2024-08-23. LAFF-0186, Vikaneset. Today I had my first experience with the LAFF Norway. I must admit, I was a little confused. Let me explain.
At laff44.blogspot.com I found this, I quote:
"If you want the activation to count towards the international activator award, you have to a) make at least 44 QSOs, and b) stay in the area for at least two hours."
a) is clear and within the general WWFF rules. b) is a ridiculous rule that doesn't make much sense to me. First, if the propagation conditions and/or weather are bad, why on earth do I have to spend 2 hours outside in the rain without making a QSO? Second, theoretically I could collect 44 QSOs in 30 minutes, then read a book in the car for 1.5 hours, and then “I have stayed in the area for at least two hours,” right? Or I could collect 44 QSOs in 30 minutes, then cook and enjoy my lunch, and then just make a few QSOs to fill 2 hours. What does "stay in the area for at least two hours" mean and how to document this? Some questions simply remain unanswered. To be honest, I never understood why there should be additional national rules, it just makes things unnecessarily complicated. There are general WWFF rules and that's all! Well, rules are rules, and to be on the safe side, I decided to be on air for 2 hours net, that means at least 2 hours of logged on-air time. That was the plan.
The Vikaneset is a medium-sized nature reserve, it's a 5.2 km long forested mountainside between Saudavegen and Saudfjorden.
In order not to damage the sensitive nature, I decided to place the radio station on the north side of the reserve near the small bridge and as close to the road as possible. Near the gravel road down to Saudafjorden a found a sign saying "Naturreservat".
Sign to Vikaneset nature reserve next to the gravel road.
I was on air at 8:00 UTC. In 1 hour 20 minutes net operating time I collected 58 QSOs on 17/20/40m. The propagation worsened, the pile-up dried up and the QSO rate deteriorated. I decided to take a break and visit with my family the Ryfylkemuseet in Hustveit , which was very close to the Vikaneset nature reserve, and then come back to the reserve to continue with the activation. Our children had a lot of fun in Hustveit and around.
The museum is an interesting tourist spot and is open 24 hours a day. Life was hard back then.
Three hours later I came back to the operating spot and enjoyed another pile-up at 17/20m. I got additional 33 QSOs in 40 minutes of net operating time. The 17m band was kind of weak today, the 20m band was in good condition. Unfortunately, the rain got heavier and heavier and I skipped 40m and finally QRT'd. In total, 91 QSOs (mainly EU plus KD1CT) were completed within 2 hours of net operating time. This means that the rule b) is fulfilled, at least I hope so. The log and evidence have been submitted to the LAFF coordinator. Let's see whether the activation will be qualified.
I was thinking about doing another LAFF activation tomorrow, but somehow I don't feel like spending two hours in the pouring rain. National WWFF regulations are intended to encourage more activities, but – at least for me – they have the opposite effect, they are erecting further hurdles to make sucessfull activation more difficult.
44, 73 de Dzianis, LA/DD1LD
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