Current activity:

25-28 May: CQ WPX CW contest week end from the cabin QTH.

Always on the outlook for new US counties - Check status of your county here >>

Information about the operation from Finnoy (EU-055) 28-31 July here

Bio: First licenced in 1969, 16 years old. Very active on the HF-bands with Heathkit SB-101 and 14AVQ until 1974. Went 100% QRT from 1981 until I got the itch and came back on air 20 years later, in 2001, with 'car radio size' Alinco tcvr and inv. vee antenna from the roof end. Nowadays, from the locations below, the activity is occasional, and for the most part in CW contests.   Home QTH (STAVANGER - jo28uw): Elecraft K3, Elevated ground plane antenna (wire along adjustable Spiderbeam fiberglass pole + four random length radials + CG-3000 coupler). Mountain cabin QTH (SIRDAL - jo38lv): Kenwood TS-570, Expert 1K-FA amplifier. Antennas for quick mount and demount - depending on conditions and length of stay: Inverted vees (15, 20, 40, 80m), Elevated ground planes (10, 15, 20, 40m), TW-2010 vertical dipole (10-20m). See pictures from the Sirdal location here >>

My QTH - on the SW edge of the Scandinavian peninsula:

USA Counties Award:

USA-CA #3430 (confirmed contact with 500 US counties) was assigned to LA8OM on 03.03.2008 The bulk of the contacts was made during the first 'golden years' of operating in 1969-1971 (perfect sunspot peak), including great runs on 10 meters in the ARRL DX contests.

See the list of my confirmed counties here

If we had a QSO and your county has not yet been confirmed, your QSL card will be highly valued.

My club:

The Jæren chapter of NRRL has some 150 members with club station call sign LA1J and web www.la1j.no. From time to time we participate in the lighthouse weekend in August. Obrestad Lighthouse is one favourite location. Some impressions at www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPB5__5at6Q (LA8OM appears at 2:43).

Update May 2011:

Admitting the limitations of my two Kenwood TS-570's when it comes to rx filtering capacity during contests where the bands are saturated with strong signals, I started investigation for a new transceiver. I had long been aware of the new Kenwood TS-590 which had been announced and, after launch, turned out to be a real winner, both in absolute terms and especially in value for money terms. However, at the time I also read a story on the possibilities opening up with fully fledged dual-receiver capability inside the transceiver. Leaving out a couple of oversized and overpriced Japanese models, the shortlist then really contained only the Elecraft K3.

Thus, a new K3 arrived from California early December 2010, and after a few initial issues (eventually ended up replacing the LPA - good Elecraft service all the way, though) the radio has been used in my home shack over the last few months. I like it! The question now is whether it should be located at my mountain cabin "QRO contest" QTH or stay at home in the leisure shack, or be transported between - or get two.

Update June 2009:

With the electricity age reaching our mountain cabin a couple of years back, time was due to consider ham radio also there. In a remote location 700 m above sea level, with no neighbours to worry about (RFI-wise), the potential had arrived for my first ever linear amplifier. The choice fell on the Expert 1K-FA, seenas a versatile and amenable work horse, and the alternative shack was established in May 2009 ready for the CQ WPX CW contest.

Update August 2003:

After a house fire in August 2001 the Alinco gear was lost and replaced by Kenwood TS-570 and a new Sigma 5 Vertical Dipole (10-20m) which was installed at the temporary housing. Back at base again in August 2003 the Sigma-5 got company of a trap dipole for 30-40-80m.

Finnøy island (EU-055) 28-31 July 2011 Mini expedition to Finnøy, including entry in the IOTA contest. After failing to find a suitable island location for the IOTA contest in 2010, the scouting started earlier this year and was rewarded with a beautiful place on the island of Finnoy. Enjoyed having antennas overlooking the sea!   Antennas used (all installed in field day style): Dipoles (80, 40) - GPs (40, 20) -TW2010 (15, 10) - 2 el Ultrabeam (20, 15, 10)   See images from Finnøy below. Click pictures for larger view.

Contest activities:

30-31 July 2011: IOTA contest - from Finnøy EU-055

28-29 May 2011: CQ WPX CW - from home QTH

19-20 March 2011: Russian DX contest - from home QTH

6-7 November 2010: Ukraina DX contest - from the Sirdal QTH

30-31 October 2010: CQWW SSB contest - from club station LA1J

24-25 July 2010: IOTA contest - from the Sirdal QTH

29-30 May 2010: CQ WPX CW - from the Sirdal QTH

28-29 November 2009: CQ WW CW - SOSB/20 from LN9Z

26-27 September 2009: Scandinavian Activity Contest - SAC SSB - part time from the Sirdal QTH

19-20 September 2009: Scandinavian Activity Contest - SAC CW - from the Sirdal QTH

30-31 May 2009: CQ WPX CW - from the Sirdal QTH

20-21 September 2008: Scandinavian Activity Contest - SAC CW - from home QTH

15-16 September 2007: Scandinavian Activity Contest - SAC CW - from home QTH

"Prehistory" participation - all from QTH Mo i Rana with Heathkit SB-101 and 14AVQ vertical:

November 1970: CQ WW CW

October 1970: CQ WW Phone

September 1970: Scandinavian Activity Contest SAC CW

February - March 1970: ARRL International DX CW + Phone (yes, it ran for two week-ends in each mode back then)

November 1969: CQ WW CW

October 1969: CQ WW Phone

September 1969: Scandinavian Activity Contest SAC CW

Images below from the Sirdal mountain cabin QTH Sirdal region info >>

(click pictures for larger views)

Mountain cabin installation:

LA8OM with the 15m and 20m groundplane antennas at the Sirdal cabin QTH:

Pictures taken 19 February 2011. Sunny with outside temp. -15 C.

Monday morning, after CQ WPX CW 2010:

Ground plane antenna for 40m with radials sloping from 2 m above ground:

Ample advert free space has been isolated above (if you rather want to avoid the QRN below, you should subscribe to QRZ.com).