The final day of camp has come to an end, with departures waiting for us tomorrow. It is wild how fast the week flew by, how many incredible people we met, and how strong the friendships we built have become. But before we say our goodbyes, let’s take a look at how we spent our last day together!

We kicked off the morning with an exciting 80m ARDF (Amateur Radio Direction Finding) fox hunt organized by the Austrian ARDF team. Participants had to locate 5 hidden transmitters scattered across a 3 km course. Congratulations to Benjamin HB9HIH, who took the top spot in the men’s category with a lightning-fast time of 12:34, and to Ștefania YO9-158/D, who led the women’s category with an impressive time of 15:36!

Following the morning “warm-up,” participants enjoyed a relaxed afternoon. Some cooled off at the pool, others attended the hands-on LEO SAT (Low Earth Orbit Satellite) workshop, and many took advantage of one of the final chances to operate the camp station under OE2YOTA.

The grand finale of the week was our official Closing Ceremony. Participants received their certificates, the ARDF winners were celebrated, and we took a moment to express our deepest gratitude to all the incredible participants, hard-working organizers, and generous sponsors who made this unforgettable week possible.

Day 4 was truly special for everyone—and a dream come true for many!

We started the morning as usual with breakfast, followed by hands-on workshops. Participants who needed extra time to finish building their QMX transceivers had the chance to complete them so they’d be fully ready for the upcoming SOTA activation. Meanwhile, the second group dived into EMCOM (Emergency Communication).

This session was a high-stakes team coordination exercise designed to encourage leadership and hierarchy management. Participants took on various roles within logistics, intelligence, operations, and telecommunications. Team cohesion was key as everyone worked together to construct HF and VHF stations and antennas to keep communications running smoothly.

After lunch, the event everyone had been preparing for all day finally arrived: a live contact with astronaut Sophie Adenot (KJ5LTN) aboard the International Space Station! We connected with her via a telebridge station located in Australia, allowing our YOTA Region 1 Camp participants in Wagrain to speak directly with space.

Twenty of our youth had questions prepared about life in orbit—ranging from “How will the ISS contribute to future space exploration?” to the very practical “How do you do laundry in space?”

The buildup was incredibly tense. As with any ham radio endeavor, you can prepare all you want, but success is never guaranteed—especially when your contact is speeding overhead on the ISS! But the second her voice broke through from space, a wave of relief washed over the room, and the excitement took off. In a race against the clock during our 10-minute pass, we successfully managed to ask 17 questions!

Spectators were able to join the excitement live via our YouTube stream, and we were also joined on-site by Austrian TV, Ö3 Radio, and local media outlets—giving us a fantastic opportunity to showcase amateur radio to the general public.

Following the ISS contact, we had some free time to process the experience, but the action didn’t stop there. Representatives from the Austrian Military visited to show off their tactical equipment, putting on a display and letting us take photos.

To prepare for the next day’s mountain trip, Sylvie OE5YYN, a SOTA expert, gave us an introduction to what to expect during Summit On The Air.

We wrapped up the evening with a series of fun presentations where each national team practiced pitching amateur radio to the public—brainstorming creative ways to inspire newcomers to get licensed!

After days packed with technology, we spent Day 3 a bit differently—exploring the stunning Austrian nature!

In the morning, we set off for Eisriesenwelt Werfen, the largest ice cave in the world. The entire cave system extends over more than 42 km, with the first kilometer—filled with imposing ice formations—open to visitors. Since the temperature inside stays at a chilly 0°C, we warmed up by climbing around 1,400 steps! Thanks to our great guide, we learned many fascinating facts, and after the hot summer days, the freezing air was a refreshing change. The journey to and from the cave rewarded us with breathtaking views of the Austrian Alps and a scenic cable car ride.

Next, we moved on to Hohenwerfen Castle, a iconic medieval fortress perched above the town of Werfen, built by the Archbishops of Salzburg between 1075 and 1078. While some participants activated their callsigns for COTA (Castle On The Air) from the courtyard, everyone enjoyed a guided tour of the castle. To top it off, we watched a spectacular falconry show with birds of prey soaring directly above the castle walls!

But the day wasn’t over yet! After returning to camp and enjoying a hearty dinner, we hosted the fan-favorite Off-Air Contest—a unique competition where participants don’t use radios, but instead use their own voices to simulate contacts! Afterwards, the evening was open: some continued making QSOs under OE2YOTA, others prepped for Wednesday’s upcoming ARISS contact with the astronaut, and some took the opportunity to sit for their US Amateur Radio license exams.

Day two was all about diving deep into transceiver building and digital networks! Right after breakfast, participants split into two groups, just like the day before.

One of the highlight workshops featured a very special guest: Hans Summers, G0UPL, founder of QRP Labs, who joined us in person to mentor our young builders! Under his guidance, participants soldered together the popular QMX+ transceivers. These compact rigs pack modern Software Defined Radio (SDR) architecture into a small footprint. Despite their portable size, they cover CW, digital modes, and SSB across all HF bands up to 6 meters. Featuring a built-in sound card and a single USB cable connection for PC control, they make for the ultimate portable setup.

In parallel, the second group explored Meshcom—an independent digital system that allows users to send text messages, GPS coordinates, and emergency data over radio waves without relying on cellular networks or the internet. After lunch, the two groups swapped workshops so everyone got hands-on experience with both topics.

The evening was packed with knowledge once again, featuring practical workshops on WebRX, Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), optical communications, and digital modes.

During the WebRX workshop, each participating national team received components to build their own receiver for listening to radio over the internet. By setting these up back home, we are building a global network to help promote amateur radio. In fact, every country made a promise to have their WebRX station up and running within 14 days after camp!

To top off the evening, participants were once again offered the opportunity to take official US Amateur Radio licensing exams, continuing a great tradition.

The first day of camp was all about hands-on DIY antenna building. Two technical workshops were prepared, focusing on crafting custom antennas. Participants were divided into two groups: while one group focused on building a 3-element UHF antenna, the second group in the adjacent room worked on creating an HF antenna.

For the 3-element UHF Yagi antenna, participants learned how to build a direction-finding antenna using accessible, clever materials. They carefully cut precise lengths of metal tape measure for the elements, sanded down the paint to solder them to a dedicated printed circuit board along with an SMA connector, and secured everything onto a PVC tube boom using 3D-printed mounts, heat shrink tubing, and zip ties. The flexible tape elements allow the antennas to easily fold down for transport—making them instantly ready for portable use!

Meanwhile, the second group tackled an HF antenna—specifically, a portable End-Fed Half-Wave (EFHW) antenna. Participants assembled an impedance transformer inside a custom 3D-printed enclosure and measured out 41 meters of durable DX-Wire. Designed for quick field deployment, these multi-band antennas were put to work immediately for the rest of the week.

The grand finale of the day was the famous and beloved Intercultural Evening. Each country brought a taste of their local culture, presenting traditional sweet and savory treats alongside iconic national drinks. Many teams showcased their heritage not only through food, but also by wearing traditional costumes. It is truly magical how an evening like this helps build lifelong friendships and inspires participants to visit each other long after camp ends.

Here we go again! A year has flown by, and YOTA Summer Camp 2026 is finally here. After 10 wonderful years, the Austrian ÖVSV team is taking the reins once again. This year’s participants are heading to the Alps, to the beautiful town of Wagrain, where they’ll enjoy a week full of fun and amateur radio action from July 25 to August 1, 2026!

A total of 94 participants from 29 countries around the world have safely arrived in Austria after a long day of travel. As usual, day zero serves as a teaser of what’s to come. It’s always a mix of sleepy faces from long journeys, joyful reunions, and making first connections—and this year was no exception. Our social media feeds quickly filled up with travel photos, giving us a sneak peek at everyone on their way to camp.

The main event kicked off with the opening ceremony, where Michael OE1MCU (President of ÖVSV), Mario EA1JAY (Chair of the IARU Region 1 Youth Committee), and Florian OE3FTA welcomed all the participants and outlined the upcoming week. The Vice Mayor of Wagrain also took the stage to give everyone a warm local welcome.

Afterward, the Polish team ran the “YOTA Camp 2026 HAM Bingo” icebreaker. The goal was to get to know each other by finding people who fit specific descriptions, such as finding someone who “knows how to operate CW (Morse code).” It was a fun, interactive way for participants to mingle and discover each other’s skills.

Following a great start, everyone had free time. Some chose to keep socializing, while others decided to catch up on sleep after their long trips. One thing is certain: as everyone hit the pillow, the excitement for the adventures ahead was already through the roof!