Dear friends
After a long period of planning and waiting for the appropriate type of weather I reached this summit on the 17th of July 2008 in good shape. This was possible with the help of the mountain guide, Helmut Lerjen, and my friend Hans, HB9AHD.
The weather was like most of the time in summer at this altitude. Temperature was slightly below O°C. The wind from NE with about 70 km/h.
I had to learn how difficult it is, to set up a 10m vertical antenna in this kind of weather. Two men were needed to hold the mast in a more or less vertical position. The next problem was the keyer of the KX-1 transceiver. The rubber pads went frozen and caused it very tricky to use properly. Sorry for the very bad CW! The only help was to remove these pads and use the naked contacts of the paddle. This cured the problem slighty. Next, it was almost impossible to operate the keyer with gloves. No need to say, the fingers became frozen within minutes. And last but not least I could not hear much with the earphones due to the noise of the strong wind. Hans helped me with the log and watched carefully not to give the wind a chance to take it away.
Dear SOTA-friends, I would have preferred more QSOs from the Breithorn. So, please understand, it was not possible. The WX-factor made it happen like this.
Best 73, Hans
In reply to HB9BHW:
Very well done, Hans, was that the first ever activation of a 4000 metre summit?
73
Brian G8ADD
In reply to HB9BHW:
Hi Hansruedi,
many congratulations for your big effort and
the highest ever activated SOTA-summit!
After watching the wx-rprt and the Zermatt-webcam
from my qrl that day, I am glad you´re safe back home!
It would be nice to see some photo´s someday.
in reply to G8ADD:
Hi Brian,
the first activation on a “4000m”-summit was
on 09.08.2005 on the Allalinhorn, 4027 m (HB/VS-026).
HB9TQG and HB9TMC used the special-call "HB4000"
and worked about 30 stations on 20m SSB.
Unfortunately they`ve never send their log
to the SOTA-database.
Vy73 Fritz HB9CSA,DL4FDM
In reply to HB9BHW:
congrats Hans! A great activation!
73 Bernhard DL4CW
In reply to G8ADD:
Hallo Brian
There were two activations abobe 4000 m.a.s.l. before. Fritz HB9CAS mentioned the one on the Alalinhorn (HB/VS-026). Then there was a other one 1.Aug. 2007
on the Bernina (HB/GR-001), activated by HB9HAT.
73’s Hans
In reply to HB9BHW:
Thank you for that, Hans. Activating a 4000 metre summit is a fine achievement - perhaps there ought to be a special award for worked all 4000’s!
73
Brian G8ADD