YOTA Austria 2026 – Day 3
Day three at the YOTA Summer Camp 2026 took us out of the workshop and into the Austrian Alps for one of the most memorable days of the week so far. Combining Caves on the Air and Castles on the Air, it was a fantastic opportunity to explore some truly unique operating locations while learning more about radio propagation in challenging environments.
Our first stop was Eisriesenwelt in Werfen, the world’s largest ice cave. After an early start, a cable car ride and a steep climb to over 1600m above sea level, we descended into the cave where temperatures remained at around 0°C throughout the tour. Whist learning about the cave’s fascinating geology, we also had the opportunity to experiment with amateur radio underground. One of the highlights for Tom, M1TJM was making a successful contact on 70cm using just 300mW of power. As a keen advocate of the 70cm band, it was particularly satisfying to demonstrate that UHF could still be used successfully from such an unusual location. It was a brilliant practical demonstration of radio propagation and certainly one that won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
After lunch, we travelled to the spectacular Hohenwerfen Castle for our Castles on the Air activity. Our HF station consisted of an Icom IC-705 feeding a quarter-wave vertical antenna on 20m, while VHF and UHF stations were also kept busy throughout the afternoon. Although we didn’t quite achieve enough contacts for a valid World Castles Award activation, everyone thoroughly enjoyed operating from such a stunning location overlooking the Austrian Alps. Between QSOs, we explored the castle itself and even watched an impressive falconry display.
Back at camp, there was finally more time to operate the OE2YOTA station. The highlight for Milo, M9ILO was working D2ACE in Rwanda on the 17m band, proving once again what an exciting band it can be when conditions are favourable. Tom’s favourite contact came on 40m SSB, running the full 1kW station, when he was delighted to hear Bernie, G0AJZ, from the Guisborough and District Amateur Radio Club back home in the UK. After several busy days abroad, hearing a familiar voice from home made the QSO particularly memorable.
What continues to make YOTA so special isn’t just the activities, it’s the people. Whether operating portable from a castle, experimenting with radio deep beneath the mountains or sharing stories over dinner with young amateurs from around the world, every day brings new opportunities to learn something different. It’s inspiring to see so many young people sharing the same passion for amateur radio, regardless of language or nationality.
Tomorrow we’ll be returning to the workshop to complete our QMX+ transceivers and learn more about emergency communications. The week is flying by, but we’re making memories and radio contacts that will last a lifetime.
Henry, M0KUQ – 73 from the RSGB team in Austria!
Category: YOTA Austria 2026 updates
