Thursday, September 5th – Arrival day
This was the arrival day for the delegates to the SYLRA meeting 2019. The organizers of the meeting Ingrid LA8FOA and Unni LA6RHA arrived at the hotel at 12:00 (12AM). We checked in and put all our things in the room. The first delegates would arrive at the hotel around 14:00 (2PM) so we decided to open the registration at 15:00 (3PM). We had then some time for lunch.
The registration desk was in the reception area. Unni had done a very good job in organizing the documents and the goodie bags for the YL’s and the OM’s. The registration desk caught the attention of many of the guests at the hotel. They would like to know what we were doing there and if this could be of interest for them. We told them about the meeting and about SYLRA. The delegates came and got their information about the meeting and the goodie bag.
There were no activities planned this day, so Unni invited those who wanted to eat dinner in the evening to go with her to a nearby restaurant. Many accepted Unni’s invitation. Ingrid had to join the Board meeting at 17:00 (5PM).
Friday, September 6th – The day for being on radio from Morokulien / YL meeting
This was the day for YL meeting and being active on the radio. The bus picked us up at the hotel in Lillestrøm at 09:30 (9.30AM). Estimated time for arrival in Morokulien was 11:00 (11AM). The schedule was very tight this day, since we wanted the delegates to have as much time on the radio as possible and that all should have the opportunity to be on the air.
Unfortunately, the bus was stopped after half an hour driving. This was a regular control and should not take much time. But due to things out of our control, we had to wait almost two hours before we could drive on. This led to that we had to improvise and change the time schedule. We arrived in Morokulien at about 12:30 (00.30PM). All the delegates went to the meeting room at the Information centre were all could have their lunch. Then the OM’s were told to leave the meeting room for the radio shack or go outside in the open area at the Information centre. Ingrid and Unni had ordered a big marzipan cake with the SYLRA logo on and the year, 2019. The cake was cut up before the OM’s left, so they could have their piece of the cake.
The YL meeting started. Ingrid was welcoming all the delegates to the meeting and asked all to introduce themselves with callsign and other information of interest to the delegates.
Vala TF3VD informed about a change in the Board of SYLRA. She was stepping down as Chairwoman after six years. The new Chairwoman elected was Ingrid LA8FOA. Vala will continue as a contact person for Iceland. Ingrid will be the contact person for Norway in addition to Chairwoman. Otherwise no changes in the structure of the board.
Anna TF3VB, as Webmaster, explained the difference between Facebook and website. Facebook should be for current news, what's happening here and now, while the information on the website is more formal information and history. Anyone can send material / information to the website directly to Anna.
Marita OH5KIZ, announced that she would create a SYLRA calendar and that she would send a pre-order of the number of calendars to each of the SYLRA contacts before the end of October.
Ingrid informed that all information about new members should be sent to the contact persons in SYLRA.
Inger OZ7AGR informed that the board has decided that the birthday of SYLRA, August 15, should be marked by as many as possible of the SYLRA members to be on the air at any frequency and at any time during that day.
After the information from the Board some of the delegates had asked the Board that they had some information they would like to share with all the delegates at the meeting.
Elin TF2EQ, told about YOTA (Youngsters on the air). She is a member herself.
Inger OZ7AGR, told about an exciting project she has participated in. The title of the project was "Female voices on the air".
Anna TF3VB, told about the TM64YL expedition.
Marita OH5KIZ, closed the YL meeting by welcoming all to the next SYLRA meeting. SYLRA 2021 will be held in Turku (Åbo), Finland.
The meeting ended at 15:30 (3.30PM).
The rest of the day until dinner the delegates could be on the air in the radio shack of Morokulien. Just across the road for the Information centre. 5 minutes’ walk.
Ingrid arranged with the bus driver that we could leave for dinner one hour later than planned. This was also OK with the restaurant where we were going to have dinner.
Despite the short time on the radio and propagation that was not perfect we had 44 QSO’s with the call sign LG5LG and 31 QSO’s with the call sign SJ9WL. All together 75 QSO’s. We were in contact with the following countries: F, GM, OK, S52, OH, ON, RN, MM, SP, UA, YL, LZ, OZ and DL.
We had a wonderful 2-course’s dinner in Charlottenberg, Sweden. Beef stew with salad, potatoes, pommes frites and a beautiful strawberry and cream cake as dessert.
On the bus on the way to the hotel Ingrid handed out Morokulien passport to all. The passport was filled in with their names and addresses by the personal at the Morokulien Information centre. We arrived at the hotel at 21:30 (9.30PM).
Saturday, September 7th – Eidsvoll building / Gala dinner
On Saturday it was a trip to the Eidsvoll building. We were picked up by bus at the hotel at 10:00 (10AM). We had pre-booked a guided tour, which started at 11.15. Before the tour started, we had to leave all bags in a storage box in a nearby building. Photography was allowed, but it was not allowed to touch things or lean on walls or anything. We also had to put on protection outside the shoes. There were chairs available to take along on the tour if you felt for sitting down a bit.
We had booked a classic tour, which they called - Eidsvoll 1814 - six weeks which shaped Norway. The tour is about the great events at Eidsvoll in the spring of 1814 that changed Norway for all posterity and laid the foundation for Norwegian democracy.
112 men met in the Eidsvoll Building to Norway's first elected assembly, and within six weeks they gave the country a constitution, declared Norway as an independent nation after over 400 years in union with Denmark and elected a king for the country.
The meetings took place in the stately homes of Carsten Anker, and the tour also shows the most characteristic and beautiful rooms in the Eidsvoll building. The tour lasted about 45 minutes. The participants were very pleased with the tour, which was held in English.
After the tour we had pre-booked a table for the group in the restaurant close to the Eidsvoll building. We had ordered coffee and waffles with sour cream and jam for the whole group. This is a typical Norwegian dish to serve to coffee in Norway.
The bus picked us up at 14:00 (2pm), and until that time, the group could walk around in the area and have a look in the souvenir shop. After arriving at the hotel at 15:00 (3 pm), the delegates were free to do what they wanted until 6.30 pm, when we should meet in the hotel bar area for an aperitif before the Gala dinner. We had a 3 courses dinner, which was very good. As usual at such dinners all was in good mood and there were a lot of singing and conversation around and between the tables.
Sunday, September 8th – Farewell / End of the SYLRA Meeting 2019
On Sunday it was time to say goodbye to the delegates that were not able to join the optional tour with Hurtigruten. It is always sad to say goodbye, but we know that we will meet again. We are all as a big family. It can go some years that we do not meet, but when we meet, it is like yesterday that we met last time.
11 delegates from the meeting were going on the optional tour. Some went to Bergen by train and some by plane. All of us went to Bergen on Sunday and stayed over until Monday.
LA8FOA Ingrid es LA6RHA Unni