Sunday, December 7, 2014

PA1H on a roll

If you are an avid WWFF chaser you must have noticed a new call sign appearing from PAFF. 

Harry PA1H has been active from no less than 11 references over the last 1,5 months. He has been accompanied by his friend Nico PA7PA on most occasions (so another call you must have worked recently).

Below a couple of pictures from their activities.

Harry PA1H on the radio

Autumn activity @Deelerwoud

Antenna used @PAFF activities



Sunday, November 16, 2014

Active autumn

We were blessed with good weather this autumn. Maybe there is a causal link to the level of activity - as there has been a lot of activity from PAFF this period.

We have seen activities from:

  • Peter DL7VMM activated PAFF-041
  • Axel DL1EBR activated PAFF-071 and 072
  • Hans PE1BVQ activated PAFF-011
  • Harm PC5Z activated PAFF-081 and 082 (both new) 
  • Harry PA1H & Nico PA7PA activated PAFF-071 and 072
  • Jürgen DL2AMT activated PAFF-074
  • Krzystof SP1MVG activated PAFF-013, 070 and 077 (new)
  • Karl DL2XL activated PAFF-007 and 008
Below you can find a few pictures to give you an impression of how these activators operated.

Axel DL1EBR @PAFF-071

Krzystof SP1MVG working from his car
View of SP1MVG's set-up
....
Karl DL2XL working CW QRP
..travelling by bicycle
Jürgen DL2AMT working from his car...
..and a more comfy chair
Harry PA1H with a convenient set-up
..transported by a convenient bike
























Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Updated PAFF Google Maps file

At PAFF we use a Google Maps file to help you find out what the perimeters of the various nature reserves are. We have received a lot of positive comments about this feature. Travelling abroad I have found that finding the exact perimeters can take a lot of time if the local program does not specify them - and you do not want to run the risk of a having your activity declared invalid after putting in the effort.

Imperfect source
The source for our data is ProtectedPlanet (a UN organisation). There is a downside to the data they provide: due to a conversion error their perimeters are about 100m off when plotted on a Google Map. For most areas this is error can be spotted easily as roads or rivers form the perimeter. When the area is more dispersed however, finding out what is part of the reserve and what is not, can become tricky.

A good friend
With the help of a friend (thanks a million!) who specializes in geoinformatics we were able to update the file with perimeter information that fits the real world perfectly. This should prevent any misunderstanding about the location you need be in when you want to activate a PAFF reserve.

Below you can see a picture of an area where the error is easily spotted except for the complex perimeter to the west.

Original and corrected layer of PAFF-058

Some closing notes on validity
For an activity to be valid you must make sure you and all your gear are inside the reserve. For some reserves this means you have to go on foot or on a bicycle. Some reserves are more challenging to activate than others - this is all part of the game. Also, in some reserves a car park or a picknick area might be part of the reserve, but in other cases they might not be. So, do check the maps (we have put in the effort) and make sure you document your location (GPS, picture of your set-up and surroundings).

Sunday, September 7, 2014

PAFF activities in August

In August we have seen activities at PAFF from several OMs, some new to the WWFF program. Four of the recently added nature reserves have been activated this month.

  • Joe DF8KY activated PAFF-043
  • Peter ON2WAB activated PAFF-030
  • Tonnie PA9CW activated PAFF-012 and PAFF-074 (new)
  • Theo PA9RX activated PAFF-075 (new)
  • Peter PD1RP activated PAFF-052 
  • Marcel PG8M activated PAFF-063 and PAFF-086 (new)
  • Lars PH0NO activated PAFF-085 (new)

While a slightly enlarged ON team (ON6QO, ON4LAN, ON5JT, ON5TC, ON5TQ , ON2KMJ and ON8VP) came back to PAFF-015.

Below you can find some pictures and youtube links shared by the activators.


PA9CW working CW from PAFF-074 
PD1RP working phone from PAFF-052
PA9RX's set-up at PAFF-075
PG8M working from PAFF-086
PG8M working from PAFF-063
Using my new slingshot at PAFF-085
There are also Youtube clips from two operations: PA9CW from PAFF-074 and the ON team from PAFF-015.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

New PAFF references live

Good news for all our activators and chasers: PAFF has been expanded with 17 new nature reserves as of today. 

As mentioned in a previous post the areas are:
PAFF-072 Terschelling Friesland
PAFF-073 Ameland Friesland
PAFF-074 Lageland van Texel Noord-Holland
PAFF-075 Westerwolde Groningen
PAFF-076 Ennemaborgh Groningen
PAFF-077 Schokland Flevoland
PAFF-078 Tiengemeten Zuid-Holland
PAFF-079 Broekvelden, Vettenbroek & Polder Stein Zuid-Holland
PAFF-080 Yerseke en Kapelse Moer Zeeland
PAFF-081 Clingse bossen (*) Zeeland
PAFF-082 Margaretha polder (*) Zeeland
PAFF-083 Braakman Noorderbossen (*) Zeeland
PAFF-084 Wallen Retranchement Zeeland
PAFF-085 Rosendael Gelderland
PAFF-086 Doorwerth Gelderland
PAFF-087 Grebbeberg Gelderland
PAFF-088 Rozendaal (Limburg) Limburg

This set creates an even better spread of areas across The Netherlands - especially Zeeland was in need of extra references.  

The three areas indicated with an (*) require some more work to add them to the Google Maps file we compiled as surface information is not readily available. This means you will need to contact us to get details on what the perimeter of the reserve is (as we use it).

Enjoy the chasing or activation of the areas!


Tuesday, July 15, 2014

US0VA revisits PAFF

Igor US0VA was back in The Netherlands and activated PAFF-009 (national park Weerribben-Wieden) during his stay. He logged 178 contacts between July 5 and July 7 using his FT-857 and a vertical antenna.

Below some pictures of his rather convenient set-up in the park.






Friday, July 11, 2014

Activities by ON4AOL, PB7Z, PH0NO and PA3Q

Good weather brings more people out /P

In the last few weeks there were four activities from PAFF:
  • Luc ON4AOL activated Sallandse Heuvelrug - PAFF-016, logging 160 chasers
  • Bernard PB7Z (previously PD7BZ) activated Boswachterij Sleenerzand - PAFF-061 during GreenDay, logging over 200 chasers
  • Lars PH0NO activated De Vuursche - PAFF-054, logging over 200 chasers
  • Wil PA3Q activated Kootwijk - PAFF-035 for his second PAFF activity, logging 21 chasers

Some pictures shared by the activators:

Luc ON4AOL working from a comfortable /P shack at PAFF-016
Bernard PB7Z using a G5RV at PAFF-061
PH0NO's 40m C-Pole antenna at PAFF-054

Wil PA3Q working from Kootwijk (building of Radio Kootwijk in the background)

Wil PA3Q attracted attention from other visitors to the park

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Expanding PAFF

With the help of several PAFF activators we have compiled a list of 17 nature reserves to be added to our current set of references. Most of the added reserves fill in geographical gaps in the current program.

The new set consists of: 
  • Terschelling, Ameland (FR)
  • Lage Land van Texel (NH)
  • Westerwolde, Ennemaborgh (GR)
  • Schokland (FL)
  • Tiengemeten, Broekvelden - Vettenbroek & Polder Stein Nature Conservation Act (ZH)
  • Yerseke en Kapelse Moer, Clingse bossen, Margaretha polder, Braakman Noorderbossen, Wallen Retranchement (ZL)
  • Rosendael, Doorwerth, Grebbeberg (GD)
  • Rozendaal (LB)

As soon as they have been accepted by WWFF the new references will be made available for activation. 

Watch this space....


Sunday, June 15, 2014

First PAFF activity of PD5CL and PD7MDJ

On June 1st Michael PD7MDJ and Corné PD5CL went over to De Biesbosch - PAFF-002 to activate this nature park. It was their first WWFF experience. They logged some 140 contacts on HF and VHF and got some pile-up experience in the running.

The good weather, good band conditions (no QRM for a change) and over-all good experience left the operators with an appetite for more /P activity. So expect to catch them again in the future.


PD5CL working on HF

Michael PD7MDJ on the mic
  
VHF / UHF antenna and a view of the pleasant surroundings
PD7MDJ & PD5CL special QSL

Sunday, May 18, 2014

DL1EBR active from Terschelling

Axel DL1EBR, who usually ends up in my log when I am activating PAFF areas, could be heard working from a PAFF area himself on May 5th.

Axel activated PAFF-071 Boschplaat on the island of Terschelling (EU-038).

The area is a protected nature park that cannot be accessed by car. Axel therefore took a bicycle with a small trailer to get his gear into the park.

Effective transportation @PAFF-071

In two separate activations (May 5 and 7) Axel logged over 130 different chasers. His second attempt was cut short due to roadworks on the bicycle lane through the park - meaning he had to leave before his return path was closed off.

Set-up of DL1EBR on Boschplaat

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

First WWFF activity from PA3Q

Wil PA3Q had his first WWFF / PAFF experience from PAFF-040 - Duinen Vogelenzang. He shot a short video about his experiences and set-up that you can find on YouTube.


Wil PA3Q at the entrance of PAFF-040

With 20w on 40m it took some time before he was spotted. By the time the pile-up grew he ran out of power. In the end he logged 35 contacts. He plans to return to PAFF-040 to increase this number in the future.



PA3Q with a G5RV lite on an 8m mast

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

ON team back @ PAFF-015

This Saturday - April 19 - the ON team consisting of PA/ON8VP/P, PA/ON6QO/P, PA/ON5TC/P and PA/ON5TQ/P will be active once again from Oosterschelde - PAFF-015.
They will use 40, 30, 20, 17 en 15m - mode CW.