You can find a special website about my HKØGU activities if you click to www.qslnet.de/hk0gu

    My wish to activate San Andrés, was already some years old but we weren't able to find any travel agencies in Germany, which still had those trips in their programme.  Our goal seemed to vanish until we met Bruni Kohlsdorf, a German Lady, who lives in Bogotá. We met her in March 2001 at the "International Tourism Fair" (ITB) and she had the solution for us. Bruni runs a travel agency in Bogota and she immediately fired up to help us with the flights and the hotel in San Andrés. Short after she returned to Colombia we got an email with all the needed informations and we got into the "hot phase" of our preparations.

   My friend Mario, HK
3WGQ, did not hestitate to help me with the guest license application. With the

Maria Teresa, Gerd/HKØGU and Mario/HK3WGQ

help of the "Liga Colombiana de Radioaficionados" it was not too difficult. The only difficulty was the mail. I sent the needed documents between May and October several times, but they never received any of my letters. Maria Teresa Rodriguez, the Secretery of the LCRA, was very helpful. I sent the license application, the Spanish translation of my German license, the copies of my license and my passport and the equipment list by email, but they needed two original passport size photographs.  Marios emails got more and more urgent so I sent the two pictures by "Messenger".  Not even cheap - 65 US $ !!!  One day before we left Berlin my redeeming angel Maria Teresa sent the long awaited email - I was HKØGU !!!
   We arrived in Bogota November 8 where we spent four days. We met my good friend Mario several times and visited Maria Teresa.
   During those four days we took a sightseeing tour and were robbed on open road the last morning before we left. We lost about 300 US $ and missed our plane to San Andrés at 10:00h. So we took the next one at 14:00h. We were happy, that the guys did not hurt us anyway.

   The "Cocoplum Beach Hotel" proved to be a hit. Okay - I already had better antenna conditions before, but the hotel is located at the beach and the owner Luz Milena Diaz has a big heart for their guests - also for hams.

My Colombian guest license

  The guys of 5KØZ, who were in the same hotel will surely agree. The neighbour did not have anything against the 5KØZ antennas on his property. I erected my antenna, a HF9VX Butternut ground plane, only about 8 meters from the shore on the other side of the Hotel.
I was QRV mostly in CW and RTTY - like I always do.
In November 2001 I had 11.110 QSOs and in March 9.749 QSOs in my logs.

  The side trip to Providencia Island was succesful too. Our Hotel "Deep Blue" was located on the East coast of that mountainous island at the slope of a high hill and an excellent DX spot with a free “shot” from Europe via the USA to Japan. 
  The only problem is, there is not enough space for wire antennas because of the thick wood on the slope, but sufficient for my Butternut ground plane.
Roberto, EA4DX, who was QRV from the same Hotel, also found enough space for his three element beam.

Our cottage at “Deep Blue” Hotel

   Providencia Island, IOTA NA-049, is more rare in IOTA hunter bosoms as San Andrés, because it was activated more seldom. I realize this already after a few minutes. Huge pile ups from the first minutes until I leave the island the fourth day with 3680 QSOs in my log book.
   In the early morning hours there are good openings on 20m into all directions. Japan and Europe are heard with S9 signals. Because we are very busy during the days with snorkelling and sightseeing and the lower bands are opening around 03:00z (21:00 local time) I have not much time to sleep. I think, I did not sleep much more than 10 hours within those four days. The last night is really hard! I have to struggle against my drowsiness.
Sometimes I fall into sleep - I only hope that I don’t have too many mistakes in my log !!!

  We enjoyed Providencia Island so much that we decide spontaneously to come to this beautiful little island again to celebrate our Silver Wedding Anniversary (25th anniversary) in April 2004.

  March/April 2004
  After a four days side trip to Isla Palma (SA-078), which we originally planned together with Pedro, HK3JJH, - unfortunately he had to stay in Bogotá -, our journey brings us via Cartagena and San Andrés to Providencia Island, where we arrive March 18.
In Cartagena we have to stay overnight and we use the time to make a sightseeing tour to visit the beautiful Ciudad Vieja (Old Town).
  During the evening we meet Pedro, HK1HHX. Many contesters should know Pedro, who takes part in many contests with his contest call 5K1X.
He is building a new contest station with better rig and antennas and I have to promise to take part with him in any important contest in the next future. I hope it could be in November 2006 - on my 60th birthday tour.
  Our good old friends Edilma and Abel, HKØVGJ, visit us at the Airport in San Andrés, where we only have a few minutes before our Island Hopper leaves San Andrés heading Providencia Island.
 

  November/December 2006
  Our fourth trip to HKØ-land San Andrés y Providencia.
We start our trip with a visit in Cecilias and Pedros (HK3JJH) home, The next morning we fly to Cartagena, where we meet Pedro HK1X (ex HK1HHX) again. Our next step is a 5 days activation of the small Isla del Pirata (SA-040).

  After a short flight we land in San Andrés, where we visit our friends Edilma and Abel in their home again. We have a few hours time before our plane leaves. They are great hosts and we have a first class meal.
Then we catch our plane to Isla Providencia. The lady at the counter declares that we only can take 10kg per person but we have about 80kg in total. After a short discussion they allow us to take all our stuff with us but we have to pay the overweight fees (18 US$) - oomph.
  Arrived in Providencia “Betito”, our friend who picks us up at the Airport, tells us, that the Hotel “Deep Blue” is closed for reconstruction and that we can stay in his house. It is located just a few yards away. The antenna conditions are much better there as we had two years ago at the “Deep Blue”. The slope in front of the house is steep and free of bushes or trees.

  November/December 2009
  When my XYL gives green light for my plans to go again to Providencia we could be back there in November 2009. Maybe that Pedro (HK3JJH) and I will activate one or two Colombian IOTA groups too.
ATTENTION: IT WILL NOT BE MALPELO! - SO DON’T EXPECT ANY SENSATION!!!
Pedro told me that he would not go back to Malpelo due to the very difficult landing conditions and we both are not the youngest guys anymore.

Some statistics

HKØGU 2001 - San Andrés

MHz

CW

RTTY

SSB

Total QSOs

1,8

0

0

0

0

3,5

207

3

0

210

7

1448

31

1

1480

10,1

1296

1

0

1297

14

804

261

2

1067

18,1

537

0

0

537

21

743

132

0

875

24,9

2302

17

7

2326

28

2648

576

9

3233

50

81

0

4

85

Total

10066

1021

23

11110

HKØGU/p 2002 - Providencia

MHz

CW

RTTY

SSB

Total QSOs

1,8

0

0

0

0

3,5

300

0

0

300

7

506

0

0

506

10,1

451

0

0

506

14

1466

22

73

1561

18,1

172

0

0

172

21

274

48

8

330

24,9

104

0

0

104

28

215

0

40

255

50

1

0

0

1

Total

3489

70

121

3680

HKØGU/1 2004 - Isla Palma

MHz

CW

RTTY

SSB

Total QSOs

1,8

0

0

0

0

3,5

400

0

0

400

7

777

0

0

777

10,1

1314

0

0

1314

14

508

2

0

509

18,1

0

0

0

0

21

876

0

0

876

24,9

0

0

0

0

28

0

0

0

0

50

0

0

0

0

Total

3875

2

0

3877

HKØGU/1 2006 - Isla del Pirata

MHz

CW

RTTY

SSB

Total QSOs

1,8

0

0

0

0

3,5

312

0

0

312

7

2533

8

0

2541

10,1

376

0

0

376

14

144

7

1

152

18,1

0

0

0

0

21

146

54

0

200

24,9

0

0

0

0

28

0

0

0

0

50

0

0

0

0

Total

3511

69

1

3581

HKØGU 2002 - San Andrés

MHz

CW

RTTY

SSB

Total QSOs

1,8

64

0

0

64

3,5

897

3

0

900

7

999

37

0

1036

10,1

1186

1

0

1187

14

1677

297

3

1977

18,1

646

0

3

649

21

694

411

6

1111

24,9

931

2

7

940

28

1485

323

26

1834

50

24

1

26

51

Total

8603

1075

71

9749

HKØGU 2004 - Providencia

MHz

CW

RTTY

SSB

Total QSOs

1,8

0

0

0

0

3,5

912

14

0

926

7

3491

260

80

3831

10,1

2051

1

0

2052

14

761

583

33

1377

18,1

179

0

0

179

21

988

476

180

1644

24,9

672

0

1

673

28

193

89

273

555

50

0

0

0

0

Total

9247

1423

567

11237

HKØGU 2006 - Providencia

MHz

CW

RTTY

SSB

Total QSOs

1,8

1468

0

0

1468

3,5

1504

0

0

1504

7

5349

0

9

4358

10,1

21

0

0

21

14

2318

228

0

2546

18,1

2105

158

0

2263

21

1091

0

0

1091

24,9

499

0

0

499

28

266

0

0

266

50

0

0

0

0

Total

14621

386

9

15016

If you want to know more about San Andrés and Providencia
please click to the small photograph below!

Useful LINKS:

Liga Colombiana de Radioaficionados
“Cocoplum Beach Hotel”

Stay in Bogota at “Pension Berlinesa”