For once, I really got chilled on Mont Blanc… and no contacts!
This time, to arrive later, I started lower down, from the Tête Rousse refuge (3167 m). I was quite heavily loaded, with the batteries (+2.8 kg) and, this time, the APRS handheld.
I reached the summit just before 7 AM. Up there, a bit of wind and cold — around -8 °C, maybe?
I called a few times without success. My fingers were too frozen to spot myself on SOTAwatch.
My feet were also cold — my shoes were too light, and same for the gloves.
Big thanks to those who tried to contact me and followed me on APRS anyway!
With some hindsight (and a slow start!), I’ve realized a better strategy would be to think more “radio” in advance:
Ideally, get to the summit in the middle of the morning to operate in better conditions, then sleep at the Goûter refuge (3835 m), so I can cross the (somewhat dangerous) couloir the next morning.
Also need to plan for more “static” mountain gear: warmer shoes and gloves, and aim for daytime activation.
Jean, I can very much sympathise.
In a much smaller way I suffered the same lack of Qsos on 2m on the Kitsbuhler Horn 3 weeks ago. Having climbed the last 1000ft, at 6000ft with Austria layed out below me I made ONE 2m Qso with a German station plus one with my daughter OE/G7SPP/P who was with me but outside the activation zone at the time. I appreciate the big difference in the climbing involved, but although I got the activation and a complete, no points.
As has been mentioned recently on this reflector, there seem to be fewer people monitoring the 2m Band or responding to 2m spots. Not a good sign for the future.
Hello Ingo,
As Jean-Seb told us on another tchat, he tried on 40m and 20m. You can follow his track on aprs.fi that he sent via his AnyTone Talky.
He could have used his AnyTone on TG-973 DMR to ask for a spot (i often do that).
Jean-Seb is a great climber and disurbs all our respect.
Gerald F6HBI
Hi Ingo,
I dont think it is such dangerous…if condx are good.
When i climb this Sota (10 years ago) it was just on purpose for having CW radio up there.
May be you can see some photos here: F/AB-001 F8UFT Mont Blanc 2016 | Flickr
Gerald
Amazing photos. An Elecraft KH1 would be ideal on a summit like Mont Blanc, but for just a couple of cramped summits every year, I can’t really justify the massive outlay.
73 de OE6FEG
Matt
