The Meeting

We can now look back on SYLRAs 10th anniversary, which was held in Roskilde August 22 to 25 this year with flying colors. SYLRA is a Nordic female radio organization, which was founded in 2003. The members are from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. There will be an official SYLRA meeting alternately every two years in the Nordic countries. Also female radio amateurs from around the world will be invited to attend these meetings.

We had four fantastic days. They came swarming from all continents. 61 from 16 countries signed up. 41 YLs, 20 of which have brought their OM as a bodyguard.

We hams do have the talk‐gear in order. We know of course. And it was what Hotel Prindsen in Roskilde witnessed. The staff told me that they had rarely had such a cheerfully company from beginning to end.

First day we called hug‐day. The joy of the reunion was great among us who knew each other, and the new came immediately into the circuit. Bags were handed out with all kinds of things, e. g. a great t‐shirt in the Danish red color and the logo was of course a Viking girl. So we were dressed — ready for the evening's excesses. I had arranged barbecue in my garden in Solrød and ordered driving. A gigantic bus came to pick us up. I have never seen such a big bus. The name was also Party bus, it had colored lights and a dance floor in the middle. The mood was already laid. In Solrød we started on the beach. The champagne was poured into glasses. Solrød's Mayor, Niels Hørup welcomed and gave a dazzling talk about communication and international relations via radio waves. Arne from Sweden played: There is a lovely country ‐ with his trumpet, so I got goose bumps. It sounded incredibly beautiful at the water's edge. Then it was time to barbecue. And what an evening we had. We sat tight in the party‐tent. One of the surprises was OZ3FD Henry, who played and sang Irish folk music. He was fantastic. That evening, he was the girls' friend. Swedish Arne complemented him occasionally with his trumpet. Two anniversary cakes with the logo on was so beautiful that we almost did not have the heart to eat them. But we should have something good with the coffee. Time went too fast, and suddenly the bus arrived again, but not the gigantic Party bus with the colored lights. I was sure that there was someone else now that would have taken advantage of the dance floor.

Second day was just getting up early. OZ1IKY, Kenneth, had offered to give talk about his DXpedition to Clipperton Island. A good start to the day. Kenneth, talked about his trip to the island, where he had gone in the spring. So vivid that many of those present YLs want to accompany his next DXpedition. Then had the YLs their official SYLRA meeting, which ended in the afternoon. I handed over the presidency to TF3VD, Vala. What should the OM do without us? Yes, my OM, Bjarne OZ2UV led them to Radio Museum in Ringsted. There was Bjarne Dahlin, head of the museum, who welcomed them and held an interesting lecture on the old radios. There were also old radio amateur rigs on the shelves to the delight of the "old men". And then they had the Danish open sandwiches— of course. The gala dinner was to take place in the evening. During the welcome drink played a girl orchestra — 4 lovely girls of 12 years — with keyboard, guitar, drums and a singer. They were so skilled and the applause would take no end. The mood was high, when we sat at the fine tables. Between the main course and the dessert, I interrupted. We were going to play package game. All were given a wrapped gift ‐ and then the rules … every table was handed a cup with a dice. If you rolled a six, you were allowed to steal a package from some of the others. I promise you that there was time when everyone raced around the tables and behaved like children. After dinner the girls from Iceland took charge. They were going to teach the OM a certain dance. Everybody thought that it had been a really nice day .....