SOTA Expedition Diary in Giumalău Mountains, Romania
(July 26th – 29th , 2022)
On Tuesday, July 26th, at 8 in the morning, at the radio club, there were given the last instructions for 2022’s SOTA expedition which would take place in Bucovina’s Mountains. The school minibus took us from Râciu village to Beclean (a town in Northern Transylvania) from where we picked up the train to Vatra Dornei. On the train we easily could admire the transition from the plain to the mountain area in its beauty. Another minibus waited for us and we finally arrived to Rusca from where we started walking to the cottage. The cold forest accompanied us on our way and the final destination has been reached: Giumalău Cottage 1520 m ASL. Other participants, more experienced in the mountains, were waiting for us there: YO6PIB – Csaba, and YO6EVA –Eva. They were our SOTA instructors these wonderful four days. That evening, they shared their passion and achievements, full of modesty.
The first day (link): Expediția școlară "Summits On The Air" (Vârfuri de munte în emisie) - SOTA, în Munții Giumalau, 26 iulie 2022 - prima zi a expediției
Wednesday, July 26th, was the first day of activation. After breakfast, we managed to reach the summit, Giumalău Peak, YO/EC-007, 1857m ASL. Two antennas were installed. First, YO6PIB and YO6EVA made a demonstration, activating the summit, then, some of us also activated successfully the summit using our personal call signs, on the 20m band and the 17m band. Many of us realized the beauty of ham radio at the time when I managed to make a QSO with YO6MCM – Mihaela, who could not take part in the expedition this year, but she chased us from Cluj, about 200km away; and also at the time when Nico, YO6YLJ, made a S2S QSO with his father, LB9HI – Mihai (YO6SM), that was in Norway. Mihai was glad to make a QSO with each of us. We spent the rest of the day resting, playing cards, having fun and singing the anthem of friendship, proposed Eva - YO6EVA.
The link of the 2nd day (photos):
The initial plan for the third day was going again on Giumalău, but our teacher, YO5IA Adrian Baciu, suggested us to form two groups. YO5IA with the majority of my colleagues went again on Giumalău Peak, while Csaba YO6PIB, Eva YO6EVA, Horatiu YO6HDC, Raul YO6ZAO and Daria YO6CDC activated two other summits. Rarău Peak, YO/EC-017, was a success, using a vertical antenna. On Muncel Peak, YO/EC-527, we used the (tr)uSDX transceiver for the first time with a power of 3W and an inverted-Vee antenna. At the same time, on Giumalău YO/EC-007, our colleagues, YO6CMM – Marius and YO6BLS – Stefan, were working also with a (tr)uSDX transceiver, in the same conditions. The entire team activated Giumalău summit YO/EC-007 and at the end we made S2S QSOs from Muncel YO/EC-527 to Giumalău, using some Baofengs in VHF/UHF. We gained 8 points for each summit.
For me and the group, the SOTA activity per day was over but the voice of the mountain was calling for us. We visited Piatra Soimului and then Pietrele Doamnei, the hardest mountain route I have ever traveled – great view both. In the evening each of us got a SOTA medal, in order to reward the contribution of each member of the expedition to this great experience.
For me and the group, the SOTA activity per day was over but the voice of the mountain was calling for us. We visited Piatra Soimului and then Pietrele Doamnei, the hardest mountain route I have ever traveled – great view both. In the evening each of us got a SOTA medal, in order to reward the contribution of each member of the expedition to this great experience.
I really could feel the ham spirit. The third day ended up with us singing old songs around a campfire.
The 3rd day (photos):
Returning home during the 4th day was a nostalgic moment but on the other side, we were already curious where will be the next SOTA Expedition. Untill then, we have the radio waves, the contests, the radioclub where we meet, while memories last forever.
The complete team, the most wonderful people:
YO6BEA - Beatrice Bucur,
YO6BLS - Ștefan Bucur,
YO6BTI - Ioana Birou,
YO6CDC - Daria Covaci,
YO6CMM - Marius Cozos,
YO6CPI - Patricia Ciontos,
YO6DAB - Darius Iuga,
YO6DLS - Ștefan Gaurean,
YO6HDC - Horațiu Covaci,
YO6DMV - Denisa Ruța,
YO6MIP - Ioana Morar,
YO6MDM - Denisa Morar,
YO6NWP - Paul Lăcan,
YO6RTP - Radu Pop,
YO6RUX - Oana Ruxandra Borșan,
YO6SNK - Andrei Chiseliciuc,
YO6YLJ - Nicoleta Suciu,
YO6ZAO - Raul Otves,
SWL: Pop Ana, Catarig Alexandra, Alexandra Covaci,
Parents: Camelia Covaci, Mihaela Cozos, Marius Cozoș
SOTA instructors:
YO6PIB - Kertesz Csaba Zoltan,
YO6EVA - Gajdo Kelemen Eva,
YO5IA - Baciu Ioan Adrian
The article was made by Daria Covaci, YO6CDC
