Hello and Welcome!

Hello and welcome! I'm Dzianis, a licensed radio ham holding the callsign DD1LD. I love to take this hobby with me wherever I may roam. The blog "QTC de DD1LD" means "Messages From Me" and reflects my ham radio activities and projects. I barely have time to write everything down, so I blog occasionally, and mainly, for myself. You can subscribe to the blog below to receive updates when new posts are available. 73 and enjoy reading!

Featured post

GoGreen XOTA

GoGreen XOTA? What on earth does it mean? There are thousands of ham radio operating awards available, some of them offer a great way to...

Monday, July 21, 2025

The first and last remaining activation —Tiefkarspitze, DL/KW-014

July 18th, 2025.

Damn! Why do I keep doing this to myself?

The sound of rumbling rocks was approaching fast — confident and unstoppable. I darted toward the nearest vertical stone wall and pressed myself tightly against it, shielding my head with my hands. The first heavy rocks, propelled by massive kinetic force, crashed to the ground just a meter behind me and tumbled further downhill. Smaller stones, traveling with less momentum, struck my backpack, shoulders, and arms, leaving behind a trail of minor scratches.

Was I scared? I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t. But it wasn’t the rocks themselves that frightened me — I knew a rockfall was possible here and was mentally prepared for it. The fear came from the loss of control in a situation that had caught me off guard. The roar gradually faded into the valley, and a final wave of fine gravel tapped a farewell against my helmet. Relief washed over me. It had passed. Finally, I could breathe freely.

Could someone have climbed this route ahead of me? Unlikely—at least not this one. Or maybe someone had been walking along the ridge? Hmm, I doubted it. It was still early. Had I startled a herd of chamois? Possibly. But the main question was: what next? Should I return?

I was already halfway to the ridge somewhere between the Tiefkarspitze and the Larchetfleckspitzen. I decided to continue, keeping a close eye above and listening intently to the mountain. Stones still fell now and then, but thankfully, they kept their distance.

I had chosen my route deliberately. Solo. That means relying entirely on yourself. It means minimizing risk through planning and awareness, knowing that there's no one to catch you if you slip. There are at least three ways to reach the Tiefkarspitze (DL/KW-014), 2430m. I opted for my own, slightly unconventional path: approaching the ridge from the north, starting at the Merk-Kronwitter-Hütte, ascending the north face, and then traversing the airy ridge to the summit.

The ridge walk turned out to be a delight — as always — offering joy without major technical challenges. Probably grade II or II+ at some key spots. With a bit of improvisation, one could ramp up the difficulty to grade III+ e.g. by climbing around the notorious “yellow crack” — a spot I’m sure many climbers have hesitated before. One challenge was the rock itself: often brittle, breaking off in your hands or crumbling beneath your feet with a thunderous crash. One mistake, and you'd be following those stones down. Having learned from past experience, I checked every hold and every step carefully  — twice, sometimes three times. Another challenge was navigating my way up to the ridge. There were several options, and I had to do a bit of wandering. But that’s part of the beauty — finding your own line. And I did. And last but not least, it is a challenging, complex and varied terrain with a difficulty level of T5+, in which you have to feel mentally and physically comfortable.

 Find your own way to the ridge...

Enjoy a long ridge walk...

Once I reached the ridge, I quickly let the SOTA-DL group know I was safe. After a brief rest, I made my way along the ridge to the summit — deliberate in pace, light in heart, and full of quiet joy. The skywalk was a moment of sheer delight!  An hour later  — Bergheil — I stood on the summit. I set up my QRP station and began calling on 20 meters. The pile-up wasn’t long in coming. Of all the signals — loud and weak — I chose to dedicate my first QSO to my friend and loyal xOTA companion Mario, DJ2MXIt was an honor to log him as No. 1. Then I continued operating on the 40m and 20m bands. Job as usual. After about an hour of CW keying, I began packing up while still calling on 2m FM. My other close friend Andy, DL2DVE completed today's log with No. 66. QRT. 

And finally — the last remaining, never-activated summit in the SOTA-DL Association — the Tiefkarspitze (DL/KW-014), 2430m — had been activated. It only took more than 20 years for it to be activated. 

Solo. By DD1LD. My personal challenge. I let my feelings run free. That's why I keep doing this to myself!

Enjoy HAMing from the top...

In the distance, the Westliche Karwendelspitze (DL/KW-008), 2385m seemed to beckon me. I couldn’t help but toy with the idea of following the ridge all the way there. It would have been doable — absolutely. But I had promised my family I’d be home for dinner.

The descent to the Merk-Kronwitter-Hütte went smoothly and, in my opinion, was close to ideal. Unfortunately, 2m FM APRS didn’t work reliably.  I regularly sent my location to the SOTA-DL group — just in case I got hit by a stray rock. In a worst-case scenario, mountain rescue would at least know where to start looking. And, there was only one more rockfall, about 20 meters away. Easy. 

Roughly three hours after leaving the summit, I was back at my car in the parking lot. I made it home in time for dinner — and everyone was happy. Especially me. The fatigue and the countless scratches on my arms and legs will soon fade, and the emotions will settle. But what endures is the memory of this extraordinary journey — captured in the photos, the log, and a few quiet lines in the summit book. 

Was it the optimal route? No. Next time, if I return, I’ll take a different one. Strictly along the ridge — that is technically more interesting and probably also easier and safer.

Thank you all! 73 de Dzianis, DD1LD

Tuesday, July 01, 2025

Project 2025: The Island of Cres is more than IOTA

June 7 – June 21, 2025

In 2024 we had a great time on the island of Pag (read more HERE). Over Pentecost, we returned to Croatia, 9A—this time to the beautiful islands of Cres and Lošinj, and the 2025 project: An Island is More Than IOTA launched.


🏝️ About Cres and Lošinj

The islands of Cres and Lošinj are located in the northern Adriatic, forming part of the Kvarner Gulf in Croatia. Once a single landmass, they are now separated by a narrow canal near the town of Osor, connected by a small swing bridge.

  • Cres is wild, quiet, and rugged—famous for its steep cliffs, pristine nature, fallow deers and rare griffon vultures. It’s ideal for hiking, solitude, and of course, SOTA and WWFF activations.

  • Lošinj, on the other hand, is livelier and greener, known for its pine forests, wellness tourism, and charming towns like Mali Lošinj and Veli Lošinj. With a slightly more developed infrastructure, it also offers great POTA opportunities and family-friendly beaches.

These islands is a true paradise for any outdoor ham radio operator. With over 35 XOTA referencesCres and Lošinj offer a wealth of opportunities. Since this was a family vacation, I aimed to keep all my radio activities family-friendly. That meant focusing on the XOTA programs I enjoy the most:

  • SOTA – 6 main island summits + 1 Plavnik island → ✅ 7 of 7 activated,

  • WWFF – 2 nature reserves → ✅ 2 of 2 activated,

  • POTA – 10 parks → ⚠️ only 3 of 10 activated.

Cres and Lošinj belong to the Croatia Kvarner GroupIOTA EU-136, and by default include WLOTA:

  • Cres, island  IOCA CI-012, WLOTA LH-0553,
  • Lošinj, island  IOCA CI-058, WLOTA LH-4295,
  • Plavnik, island  IOCA CI-088, WLOTA LH-2344.  

Any additional references were a pleasant bonus for the GMA triathlon. Whenever I could include MOTA, COTA, or LOTA references during my SOTA, WWFF, or POTA activations, I did so.


🌤️ Conditions & Equipment

The weather was fantastic the entire time! But the propagation conditions were weak and fickle. Nevertheless, even with QRP (4W), I managed 20+ QSOs per SOTA activation.

Learning from my 2024 experience on Pag island, I brought my low power station (running 20-40W) – and it turned out to be a great decision. The low power setup made the activations more enjoyable and effective.

Below is a summary of my activations and adventures, including a few unforgettable moments.


🏔️ SOTA Activations

June 9 – Velo Gračište (9A/PH-037, 562m)

A light family hike and a short QRP activation on a windy day:
23 QSOs on 40/20m in 30 minutes. Job as usual. 

After activating Velo Gračište — junior SWLing to weak CW signs. 


June 10 – Helm (9A/PH-042, 483m)

A spontaneous activation during a day trip to Lubinice with friends and family. I hiked ahead to set up early. At the summit, I was stunned to see a fishing pole with a SOTA flag! Who could it be? To my surprise, it was Frank, DJ2FR! I knew he had been on the island, but I thought he had already left.

After he wrapped up his activation, I plugged my QRP TRX into his antenna and logged ✅ 20 QSOs in 30 minutes. TNX, Frank! We chatted about HAMing, XOTA, islands, etc. and agreed to do a joint activation. 

9A/DD1LD and 9A/DJ2FR on Helm, 9A/PH-042.
Both traveled hundreds of kilometers from home just to meet here by chance! 
It turned out that we also lived in Cres close to each other on the island 😎.

There was a lot to discover on this beautiful family hike. The kids had a lot of fun.


June 11 – Gorice (9A/PH-034, 648m)

A solo morning activation with ✅ 33 QSOs (mostly on 40m) in 55 minutes.
Afterwards, I cheched Fojiška - Predošcica, 9AFF-0056 in: ✅ 63 QSOs (mostly 20m) in 1¾ hours.
Propagation was so poor, I skipped further radio haming that day😒.

On the way to Gorice. Great view to the south. 
The view from the summit top was nowhere near as good as from here.


June 12 – Televrina (9A/PH-003, 588m)

The highest peak on Cres, jointly activated with Frank, DJ2FR.
44 QSOs on 40/30/20/17m in about 1 hour made with QRP.
We even enjoyed a brief early 17m opening. The other bands were also in good shape. 

Great weather, great views, great company. Thanks again, Frank!

It was simply great to do a joint activation of Televrina with Frank, DJ2FR 
and to exchange thoughts about our shared hobby.


June 14 – Zlostan (9A/PH-047, 428m)

A midday activation in hot weather, with ✅ 26 QSOs in 45 minutes.
Trail and summit were rather uneventful—job as usual.

On the way to Zlostan — take a rest, take a bath 😉😆


June 17 – Grgoščak (9A/PH-058, 241m)

A drive-in activation with the family. ✅ 56 QSOs on 40/20m in just over 1 hour using low power. The family enjoyed the views while I operated. The highlight was an S2S QSO on 2 m with Daniel, 9A/DM1DF, who activated Zlostan, 9A/PH-047.

View from Grgoščak. There was much more going on Lošinj than on Cres island.
These two bays in the background are two of five bays with POTA references, 
an ideal place for bay hopping by bike or boat. May be next time!? 


June 19 – Krušija (9A/PH-061, 194m) – Real Adventure!

This one was epic. A real adventure! 

Originally, Daniel, DM1DF and I wanted to charter a fishing boat from Merag to Plavnik Island. But due to rough seas, the trip was canceled. Once things calmed down, I decided to make the crossing solo on my stand-up paddleboard (SUP)

Why Plavnik? This small uninhabited island between Cres and Krk is known for its secluded coves, wild goats, fallow deers, and dramatic cliffs. It’s remote, pristine, and totally off the tourist radar—making it a dream destination for adventurous ham radio operators (LOTA, IOTA/IOCA) and nature lovers alike. And, it has one SOTA reference — Krušija (9A/PH-061, 194m). This one was my real goal and this one was the hardest one pointer in my life!

The adventure began at noon. The starting point was the lonely beach Plaža Selzine. I hiked 100m down a steep trail to the beach, carried my radio gear in a waterproof bag, and paddled for 1.5 hours to Plavnik to reach Uvala Krušija. From there, I hiked 4 km in scorching heat to reach the summit.


At Uvala Krušija on Plavnik island. That's all I needed for a real ham radio adventure. 
Island of Cres on the horizon in the background. A long and somewhat dangerous journey. 

Despite tough conditions with deep QSB and limited time, I made ✅ 20 QSOs in 30 minutes. The return trip was challenging due to currents between the islands. I reached the beach at 19:30, completely exhausted but incredibly happy. I'm not sure if I want to do it again 😉. 

APRS track of my adventure. 300m in altitude, 10km walking, and 12km paddling.


I'm back safe and sound after an adventure of about 7 hours
Plavnik island in the background.

Looking back, I was very lucky with the calm weather window — it turned rough again shortly after.


🌿 WWFF – 9AFF Activations

June 15 - Mali Bok (9AFF-0057)

The second WWFF activation was at Mali Bok, 9AFF-0057:
84 QSOs on 20/30/40m in about 2 hours.
Tough propagation conditions. The stunning cliffside location made it a highlight.

My operating spot made my activation. View at Uvala Mali Bok 😍.


🏖️ POTA Fun on the Beach

Operating POTA on Cres and Lošinj is pure enjoyment. The island of Cres has two references: HR-0085 (Otok Cres Natura 2000) and HR-0026 (Kvarnerski otoci Natura 2000), and neighboring Lošinj offers at least oneHR-0226 .

I ran my station casually, often from the beach. If the bands died, or there were no takers, I’d take a break to swim, paddle, or play with the kids—then return to operating. That’s how POTA is meant to be!

Easy & lazy POTA operating from the beach. 
LP vs. QRP - this is how you can endure the poor propagation conditions.


📻 Summary

This year’s ham radio activity in 9A was more relaxed and enjoyable. The propagation conditions were tough and changeable, however, there were no total radio blackouts like last year on Pag island (read more HERE)Low power instead of QRP and digital modes made radio haming more effective and dynamic, and more fun!  

CW has always been—and still is—my favorite mode. Operating SSB, especially with QRP, proved to be challenging: propagation conditions were weak and using a microphone on the beach was not always appropriate. So I kept experimenting with FTx, and I was surprised by the strong activity and demand in the digital modes.  

All SOTA and WWFF references were successfully activated.
⚠️ POTA was just for fun—and it was fun! And now I have a reason to come back: 7 POTA references still await!
As mentioned, all the other XOTA references (4x LOTA, 3x IOCA, 2x MOTA, 1x COTA activated) were a nice addition.

All in all: great weather, great time with the family & friends, beautiful nature, solid radio fun — and most importantly: No stress on Cres. 

It doesn't take much to have a real adventure here. Finally, it's up to you — you have to create and conquer your own challenges! Cres is one of those islands you want to return to. And maybe I will, too. POTA bay hopping? IOCA (Islands Of Croatia Award) island hopping? Let's see. 

9A/DD1LD/P QSO Map. Almost all on 40m and 20m witn some rare DX. 

9A/DD1LD/P statistics: CW - 57%, Phone -  11%, Digi -  32%. 
41 DXCC on 20m.

Another Kilo Award from 9A remains a nice memory. TNX to all chasers!


TNX for reading — see you on the bands!
73 de Dzianis, DD1LD

Monday, January 27, 2025

Triathlon 2024 is over, running a marathon 2025

2024 was a SOTA year for me. I was very busy with SOTA activities in the Alps trying to reach as many "to-be-deleted" (TBD) summits as possible.  I would even say that I was slightly under pressure to take the last chance and activate as many TBDs as possible. Also, this and other numerous XOTA activations contributed to the achieving the platinum award in the GMA Triathlon. This was the first year I reached the annual Platinum Activator Status. Additionally, I just moved to the MEGA Activator level. It was fun! It was an unique and exciting experience to get there and reach that level, so I'm going to keep going. I wouldn't say it was very difficult, but it required some strategy, dedication and planning. As with any triathlon, there are some disciplines you may enjoy more than others, but you must do them all. Well, sure, I am proud of this achievement 😀💪. Now, I should continue and look forward and set new goals and challenges. So, what's next?

Only six activators reached the platinum status in the GMA Triathlon 2024.  

I was looking for a new challenge for 2025. All SOTA related challenges in the Alps are out of my scope. The glorious SOTA era in SOTA-DL is over, the SOTA-DL association just lost almost half of its references because of P150. Well, I just need to activate a dozen peaks in SOTA-DL to get 300 uniques for my German Alps Challenger Award in Gold. And that's all. It's kind of weird. Almost all XOTA programs try to attract new participants and release as many new references as possible or necessary to keep the program running.  However, SOTA is doing it the other way around, SOTA has basically made no progress for years (apart from the launch of the new associations) and is now even taking a step backwards. It's the same P150 rule with some arbitrary allowance of P100 in some priviledged countries and areas, the same arbitrary and unfair points system and the inconsistency in the association parameters. SOTA points and rankings are meaningless to me, however, it seems that it is still crucial for some competing folks. The SOTA MT simply doesn't care. Me too now. Their rules, their game. So, SOTA is now just for fun for me. Ob Sommer oder Winter, der Berg ruft immer! 

The WWFF just announced the WWFF 2025 Marathon.  Let’s take a look at the rules and review them. 

Awards for Hunters.
  • “WWFF Pillar Hunter for working WWFF activators on at least 180 calendar days during the year.”

It looks like I'm still too young for the "WWFF Pillar Hunter Club", whose members are probably pensioners or unemployed OMs without families who can sit in front of the TRX every other day in the middle of the day. I am confused as to where the 180-calendar-days requirement comes from and what the goal is here. For those who will be leading the Top Hunter list, the 180-calendar-days requirement doesn’t play any role, since they will be hunting every day from morning to night and from dusk to down. I don't have this option. And I don't see how this requirement is supposed to encourage new hunters, such as people who work all day like me, families with children, youngsters or newcomers, to take part in the marathon and reach the pillar hunter status. The entry barrier to the "WWFF Pillar Hunter Club" is too high, so like many others I'm not going to join this club. No, no, I'm not sad about it at all, a typical Pillar Hunter is probably a very old man with a lot of free time, I just don’t fit the profile yet 😁. Why not a 44-calendar-days requirement for a basic award then? OK, your rules, your game, I don’t care, I'll just keep hunting occasionally like I always have.

  • “For number of WWFF QSOs during the year: 244, 1,044, 2,044, and 3,044.”

Here the same story, I will not have time to chase and accompany the same activator through all the bands in all modes. One QSO is enough to have the park hunted. If I have the chance to work with him twice, I will.

  • “For number of DXFF and during the year: 44.“  

Feasible and doable. I'm in. 

  • “For number of KFF states/territories + VEFF provinces/territories + VKFF states/territories during the year: 44”.  

Would be difficult from my QTH, but not impossible. I guess it would work fine for POTA rather than for WWFF as there is a lot more going on in POTA across the pond. I 💖 DXing, so let's see how many I can reach! This award is probably intended primarily for hunters in NA.  

Awards for Activators.

  • “WWFF Pillar Activator for activating at least one WWFF reference every month.”

This award can easily be achieved by everyone. You just need to activate at least one reference per month. It can be the same park around the corner. Just go there, have fun with your radio, enjoy nature, get some fresh air and collect QSOs. OK, I like it and I’m in 👍👊

  • “For number of WWFF QSOs during the year: 244, 1,044, 5,044, and 10,044.”

I’m less interested in the number of QSOs. An award that simply indicates the number of OSOs completed during the year – 244 or 10,044 – does not excite me. I find the Kilo Award (1000 QSOs from one park) more elegant, where you can collect different Kilos from different parks. 

Many parks around the corner were activated several times on 20/40m during the solar minimum. Instead, I want to put more emphasis on high band DXing, reaching as many DXs as possible and giving new ones to DX hunters, especially since the high bands are now in top form. At some point the solar cycle maximum will be over for the next 11 years, and I don't want to miss that. Low bands can wait. High bands also mean far fewer QSOs, but when they are open, very nice DX opportunities. So why not to introduce an award for “the number of DXCC reached during the year: 44 or 88?” Okay, DX will be my own challenge then. DXing is especially fun within POTA as POTA is much more popular around the world. 

Secondly, I want to “GoGreen” as often as possible, at least once a month. It is not the award or the number of QSOs that are important, but above all the outdoor experience and the memory that remains. And an award can be a nice reminder of your outdoor and /P activities. Finally, it’s my run and my fun, isn't it? It’s also about home brewing, trying out new things and optimizing /P-equipment. It is about personal goals and sporting challenges as well as one's own health and inner satisfaction, etc.😀 Ohh, excuse me, I'm getting off topic. Let's move on 😁.

  • “For number of confirmed P2P QSOs during the year: 44, 144, and 244.”

I do not actively collect P2P or S2S, but always respond respectfully to any /P callers. With WWFF, the P2P has to be entered manually into the log, which is very annoying. Unfortunatelly, there is no simple cross checking as with POTA.

And what is my final impression? The idea of ​​the marathon is basically good. However, the WWFF seems to make everything overly complicated. Make it simple and people will go for it. The WWFF marathon will certainly provide a boost in activity, but probably among the existing activators and hunters who were already represented in the program and rankings. The "WWFF Hunter Pillar Club" will certainly have many members this year, as radio amateurs in the EU suffer from the problem of aging. The WWFF Pillar Activator Award, which requires one activation per month, can be easily achieved by anyone who is not too lazy 👍. However, I do not see how the actual marathon rules are intended to attract and mobilize new groups of participants. POTA succeeds in doing that. The aim of the marathon is probably to stimulate activity within the WWFF own party 😉, but this is OK. I definitely won't be able to top any marathon rankings because I don't have time for it. However, I will have my fun and my own goals and challenges within the WWFF 2025 Marathon, which provides a solid framework for this.

Then let's run. My personal live score is here:

Short summary for January 2025

My focus in January was mainly on the high bands and DX when operating outdoor POTA/WWFF. The propagation conditions on the high bands were somewhat changeable, but still very good, and I didn't want to miss out on a chance for DX. I got a few nice P2P with NA on 10/15m, the highlight was a P2P QSO with JA on 15 m 👍. The ODX was ZL1. 


DD1LD/P statistics for January 2025. All QSOs @ outdoor XOTA.


 DD1LD/P QSOs map in January 2025. All QSOs @ outdoor XOTA.


Short summary for February 2025

I spent more time on the classic bands - 20/30/40m because of QRP SOTA and WWFF but still with a focus on DX. The ODX was LW2. The propagation on the high bands was good at the beginning of the month and deteriorated towards the end. 


DD1LD/P statistics for February 2025. All QSOs @ outdoor XOTA with QRP and LP.


DD1LD/P QSOs map in February 2025. All QSOs @ outdoor XOTA with QRP and LP.

Short summary for March 2025

The CONDX on high bands were weak in March if compared to January and early Febraury. In general, the propagation was very changeable (K=3-4 and SFI=160 in average) on all bands. So, I spent less time on the high bands and more time on the classic bands 20/30/40m. I just worked whatever the band was open. A couple of the WWFF activations were a bit tough. The ODX was CE3 on 10m in CW. 


DD1LD/P statistics for March 2025. All QSOs @ outdoor XOTA with QRP and LP.


DD1LD/P QSOs map in March 2025. All QSOs @ outdoor XOTA with QRP and LP.


Short summary for April, May and June 2025

Propagation conditions have noticeably deteriorated in April. DX rarely appears in the log, usually on 15m/20m. Due to the weak and changeable conditions, any QRP activation with much deeper QSB became more difficult. May and June are SOTA season for me, so the focus was less on WWFF and more on SOTA. 

DD1LD/P statistics for April 2025. All QSOs @ outdoor XOTA with QRP and LP.

DD1LD/P statistics for May 2025. All QSOs @ outdoor XOTA with QRP and LP.

The main activity in June was in 9A with 1100 QSOs (see HERE). Mainly EU with some rare DX were in the Log. Hard times for /P activations 😒.   

DD1LD/P statistics for June 2025. All QSOs @ outdoor XOTA with QRP and LP.

CU agn es 73 de Dzianis, DD1LD