by Jari Perkiömäki OH6BG

The dream of a joint DXpedition to Kosovo, first sparked way back in late 2018, finally sprang to life on May 20-30, 2025, for Finnish radio amateurs Anne (OH2YL, operating as Z68YL) and Marko (OH2LGW/ON9MP, operating as Z68OM). After COVID-19 delays and even a work-related postponement for Marko (which saw Anne embark on a solo mission to Liechtenstein in April 2024 as HB0/OH2YL), the stars aligned for a thrilling ten-day operating blitz from the heart of the Balkans.

”It felt like an eternity in the making!” Marko shared, ”but we were absolutely driven to light up the bands with Z6 for hams everywhere.” And they weren’t just making contacts; they were delivering the QSLs at lightning speed: every QSO uploaded to Logbook of the World (LoTW) within 24 hours – no waiting, no fees!

The Long Road to Pristina

Planning for this particular adventure kicked into high gear in spring 2024, with the duo navigating work schedules to carve out a precious window in late May 2025. Add travel days from two different countries (Anne from Finland, Marko from Belgium), plus essential setup and teardown time, and it was a significant undertaking. Anne even found herself patiently waiting for Marko’s arrival over a weekend just north of Pristina.

But no DXpedition is a two-person show. An ”exceptional support team,” as Anne and Marko call them, was assembled. Martti OH2BH provided crucial initial support, while local ham Driton Z61DX was their invaluable man on the ground in Kosovo. Back in Finland, Jari OH6QU and Jari OH6BG offered vital technical assistance and crunched HF propagation forecasts, even monitoring their transmissions in real-time. ”Their guidance on band openings and quick troubleshooting was absolutely first-class,” they say. ”We couldn’t have done it without them.”

Operating with two stations sharing antennas, they cleverly implemented a shift system. ”We made sure each of us got a full 8-hour sleep every other night,” Anne explains. ”It helped manage the sleep debt, though there was still plenty of that!”

The QTH: Beauty and the Beast(s)

Finding the perfect operating spot is always a challenge. Their initial find looked promising online, but a pre-expedition scout by Driton Z61DX revealed a cramped yard. Panic? A little. But a new, even better QTH was quickly secured just 3km (or 2 miles) away, located at a lofty 1200 meters (or 4000 ft) above sea level. ”The location was fantastic for working Japan and the USA, our main targets,” Marko noted. ”And having a restaurant with excellent, affordable food just across the road was a definite bonus!”

However, this idyllic spot came with its own unique set of challenges. As Anne bluntly puts it: ”Animals just roam everywhere!” The spacious surroundings, perfect for antenna setups, were also prime grazing land for herds of cows and sheep.

When Cows Attack

DXpeditions usually come with unexpected hurdles. For Anne and Marko, these included strong winds (which snapped a dipole support pole), the ever-present QRM, and a few power cuts. ”We had a generator for the first long outage,” Marko recalls, ”but Murphy’s Law dictated it wasn’t on site for the next five-hour blackout!”

But the cows… oh, the cows. Anne’s brief summary: ”Cows love coax!” Early in the DXpedition, during one of Anne’s SSB shifts, they heard distinct mooing very close by. ”Suddenly, the SPE amplifier screamed with a high SWR alarm, and the radio went dead!” Marko says. Racing outside, they found a herd of cows inside their antenna field. The damage? Two critical feedlines – for the EFHW wire antenna and the 6M dipole – had been chewed clean through.

”For a moment, we were speechless,” Anne admits. ”With limited spare cable, we genuinely thought, ’Is this the end of the DXpedition?'”

But Finnish ”Sisu” (grit and perseverance) kicked in. They recalculated their cable runs, and Marko managed to repair the EFHW feedline. The 60M dipole cable was thankfully intact. A new ”OH2YL special” vertical was quickly put up in a (supposedly) fenced-off area. The 6M operations had to shift to the less-than-ideal EFHW. Their friendly landlord, a true hero, even provided protective piping for the cables.

The animal adventures didn’t end there. Despite the new vertical being in a 20m x 10m (65ft x 33ft) ”protected” area, the cows found a way in and destroyed the vertical’s ground radials. So much for that vertical! Even local youths on dirt bikes and ATVs added to the QTH’s lively atmosphere, making Anne and Marko ”local celebrities,” as Anne heard in the nearby restaurant. This fame even led to a tense moment when an uninformed co-landowner demanded they leave, a situation thankfully resolved with the help of their landlord and a translation app.

The high QRM levels, likely made worse by ”Chinese LED lights” as Anne suspects, plagued their operation. ”CW was pretty much impossible,” she states, with noise levels often hitting S5-S9. The 160M band was restricted to FT8 only due to the S9 noise. ”And 6 meters,” Marko adds, ”was a game of long, tedious watchful waiting, which definitely ate into our total QSO count.”

Triumph Over Tribulation

Despite these beefy battles and technical gremlins, the DXpedition was a resounding success. Marko, focusing Z68OM more on the HF bands for SSB, was pleased. ”The sunspots were in our favour, and despite the heavy noise levels, we made good headway on our target bands.”

The long, tedious watches on 6 meters eventually paid off, with Marko reporting ”a few good openings, which gave many radio amateurs a new country from Kosovo.” And Anne’s thrilling update towards the end: ”Just a couple of hours away from 10,000 QSOs!” – a sign of their relentless operating.

Reflections from the Field

For Marko, the DXpedition was a rich learning experience. ”What is the philosophy and practice of DXpeditions?” he ponders. ”There are so many dimensions: how to consider your ’customers’; building a support team; ensuring team cohesion; balancing high QSO rates with working difficult bands; managing energy on a longer trip; QTH selection; logistics; and leveraging technology like LoTW, ClubLog, and digital modes. And, of course, tracking and exploiting radio conditions.”

Anne’s take is characteristically direct and heartfelt: ”It was certainly eventful! The initial disappointment [from the setbacks] turned into the joy of survival. Luckily Marko was here – together, we can endure anything! That’s Finnish Sisu for you!”

Kosovo: A DXer’s Delight

Both Anne and Marko found Kosovo to be a welcoming place. ”The price level is great, and the people are incredibly friendly,” Marko notes. ”The timing in May was good, and the licensing process is straightforward, especially with local amateur radio support.” He adds, ”Z6-Kosovo seems to be a good DXpedition destination; contacts come easily. Of course,” he winks, ”having a YL operator certainly has its own draw!” They were also pleased that there was no deliberate QRM.

The sun cooperated, minimizing ionospheric disturbances and blessing them with that crucial 6M opening. They were also spared thunderstorms, which would have shut them down completely.

As they packed up, leaving some spare cables and antennas with Driton due to overweight baggage, the sentiment was clear. Would they return? Anne answers with a smile: ”Yes! But definitely no cows on a nearby pasture next time!”

The Z68YL/Z68OM DXpedition is a classic tale of ham radio adventure: meticulous planning, (un)expected chaos, technical cleverness, the vital support of a local and global community, and the sheer joy of putting a sought-after entity on the air. As Anne says, ”This was quite the holiday this time! Thank you Kosovo, thank you everyone!” And to Anne and Marko, the amateur radio world says ”Kiitos!”

Statistics

Total Qs: 9801, Unique Qs: 4603, Countries: 117

SUMMARY