End of February 2003. A work sidetrip took me by taxi from Damascus Syria, to Amman Jordan, for only $60. The trip was to be a two hour journey, but took five hours !
From the border, a snow storm blizzard kept us company till downtown Amman. It was impossible for the taxi to reach my hotel.
It took me two days, and two in-between hotels, just to reach my booked hotel ! My two colleagues were just a block away, and still we couldn't get together, not alone start the work.
We needed to install vhf and hf radio equipment in 22 Landcruisers, and time was slipping away. Finally the snow melted, and after three and a half days of installations, the job was done.
Next day back to Damascus.

Happy emotions when it was clear I could get a license in short notice, thanks to Koji san, JM1CAX/JY9NX. I met Koji for the first time at WRTC2002 in Finland !
He welcomed me in his home, where I enjoyed the warm hospitality of his family. They were patient with this clumsy Belgian guy, who was struggling with the chopsticks !

Amman Jordan is pretty expensive, compared to Damascus. Of course the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is well known to hams because of the late King Hussein, JY1.
It was a pleasure and honor to activate this country. During my spare time 2,789 QSOs were made from the JY9NX station, thanks Koji san!

You can do a log search right here :

Click on the photographs to see the enlarged pictures.

	I came from Syria, was going back to Syria, and after would go to Iraq. With this sign I couldn't get lost !
	Arrival in Amman Jordan...and me who thought the Middle East was always bathing in sunshine...
	A LOT of snow came down !
	I've never seen this much of snow in Belgium
	This is JY9NX Koji's vehicle
	Here is a view on his house with the antenna park
	Lisa, Koji's daughter, clearly enjoyed playing in the snow
	UN WFP FITTEST has a lot of amateur radio people in its ranks. Here is Karen (he is a man, yes), EK6KB
	Beautiful view on part of Amman in wintertime
	Koji has been very active from his Amman shack. Surely many of you will find JY9NX in their log
	To give all those QSOs, Koji has build up a pretty impressive antenna park. Some hardware work needed to be done to give JY8WW a chance to have fun at its fullest...nice pileups !
	Lisa came up the roof to inspect Koji's work...he did a fine job
	JY8WW relaxed, what a nice change away from the hectic work
	Lisa and her bear and JY8WW
	Man, I've tried the chopsticks over the years, but I always forget how it is done easily. That didn't prevent me from enjoying the great dinner Koji's xyl prepared, thanks !!
	This is what I came for to Amman. Installation of hf-vhf radio's and antennas in 22 Landcruisers. After the snow melted, with two we managed to set a record breaking effort of finishing the job in three and a half days. They're still talking about it in Dubai...thanks Ozdzan, what a great team we made !