I met Peter, OH5NQ, in 1972 through our common interest in amateur radio. In 1976, he helped me arrange to live and work in Finland for half a year. We have kept in touch ever since, and this was my fifth trip back to Finland to visit him. I arranged to come during a major radio contest in late October.

With Peter, OH5NQ

Although Peter and his wife live in Helsinki, his family owns a property, called Mustila, about 100 km to the northeast, not far from the Russian border. It has been in the family for generations. Peter has some interesting stories about growing up there during World War Two.

Peter's House, built in 1754

Peter's grandfather was interested in forestry, and established a huge arboretum at Mustila. Peter has added a large number of rhododendrons and azaleas, which were in bloom when Bonnie and I visited in the summer of 2017. The arboretum is a popular tourist spot in the summer.

The Mustila Arboretum, Established by Peter's Grandfather

Long ago, Peter set up a huge amateur radio station at Mustila, in an old chicken coop just up the hill from his house. There are two gigantic rotating towers bristling with antennas. One of the towers is new, as the old one came down in a storm last year. During contests, they usually use the callsign OH5Z.

Contest Operation at OH5Z

Peter has recruited a great crew of radio operators, some of whom also built and maintain the station. Many of them were frantically working all day Friday to get things set up for the contest. When the contest started at 3 AM, things weren't quite ready, but some of the operators got going, while others continued to work on setting up. Despite that, many of them spent most of the next 48 hours operating, with little sleep.

Contest Operation at OH5Z

Of course, Peter himself did a lot of the prime-time operating.

Contest Operation at OH5Z

Peter Operating at OH5Z

Peter Operating at OH5Z

OH5Z Antennas

OH5Z Antennas

One advantage radio hams have in much of Finland is that there's no need to dig holes to anchor guy wires for the towers: Most of the country is solid rock, so they just drill a hole and put in the anchor. They're not going anywhere.

Guy Anchors in Rock

Peter and I had a brief interlude during the contest, when his son asked us to help carry his share of a moose into his house so he could cut it up. We thought it weighed about 40 kg. It's in the freezer now.

Peter's Son's Part of the Moose

When Bonnie and I visited in the summer, the coffee shop and nearby winery and garden shop were open. Except for a bunch of radio guys, the place is pretty well deserted in late October.

Summer Coffee Shop at the Mustila Arboretum

During our summer visit last year, we stayed in Peter's daughter's apartment, part of another old building just across from his house.

Mustila Building with Peter's Daughter's Apartment

Nearby is this hexagonal gazebo, all closed up for the winter.

Mustila Gazebo

Peter has set up a little radio station in the house, so he doesn't have to hike up the hill every time he wants to get on the radio. For the second time, I helped him put up his receiving antenna near the house. (This time we didn't get the wires nearly as badly tangled as the first time. It wasn't snowing this time, either, which may have helped.)

Peter's K9AY Receiving Antenna

Just across the highway is a hill with an observation tower on top. You can barely see Peter's towers, but it gives an idea of how tall they are.

A Distant View of Peter's Two 60 Meter Towers

Despite the climate, there really is some agriculture in Finland.

Finnish Farm Scenery with Winter Wheat

At the latitude of Mustila, the winter sun barely rises above the horizon. It will be even lower in December. It's a nuisance on clear days, as it's always in your eyes.

The Mid-day Sun in Late October at 61 Degrees North

On my last day at Mustila, the lighting made for a great view of the towers.

A Final View of Peter's Two Towers