 |
SOTA
Summits On The Air
SOTA is an award scheme for radio amateurs and shortwave listeners that encourages portable operation in mountainous areas. |
| I started SOTA in late 2015. It is a good and healthy activity making me moving from my comfortable radio shack.
Combining sites seeing, mountain climbing and low power radio operation. Click on the above SOTA logo to get more information about this nice programme.
My 26 SOTA activities since September 2015: |
| 13 APR 2017 | HB/VD-048 | Montagne du Chateau 929 m. |
| 10 QSO on 40m. Along with Kurt HB9AFI. Very easy access with a 5 minutes walk from the car parking. Plenty of space at the summit. The antenna can be fixed onto a fence at the top of the water reservoir. |
   |
|
| 26 SEP 2016 | LX/LX-002 | Grengenwald 431 m. |
| 51 QSO on 40m, 30m and 20m. Is not allowed to go with your car inside the forest. Park your vehicle along the N11 road. Then about 20 minutes easy walk with HB9DPZ to reach the summit. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with 9m telescopic travel mast. |
 |
|
| 26 SEP 2016 | ON/ON-004 | Bois de Hazeille 586 m. |
| 21 QSO on 40 meters Along with HB9DPZ, only few minutes walk in the forest to reach the summit. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with 9m telescopic travel mast. |
 |
|
| 24 SEP 2016 | F/VO-053 | Bois des Vaches 420 m. |
| 49 QSO on 40m, 30m and 20m. The summit is located in large a public parc with wooden tables and benches. Lot of space for antennas. With HB9DPZ. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with 9m telescopic travel mast. |
 |
|
| 11 SEP 2016 | F/AB-487 | Narmont 1367 m. |
| 44 QSO on 40m, 30m and 20m. Park your car in the 'La Cote' village, then a 45 minutes tough walk to reach the summit located in the forest. No nice view from there but a quiet place. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with 9m telescopic travel mast. |
 |
|
| 24 AUG 2016 | F/AB-469 | Pointe des Brasses 1503 m. |
| 36 QSO on 40m, 30m and 20m. 15 minutes walk from the restaurant Les Choucas parking. Fantastic view of the French Alps and Jura mountains. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with 9m telescopic travel mast. |
  |
|
| 16 AUG 2016 | HB/VD-044 | La Tour de Grouze 924 m. |
| 47 QSO on 40m, 30m and 20m. The summit is only 3 minutes walk from the parking. There are wooden tables and benches around to setup the station. Incredible view to Lausanne city, the Geneva lake and the Alps. Station: Elecraft KX3 with mini Palm paddle. 12 volts 7 A/h lead battery. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with 9m telescopic travel mast. |
 |
|
| 10 JUNE 2016 | F/JU-035 | Le Charveyron 1080 m. |
| 62 QSO on 40m, 30m and 20m. The parking place is about 2 km north of Prémillieu village. From there is a 35 minutes difficult walk across the forest to reach the summit. Activity along with HB9DPZ. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts LiPo battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with 9m telescopic travel mast. |
  |
|
| 27 MAY 2016 | F/AB-435 | Cret de Chatillon (Mont Semnoz) 1702 m. |
| 44 QSO on 40m and 20m. 10 minutes easy walk from the restaurant's parking. Nice view of the French Alps and the Annecy Lake. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with 9m telescopic travel mast. |
||
| 18 MAY 2016 | F/AB-485 | Le Grand Piton (Mont Saleve) 1379 m. |
| 41 QSO on 40m, 30m and 20m. The summit is 10 minutes walk from the parking on a forest track. Incredible view of the Mont-Blanc, the French alps, Jura mountains, Geneva city and its Lake. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 26 meters long wirewith 9:1 UnUn and telescopic travel mast. |
  |
|
| 05 MAY 2016 | F/JU-049 | La Foret d'Avignon 917 m. |
| 28 QSO on 40m, 30m and 20m. 30 minutes walk from the parking on a very good restricted road. Then 10 minutes walk in the deep forest to reach the summit. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with telescopic travel mast. |
  |
|
| 02 FEB 2016 | F/AB-497 | La Grande Combe 1297 m. |
| 54 QSO on 40m and 20m. A 50 minutes walk to reach the summit from La Covaz village. With the participation of HB9DPZ Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with telescopic travel mast. |
 |
|
| 27 JAN 2016 | F/JU-082 | Bois des Combelles 635 m. |
| 41 QSO on 40m, 20m. A 40 minutes walk along with HB9DPZ to reach the summit from Meuillat village. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with telescopic travel mast. |
 |
|
| 27 JAN 2016 | F/JU-074 | Montagne de Cury 685 m. |
| 46 QSO on 40m, 30m, 20m. This is the first activation of this summit. At the top there is a huge tower supporting a 400'000 volts power line. Therefore the station has been installed few meters away with the help of HB9DPZ. A 30 minutes walk is needed to reach the summit. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts battery, mini Palm paddle. |
  |
|
| 27 DEC 2015 | F/AB-521 | La Ferme du Comte 940 m. |
| 29 QSO on 40m, 30m, 20m. 50 minutes walk to reach the summit. Nice view to the French Alps. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts 3.2 A/h battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 26 meters long wire with telescopic travel mast. |
 |
|
| 25 DEC 2015 | HB/NE-006 | Gros Cret 1276 m. |
| 37 QSO on 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m. 20 minutes easy walk from the parking. Nice view to Jura mountains and La Chaux-de-Fonds city. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts 3.2 A/h battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 26 meters long wire with telescopic travel mast. |
 |
|
| 23 DEC 2015 | F/AB-473 | Le Signal des Voirons 1480 m. |
| 44 QSO on 40m, 30m, 20m. To reach the summit, 20 minutes walk from the "Monastère de Bethléem" car parking. Nice view to the Alps, the Jura mountains and Geneva region. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts 3.2 A/h battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with telescopic travel mast. |
  |
|
| 20 DEC 2015 | F/AB-525 | La Tete 900 m. |
| 39 QSO on 40m, 30m, 20m. 1h45 walk from La Balme de Sillingy cemetery car parking on a steep forest trail. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts 3.2 A/h battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with telescopic travel mast. |
  |
|
| 17 DEC 2015 | F/AB-523 | La Goliettaz 923 m. |
| 43 QSO on 40m, 30m, 20m. 30 minutes walk from the road. At the begining on a forest trail, then no more track untill the summit. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts 3.2 A/h battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with telescopic travel mast. |
  |
|
| 13 DEC 2015 | F/AB-539 | La Maladiere 754 m. |
| 55 QSO on 40m, 30m, 20m. 30 minutes walk from the Chateau d'Allinges main parking place. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts 3.2 A/h battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with telescopic travel mast. |
 |
|
| 11 DEC 2015 | F/AB-547 | Charnire 729 m. |
| 64 QSO on 40m, 30m, 20m. 20 minutes easy walk from the village. On the summit, plenty of trees and posts to tie mast and antenna. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts 3.2 A/h battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with telescopic travel mast. |
 |
|
| 10 DEC 2015 | F/AB-540 | Bois de Bornachon 756 m. |
| 61 QSO on 40m, 30m, 20m. 12 minutes easy walk from the Bornachon main road. The summit is in the forest. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts 3.2 A/h battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with telescopic travel mast. |
 |
|
| 08 DEC 2015 | F/AB-553 | Le Mont 705 m. |
| 49 QSO on 40m, 30m, 20m. 30 minutes easy walk from the gate on a good trail. Lot of trees at the top. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts 3.2 A/h battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with telescopic travel mast. |
 |
|
| 06 DEC 2015 | F/AB-548 | Mont de Boisy 739 m. |
| 38 QSO on 40m, 30m, 20m. Quiet place with 15 minutes walk on a forest trail, easy access. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts 3.2 A/h battery, mini Palm paddle. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with telescopic travel mast. |
 |
|
| 02 DEC 2015 | F/AB-516 | Cret de la Gouette 961 m. |
| 41 QSO on 40m, 30m, 20m. Nice place with an easy access. Station: Elecraft KX3 with 12 volts 3.2 A/h battery. Antenna: 12 meters long wire with telescopic travel mast. With the French Alps on the background |
 |
|
| 29 SEPT 2015 | F/AB-529 | Camp des Allobroges (Petit Saleve) 899 m. |
| This was my very first operation with Kurt HB9AFI who introduced me to the SOTA programme.
Station: Elecraft K2 portable transceiver + 12 meters long wire antenna. On photos HB9AFI & HB9AMO |
  |
|
- SOTA Summits On The Air website: LINK