SYLRA days in Finland in August 2022
Biennial meeting of SYLRA friends was postponed in 2021 because of COVID-19 restrictions. All the more happy were we as the meeting eventually took place in Turku, Finland in August 2022. Turku is famous for the multitude of excellent restaurants and vivid life around the Aura-river.

Thursday the 18th of August 2022 – the arrival day
Radio Amateur friends from SM, OZ, LA, TF, OH, DL and G arrived in Turku. The registration was set up at the lobby of the Radisson Blu Marina Palace hotel. where the participants got their meeting T-shirt and a goody bag with, among other things, Finnish liquorice from Kouvola. After the happy helloes and warm hugs most visitors headed to the restaurant Vaakahuone (“Scale room”) for a very Finnish casual dinner with typical live Finnish melancholic tango music to enhance the dining experience.

Friday the 19th of August – getting to know the City of Turku and the official SYLRA meeting
The official program started on Friday morning with a guided tour around the City of Turku and a visit to Aboa Vetus museum to explore what Turku looked like somewhere in the Middle Ages. The tour ended in the restaurant Oobu, where we enjoyed a tasty lunch with an archipelago touch.
In the evening we gathered together at the local ham radio club OH1AA, where our marvelous hosts were the club master Janne, OH1SDR, Birgitta, OH1YL, and Jouni, OH1CO. The program included the official SYLRA meeting session, Joana’s, DJ5YL, delightful presentation about her and Carsten’s visit in Finland at Christmas time in 2017 and activating the Santa Claus station OJ9X, and of course enjoying grilled sausages and SYLRA cake. The SYLRA meeting call sign OH1SYL was activated by Rosel, Joana, and Linda.

Saturday the 20th of August – cruising to the hometown of the Moomins and the gala dinner
The sun was shining as we gathered in the morning to the peer by the Aura-river. The weather was perfect for our cruise through the beautiful Turku archipelago to Naantali, where we enjoyed again a nice meal, this time at the restaurant Snickari. Some SYLRA members took the opportunity to visit the Muumin Land – home of those white, fluffy fairytail characters by Tove Jansson.
We enjoyed the traditional SYLRA gala dinner at the Marina Palace Hotel. The program included fine dining, some singing, and of course, a ruffle with great prices, such as SYLRA woolen socks hand made by one of SYLRA’s founding members, Maya, OH1MK.

Sunday the 21st of August – farewell time and heading for the pedition
On Sunday it was farewell time with the warm thought of seeing each other next year again, celebrating SYLRA 20 years in Tivoli, Copenhagen. And a group of us headed yet towards new adventures to “pirate island” as Inger named our pedition destination.
Sunday the 21st to Wednesday the 24th of August SYLRA visits Katanpää fortress island
As sunshine turned into pouring rain, Linda G0AJJ, Richard, G6VOV, Rosel, DL3KWR, Hardy, DL3KWF, Inger, OZ7AGR, Bjarne, OZ2UV, Anna, TF3VB, Vala, TF3VD, Anita, OH5FN, and Marita, OH5KIZ, headed towards Kustavi, stopping at Jaska’s, OH1TX, to pick up the transceiver IC-7300 and the antennas. After a short boat ride the wet expedition group entered the Katanpää island, heading first for hot soup at the local restaurant. Eventually rain faded away and the station was set up.
OH1SYL was on the air by all seven YLs from early morning to late night. We had the total of 416 QSOs to 36 countries, including JA and K as the furthest. Along operating the bands, we also had plenty of time to explore the nature and history of the island, and since we were in Finland, we had to visit sauna ja take a swim in the sea.

It was once again great to spend time with you all, in the spirit of our great hobby!
73 & 33,
Marita, OHKIZ/OH5FM