Iceland - NOT amateur radio

We visited Iceland some years ago and were surprised. We had expected a barren land, but most was green and beautiful. There were lupins everywhere. 

Iceland - NOT amateur radio

 

10 years ago we went to Iceland for a holiday. We expected it to be barren, but it was green and beautiful with lots of wild lupins. This was the church at Vik. 

Northern Iceland - NOT amateur radio

Some years ago we had a great holiday in Iceland. The weather was very good and we were surprised by how green it was. There were lots of wild lupins.

The photo shows northern Iceland. It was one of the nicest places I have ever been to. 

4m in Iceland

Southgate News reports that Iceland has 2 years access to parts of the 4m band until December 2022. Iceland is definitely an Es hop from the UK. On 10m I have heard Icelandic stations at incredible strength indicating that the would have been workable with milliwatts.

See http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/december/iceland-authorization-for-70=mhz-allocation-renewed.htm#.X9DoG2iTLrc

Iceland church - NOT amateur radio

We went to Iceland for a holiday in 2011, not knowing what to expect. We thought it would be barren, but instead it was green mostly with lots of lupins to be seen. We very much liked it.

Several churches were seen, often heated geothermally, including the one in the photo.

If you get a chance, do go there. When we went in August, it was not cold. In fact in one of the towns in the north people took off their shirts!

Iceland - NOT amateur radio

Some years ago now we visited Iceland and were surprised just how beautiful it was. The photo shows where the first Icelandic parliament was held. I think this was 960AD.  This is on a fault line. There were lupins everywhere.

France v. Iceland UEFA 2016 - NOT amateur radio

As hosts I want France to win the football, but I have the greatest respect for little Iceland. We had one of our best holidays ever in Iceland a few years ago. It was a beautiful place, and nothing like as barren as we had expected. There were lupins everywhere and the people were kind and friendly. At halftime France were 4:0 up so it looks like France will win.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupinus .

Iceland get the new MF band

Icelandic radio amateurs have been granted access to 472-479 kHz and temporary permits for 1850-1900kHz, 5.260-5.410 MHz 70.000-70.200 MHz have been extended.

Near miss in Iceland

Late last week we crossed a 120m long bridge on the main Route 1 road in southern Iceland 3 times travelling to and from the small village of Vik. 24 hours later this bridge was completely destroyed when the dangerous Katla volcano had a minor eruption under the Myrdalsjoekull glacier sending melted ice and water rushing down to the sea with great force. We were so close to being on that bridge. See http://http.ruv.straumar.is/static.ruv.is/vefur/Katla_fyrir_net.wmv .

When Katla explodes seriously (it is overdue and has been stirring recently) it is likely to cause massive devastation in South Iceland and the fallout may well affect the world's weather for years (a bit like a nuclear winter) as was the case in past large eruptions. Be afraid, be very afraid...

Iceland

Currently on holiday in Iceland enjoying some spectacular scenery on the journey around the island by car. No radio gear - just enjoying the landscape, birds and people.

Iceland get big 500kHz allocation

493-510 kHz has been granted on a secondary basis to amateurs in Iceland with a power limit of 100W. In addition, 60m and 4m allocations have also been confirmed.

Volcanic ash and propagation

My son, his wife and 1 year old son are currently stuck in Los Angeles: all came down with a virus and were unable to travel back to the UK after a 2 week holiday. Not that they could have flown anyway, because all the planes were cancelled as a result of the Icelandic volanic ash. They are now stuck there until May 1st, the next available flight, and that is assuming the volcanic ash is not an issue then.

An upside of the flight ban are the beautifully clear blue skies in the UK completely devoid of vapour trails for days now. Not sure what effect, if any, this has on VHF/UHF tropo or even sporadic-E conditions.

Icelandic fireworks - lots more to come?

Volcanic activity on Iceland appears to be getting worse with more activity recently. Disruption to air flights in the N.Atlantic may become more common. See this article in New Scientist.

Iceland to get 500kHz band for 1 year

Hams in Iceland have been given access, by special permits, to the 493-510kHz band until the end of the year with a power limit if 100W.

Optical DXing - mirages

Andy Young has an excellent page about optical mirages which is worth reading. Land has been seen hundreds of kms over the horizon as a result of this phenomenon. Indeed there is some evidence that the discovery of Greenland may have been as a result of a mirage off the coast of Iceland. I'm not aware of radio amateurs exploiting fleeting mirages for optical frequency laser DXing.