Alpspitze & Hochblassen activated

The via-ferrata to the Alpspitze, DL/WS-022 had been on my list for a long time. Recently I bought a new Salewa set I was keen to try out as soon as possible. I was just waiting for a sunny and stable weather to climb the Alpspitze, and the perfect weather came on Sunday, July 26, 2009.

Stefan, Dzianis, Maria and instructor Leo after climbing

We completed a short training with the DAV Summit Club one day before, on Saturday, July 25. Maria climbed her first via ferrata like someone who climbed dozens of them. She enjoyed the training very much and I hope she would like to accompany me next time.

Next morning I packet my VHF/UHF Kennwood Handy together with the set and a lunch box in the rucksack and started driving towards Garmisch Partenkirchen...

There were a few people as I arrived at the summit at 9:40 a.m. but just one hour later the top was mercilessly overcrowded.

Dzianis, DD1LD on the Alpspitze (DL/WS-022), 2629m high, with the Zugspitze in the background

Six QSO (and even S2S one with OE5PEN/p) on 2 meters in FM came in my log and I went on to scale the Hochblassen (DL/WS-020) and to try climbing the Jubiläumsgrat. I was enjoying the great weather and fantastic views all way long.

Just arrived at the Alpspitze in the morning

The weather could not have been better

The Hochblassen (on the left) waiting for its first activation,
the Jubiläumsgrat (on the right) is a very imposant, long and exposed ridge

Are there ants on the stone? No, these are climbers overcrowded the summit!

The Hochblassen is a very hard nut to crack und requires extremely good alpine experience. I found the entrance to the Jubiläumsgrat at the third attempt. Frankly speaking I was operating just under 2700m close to the summit like the alpine SOTA rules allowed as I meet a couple of tough climbers finishing their “stroll” along the Jubiläumsgrat and talk to them for a while. I will try the crossing next year... hopefully not alone. The activation succeeded by 6 QSOs on 2m FM.

I chose the way back through the Grießkar avoiding hordes of "tourists" flooding the Höllental

Only "nonSOTA" mountain goats bore my company

I decided to descend via the Grießkar to avoid hordes of climbers flooding the Höllental and eventually pick up the Kreuzjoch (DL/WS-037) on my way back. It was a long lonesome walk through the impressive kar and via Bernadeinsteig passing the idyllic Stuibensee. Last six FM QSOs came in log on 2m as I made the side trip to the Kreuzeck.

The Stuibensee at 1921m altitude

The scenic Wetterstein (actually I was over there, too)

It was an excellent day culminating in 18 relaxed QSOs!

Ham Radio Week 2009

Here are some extracts from my journey book...

Ham Radio Week, 25-28 June 2009

Thursday. I packed my car with all the necessary stuff I could need for Ham Radio and, naturally, I didn't forget my both portable stations. I left Munich in the morning surrounded with heavy rain clouds but as I drove near to the Bodensee the weather became quite pleasant to activate one more summits. I chosen OE/VB-111 and OE/VB-512 due to their proximity to F’Hafen and due to a great view down to the Bodensee...

...I was looking for a nice flat place for operating on the Pfänder, OE/VB-512. And I found a suitable one, but I saw someone’s portable mast with a stretched dipole. Aha! There was a guy setting up his station for SOTA, who could it be? “Hi, I’m DD1LD”. “Hi, OE8SPW…” Paul was kind enough to let me use his station and I started CQuing. I made a couple of QSO, gave QRX and left Paul alone struggling with the pileup. “See you tomorrow Paul”. “Sure...”

Paul OE8SPW struggling with pileup on the Pfänder, OE/VB-512

Friday. I just laid the last SOTA Flyers on the table as I saw the first international SOTA guest at the booth – Milos S57D came to visit us already in the morning and dropped a couple of lines in the guest book. The second “guest” was Algäuer Regional Manager Bernhard DL4CW followed by Axel DL6KVA...

...A couple of hours later two GMA team members arrived at the booth with new GMA flyers and SOTA/GMA stickers. I would like to express my personal gratitude to them! Hagen DG4PB and me had a long discussion about GMA in general and possibilities for collaboration between SOTA and GMA...

...As announced Phil G4OBK, Andy MM0FMF and Daryl G0ANV turned up at the booth and they were already expected...

.. I made a loop in the pavilion A1 and was quite surprised to see the Slovenian booth with a huge SOTA logo. No doubt, Slovenians are “very active” activators...

...The international get-together succeeded. I personally was very glad to see many “Bergfunkfreunde” at the booth chatting with each other. I guess there were around 30 persons at the booth. Anyway, one case of Bavarian beer and one of “Apfelschorle” were empted with success, too!...

...As I asked Ruda, OK2QA what he was going to do tomorrow he promptly answered “I’m going to activate a summit near to F'Hafen...”

...In the evening Gerd DF9TS, Andy DL2DVE (both alpine regional managers) and me had supper in the fresh air close to the Gehrenberg DM/BW-348 sitting in the sun and enjoying a great view to the Bodensee. After that I activated this summit in FM doing some publicity for SOTA for half an hour. Let’s see, how many times the Gehrenberg and the Pfänder were activated during Ham Radio 2009...

Records in the guestbook: DD1LD, S57D, DL4CW, DL6KVA, OE7PHI, DL1DVE, DL3VTA, DF5WA, DJ5PN, F5NHJ, DF9TS, DG4PB, OE5EEP, OE9GWI, HB9AFI, DJ8LD, DL1FU, MM0FMF, G4OBK, G0ANV, HB9DOT, OK2QA, DG6TOM, DJ5AV, DL2LUX

Saturday. The SOTA-DM Manager Andy DL2LUX appeared at the booth and brought fresh supplies of SOTA flyers. After I had a little talk with him I got going again to find Alain F6ENO. Finally I succeed, many thanks to Alain for taking time for these very long discussions...

...“Wanted” Steve G1INK finally turned up at the booth and wrote a few lines into the guestbook. We very liked Steve’s record “Vote YES for P100!!!”...

Steve G1INK, Andy DL2LUX und Dzianis DD1LD at the booth

...The Bergfunkers lunch was well attended. Phil G4OBK joined the lunch with his “taff” XYL Judy accompanying him on his recent SOTA tours. It was a pleasure to have with us Fritz, DL1FU in a very good mood. Berthold DF5WA came with his son Andreas DJ5PN...

Bergfunker lunch was well attended

Records in the guestbook: OE8SPW, F6ENO, OE5DIN, HB9BRJ, IZ0EWJ, DL4FDM, G1INK, DJ2GMS, DO1DJJ, HA5AZC, DL3JPN, DL3VTA, DL5MEL, HB9BAB, and we also saw a brand new QSL OE/G4OBK/p

Sunday. The last SOTA and GMA flyers and stickers were “out of stock”...

...I meet the SOTA-OE manager Christian, OE1CWA and a part of his team. We were talking about the current situation in the Alps and about common activation days/weekends...

...The guest book was still growing with QSL cards, photos and entries. I found a nice picture of DL5MEL and his horse Jacky who both activated the Orensberg according to the new SOTA General Rules...

Records in the guestbook: HB9BGG, OE1CWA, OE9WLJ, OE9HGV, OE9RWV

Summary.

Now I can recognize many activators and chasers by face if I come across them. It’s really great to personally meet all those people with whom I made hundreds of QSO but never saw before.

The international SOTA community is growing. There were many newcomers who would like to start with SOTA/GMA...

In conclusion, I would like to thank the DARC Committee for DX and HF-Contesting for their support and great ham spirit! And many thanks to all of you who dropped in at our SOTA corner!

See you at Ham Radio 2010!

73 de Dzianis, DD1LD