• “Hunt for Santa Claus” Event Gets Under Way on December 21

    From ARRL de WD1CKS@VERT/WLARB to QST on Thu Dec 20 22:32:21 2018
    12/20/2018

    The "Hunt for Santa Claus" (HSC) event will start on Friday, December 21, at 1800 UTC and will end at 2400 UTC on Monday, December 31. Stations should listen for OF9X from north of the Arctic Circle.

    This year, radio operations will be led by "the younger elves," said Martti Laine, OH2BH, who helps spearhead the annual Santa Radio event. Teenagers Niko, OH5CZ; Otava, OH3OT, and Arttu, OH2FB, are heading the mission along with several other young radio operators, while more seasoned elves will "bang the drums in between."

    Working the young ops will be worth 25 points, identifiable by a two-letter X-report. "For example, Niko will give you 59 XN. The regular elves will give you 5 points and a three-letter identity, such as 59 RAI or 59 TIM. The goal is to contact the elves once on each band-mode," Laine explained. The five highest scores from each continent will get certificates.

    "Many have wondered what has happened to old Santa Claus and his communication arm, Santa Radio, OF9X ('Old Father 9 Xmas')," Laine said. "He has not faded away with the poor radio conditions or gotten too old to travel the world for Christmas. All is fine, and Santa Radio is ready to pass on short Christmas messages to people of all ages around the world."

    This year's Santa Radio is organized by Radio Team Mustila, OH5Z; The Radio Club of Pusula, OH9W, and northern Radio Arcala, OH8X, with their associated elves, supported by the Finnish Amateur Radio League (SRAL).





    "Santa's operations are carbon neutral," the Santa Radio announcement said. "We balance our carbon footprint and believe that all institutions and individuals with sufficient means ought to consider doing the same. We trust our fellow Amateur Radio operators to be good citizens, and we value honest dedication to promote local and global social good." The Prime Minister of Finland, Mr. Juha Sipilä has endorsed this initiative as a first of its kind.

    "The global Amateur Radio community is uniquely positioned to share information about these steps needed in mitigating climate change," Sipilä said.

    Radio Arcala, OH8X, has partnered with the Norwegian Worldview International Foundation[1] in its mission to restore the mangrove forests in Asia. More information[2] on this and the HSC event is available on the OF9X QRZ.com profile. - Thanks to Martti Laine, OH2BH

     


    [1] http://www.wif.care/
    [2] https://www.qrz.com/lookup/of9x

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