On the 10th Oct late PM, I activated the SOTA ref CT/AA-002, Marvão, Portugal.
This is on of a kind summit here, because it’s inside the castle of Marvão.
We arrived very late (+/- 4 PM) in the middle of the mist. A dense fog and light rain prevented us to saw the village (Marvão) from the distance.
The car park is at the entrance of this very old medieval village (+ 800 years old) and one should climb (750 m) all the way to the castle walls. A very nice walk between beautiful streets and white houses. All the village is awsome even when the wx dosen’t help… .(
Some nice restaurants with a magnificent view “helped” us in the return…
The castle is a monument and I though that a fee will apply but the guys in the entrance just wave to walk in…
Erect the fishing pole was a piece-of-cake and soon I was in the air, all the equipement safe on one of the sentry-boxes.
The rite in the rain notebook was a good asset…
Some 40m contacts, one on 30m and then 20m, all CW
After a QSO with Pascal, PA1BR, who spoted for me, a pile-up started. TNX Pascal!
Unfortunatly, a few minutes after, the XYL appeared to remind me that the castle was about to close…
So, regrettably, I broadcasted a QRT…
I’m sorry for all the folks that are waiting on the pile-up but I don’t wanted to pass the night in a misty castle…
It’s possible to be in AZ outside the castle but was to dangerous to get there! And the night is falling.
BTW: All the my SMS to spot failed again! Something to look after.
I didn’t established any QSO in the 2 m band (CW, SSB and FM). Again, a very remote part of the country?
Due to dense fog and light rain the number of explanations why I had a fish pole in a castle and what I’m doing was reduced to a bare minimum…Sometimes some bad things turn out to be a blessing!..
Thanks to all the SOTA chasers.
Vy 73
Pedro, CT1DBS
Entry point to the summit…
Operating position 1
Operating position 2 - When rains increased…
Keeping the equipement away from the rain…
The landscape from operating position - Aghhhhhh!