YOTA Austria 2026 – Day 5

Day five at the YOTA Summer Camp 2026 took us into the spectacular Austrian Alps for one of the most eagerly anticipated activities of the week – Summits on the Air (SOTA). To make the most of the day, the RSGB team split into two groups.

Tom, M1TJM and Milo, M9ILO tackled Sonntagskogel, OE/SB/206, while Henry, M0KUQ and Filip, M7SZW headed for Saukarfunktel, OE/SB-458 via the Flying Mozart cable car. Despite being on different summits, we were able to make summit-to-summit contacts between our teams using handheld radios, demonstrating just how effective VHF can be from the tops of mountains. Here are some of our highlights from the day.

Filip, M7SZW
“Today was SOTA day and this was my first experience operating a handheld in the mountains. I used the UHF transceiver that I repaired myself to make a few contacts, even bumping into Tom on the calling frequency while he was on a different mountain. The views were incredible and I will definitely be taking a handheld to the Lake District next time I go! I also completed the technician and general US amateur radio exams, and hope to choose a call sign soon! I might try to study for the final stage tomorrow if there is enough time (which passed too fast).”

Henry, M0KUQ
“Living in London means there aren’t any SOTA summits nearby, so it felt incredibly fitting that my very first activation took place high in the Austrian Alps. Combining hiking with amateur radio in such stunning surroundings made for an unforgettable experience. To make the day even better, I also passed my US Amateur Extra examination! It was a brilliant way to round off an already incredible day, and I’m very grateful to everyone who has helped and encouraged me throughout the week.”

Milo, M9ILO
“My highlight was activating Saukarfunktel (OE/SB-206) as OE2YOTA, earning eight SOTA points. I made four VHF summit-to-summit contacts while helping others set up their HF stations. Seeing a pile-up develop on nothing more than a handheld radio after the effort of the climb made every step worthwhile. I finished the day on another high after completing my QMX+ transceiver, which passed its very first test without any faults.”

Tom, M1TJM
“One of the highlights of my day was finally meeting Andy, OE6ADE, after first working him summit-to-summit from Scafell Pike during his tour of the UK last month. It was fantastic to put a face to the call sign, and even more special to play him a recording of our original QSO. We were also joined by Austria’s SOTA Association Manager Sylvia, OE5YYN making it a real privilege to activate alongside two fantastic operators.

“Another memorable moment was working Hans Summers, G0UPL, summit-to-summit on both VHF and UHF. Amazingly, these were Hans’ first ever VHF and UHF SOTA contacts, making it a real privilege to be on the other end of the QSOs. Throughout the week we’ve also been building our own QMX+ transceivers under Hans’ guidance, and we’re delighted to have almost completed them. To make them even more special, Hans kindly signed each of our QMX+ cases – a fantastic souvenir from an unforgettable week at YOTA 2026.”

Today perfectly demonstrated why SOTA is such a fantastic part of amateur radio. It combines technical skill, physical challenge and breathtaking scenery while creating friendships that span the globe. Whether it was first activations, summit-to-summit contacts, repairing and using vintage equipment, or operating alongside some of amateur radio’s most respected names, there was something for everyone.

Tomorrow is our final full day at the YOTA Summer Camp 2026, with amateur radio direction finding, satellite communications and even more opportunities to get on the air. We’ve learnt so much throughout the week and we can’t wait to bring these new skills and ideas back to the UK.

73 from the RSGB team in Austria!

Category: Your stories