Preparations
In the end of August they started the preparations for the contest and invited hams to join them. Some hams thought is should fun to work from SI9AM but of different reasons they couldn’t make it.

The contest team
Finally it was SM3BQC/Arne, SM3CER/Janne, SM3EAE/Lars and SM3FJF/Jörgen who joined the contest team.

Packing
SM3FJF/Jörgen had been on a business trip to Stockholm, and arrived to Sundsvall with the train around 20.00 local time on Friday, September 14. A taxi took him home and he immediately started to pack the car with a Kenwood TS-850 AT transceiver, a power amplifier Heathkit SB-200, computers and food. The radio equipment should be used as a multiplier station. SM3CER/Janne was picked up about 22.00 and he brought his G5RV antenna. At 24.00 they arrived to Holmstagården and SI9AM.

A handwritten note
When they went in to their room at Holmstagården they found a hand written note “GOOD CONTEST GUYS” and a queen cake who Tobbe, the cook, at Holmstagården had made to them.

3B7C – St Brandon
Of course they started to eat the cake before they began to arrange for the contest. SM3CER/Janne listened for 3B7C – St Brandon, on 7 MHz and after some call they managed to contact them. When they started the computers they didn’t have any internet connection, so they had to solve to problem on Saturday. SM3FJF/Jörgen had started the day early so he went to bed but SM3CER/Janne operated to 04.30.

Totally quit
At 09.00 on Saturday they started to connect the multiplier station and now SM3EAE/Lars and SM3BQC/Arne had arrived to Utanede. When they were testing the Kenwood station it was totally quit, something has happened. What to do? SM3BQC/Arne said that they could borrow his equipment. The had to take a trip to Järkvissle, about 30 minutes from Utanede to fetch it.

The newspaper – “Östersunds Posten”
A reporter from Östersunds Posten called and wanted to know what they we going to do during the weekend in Utanede. SM3FJF/Jörgen told her a little and she found it interesting and decided to make a trip from Östersund to Utanede to see and hear more about it.

No internet connection
At 13.00 we are back after the trip to Järkvissle but still they didn’t have any internet connection. They manage to get in contact with Katarina who works at Thai Pavilion and she found a switch which was off instead of on. Now the time was some minutes before 14.00 local time (12.00 UTC) and now everything was working. During the first hour of the contest we work 140 QSO:s.

The interview
In the afternoon Katarina Franck from ”Östersunds Posten” arrived and SM3FJF/Jörgen showed her the Visiting Amateur Radio Station, told her about Amateur radio and explained how they works a contest. During the whole interview SM3EAE/Lars worked in the contest.

Results
During the contest they compare the number of QSO:s with the contest last year. In 2006 they reached 1.543 QSO:s. When the contest was over they had worked 1.542 QSO:s, one less than last year, but it was 23 multipliers fewer than last year.

The traditional photo
After the contest they took the traditional photo and then they started to pack the equipment, clean the room and then they went home.

Read in the newspaper
On Monday we could read the interview in the newspaper.

Read the article in Östersunds Posten (Swedish).