Wasn’t it so that our British radio friends are only allowed to transmit on the frequencies 5363.0 and 5354.5? In any case, I only activate here.
73 Chris
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Hi Chris,
Right, my default one is 5363 USB, but since there is too much QRM from about 5362 USB, the closest one is 5359, which unfortunately doesn’t work for our British friends.
5354.5 instead of 5355 should also be acceptable for our CW friends, otherwise please let me know if I’m wrong.
73 Stephan
… everything between 5354 kHz and 5358 kHz will work for our friends in the UK - see the graph below.
For USB this means the “dial frequency” has to be in the range between 5354 kHz and 5355 kHz.
Maybe this is the better option than what I chose - at least as long as the QRM persists and 5363 kHz is not usable.
73, Roman
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Dear all
A next try for a next one on your track to the various HB15SOTA diplomas, this time for Canton Graubünden, the HB/GR region, biggest canton of Switzerland in the south-eastern corner of our country.
So who is in need for GR for the HB15SOTA diploma?
Check it out here . . . and on the bands.
I have planned an activation tomorrow Saturday, March 13, 2021, on Mt. Calmut, HB/GR-292, a modest summit in the Gotthard region what is in the heart of Switzerland (see below). Should arrive at the summit around 0900 UTC. Will take some time to accomodate and to see or feel what I face there.
This time window before noon should offer some sun, no snowfall and only modest stormy wind. Updates to the schedule due to meteo are possible (see below).
I’m looking forward to hear many of you on the shortwave bands. No time slot is planned for VHF/FM since this summit is behind bigger summits. But I’ll have a look on SOTAwatch for S2S and on the HB9SOTA Threema channel from time to time.
Vy 73 de Markus, HB9DIZ
Location of Mt. Calmut in the HB/GR region . . .
. . . and meteo for Saturday.
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Hi Markus,
Thanks for your hard work 
for this award !
Here what I need 
73 Éric
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… thanks for alerting, Markus! I’m in 
Most likely a brief activation (due to the announced weather) from DM/BW-078.
cu tmw, Roman
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Salut Eric
Thanks for your interest in the structures of the Swiss confederation. 
AR and NE are in my personal pipeline, but not SH - I had already been there. Not yet retired here, so limited possibilities. Maybe @HB9CGA or @HB9BIN or @HB9CYV or @HB9BRJ can help out for this and alert timely/early their activities. Or somebody else of the other 110 members of HB9SOTA, hi. (Where are they?)
I think that you will match all until May since you are always close to your transceiver.
Vy 73 de Markus, HB9DIZ
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Dear all
HB15SOTA was in the Gotthard region today for you where the main north-south and east-west transalpine axes of Switzerland cross. Winter is said to come back to the mountains on the weekend, with some sunny corners maybe here or there on this Saturday. Paring this with your needs for the HB15SOTA diplome let me opt for a summit nearby the Oberalp pass road.
Mt. Calmut, HB/GR-292, is an easy drive-in summit in the winter period since there is a chairlift from Oberalp col to the activation zone. But you have to get there first, and I was on public transportation today. There are good train connections from Lucerne via Göschenen and Andermatt, and the bottom station of the chair lift is just a stone’s throw away from the train station. The pass road is closed during winter what brings a good sort of peace to the place.
Be aware that this chairlift service is open to skiers and snowboarders only. Pedestrians are transported on the “Oberalp Flyer” only upon prior settling with the company (www.skiarena.ch, a “Touren-Ticket” covering both ways is needed and can be paid at the bottom station of the lift in cash only). They are aware of SOTA now, and the staff was very friendly and helpful. So be a skier, and you won’t have any problems – beside your SOTA rucksack, hi.
The promised sunshine window was reality, and I had blue sky and bright sunshine at the summit. But the very strong breeze was also very real, with sharp snow dust flying around.
Operating was a pain somehow. I had to anticipate the next dust cloud and turn up the tablet timely to the body to keep it dry, but the snow dust was everywhere soon. Additionally, the tablet didn’t like the radio frequency on 60 m, trying to exit VK port-a-log and switch between several popups and software displays. Together with good band conditions and poor visibility with my sun glasses this kept the operator agile, hi, and I had 83 contacts in the log finally. Not a single boring minute! The antenna mast was not broken but I managed to break one of my hiking poles . . .
I had some audience from time to time due to the close chairlift. Two radio amateurs were among them: Benoît, HB9EUE, and Thomas, HB3YSI, both taking a day off, following the present Covid regulations.
Hoping here that this activation could reduce some needs for the HB/GR canton for the HB15SOTA award – some further cantons will follow until May! I’m remembering a fantastic winter world and some operating pains disappearing soon after leaving the summit of Mt. Calmut. Only the cold toes of the operator needed some additional attention.
Vy 73 de Markus, HB9DIZ
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Hi Markus,
I chased 17 SOTA activators today, but somehow I missed you and GR was one of the several cantons I haven’t yet chased HB15SOTA.
Congrats for the very successful activation with so many QSOs in the log.
I hope your cold toes have already warmed up and you are all right.
73,
Guru
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Thanks, Markus, for your inspiring activation report and your dedication and hard work to bring HB15SOTA on the air so frequently, filling the gaps in the logs of the deserving!
It was a pleasure working you S2S for another new canton! Looking forward to working you again soon from the next one 
Finally, if I may make a request to all HB15SOTA-activators: Would it be possible to announce your activations in advance? Since I’m working on the HB15SOTA S2S-Award (and others do as well), it would make planning own activations a lot easier.
Thanks for this fun award and hope to cu soon!
73, Roman
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Thanks Bruno (HB9CBR) for HB/TI-153.
I win one canton more, still need 3 cantons to get my EDELWEISS diplom.
73 Roger
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Salut Roger
They are on my ToDo list, but I don’t know when, hi. On weekends probably, since no holidays here at present. Spring is coming soon, so others will assist then. Let HamAlert assist you and choose an alert based on your SOTA HB regions in need.
Thanks for your interest in the HB15 rallye and enjoy it — you will miss the game! 
Vy 73 de Markus, HB9DIZ, and the members of the HB15 gang
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Hello Markus.
Yes ! I’m in the starting blocks with HamAlert but I’m working …
Then I do hope to be lucky to QSO the last 3 cantons.
73 QRO
Roger
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@F5LKW & @F5JKK I see that you’re both missing NE (Neuchâtel) so I will activate one of the four NE summits the upcoming Sunday 
Don’t know yet which summit (maybe two?) and the exact time, but I assume around noon. I’ll also be QRV on 60m.
73 Stephan
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Hi Stephan,
Thank you very much for your advice
I’ll look for you Stephan next Sunday
73 Éric
Dear all
Just seen that Bruno, HB9CBR, has alerted for Wannenberg, HB/SH-002, for today on CW.
Schaffhausen (HB/SH) is a canton with only one (easy) summit, so a “passage obligé” for the diploma chasers.
Vy 73 de Markus, HB9DIZ
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Hi Markus
Many thanks for info !
73 Éric
Edit : 2 to go ! thanks Markus
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Dear all
I’m proud to announce the next Golden Ticket for you here, for your HB15SOTA diploma:
HB/VS, canton Valais . . .
. . . home of cheese fondue and the famous white wine Fendant, made of Chasselas grapes.
Valais is one of our big mountain paradises, located in the south-western part of HB9 and a premiere for me: first time in Valais for SOTA, after 4 years participating in the programme. I’m looking forward to this moment! Meteo should be okay, quite cold on the summits, with some degrees below zero, but no snow.
I’ll be on Croix-de-Culet, HB/VS-240, next Saturday March 20, 2021. I don’t translate this summit name into English, because it’s not very decent in my opinion – but French does always sound fine! It’s probably the easiest summit of HB/VS, since there is a big teleferic starting in Champéry, and the top station at 1,945 m.a.s.l. is already in the activation zone, with the real summit only 17 meters higher. So probably easy to activate, but I’ll be on public transports taking me about five hours for one way from Lucerne. There is a local train from Aigle to Champéry in the track with about 25 stops, hi. So your SOTA adventure requires my very patient side.
One week later, there is unfortunately a big contest taking place. So there will probably be only a first test regarding FT8 from my side, since I’m not that much fond of doing SOTA by calling a few big elephants or crocodiles. Just thought it should be possible to catch some alternative energy from those thousand fellows shouting “cq contest” – would certainly be enough for several SOTA activations! 
I’ve tried hard to motivate other HB9SOTA club fellows to fill in your HB15SOTA diploma gaps and to alert even early in any case and in any mode (even CW!) to provide better help for you to be successful even for the S2S HB15SOTA diploma! So my part is done by announcing now this non-adventure, but let’s make one for you out of all the funny ingredients! They speak French in Valais and I’ll try to call on SSB even in the French language.
Vy 73 de Markus, HB9DIZ
PS: HB/VS is not for Eric unfortunately, since HB/VS is already in your HB15SOTA log, but I’m looking forward to hear you all the same! And Roger, F5LKW, who still needs this gem. 
PPS: And listen for Stephan HB9EAJ: he will probably be in the HB/NE region on Sunday - the land of pendulum clocks with thousands of clocks – but only 4 SOTA summits!
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Stephan & Markus
I will be there to catch 2 new cantons.
Many thanks for your effort and nice fair-play.
73 QRO
Roger
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In order not to be discriminatory, you should formulate this statement more precisely (or omit it, in favor of a slightly shorter text, hi).
BTW, in the canton of Valais there are 2 official languages, French and German. Approximately 63% of the population are French mother tongue, the remaining German.
In any case, I hope that you will also succeed in a few QSO beyond the language and cantonal borders …
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