, cakes, sandwiches and food was served in our restaurant tent. We also had a radio-equipped four-wheeler which served the parking areas with water, coffee and sandwiches. Of course, this wheeler was used during the whole day for a lot of other things.
They way out
When the show ended around 23.00 local time, we were on the three parking areas to show and help the cars to find their way out. After about 40 minutes all cars had left the parking areas and we were told that we had done a good job.
Thank you and goodnight
We cleaned up the parking areas from all materials and barrier tape, then we had meeting in our restaurant tent for a late hot dog with bread and more water.
SM3SZW/Sven-Henrik thanked everyone for a very good job.
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Friday, August 27, SM3FJF/Jörgen picked up SM3BQC/Arne and together they went to SI9AM and started the preparations for the Antenna work. SM3BQC/Arne cleared up the area around the antenna mast.
Friday, September 10, SM3UQO/Björn, SM3BQC/Arne and SM3FJF/Jörgen went to SI9AM prepare for the work with the 4 elements beam for 20 meters, donated by ON6UQ/Marcel and ON4ACA/Jef via their ham radio club in Belgium.
During the day they mounted the four-element mono-band beam. The first QSO on the beam was with RL3QK, although the beam was only two meters above the ground. The work with the antennas took the whole day. When it became dark outside you could hear SI9AM calling CQ and suddenly SM3UQO/Björn was in big pile-up.
On Saturday morning SM3EXM/Erik arrived and also SM3ZET/Urban who brought a sky lift. The work started immediately. First, they had to dismount the beam because it was the only chance to get it 11 meters up with the Skylift. It was a hard work which took the whole Saturday from early morning until late evening. There was no time to make any CQ from SI9AM this day.
Saturday, September 18, now they could finish the antenna work. SM3BQC/Arne and SM3FJF/Jörgen mounted back dipole antennas for 30, 80 and 160 meters. Now they could use all antennae and work the SAC CW Contest, which started at 12:00 UTZ
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Saturday, September 18 and 19, SM3EAE/Lasse and SM3FJF/Jörgen worked the SAC CW Contest from SI9AM. SM3BQC/Arne was present and listened but took also the opportunity to sort radio materials from the work with the antennas.
The propagations were not so good but although we worked 1781 QSOs from SI9AM.
Some of the prizes in this year's lottery at SSA's annual meeting was a stay at SI9AM.
One of the prizes were used by SM6VTK/Björn and SA6BME/Elisabeth.
They wrote to us:
Thanks so much for this eventful weekend at SI9AM.
Björn/SM6VTK and Elisabeth/SA6BME
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Saturday, October 23 many people honored the memory of King Chulalongkorns death. It was then 100 years since he passed away, but he lives in the minds of many Thais. In Utanede about 30 persons met outside the Thai Pavilion to honor his memory.
SI9AM was represented by SM3CVM/Lars.
The ceremony outside the Thai Pavilion starts. The Thai Pavilion in winter
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Once again ON4ACA/Jef and ON6UQ/Marcel rent SI9AM for about a week.
Early in the morning, Thursday October 28, they arrived to SI9AM. The first spot on the DX Cluster was at 03.18 UTC.
On Friday 29, SM3CVM/Lars and SM3SZW/Sven-Henrik took a trip from Östersund to Utande to say hallo to the guys and which them good luck in the 2010 CQ WW DX Contest SSB.
They worked extremely well in the contest, about 2800 QSOs. Congratulations.
On Tuesday evening they left Utanede and travelled by car to Skavsta Airport in Stockholm. From Skavsta they flew home to Belgium. On the way to Skavsta they made a stop in Njurunda for a cup of coffee and a sandwich by SM3LIV/Ulla and SM3FJF/Jörgen.
During these six day they made over 5000 contacts and were spotted 142 times on the DX Cluster.
Thanks, Jef and Marcel for all the QSOs from SI9AM and welcome back next year.
Read their own story:
King Chulalongkorn Memorial Amateur Radio Society in Ragunda Sweden
SI9AM
Like the previous years, the visit of SI9AM was scheduled for October and within the period of the CQWW contest. The participation to that contest was not really the main objective but more the large pile-ups that the call sign generates. The contest gave a special touch to the visit and we saddled-up the local Swedish radio amateur friends with a good score of over 2800 QSO's.
Some ask why getting there in October, in the middle of Sweden to an amateur radio station. A rare dxpedition is it not, a rare dxcc either.
Well, the call sign has a history. The king of Siam, nowadays called Thailand, visiting Sweden around 1897, He has a beautiful pavilion built specially for the Thai community.
The radio amateurs of this part of the country saw an opportunity and planned a station with the call sign SI9AM. You see in it SIAM that's clear, and the digit 9 is just the lucky number of the Thai's.
This created SI9AM and they celebrated their 10th anniversary this year.
In those 10 years, the station was serviced regularly by members of various clubs in the zone SM3.
Recently, the old SB220 amplifier was be replaced by a new ACOM1000. The monitors became flat screens ets..In this desolate area, is even internet available to activate the cluster of what so ever.
We hoped for a bit that the new Spiderbeam for the WARC bands was already installed, but this was unfortunately not happened yet. A job for the summer was the verdict.
In autumn 2009, we donated a 4 element monoband beam for 20m and this summer they put them on the mast.
We had actually the WARC bands as our main focus, but this was difficult, partly due the lack of the new antenna, but mainly because the poorer propagation on these bands. During the day it was no problem to create pile-ups, but in the evening and at night it was pretty calm. The low-bands where not very approachable, this phenomenon is more common in the far north and when the circle of the aurora zone tip the used zone the reception is extremely difficult.
Still, we made in that 6 day stay over 5000 contacts, wish is not bad in our opinion.
Also, this year we ware without disaster. One of us got the bad news that his mother was became in the hospital and the same day he was saddled-up with an knee inflammation. The enthusiasm dropped him well below freezing point. But... one of us was supper motivated and ready to take over for the full hundred procent.
It makes it extremely amusing when you communicate in at least five languages, it was superb Jef.
We used as log program N1MM for both, the contest en before and after. We had no function keys defined for SSB files to broadcast, so all that was via the headset and throat, which of course had to be lubricate regularly. Cola with a dash Bacardi is perfect to wet the throat ofter a good chat session. A straw was sometimes also useful in one of the mouth corners.
Jef is a perfect SSB operator, calm and sure. He takes the calls in a flash from a sea of callsigns.
We show you a rate that was not uncommon during those days. Take it an attempt to match it, we wish you every success. Get him in one go or you'll lose a lot of time. We will in any case try it again next year.
Outside the contest, the contacts are usually much friendlier and there is more information exchanged, which in turn generates the interest of other stations. There is a recording where Jef finish a QSO in Italian, clever of Jef or 'Josephé ' as the Italians call him.
Marcel was usually for the CW contacts, but was in a terrible mental en physical state, but have still made over 1000 Q's in CW. Sometimes heavy pile-ups that lasted a few hours!!
It's really hard work, but that’s why we do it, right? We don’t understand where it all comes from.
We had the opportunity to test the difference between a 6 element 3 band yagi and a 20m monoband yagi fixedly toward NA. The monobander at 10m and the 6 element at 18m. The 6 el. Had less of gain on 20m band bud the monobander on a lower height was almost the same gain.
There were differences but we blame it to the different angle. It was certainly helpful in the contest.
In the first night, at the arrival on the QTH of ULLA, SM3LIV and Jörgen SM3FJF, we have pick-up the key for the station, it was already early morning and we will find the key in there postbox, and so it was.
On Friday was Lars, SM3CVM, the president, come along. This was as planned and with his friend Sven, SM3SZW, we eat Swedish butter cake.
We still haven't told you about the very warm reception we received from ULLA, SM3LIV and Jörgen SM3FJF on the way back.
The last day was in sight, we certainly need to be in the airport at 11h00. The weather at that time of year can turn very quickly and also that we probably had to brave the morning mist, was scheduled to leave at 21h00, considering the visit to Ulla and Jörgen.
Our GPS guided us to their front door and at once the cameras were brought out. We were invited on a table covered with a variety of Swedish food, it was very tastefully and pleasant.
Suddenly we saw a book that looked like ham radio texture and promptly asked whether anyone was still learning. No, no, was the answer, I write this book, I design them for SARS and give us each a signed copy. And believe it or not, Ohm's law is the same as ours.
We had still 500 km to go and around midnight we left this lovely radio pair. It was raining at that moment very heavy.
After a 300 kilometer we took a stop for rest a while, we had plenty of time and after our nap in the car we went to Stockholm Skavsta Airport. We did well, despite the fierce rain and were quietly waiting departure, after we brought our car back.
My knee began to be quite difficult and I wondered if I could in and out of the plane.
At the arrival my wife stood ready with my crutches.
Our 2010 visit to SI9AM was again successful and we can highly recommend it, if you were born for a little adventure.
We thought that we needed to behave ourselves as some ambassadors, so brought Belgian chocolates for Lars. Ulla and Jörgen had already received once chocolates and we brought an exclusive bottle of 'Elexir D'Anvers' on for them.
Marcel ON6UQ
Jef ON4ACA
If you prefer it in Dutch read this pdf
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