For about a year now, I’ve been roaming through Carinthia’s forests, hills, meadows and mountains as a SOTA activist – equipped with a radio, antenna, an old-fashioned paper log and occasionally more optimism than sense of direction. But only now did I discover a small, inconspicuous button while browsing the SOTA data platform: the list of available badges.
Until now, I’ve been about as aware of these awards as a Stormtrooper is of his hit rate. But this time something catches my eye. Among all sorts of different challenges, a badge suddenly jumps out at me: the “Star Wars Day”. At first, I’m completely confused. “May the 4th?” Huh? That’s in a few days? Until, rather hesitantly, the famous Jedi flash of insight strikes: “May the Force be with you!” Of course! May 4th! The Force! And then I read on: five activations earn you the legendary “Obi Wan” badge.
One woman, one goal – surely this can’t be that hard. And at that moment, there’s no turning back. Or as Master Yoda would say: “Do or do not. There is no try.”
Now, May 4th happens to fall on a Monday this year, but with a home office start at 0600 kitchen time and flextime from noon, my plan suddenly seems entirely realistic – at least in that parallel universe where radio amateurs do their time planning. Five SOTA hills around Klagenfurt that I haven’t conquered yet should definitely be doable. So much for the plan.
Late in the morning, I see Dominik OE8DLE’s spot lighting up at the Falkenberg. Apparently he’s heroically fighting against the dark side of radio silence there. On a Monday morning, after all, every OM and YL is dutifully at work – or worse: in various online meetings. But definitely another one who knows how to properly honour this high SOTA holiday and doesn’t waste his slightly extended lunch break on actual lunch. One might almost say: “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope.”
I abruptly drop everything at work, sprint into the garden with the handheld radio and support the activation with a quick chaser QSO. Solidarity at SOTA is stronger than any pathetic Death Star.
Planet 1: Hammerberg
At exactly 1200, my own mission begins. First planet, or rather, first summit: the “Hammerberg”. A densely forested hill with a supposedly short ascent, but as so often: the real opponent isn’t the mountain, but the unmarked path to get there.
Arriving at the summit, I’m immediately delighted by a Summit2Summit QSO with Slavko S53XX, who is already QRV on “Minichoutz”. Here one can only say: “The Force is strong with this one”, as he is one of the most active mountain operators in the area.
After some brisk QSOs on HF and VHF, it’s straight on – after all, today’s motto isn’t “leisurely radio hiking day” but rather “The Rise of Skywalker in Fast Forward”.
Planet 2: Gracarca at Lake Klopein
Next stop: the “Gracarca” at Lake Klopein. HF quickly delivers enough contacts and a few VHF QSOs are possible too. I can almost hear Han Solo saying: “Fly casual, Chewie!”
Planet 3: Kitzelsberg
On to the “Kitzelsberg”. Here too, the HF antenna goes up and I even manage a ground-wave contact with OE7NMI/P at his holiday home near Eisenkappel. The view of Lake Klopein is so beautiful that I’d love to have relaxed and soaked it in, but time is pressing like an imperial countdown.
Planet 4: Koschitz
On to the nearby “Koschitz”. This time, quite a few metres of elevation await along a beautiful Stations of the Cross path. Finally at the top, I see… the forest for the trees. Lots of trees. So many trees that even an Ewok would say: “That’s quite enough now.” Since a fifth mountain is still planned, I bravely skip the HF setup this time and try my luck on VHF, hoping that someone in Carinthia is QRV on the direct frequency in the evening. But the contacts flow more sluggishly than Jabba the Hutt after an all-inclusive buffet. A full 30 minutes pass before the required four QSOs are finally in the log. Apparently most are already at their well-deserved dinner or (I hope not) perhaps already frozen in carbonite – who knows.
Fortunately, the legendary SOTA master OE8KKK also makes himself heard – the one who, at the beginning of the SOTA era in the area, was the first to activate pretty much every mountain – an honour that will forever remain denied to us latecomers. But time is pressing and there’s no time for a leisurely chat today. So quickly back down and onwards towards “Skarbin”.
Planet 5: Skarbin – The Dagobah Cave
The ascent there is short, but the drive takes considerably longer. When I finally arrive at the unfamiliar location, dusk has already set in. Before me: a deep, dark, dense spruce forest. Behind me: my slowly fading motivation.
And so I stand there like Luke in front of the Dagobah cave, asking myself: “What’s in there?” And Master Yoda answers gently: “Only what you take with you.” In my case: headlamp, radio, a phone battery with only 10% left, and an uneasy feeling in my stomach.
So there I am, pondering, when suddenly a deep, loud bellowing rings out. I flinch. My first thought: Darth Vader or another Sith Lord of the municipality? I look around and then discover a delicate, sweet little deer standing innocently on the meadow, which – I can hardly believe it at first – apparently caused this utterly eerie sound. A few seconds later, another bellow answers from another section of forest, and a third from yet another corner doesn’t keep us waiting long either.
Still standing undecided at the forest’s edge, listening to the bizarre din of the animals, it slowly dawns on me: I’ve apparently landed right in the middle of a very private “hormone net” of the local deer world – and the little forest creatures are working with considerably more power than would ever be permitted on 2 m FM. The single little deer on the meadow still looks charmingly harmless at first – the Padawan level of courtship, so to speak. But the answers from the dark forest ring out in such deep tones that even Darth Vader would nod with brief respect.
And so the scene develops within a few minutes into a veritable pile-up of emotions. From the left comes bellowing, from the right comes the answer, somewhere else there’s suspicious cracking in the undergrowth – and I stand unsettled right in the middle, like a slightly overwhelmed contest manager on an extremely biological frequency.
Now I finally start thinking: it’s gotten quite dark by now and my phone is on the verge of Order 66. Before my mind’s eye, my imagination starts doing crisis somersaults, and I can already see myself wandering disoriented through the dark forest while the local police launch a major search and rescue operation with competent search dogs and somewhere in the background the Imperial March is playing.
I really don’t want to risk this embarrassment, especially since Wolfgang OE8GWQ, who holds a high-ranking position in law enforcement, secured me the crucial fourth QSO on the last summit. Nah… and so the light side of the Force finally makes itself heard: “Your focus determines your reality.” And that reality is: the fifth mountain really doesn’t need to happen today…
With that in mind, I briefly enjoy the beautiful dusk and appreciate the spectacular mating frenzy of the otherwise so peacefully appearing forest inhabitants before I sensibly begin my retreat.
Arriving home in the dark, I only then realise how exhausted I am, answer a few worried WhatsApp messages from OMs and YLs, and finally fall into bed tired but with a smile.
The Badge Drama
One might think the story ends here – but no, because the next day brings a tiny tragedy in my imperial Star Wars universe: while logging, I notice after the second mountain: no new badge. Huh. After the third, nothing either. Oh. And then the sobering realisation: you apparently only get one level advancement per year for the Star Wars badge.
Yes, I’m a little disappointed, but never mind, I take it with humour once again. After all, I’ve come four mountains closer to my personal goal of exploring my Carinthian homeland with radio – and that’s something. Or, as Master Yoda would probably conclude: “Patience you must have, my SOTA operator” and “Much to learn you still have.”
With that in mind: May the Force be with you! 73 de OE8YYY, Christina
