Second SOTA activation by bicycle, 2 summits!

From my home town it’s a long way to ON/ON-28, Terril Waterschei (199 m). I stayed overnight in Lommel with friends and arrived 11 in the morning the next day close to the summit at the Genk soccer stadium, where I parked my bicycle. From there it is about a one hour hike to the summit, the last bit very steep…

It’s quite a challenge putting up an antenna here. There’s not much room and being very windy I did not want to extend the mast to it’s full length. Also, no way to attach the radials… Great views from up here! I could make 20 QSO’s in about 30 minutes. Great to work K4DY, he gave me a 529 report.

After staying overnight in Genk, I arrived at D’n Observant (170 m) around 11 the next morning. This is a very touristy spot, lot’s of hikers, bikers and runners. I could ride my bicycle all the way up to the top.

27 QSO’s in the log after one hour, all from the east for some reason. Maybe because I set up my vertical at the eastern side of the summit? From here it’s only a 30 minute ride to the train station of Maastricht, where I took the train home. It’s been a great 3 days, biking and hiking brings something special doing SOTA!

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Looks like a wonderful location. I like the idea of taking a chair to the summit, it looks positively luxurious!

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Good job. The terrills are fun to climb. There are a few in Belgian Limburg.

I think I had the same with my activation on d:n Observant, with everything from the east.

Pity we could not meet-up, but maybe in the future again when.

73, Martin JL1EFV/5 (PE1EEC)

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