Triple 1x2 Activation in Allgäu: DLFF-0230 and OE/TI-622 & DL/AL-061

Preparation, July 4th, 2020. 

I was constantly looking for an opportunity to do some high alpine SOTA activations in Allgäu. The weather forecast for Sunday was nice and suitable for a longer bike & hike tour, so I was targeting at least two 10-pointers in the Allgäuer Hochalpen, DLFF-0230. The Großer Wilder, OE/TI-622 and Kleiner Wilder, DL/AL-024 were waiting long enough for the first activation. The Schneck, DL/AL-061 was activated by only 18 QSOs in 2008, and fewer than 50 QSOs were filed in the WWFF database for DLFF-0230. So, there was a lot of potential for a nice pile-up! 

My plan was to activate the Großer Wilder, OE/TI-622 first, and then the Schneck, DL/AL-061 by 132 QSOs to get 3x WWFF activator points. I started preparations on Saturday morning. It was only on Saturday evening that I realized I needed new hiking shoes and was lucky enough to buy a pair just before the local shop closed. It was probably the fastest purchase of hiking shoes in my life - all in 15 minutes.  And, yes, the shoes endured the tour, which wasn't always the case.

Activation. July 5th, 2020. 

Our one year old Norwin slept restlessly and woke me up shortly before 4 a.m. / 2:00 UTC. I made a big coffee, checked my backpack, and sneaked out of the house. It took me about 2 hours by car to get to the parking lot Oybele-Halle (840m) in Oberstdorf. I started moving at 4:30 UTC and reached the Käseralpe (1400 m) by bike in less than an hour. 2 and 1/4 hours later I reached the north peak of the Großer Wilder (2370 m) and I logged in the summit book at 7:45 UTC.  I really missed wild climbing this year, so I really enjoyed it (degree of difficulty: II UIAA) today as well as wonderful views over the Allgäu High Alps.  On the way to the Himmeleck saddle (~1 hour from the Käseralpe) I met some curious and fearless chamois.
 

 

Short break and signing in the summit book on the north peak of the Großer Wilder (2370 m). 

For a short while I enjoyed the loneliness on the summit.

The green mountain in the background is the Schneck (2269 m), DL/AL-061. 

After a short break and as soon as some other climbers arrived I continued to the middle/main peak of the Großer Wilder (2379m). 

 

 View from the main peak (2379m) to the north peak (2370m) of the Großer Wilder. 

 The north ridge walk was great fun! 

 The green mountain in the background is the Schneck (2269 m), DL/AL-061. 

 After a quick luncheon I set up my /P station and went on the air from OE/TI-622 at 8:30 UTC. The propagation conditions were good so I made 22 QSOs on 20m and 60 QSOs on 30m in CW in ~1 1/4 hour of uptime. From strategic point of view, and also to avoid dupes for the WWFF activation, I decided to keep 40m band for the later activation of the Schneck, DL/AL-061.

 

 My operating spot on the the Großer Wilder (2379m), OE/TI-622.  The Hochvogel (2593m),
DL/AL-030 on the right in the background. 

I QRTed at 9:45 QTC with 82 QSOs in my log and went back to the Himmeleck saddle (2000m) through the Gamswanne (Chamois Tub). It required some climbling (degree of difficulty: I(+) UIAA) and more importantly, good orientation skills. I just realized again why I love solo climbing so much, it is a unique opportunity to spend time with yourself, and learn how to deal with yourself, and how to touch your own limits. I just felt great!

 

 I had to find my way back to the to the Himmeleck saddle (2000m) through the Gamswanne. 

There is no marking and no path. The Schneck (2269 m), DL/AL-061 is in the background.

I had to regain some height again to lose it again at the saddle. I arrived at the Schneck (2269m) and logged in the summit book at 11:15 UTC. The transition to the main peak is very exposed over a rocky edge (difficulty level: I UIAA), so almost all normal hikers avoid climbing the main summit.

 

 Climbing the main peak of the Schneck. The difficulty level is I UIAA. 

The weather changed to cloudy and windy.

Good for me! I was good on time, I announced the second activation for 12:00 UTC. I spent about half an hour enjoying everything around me, except for a few rare climbers, then started setting up my shack in the nature. The first QSO was logged on 40m at 11:55 UTC. I had a nice run on 40m and made 41 QSOs in ~35min of uptime. The pileup died quickly away. Then, I needed almost the same amount of time to collect 20 more QSOs while switching between 20, 30 and 40m.

 

 My operating schack in the nature on the main peak of the Schneck (2269m), DL/AL-061.

The Höfats, DL/AL-055 in the background. 

 Loneliness in the late afternoon...

As usual, the band change took some time, and I felt like I was missing some familiar WWFF callsigns in my log. Unfortunately I had no LTE connection and wasn't able to spot myself or check for spots. At home I realized that I was spotted in the SOTAwatch but not in the WWFFwatch cluster. For any reasons, the WWFFwatch didn't pickup my RBN spots... Well, I collected 61 QSOs in 1 and 1/4 hours and QRTed at 13:15 UTC. The mission was complete with 143 QSOs in CW.  

As far as I remember I arrived at the parking slot at ~15:00 UTC. The descent was quick and smooth, the nicest thing was to ride my bike down.  My brake discs glowed 😀

I got stuck in traffic on the way home and lost an hour. So, I drove a total of five hours by car 😠. What a waste of time that was! This emphasized the right to exist for GoGreen ham radio activities. And, thanks goodness, the long drive was the only downside to this wonderful activity. All logs have been submitted.

Gorgeous day. Very nice weather. Mission complete. Happy me.

On the Schneck (2269m), DL/AL-061.
The Hochvogel (2593m), DL/AL-030 in the background.  

Thanks to all chasers and activators for QSOs!

Short summary and statistics for DD1LD/P:

• Date: July 5th, 2020
• Equipment: high alpine QRP
• Operating time: ~ 2 and 1/2 hours
• DXCC worked: 29 
• Top countries worked: DL and SP
• Continents worked: 2
• DX: NA

• SOTA summits: 2x unique, 1x first activation
• SOTA reference: OE/TI-622 and DL/AL-061
• SOTA-valid QSOs: 143
• SOTA activator points: 20 (2x10)
• GMA activator points: 45 (23 + 22)
• S2S: 4

• WWFF areas: 1x unique (not activated by myself before) and rare
• WWFF reference: DLFF-0230
• WWFF-valid QSOs: 135 (w/o dupes)
• Unique callsigns: 116
• WWFF activator points: 3
• P2P: 4

• Altitude difference made: >1900m 
• Walked distance: 10 km
• Cycled distance: 20 km (to the Käseralpe and back)
• Overall activity length: 10.5 hours
• GPS-track record: available on request

Mni tnx to all chasers fer QSO!

73 es 44 de Dzianis, DD1LD/P