.
I made a promise to a friend that we would go see the
aurora borealis's (the Northern Lights.) This is what happens when talking about a subject stirs up
too much interest in it

, --plus she has never seen one.
So where else but above the Arctic Circle would we choose for us to go ?
We decided on a trip to Svalbard- an unincorporated region administered by Norway- about as far north as civilisation goes.
It will be a place I have never seen-- maybe we will even get eaten by a polar bear
.
............And this week she announced that everything was all arranged--- as she handed back my credit card

(she ran my office, -and my life, -when I was in Washington - a ace at such things- in contrast to my sorry bumblings.)
So today, a hasty look at what there is in Svalbard ham radio-wise I see there is a 2 metre repeater, the callsign prefix is "JW"- there is even a radio club.
Does anyone have any advice about Svalbard for our visit ? Its primarily to see the auroras but if taking a HT along will be worthwhile, that's what we want to know.
Lauri
.