Pista, HA5AO will be active again as 7P8AO from Lesotho, 5 - 19 February 2024.
He will operate on 40 - 10m CW, RTTY, FT8.
QSL via home call direct.
Log search and OQRS will be available on ha5ao.com
Ads for direct QSL:
Istvan GASPAR, Rakoczi U. 85., Budapest 1196, Hungary.
Lesotho is a state in the sky?!
Lesotho is located just inside the South African Republic, but despite this, it has clearly delineated borders. This is made possible by the fact that the country is located on an elevated area, and the lowest point above sea level here is 1400 meters.
Lesotho. 7P8AO QSL.
Soaring under the sky
The most important asset of this state is its amazing nature, which in combination with high mountains is breathtaking. The waterfalls that cascade down from the high peaks and the densely grassed slopes that surround all this splendor. At the highest point of Lesotho, Mount Tabana-Ntlenyana (its height is 3482 meters), snow often falls, and the temperature can fall below zero. Such phenomenon is not peculiar to the African continent, but this is what makes Lesotho stand out among other African countries.
Subalpine meadows with all kinds of grasses are spread all over the territory, but there are practically no tall trees. Spiral aloe is very common and is considered to be extremely useful. It is often used by locals and is considered a national symbol of their homeland. Taking into account the relief features, the fauna here is appropriate: there are some rare species of birds (bald ibis, African lamb, black eagle, ground woodpecker), mongoose, canna antelope, baboons.
There are only two species of fish in the area. The Sehlabatebeya Reserve was established to protect the fauna. The lands of Lesotho are very rich in deposits of precious stones, in particular there are two large diamondiferous pipes, Letseng-la-terae and Kao.
Who lived here before and who lives here now?
The first inhabitants of Lesotho were nomadic tribes that in the 17th century and the Bantu people who came from the north. For a long period they cooperated with Great Britain and even gave the country under the protectorate of the British. It is for this reason that there are two official languages here: Sesotho and English. Mostly the local population professes Christianity.
In the largest city, and at the same time the capital Maseru, lives about 200 thousand people, but most of the population prefers to live in the countryside. They raise livestock and also cultivate the land. Quite often people travel to South Africa for seasonal work, where they work in the mines. Despite the huge deposits of diamonds, the population lives quite poorly, although their literacy rate reaches 74% for men and 94% for women. This is very rare for Africa.
Malealea, Lesotho. Author - cooltrudy.
The oldest mountains that preserve history
Looking from some points of the stanza, you can see real clouds that look like a fluffy carpet. There, below them is the territory of South Africa, and up here is Lesotho. From here, the amazing Tugela Falls, which is the second highest waterfall in the world, cascades down. Its total length is 400 meters.
Mountains are an important not only natural, but also strategic and even cultural resource of the state. The most famous are the Dragon Mountains. They are considered one of the oldest in the world, scientists believe that they are more than 500 million years old. The Dragon Mountains occupy almost the entire eastern part of Lesotho and are considered one of the most inaccessible areas. Here you can find whole areas with rock paintings where Bushmen thousands of years ago depicted everything they saw.
Of great historical significance is the Mountain of Night. Within its confines hid the followers of Chief Mosheshwe I, an iconic figure in Lesotho's history. There is only one narrow road leading to the summit, with views from many cliffs, so it is perfectly shot. At one time the mountain could not be taken by the Boer tribes or even the British with their progressive weapons.
Cultural life of the "heavenly power"
Lesotho is famous for its skillful ability to weave all sorts of items from mohair. Grass weaving, beading and pottery are also widespread. The music of these peoples is also unusual. Among the national instruments are the lekolulo, a type of flute used by deer breeder boys, and the thomo, a stringed instrument more often played by women. The most favorite styles of music here are Afropop, reggae and jazz.
Of great cultural significance is the mokorotlo headdress. The design of this product was inspired by the shape of the sacred mountain Kwiloane. Now the mokorotlo is depicted on the flag of the country. The traditions of communication with the people of Lesotho are quite unusual. It is considered the height of ill-manneredness to show anger in public. If a person is given some thing, the other is obliged to give both hands at once. It is also not acceptable to ignore directly asked questions.
Lesotho's economy is integrated with South Africa. The country supplies diamonds and water to African countries, as other states have a severe shortage of it. Sometimes wool products and clothing are sold. On the territory of Lesotho there is a branch of the famous firm Levi's. But all this is still not enough for normal existence, that is why the country receives regular aid from the USA, Great Britain and the European Union.