End of August 2024 I did a short SOTA trip to the Allgaeu Alps of Bavaria.
I got a cozy accommodation in the short term with free cable car ticket for the region included.
Normally I use a linked dipol for 20, 30, and 40m, that will never give you swr problems, but
as most of the summits have restricted space to set up a station, I choose a short vertical antenna.
To summarize my experience: It is trusty too and fun to use und ideal for small summits.
On the first day I started very early to get the first cabine to the summit.
At the valley station wx was very foggy, but as soon as I cut through the clouds, I had a sunny sky for the rest of the day.
Target was “Grosser Daumen” DL/AL-077, a 2,5-3h hike from the summit station.
After reaching I built up my antenna and my FT 817.
I had a short brake in my activation as a German Army helicopter was approaching and circling roundabout 15-20m above me. The hum of the rotor made it impossible to hear anything. When they disappeared, I could finish my activation.
Summit for the second day was “Lachenkopf” DL/AL-068. It should be a shorter hike from the same cable car summit station, but in the end, it took more time to reach, as there is no track for last 150m to the summit. Nevertheless, the activation was a success.
When there is no track, this guarantees, that the summit is not busy. So, it was absolutely calm and relaxing.
It was the first time I used my QMX for SOTA. I knew from portable work before, that it can create keyer issues. It was getting better with chokes at the feed point of the antenna and the key input, but it never vanished 100%. Sometimes you have to restart the QMX for what reason ever.
But there is a clear weight advantage together with a 3s LiPo battery, compared to the FT 817 with 4s LiPo.
My last summit was “Wengenkopf” DL/AL-076. Start point was the summit station on Nebelhorn. To reach “Wengenkopf”, you have to use the first third on the via ferrata “Hindelanger Klettersteig”. This track is well known and pretty busy, so my restricted area setup was ideal.
I built it up some meters away from the summit cross. Again, trx was QMX. I spent there roughly 1,5h, activating the summit, taking pictures from other people at the cross and answering many times the question, what are you doing there with this antenna? Later, I followed the via ferrata.
The activations gave me the confidence in my small vertical/QMX set up. It is fun to use.
All in all, relaxing SOTA activities in the Allgaeu Alps.
Thanks for all the qsos!
73, Berthold, DK1BZ
