Sorry, only just seen this amongst the pile of email waiting on my return from hols:
Hi !
On Monday, July 16th I will be on Monte Rosa (Punta Gnifetti, 4’556m) and I have planned to activate this summit which is one of the highest in Europe. Weather forecasts are very optimistic and the probability to reach the summit is high. As you may know right on the summit there is the highest refuge in Europe, the Capanna Regina Margherita, where I will stay for one night. That will allow me to spend one or two hours for the activation if everything goes as planned.
ETA will be around 14:00 UTC (16:00 local) – maybe earlier - and modes will be first 20m SSB (around 14.200) and then 2m FM (145.000) for more local contacts. The 20m transceiver is a homebrew 4W and the antenna should be a full-size inverted vee (with this transceiver I have been able to make State-side contacts with a balcony antenna, so yes, it does work well, hi). The 2m handheld is a FT-23R (5W) with a long telescopic antenna.
Since Italy is not (yet) officially part of SOTA, I have contacted the Italian SOTA program and they have given me an official reference, which is I/PM-118. Unfortunately this summit is not recognized in SOTA-Watch so I can’t submit it as a SOTA-Alert! So I hope that I’ll be able to publicize this activation so that I’ll get a true pile-up up there!!! Thank you.
Best 73s de Robert, HB9TSE