On June 19 and 20 (Part 1), and then again on June 23, 2025 (Part 2), French DA-RC team members 14DA014 Eric and 14DA028 Phil journeyed to the heart of Europe — Switzerland — for a very special DX adventure.
Their destination? A diminutive yet stunning lake island in the Bern Province, framed by the majestic backdrop of the Swiss Alps.
Their mission was clear: to activate this Inland Water Island (IWI) and offer a brand-new reference to IWI-hungry hunters across the globe.
Steeped in history, Île Saint-Pierre (St Peter’s Island) once sheltered monks who, in 1127, built a monastery upon its shores.
Today, this picturesque island stretches 5 km along the glistening waters of Lake Biel, separated from the mainland on one side by a tranquil canal, with alpine peaks visible in the distance.
What follows is the team’s official activation report…
Thursday morning, after loading the car, we hit the road at 04:00 GMT bound for Switzerland, arriving around 11:30 GMT.
Finding a parking spot proved trickier than expected — our pre-trip Google Maps research didn’t quite match reality — but after some searching, we finally secured a space.
The day’s destination was Île Saint-Pierre (St Peter’s Island) in the Bern Province, a long, narrow stretch of land set in the turquoise waters of Lake Biel.
This picturesque lake, framed by gentle vineyards on one side and the distant, snow-capped peaks of the Swiss Alps on the other, is a jewel of the Seeland region.
Once a true island, Île Saint-Pierre is now connected to the mainland by a causeway, yet still retains the tranquil charm of its past — including its 12th-century monastic history.
For radio operators, it is a rare Inland Water Island (BE004) reference, making it an irresistible DX target.
We unloaded the essential gear for the 15DA/BE004 activation — a Yaesu FT-857 transceiver, powered by a 100Ah LiFePO₄ battery, feeding a Skypper antenna and Bamby for extra flexibility.
All of it went onto the cart along with plenty of water, as the heat was intense.
By 13:15 GMT the station was set up, and at 13:35 GMT we called on 27.555.
The first in the log was Mark 26AT177 in England with a solid 5/9 report, instantly boosting our confidence.
Then the pile-up began — 96 stations in just one hour.
Unbelievable!
It had been a long time since we’d experienced that kind of frenzy.
The QSOs kept rolling, time slipped away unnoticed, and we finally wrapped the first afternoon with 108RO116 in Scotland at 18:48 GMT, our 150th contact of the day.
After dismantling the station, we drove to our accommodation in Villeret, at Ninfa’s place.
The journey took us over several mountain passes with zigzag roads — a novelty compared to home — and rewarded us with magnificent Alpine scenery.
Following a good night’s rest, we returned to Île Saint-Pierre for a shorter morning session.
Set up in the same shaded spot just past the port on the right, the FT-857, LiFePO₄ battery, and Skypper were once again pressed into service.
We began at 06:51 GMT with Greek holiday station Alex 18/1SD016 (5/8).
The bands were quieter this time — only 15 stations in 2 hours — and we closed at 08:57 GMT with 43DX234 Tom in Australia (5/1) before hitting the road toward Liechtenstein for the 40DA/DX activity.
We’re back on Monday, June 23rd, the morning after our trip to Liechtenstein (DXCC 40) for part 2 of the IWI dx adventure!
It’s 7:39 AM when we hear Giovanni 1NA101 5/9, but we knew that the morning period of this weekend wasn’t very conducive to DX, so we end this IWI New One 15DA/BE004 St. Peter’s Island with 13AT013 Steve 5/9 at 9:29 AM with 23 more QSOs for this last leg.
Total: 188 QSOs, 28 DXCCs & 24 DELTA ALFA Members ( See: 🔗 https://phil11m.jimdofree.com/da-activations/2025/15da-be004/)
The team would like to thank all operators who called in and supported the 15DA/BE004 activation.
Your enthusiasm from across the airwaves is what fuels our own.
This DXpedition was not just about logging a rare reference — it was about sharing our passion for DX adventure, exploring stunning locations, and keeping the spirit of radio alive!
73 de Phil, 14DA028
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