HF SOTA at 5100m asl

[LU1MAW]

There is a way to check if this HF activation was the higher? I know this is not a primary objective of the SOTA program but it can convey enthusiasm to others

[VK3SQ]

Congratulations to Diego for this great effort. Well done. Thanks to you Alejandro for bringing this to our notice.

Cheers Geoff vk3sq

[OE5JFE]

Yes it is so far the highest summit activated on HF for SOTA. I downloaded the summits.csv and had a look,

SummitCode	AssociationName	RegionName	SummitName	AltM	AltFt	GridRef1	GridRef2	Longitude	Latitude	Points	BonusPoints	ValidFrom	ValidTo	ActivationCount	ActivationDate	ActivationCall
LUM/PH-001	Argentina - Mendoza	Cordillera Principal Las Heras	Aconcagua	6960	22835	-70.0117	-32.6533	-70.01170	-32.65330	10	3	01/02/2019	31/12/2099	1	16/02/2019	LU/SQ9FVE
LUM/FT-001	Argentina - Mendoza	Cordillera Frontal Tupungato	Plata	5949	19517	-69.4550	-33.0158	-69.45500	-33.01580	10	3	01/02/2019	31/12/2099	2	16/09/2021	LU2HDM
LUM/FL-004	Argentina - Mendoza	Cordillera Frontal Lujan	Vallecitos	5454	17893	-69.4381	-32.9825	-69.43810	-32.98250	10	3	01/02/2019	31/12/2099	1	14/01/2020	LU9MZO
LUM/FL-009	Argentina - Mendoza	Cordillera Frontal Lujan	Rincon	5373	17627	-69.4301	-32.9691	-69.43010	-32.96910	10	3	01/02/2019	31/12/2099	1	25/02/2020	LU5MFL
LUM/FL-028	Argentina - Mendoza	Cordillera Frontal Lujan	Lomas Amarillas	5116	16784	-69.4183	-32.9933	-69.41830	-32.99330	10	3	01/02/2019	31/12/2099	2	07/11/2021	LU9MZO

All other summits were activated on 2m FM

Congratulations to such milestones !
73 Joe

[LU1MAW]

Thanks! You checked LUM only or this is worldwide?

[OE5JFE]

I have sorted the list by altitude of all SOTA summits. So worldwide

[DG7AC]

@OE5JFE

All other summits were activated on 2m FM

Which is -from a technical point of view- the greater achievement.
HF is not affected by the wx, but VHF is. Inversion layers usually form at heights of 1 - 4 km. So it may well be that you’re on top of the mountain and do not receive any answer from the valley, just because you’re above an inversion layer. So activating on VHF at 5000 m is a gamble, while activating on HF is a sure shot.

Greatest achievement is to reach the summit, though. I’m deeply impressed of these activators.

Ahoi
Pom

[JP3PPL]

Except for the Aconcagua activation, the rest of the activations were done by locals. They know which summits have a “window” to be able to operate in VHF and which ones do not.
Without detracting from the VHF activations (Diego also activated VHF) I think that installing a dipole and carrying an HF + battery up to 5000 meters above sea level is very different.

[SQ9MDN]

Chapeau bas! to all those who activate above 3500 m asl.
Activating above 4000 m asl is really a challenge for the body and is also a challenge due to the weather conditions. You can be healthy and summit above 4000 asl dozens of times, but your body can say NO to that one activation. Regardless of what physical condition you are in. Altitude sickness comes unexpectedly, we can get used to it and train, but we are never 100% able to get rid of it. Just being at high altitude, even if the ascent is not technically difficult, is a huge challenge. Expecting people who climb high mountains to activate on one band or another, in one modulation or another - is frivolous. Above 5,500 m asl marked hypoxemia, hypocapnia, and alkalosis are characteristic of extreme altitudes. Progressive deterioration of physiologic function eventually outstrips acclimatization.
Huge respect for those who have made it, and I know that it is the result of their hard work, luck and detailed plan.

Chapeau bas! again

73! Jacek SQ9MDN

[F6HBI]

Congrats! and congrats again!
Gerald F6HBI

[KG5AUU]

Outstanding! Thank you for the photos and information. HF at that altitude is very impressive.

[LU3HO]

Felicitaciones Diego, creo que tus cumbres y actividades estan entusiasmando a mas de uno. Y mucha gente esta entrando al mundo SOTA gracias a que tus activaciones siempre son interesantes y desafiante. Exitos!
Andres LU3HO.

[N0QLR]

Congratulations! That’s quite an accomplishment on many fronts. Thanks for sharing it with us!

[KD7WPJ]

Very impressive! I would like to go to Argentina and operate from mountains in Patagonia. It is not safe to do this as a solo trip, so I am looking for somebody else who will join me.

[M0NOM]

I converted the log file using the ADIF Processor to a Google Earth KML file that can be downloaded from here in case anyone wants to see the QSOs and location easily on Google Earth. This also shows the nearby SOTA summits.

I am curious about the use of /V and /D at the end of callsigns. This throws the processor, so I can add them in as an option but would be interested to know what they stand for?

Thanks, Mark.

[EA2IF]

@M0NOM

I am curious about the use of /V and /D at the end of callsigns

Hi Mark,
As it was explained some time ago on another thread, the Argentina regulations request that stations transmitting from a location different to that of their initial base station license address, use the suffix letter of the province they are transmitting from.
73,

Guru
P.D. you can see it explained here.

NOV-2019: SOTA activity in Spain and the Spanish speaking American Countries over the month of October.

Hi Gurú! I’m using the /M cause the ENACOM rules. Here we have this particular region (provinces) identification. [mapalu] So, the /P is not portable operation, it means you are away from your qth operating at the San Juan province. Same for Mendoza. We have the M identifier and if we are away from the qth we have to add the /M modifier. Thats why the Mendoza SOTA Association is LUM and Córdoba is LUH…and so on. Hope that helps to understand why I use it. 73!

[JP3PPL]

In Argentina the first letter of the suffix defines the location. For example Diego LU9(M)ZO is a ham from Mendoza Province “M”
Other ham with a “P” as first letter in his suffix is from San Juan Province.
If LU9MZO operates portable or mobile in San Juan Province he must add /P
If he is operating from Buenos Aires City /A, Cordoba Province /H … and so

[JP3PPL]

I forgot it. Chaco-Formosa-Santa Cruz- Tierra del Fuego are defined with the 2 first letters of the suffix

[M0NOM]

Thank you @JP3PPL Takeo and @EA2IF Guru for the answers.

In that case I think the ADIF Processor will do the right thing - it will attempt to find the most accurate QRZ.com page. So if an operator has setup a /V page in QRZ.com for example then the location from that page will be used correctly.

Otherwise it will be down to the activator to obtain a Maidenhead Locator or address (such as the name of the city) from the chaser which is standard for anyone not at their home QTH. In the UK using a /A ‘Alternative address’ suffix falls into this category.

As always for accurate logging I encourage you to ask for a locator or location where someone isn’t at their home QTH but is unlikely to have a QRZ.com page for that location. For /M ‘Mobile’ operators I now ask what the nearest motorway junction is for example.

It is wonderful to see there is such a vibrant amateur radio community in Argentina, with a keen interest in SOTA.

Regards, Mark.

[JP3PPL]

I recommend it to you! Take Route 40 and you can activate LUM-LUP-LUY

[SQ9MDF]

let me add some photos from another country waiting in line for SOTA. CE-relatively safe mountains in the Atacama desert. This is our record of qso on a 2m band - unfortunately only to the camp base.

the car boiled water -4500 meters above sea level

Ojos de Salado: cold or normal

what we did at the summit, we don’t remember anything

we are happy to exchange 1000 activations in the European lowlands to return there…

5000m altitude is everywhere at your fingertips - but your forces are you know what?
SQ9NOT SQ9MDF 73"