OK8CDX Czech Tour May 2019 - Day 8 Final Day

Wednesday 8th May 2019 (Last day of tour):

OK/ST-041 > ST-042 > ST-044 > ST-035

This was our last half day of activity before going to the airport. The Hotel Na Vyvjoi Havlickova in Vlasim served breakfast at 7.00am, so we were able to to depart promptly. I was operating just one hour later owing to the proximity to Vlasim of our first summit Kostelik OK/ST-041. The summit was reached in a five minute walk from the lane up to top of a steep sided wood. The track is available in the SMP. I logged seven "early birds" from my slatted seat amongst the dead leaves on the Kostelik summit:

Six of the seven were the usual suspects who I had worked many times, including my friend Terry G0VWP who lives in York near to my home QTH:

The four X two point summits chosen today were in a line on our way back to Prague Airport - which is on the north western side of the city, we started from the south east side of Prague in Vlasim. All four summits were easy to access. 

Our next conquest was 10 Km from OK/ST-041 Kostelik and this was Brezak OK/ST-042. This summit was more interesting and comfortable, with seating provided for the operators, however we were both affected by high levels of QRN from the installations on the summit tower, which was open for climbing as a viewpoint for the public. We know there was an FM Broadcast station transmitter on the tower as you can see the photo of the foundation stone below:

Victor OK8VM walking to the summit of OK/ST-042

High wooden tower on OK/ST-042 - a two point summit

Radio Sazavz 89.3 FM Foundation stone - one of the emitters of heavy QRN perhaps on HF?

We moved on another 10 Km to our third summit and found another uphill woodland walk, this time on a gravel track. OK/ST-044 Cerkansky Chlum was an unremarkable summit, not even worth a photo with the activation taking place in long grass with trees more sparse than on the first summit. I took longer to qualify than Victor so he set off back to the car before me, something we always tend to do whether it was he or me who finished the activation first. We always set up two seperate stations so as to work at least two bands, two modes and work as many as we can in the short time we spend operating on each summit. Once again the track is available in the SMP. 

Our final summit was OK/ST-035 Pecny -  almost a drive on, with just a 200m into the woods adjoining a well fenced astronomical site on the summit. The footpath around the site is well within the activation zone at 540m ASL. No photos were taken here. There were plenty of folk around as it was a Bank Holiday. After the activation we got changed into our normal travelling clothes and then headed for the KFC at the Globus Hypermarket complex on the outskirts of Prague.

We overcame the language barrier at KFC Globus Center and "went large" with a 3 pieces classic chicken meal

We had plenty of time for a meal, to refuel the car, put it through the car wash leaving us sufficient time to reach the airport, just a few miles north of the Globus Centre. There is WiFi in the departure lounge at Prague Airport, so that allowed me time to enter my SOTA log for the day whilst waiting for my gate, by that time Victor had gone to his gate for the plane to Ireland. Mine was EasyJet to Manchester. 

Stats: 

Distance driven by GI4ONL/OK8VM = 960 miles
Distance walked = not calculated
52 unique summits activated for 174 Points (12 x 1 - 12 x 2 - 13 x 6 - 15 x 4)
Bands used: 20m CW/SSB - 30m CW - 40m CW/SSB
Total QSOs OK8CDX / OK8VM = 1180 Contacts (39 S2S)
Cost of Tour each - £££s - a three figure sum - would rather not know!

We hoping to go back later this year and do the same again in a different part of the Czech Republic.