Was down at the contest station this weekend and we still have a lot of snow. When I arrived there was the need of shoveling snow to get to the house but the big job was the remove the snow so that I could get access to the barn. Otherwise the weekend was spent fixing the electricity plus also working some radio. This weekend (easter weekend) the plan is to fix the remote control of the amp and also some smaller changes in the shack. The main operating position will be moved one position so that when doing SO2R one can chose to either have the mult radio on the left or right side.

Here are some pictures from the weekend.

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Last time at the station I managed to shove the blade from a saw into the foot. I had removed it from the top of a desk since I needed a thing lying under it, put the saw down on the floor and forgot to put it back. So at about 00:30 when I had gone and taken a plate of sour milk I shoved my foot into something. I cursed a few times since I spilled the sour milk and looked down, there I saw blood pulsating out of my foot so I tore off the socks and saw a hole into the foot with blood gushing out of it. Apperently I shoved it right into an artery… So I use duct tape and paper to stop the blood flow (yes, I will buy an emergency kit) and called to ask what to do and they stated that since I could move my toes and also that the blood flow was stopped I could go to bed and see if there was any complications in the morning.

Being out in the woods without transportation isn’t always fun…

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However it worked out OK without complications, the foot is good now but I’ll remember to put the saw  back next time.

And plans for more activity at the station. I was there a lot during the XMAS break and spent many hours behind the FT1000D working DX. I also tried to do some physical work at the station but unfortunately a cold and fever limited that a bit. I managed though to put up some shelfs behind the fake wall for the computers and also with help from SM3JLA put a 40 leaded cable down to the basement which will be used to control things in the amplifier room. Such as PTT for amps, switches to key the radio, control for the Granger amp (auto tune) etc. SM3JLA also helped me to shovel snow off the 160M vertical which we hope to errect before CQ 160M CW contest.

SM2XJP and me had been to the store to get some groceries and he had left and I was sitting at the radio when the door to the house opened. I thought that SM2XJP had forgotten something but in stepped SM3JLA which was a nice suprise. So he was there during one night working DX but propagations were not very good.

I also had a nice visit from SM2XLL who was bored and went out driving. And on Saturday I had a very pleasant visit from SM2DMU, SM2HTF + their German Schäfer Ofelia and they seemed to like the place and Ofelia seemed to love it 🙂

Otherwise I have been trying to figure out exactly where to place the 60m tower. I want to have this planned so that I can start taking down trees now during the winter, so that doesn’t need to be done in high summer temperatures.

Here are some pictures

SM3JLA calling CQ on 80M

What is he looking at?

Here is what he’s looking at. Both me and SM3JLA are UFC fans.

Shelfs for the computers behind the fake wall

40 leaded cable going downstairs

Wall sockets that mr X has installed

The new shelfs and JLA working DX while watching UFC

This happens when you aren’t careful using the saw…

Two computers put on the shelfs…

The shack finally got some nice lights. SM3WMU got hold of some nice light fixtures which I went to get during the time I was home at the parents place for Xmas. Now I am back in SM2 and will be here until beginning of January so hopefully a lot will be done at the station. Unfortunatly though my nephew gave me a huge cold so we’ll see how much energy I’ll have.

Here is a picture of how the shack looks with the new light fixtures up, pretty nice ehh?

It’s possible to either have them light up the room by using the two tubes above it and it’s also possible to use it to light up the desk or both. Thanks SM3WMU 🙂