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Back to sponsorship indexExpedition Team Push the Limits in 8,126m Nanga Parbat with PS535F
PS535F in one of the highest mountains in the world
Getac PS535FFully Rugged Handheld
Following their last challenge of 7,000m high Khan Tengri, the Expedition team was highly satisfied with Getac PS236. This time, they push their limits to climb the even higher Nanga Parbat, at more than 8,100m. In this demanding journey, Getac PS535F was the best companion and one that greatly pleased the team!
Nanga Parbat is the 9th highest mountain on Earth and among the eight-thousanders with a summit elevation of 8,126 meters (26,660 ft), and which has never been climbed in winteri. Two experienced mountain climbers, Marek and Tomek, faced the unprecedented challenge of conquering its height in a challenging climate.
With high sensitivity GPS receiver, -20°C operability, and waterproof features, PS535F plays a reliable role in this critical environment, as it' s extremely hard for climbers to find their way and know where exactly they are when surrounded by heavy snow.
The compact and lightweight PS535F works well anytime and anywhere. The expedition team benefits from its outdoororiented features like sunlight readability and long battery life (up to 8 hours) to ensure work efficiency and meet their requirements, especially in an environment filled with challenges.
The first of January 2011, with a mild hangover, the expedition team flied from Frankfurt to Islamabad (via Abu Dhabi). After a few days of preparation and a briefing by the Pakistani Ministry of Tourism, they head north along the famous Karakorum Highway. The expedition starts from Demaroy village at the bottom of the Nanga river valley. From there (elevation 1,500m above sea level), they climbed up to 4,000m where the Base Camp is.
There we were, just ourselves. Marek, Tomek and Nanga Parbat. It was extremely cold. In the advance base camp and on the way to Camp 1, the night time temperature dropped to below -35°C! They carried supplies up and down, working hard like ants and reaching Camp 1 (5,100m a.s.l.) after 10 days. Due to the challenge from bad weather and geography, they were deterred from reaching the peak.
Under the constraints of environment, everything could be very difficult, whether it was communication or data transfer. For example, the satellite phone was not working during transport. It was constantly interrupted!
"Downloading amazing quality satellite maps of Nanga Parbat is something I would like to try when getting higher on the mountain. Thanks to that satellite map inside the Getac, I am hoping to know exactly where I am on the mountain at all times," says Marek.
"The higher we climb, the stronger the sunlight. The transflective sunlight-readable display of PS535F helps us to use the GPS and 3M pixel auto-focus camera in the bright snow,"Marek adds. The embedded 2GB NAND flash memory plus an external SD memory card up to 16 GB ensures extensive data processing and storage capabilities. Moreover, the long battery life of PS535F provides all-day-long usage which is one of the crucial factors needed to succeed in this expedition.
Why Getac PS535F?
- MIL-STD-810G and IP65 Certified
- E-compass and Altimeter
- 3M Pixel Auto-focus Camera
- 3.5" VGA Transflective Sunlight-Readable Display
- Embedded High Sensitivity GPS Receiver
- Long Battery Life up to 8 hoursii
- Environmental Specifications:
Temperature:
- Operating: -20°C to 60°C / -4°F to 140°F
- Storage: -30°C to 70°C / -22°F to 158°F
Humidity: 95% RH , non-condensing
The PS535F is the world's smallest fully rugged handheld, built to withstand the most severe environmental conditions, much like those on Nanga Parbat. It combines all the features that explorers are looking for.
Though winter expedition to Nanga Parbat was an unprecedented critical mission, the team came back safely and eager to conquer higher mountain in the near future. "We are planning our next expedition, and would definitely bring Getac with us as they are our best partner in such an extreme environment," says Marek Klonowski.
Snapshot
Nanga Parbat forms the western anchor of the Himalayan Range and is the westernmost eight-thousander. It lies just south of the Indus River in the Astore District of Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Not far to the north is the western end of the Karakoram range
ii Battery life testing conducted under BatteryMark 4.0.1. Battery performance will vary according to software applications, wireless settings, power management settings, LCD brightness, customized modules, and environmental conditions. The battery has a limited number of charge cycles and may eventually need to be replaced by a Getac service provider. Battery life and charge cycles vary according to use and settings.
