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 Previous: The K7RA Solar Update |  Next: Surfin': Raising Aluminum |
By Henryk Kotowski, SM0JHF
May 28, 2004
After enduring political and economic change, Poland is rapidly becoming an Amateur Radio superpower.
 Chris, SP7GIQ, a self-made contester and antenna maintenance guy, has just finished replacing some parts on his 40 meter quad. |
 Michal, SP5CJT, made his first moonbounce attemps with his brother Paul, SP5CIC (now WA6PY), from Poland in the early 1970s. |
 Very active in his local club, Leszek, SP2WKB, from Bydgoszcz, is 27 years old and gets inspiration from Kazik, SP2FAX. |
 Andrzej, SP5AHT, is the editor of Swiat Radio--now the official journal of the PZK and the only full color magazine devoted to SP Amateur Radio. His young son proves that a Yaesu FT-817 will put a smile on anybody's face. |
 Team Poland at WRTC 2002 in Finland--Bogdan, SP3RBR; Andrzej, SP8NR; Chris, SP7GIQ, and Kazik, SP2FAX. |
Browsing the results of 2003 IARU HF Championship, announced in February 2004 QST, one cannot avoid catching sight of the number of logs submitted from Poland. A total of 22 percent of all European logs came from Poland--241 logs. The national Amateur Radio organization, Polski Związek Krótkofalowców (PZK), has approximately 2500 members, so almost 10 percent of them participated in this unique contest and submitted their logs. The Headquarters station, SN0HQ, logged over 15,000 QSOs from a dozen locations with the participation of over 50 of the country's most proficient operators.
I lived the first 30 years of my life in Poland so I have certain amount of interest and a relation to Polish events and news, in particular those pertaining to Amateur Radio. Judging by its involvement in the IARU HF Championship and many other spheres of our hobby, Poland is today a superpower in ham radio.
The number of licenses is growing in Poland, and now exceeds 16,000. It is no longer compulsory to belong to an organization, as it was prior to 1989. There were then hundreds of Amateur Radio clubs coordinated by three entities: PZK, the scouts and the National Defense League. Although the overall level of education in theory and practical operating techniques was good, suitable equipment was very difficult to get. After drastic changes of politics and economics in early 1990s, the number of clubs has declined but almost anyone can afford to buy a piece or two of modern equipment. The result is an army of well-trained and well-equipped Amateur Radio operators in Poland.
There are a few contest fanatics who have created top-ranking antenna farms and make winning scores, alone or with friends. Two teams from Poland participated in the WRTC 2002 games. The SP DX Contest (organized jointly by the PZK and SP DX Club) on the first weekend of April attracts hundreds of contestants from all over the world. The number of SP stations in this 24 hour event is on the rise. Some short, one-letter-suffix call signs were assigned for contest use in the mid 1990s. Today anyone can apply for a one-letter suffix vanity call sign. The prefixes used for Amateur Radio in Poland are mainly SP, SQ, SN, SO, and rarely HF and 3Z. The SR prefix is used for repeaters.
Chasing DX has always been popular in Poland. Well over 200 members of the SP DX Club have contacted 300 DXCC entities or more. A couple of hundred members usually gather at the annual club meeting during a weekend in September. One of the top rankings in The DXCC Challenge--a competition that requires a lot of patience and experience--is held by Ryszard, SP5EWY.
More and more SP hams travel to exotic spots to work or for pleasure, and take the opportunity to get on the air. In recent years, several Polish DXpedtions to Pacific islands or Polar regions have taken place. A large number of Polish-speaking hams, scattered all over the world, keep in touch with friends and families at home through Amateur Radio. The most popular calling frequency is 14.273 MHz.
Advanced technologies are not yet widespread. The lack of modern electronics industry and access to components and instruments makes it very arduous to assemble a moonbounce station, for example. Digital modes are easier to implement, as computers are popular and inexpensive.
I present here some of the hams active today in Poland.
 An informal meeting at the home of Ryszard, SP5EWY. From the left: SP5BR, SP5EAQ, SP5ENA, SP5DRH and Ryszard, SP5EWY |
 A multioperator effort from Kazik, SP2FAX's station. Przemek, SP7VC, is in the foreground. Waldemar, SM0TQX (ex-SP5DZJ), in the center is visiting from Sweden. The boss, Kazik is in the background. |
 The SP5GRM 15 meter array in the town of Sierpc. |
 Chris, SP7GIQ, standing next to his low-band vertical. Chris is a quad antenna aficionado--as evident in the background. |
| Previous: The K7RA Solar Update | Next: Surfin': Raising Aluminum |
