The "Dutch SOTA" Tour - Day 1

In an attempt to activate all Dutch (PA/PA) summits, I made a three day tour along the summits I still needed. I had activated two of the five Dutch summits before.

On August 31st, I left my home at 05:45 local time, and after 300 km I was at the first summit.

PA/PA-004 Torenberg, 107m, 1 point  [EDIT: this summit has been deleted]

I drove to position 52.232284, 5.862798 along the Amersfoortseweg near Apeldoorn, there turned right onto Kampsteeg and parked at 52.231135, 5.865236. I found a nice spot with a little shade. I was QRV at 09:45 local time.

In less than one hour, I had 29 QSO's in the log, including 3 S2S.

Since it was not a big detour, I had a quick visit to the historic radio place Radio Kootwijk.

GPS position for driving is 52.174580, 5.827683, where you can park. Parking used to be free, but now it's 5 Euro for one day. You can't pay per hour.

[EDIT: there is free parking here 52.178435, 5.856207 (Hoog Buren, a 3.3 km walk)]

Info in Dutch about Radio Kootwijk is here

Since I didn't plan on visiting the buildings, I just took a few pictures and went to my second summit.

PA/PA-005 Galgenberg, 102m, 1 point [EDIT: this summit has been deleted]

Parking is here 52.059508, 5.939249.

This summit is only accessible by crossing the Terlet glider airfield and a camping site, so you have to ask permission. I tried to find someone to ask, but the place was deserted, it seems averyone had a coffee break at the same time. 

So I had no problem getting to the summit at position 52.063629, 5.932377.

A nice bench was half in the shade, so I could choose if I wanted to be sunburnt or not, hi.

I fixed my pole to the bench, and put up my link dipole. 

In just over one hour the bench was completely in the sun (hi), and my log showed 38 QSO's, including one DX with K4DY, and 2 S2S. One of the S2S was a bit special, as we will see later. It was with Hans PA0HRM/P, who happened to be close by on my next summit  ... over to

PA/PA-006, Signaal Imbosch, 110m, 1 point

Follow the Beekhuizenseweg to this parking place 52.037021, 5.990766, on Google Maps it's called "Parking De Brandtoren".

It is at the end of a cul de sac (called Signaal Imbos), it looks like a bike only path, but can be driven with a car, just look out for all the bikers.

Coming from the village of Rheden, it can be confusing to get there, at a certain point you have to take the narrow road to your left, across from a big parking lot. See screenshot from Google Streetview. You can even follow that small road with Streetview.

(Source : Google Maps)

Just when I had all my stuff ready to start walking, Hans PA0HRM showed up at that same parking, he had finished his activation. Great to meet the PA Association Manager in person !

I just regret that I forgot to take a picture ...

We had a short talk, and Hans gave me clear directions on how to find the exact location of the summit.

The summit marker is NOT where you see "Signaal Imbosch" on Google Maps !

So I started walking, first through this gate ... direction North-East.

After about 450m there is a forest track to your right.

Follow it some 200m, until the tracks widens and has some sandy open spots, there you have to go left and uphill and look for the summit marker, there is no fixed way to get there.

The summit marker is at position 52.03800, 5.99904

The marker stone made a nice place to sit on, and I used my small aluminium table for the KX3.
Perfect !

 It was already past 15:00 local time when I was QRV, and in another hour of playing radio, I had 26 QSO's in my log, and 2 of those were summit to summit contacts.

AND of course I couldn't be more pleased that Hans got home and worked me again, now from his home shack.

After that I had a 100 km driving to do, to the city of Venlo, where I had booked a room on AirBnb.

The story is continued on Day 2