PA – Maastricht, Netherlands

Dates: 23 to 24 June 2015

Callsign: PA/WJ2O and PA/K2KAR

PA – Maastricht, Netherlands 2024-04-10T21:08:59-05:00

The Netherlands was the second of 9 DXCC Entities that we visited during our Central Europe Trip. Total QSO Statistics for Netherlands can be seen here.

Maastricht, Netherlands

Kasteel de Hoogenweerth in Maastricht, Netherlands.

Kasteel De Hoogenweerth

We left Bad Ems, Germany very early in the morning, so we made it to Maastricht before our room was ready. We took some time to look around and take pictures of the castle.

Kasteel De Hoogenweerth

Kasteel De Hoogenweerth from outside

Kasteel De Hoogenweerth parking lot

Kasteel De Hoogenweerth outside

Kasteel De Hoogenweerth Love sign

Garden in Kasteel De Hoogenweerth

Kasteel De Hoogenweerth

Outside view of Kasteel De Hoogenweerth

 

First QSOs in the Netherlands

Still waiting for our room, we set up with the antenna at the edge of the castle property.

First QSOs in the Netherlands

QSOs in the Netherlands

 

The “I Love Paris” Suite

We finally got our room. First order of business… take a nap. That is, if the noisy peacock will let us.

Kitchen

Kasteel De Hoogenweerth rooms

Kasteel De Hoogenweerth bed room

Kasteel De Hoogenweerth Bed

Inside of Kasteel De Hoogenweerth

Kasteel De Hoogenweerth room

Kasteel De Hoogenweerth wall art

 

Second attempt at making QSOs

After a good nap and before dinner, we wanted to try to make some more contacts while in the Netherlands.

Hoisting the telescopic antenna

Hoisting the telescopic antenna. We drove outside of town and parked the car in a wheat field.

Hoisting the telescopic antenna on the car

We had everything going for us except band conditions.

fruit trees

What kind of fruit is growing on these trees? The car was parked across the road from some fruit trees. We had to get a closer look because we could not figure out what kind of fruit it was.

fruit trees

We had a brief period of semi-sun, but it was still a little chilly.

 

Dinner at SOFA

SOFA restaurant in Kasteel De Hoogenweerth

SOFA is the restaurant located on the grounds of the Kasteel De Hoogenweerth

Friuli Colli Orientali Pinot Grigio

Friuli Colli Orientali Pinot Grigio from the Visintini winery in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine region of Northern Italy-

Drinking wine

 

Early morning activity while Karen sleeps

Dinner in Netherlands

After Dinner in Netherlands

parking lot

Dave, WJ2O, was awake and on the air early in the morning while Karen, K2KAR, was still asleep.

 

Breakfast in our suite

breakfast in Netherlands

Monstrous in-room breakfast in Netherlands The breakfast tray consisted of many breads, meats, and cheeses, soft boiled eggs, yogurt, fruit, and pastries. There were even chocolate and rainbow sprinkles to put on your toast!

breakfast in Netherlands

PA/WJ2O and PA/K2KAR QSL Card

PA/WJ2O and PA/K2KAR QSL Card front
PA/WJ2O and PA/K2KAR QSL Card back

QSL By: KB3IFH

CEPT Licensing Agreement

With the understanding of how the CEPT Licensing Agreementworks, we assigned ourselves the callsigns PA/WJ2O and PA/K2KAR.

Dave, WJ2O in car

Dave, WJ2O, operating at Kasteel de Hoogenweerth in Maastricht, Netherlands.

The mobile set-up:

Connection to the battery

Connection to the battery

Connection to the battery

Connection to the battery

Tarheel telescoping antenna

Tarheel telescoping antenna attached to trunk lip

Tarheel telescoping antenna on car

Travel Route

Maastricht, Netherlands is the second stop on our Central Europe Trip.

Driving across the border into Netherlands

Driving across the border into Netherlands