Satellite enthusiasts united: Successful 4th QO-100 user meeting

Satellite enthusiasts united: Successful 4th QO-100 user meeting

July 25, 2024 Off By Peter Gülzow

On June 29, 2024, the fourth QO-100 Usermeeting took place in Friedrichshafen as part of the Ham-Radio Messe 2024 in a tried and tested environment. This year’s theme was “Roving” and thus perfectly matched the motto of the Ham-Radio amateur radio exhibition “Islands on the Air”.

More than 80 satellite enthusiasts met for the 4th QO-100 user meeting

The organizers Nina Riethmüller DL2GRC, Florian Wolters DF2ET and Matthias Bopp DD1US were pleased to see an even larger turnout than last year, with more than 80 participants from 21 countries. Of course, not only QO-100 users were welcome to our colorful evening, but all satellite enthusiasts. We were therefore delighted that many LEO/MEO activists were also present, who had already met at the AMSAT-DL stand on Saturday afternoon (Fig. 1). This provided the opportunity to assign faces to the callsigns worked and to exchange information about the technology used. Some QSL cards were also exchanged directly.

Picture 1: Group photo LEO/MEO Meeting in front of the AMSAT-DL stand

At the beginning of the evening event, Charly DK3ZL, member of the AMSAT-DL board, welcomed all guests.
Nina then presented the logistical conditions and the short program:
5 short presentations on the subject of “Roving”, followed by an award ceremony for the radio amateurs who had given other radio friends the opportunity to work new countries and/or new large fields with their various roving activities (Fig. 2) and the traditional group photo.

Picture 2: Nina DL2GRC prepared the more than 80 participants for the program

The short presentations started with Mikio Mori-san JA3GEP, who presented his two DX expeditions to Christmas Island and Kokos Keeling Islands (Fig. 3). He and his companions used the callsign VK9QO and offered the opportunity to work Kokos Keeling via LEOs and a MEO in addition to QO-100.

Picture 3: Mikio Mori JA3GEP talking about Christmas- and Kokos-Keeling Island

Next, David Bowman G0MRF reported on the recent initial activations of VO1 – Newfoundland on QO-100 by 3 different teams – which arrived there independently within a week of each other. He also presented the results and findings of the other two groups.

This was followed by Eduardo Erlemann PY2RN with an impressive presentation about his trip to Fernando de Noronha, from where he was active as ZY0FUN via QO-100.

Inspired to rove at last year’s QO-100 meeting, Baris Dinc OH2UDS and his wife Burcu Dinc OH2CAV started their roving activities: traveling all over Europe in their motorhome, they showed great pictures especially from Finland. Baris also talked about the difficult conditions of transmitting via QO-100 from the cabin of a ship in the Baltic Sea.

The rover presentations were concluded by Paulo Bauer Jorge F5VMJ. Paul has already activated more than 100 large fields from 9 different countries via QO-100 and ran a great collection of pictures in the background that impressively showed the conditions at the respective activation locations.

Figure 4: Activate G0MRF during VO1 presentation on QO-100…

Later in the evening, “Certificates of recognition for exemplary commitment in the promotion of activities via amateur radio satellites” were also awarded this year.

Not only activities via QO-100, but also via LEO and MEO satellites were taken into account.

On behalf of AMSAT-DL, Charly DK3ZL and Matthias DD1US presented a total of 20 awards (Fig. 5).

Mikio Mori JA3GEP, Patrick Martin A65D, Baris Dinc OH2UDS and Burcu Dinc OH2CAV, Michael Schörnig DH7IF, Michael Lipp HB9WDF, Eduardo Erlemann PY2RN, Hugo Silva CT7AOV and Slavomira Doktorovova CT7ARW, David Bowman G0MRF received corresponding awards, Paulo Bauer Jorge F5VMJ, Olivier Tymkiw HB9GWJ, Stefan Böhler OE9BSJ, Gustavo Schwartz PR8KW, Holger Riethmüller DL8SCU and Nina Riethmüller DL2GRC as well as their son Benni Riethmüller DL4BEN, Aleksandar Tomic YU0W, Torsten Fechner DG7RO and John Chocholaty DK9JC.

Figure 5: AMSAT-DL Award ceremonies 2024

Congratulations to all the recipients of the certificates!

Finally, the traditional group photo was taken (see cover picture), before there was plenty of time to chat in a relaxed atmosphere about the Rover activities carried out and new ones planned, the technology of the radio stations and personal matters with old and new acquaintances.

We are already looking forward to the next QO-100 user meeting, hopefully in 2025.

Vy 55 & 73 de Nina DL2GRC, Florian DF2ET and Matthias DD1US

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