Camino Central Portuguese to Santiago. Porto - Tui - Pontevedra (Pilgrimage and SOTA activations) CT -> EA

EA9ADD · 4 April 2025 11:16

Hello everyone!

Last year, I shared my experience in this forum, combining SOTA and portable radio activities during my trip along the Camino Primitivo, and I could not enjoy more the experience and sharing here at the end of each stage.

First activation SOTA - EA1/PO-035 on 09/10/2023 while doing Camino Portuguese Coastal route

This year, I’m back with a new adventure: to walk Camino Central Portuguese from Porto (CT2) to Pontevedra (EA1), where I will try to activate some SOTA summits , and when it’s not possible, POTA locations .

Here I bring the result of a few weeks of planning to choose the ideal routes that do not deviate too much from the official way, as well as taking into account the terrain conditions and being prepared for possible setbacks. I could say that the journey and enjoyment has already begun with the planning.

Route and Possible Activations
I will leave Porto on April 26th and expect to arrive in Pontevedra on May 3rd, following the traditional route in 8 stages, adapting the activations depending on time and logistics.

Planning map: Camino de Santiago - Ham Radio EA9ADD

Some summits near the route include:

Radio Equipment

Due to the nature of the Camino, I will carry a lightweight setup to minimize weight while maximizing efficiency:
Rig: Yaesu 818ND (QRP)+ tuner Z817 and aQuansheng for local contacts via repeaters along the route.
Frequency bands: Try to 40m, 20m, 15m, 10m, 2m (I hope).
Antenna: EFHW (18,2m)
Power: WindCamp battery 3000 mAh.

I will try to post alerts on SOTAwatch and will try to update this thread at the end of each stage from the pilgrim hostels, just like I did last year. And be active along the way on local FM repeaters.

As you may see in the planning for days 1 and 5 there is no POTA/SOTA activity planned and I would like to do any. I have asked POTA to include the Caminho Portuguese park in CT as it exists in EA but it may take some time. So, any suggestions or recommendations are welcome!

I hope that the weather will be good , that we will be able to activate and get to the end of the planning.

If anyone is in the area and wants to join an activation, it would be great to share part of the journey and some radio time!

73, EA9ADD

EA9ADD · 24 April 2025 21:00

Well, tomorrow is the day of the trip and here I am sketching the backpack.

The good weather forecast helps to alleviate a bit the weight for the warm clothes and to cheer up with the planning and the trip.

Although I have not packed it completely to check the total weight, this year with the Yaesu818 I’m sure it weighs a little more. I’m afraid if on the plane they might say something about the rig or radio stuff but I’ll go with enough time to explain to all the safety crew what ham radio is all about .

EA9ADD · 25 April 2025 12:40

The total weight of the radio tools is: 3,7 Kg.
Yaesu 818 + autotuner 1840gr + Quansheng 243gr: 2080 gr
Pole: 530 gr
Ham radio bag with: headphones, wires, flag, EFHW, flowerpot and 1 clothes peg: 1090 gr

For the weight of the pilgrim’s tools, including backpack, clothes and others, the total weight of the backpack was 6.4kg

So the total weight of the backpack has been 10.1 Kg (without counting the litre of water) .
Last year with the (tr)usdx set and worse weather the backpack weighed 1,5 Kg less. I hope that this will not be decisive, although for long walks this extra 10% could have an influence. Camino de Santiago Primitivo. Oviedo - Lugo (Pilgrimage and SOTA activations) - #11 by EA9ADD

EA9ADD · 26 April 2025 21:53

Etapa 1: Oporto - Vilar do Pinheiro - San Pedro de Rates (23km)

This first stage of contact with the memories of other Caminos The weather could not be better and the Camino and the pilgrims returns the gratitude that is always expected and, at the same time, that always surprises you.

As for the radio, during the first kilometres I could not reach any repeater clearly but as soon as I saw the possibility from the top of a hill where there was a hermitage I managed to launch the pilgrim’s CQ and the answer.

I was also accompanied by @EA1FTW and @EA1FXG. Very happy to see that the Viana do Castelo repeater has so much coverage and I’ll be in touch for the next few days.

On arriving at the hostel and doing the pilgrim routine the surprise was that @CT2GSN appeared with a couple of QSLs and souvenirs of our meeting. And other surprises to come. What lucky I am to enjoy the experience and advice of a local and an expert ham radio as Joāo.

My first physical QSL and received in hand! And other memories of our SOTA meeting in this first stage.

EA9ADD · 27 April 2025 21:58

Etapa 2: San Pedro de Rates - Barcelos (18,4 km)

A day in the pilgrimage, more of radio than of pilgrimage. After an hour and a half of walking I meet my new friend Joäo @CT2GSN arriving with a T-shirt that not everyone can appreciate correctly, the dark side of the ‘mountain’ reflects that Joäo has a good ear for radio and music.

Up at the top, where a park CT/MN-061 , a hermitage and a restaurant awaits us, arrives a colleague from far away just for this jack, @CT1MH. The radio family never ceases to amaze me and it is impossible to explain here how grateful I am. Francisco @@CS7BIO also appears with sota t-shirt gift.

But Joao has another surprise in store. After arriving at the end of my stage, if Barcelos city. He wants to take me to a very special SOTA for him and his family CT/MN-035. But not before passing by his shack, the first radio room I know!! as I have usually seen on qrz.com.

That second SOTA of the day with interesting contacts where my radio-godfather @EA7RX
appears, my great follower and chaser

After making the contact with him, he records the next QSO: Nothing more and nothing less than with …Antonio! @CT1MH who has arrived home after the bacalhau feast we took together on the summit in Franqueira

Among all these stories there are many conversations and experiences that are too long to write down but that you can all imagine. The day ends with a vinho verde (green wine from portugal) and planning for tomorrow, which seems more complicated than it has been so far.

EA9ADD · 30 April 2025 13:15

Etapa 3 - Barcelos - Vitorino dos Piães (31km) Blackout CT&EA.

The third stage of the Camino Portuguese begins. It seems that I have not clear albergue where to sleep and for this reason the stage may be 5km longer, that’s not help to the mind.
The arrival at the SOTA is scheduled, at 10h UTC and the ascent is ok all the way. At the top the thermal sensation is pleasant despite the heat, the views are incredible and from there.

Everything seems to be going well.

Finally 14 QSOs on 40/20/15 and 2m. Last QSO was at 10.38, but at 10.44 UTC, I receive information that the power supply has gone out all over Spain and Portugal. At that moment I did not know that I was going to live a historical moment, and that the radio will acquired relevant importance in communications. The priority then was to descend as soon as possible because the battery of the cell phone did not know how long it would last and it was very possible that the mobile coverage would be temporary under these circumstances. Mayby for this reason I forgot the fishing pole at the summit, luckyly I didn’t realized it until I jad arrived at the albergue, I picked it up but never put it into my backpack

The return to the search for the hostel was quite hard, and the stage was extended to 31km that were not planned under a strong sun, thankfully there were many water points to cool off.

The priority became knowing the situation about the blackout and the time of resolution. Something that the Quansheng and commercial radio helped, as well as the connections with the repeater and the information received through it from @EA1FXG.

It has been quite hard to do a jack and a stage of the Portuguese Way and it is possible that this cannot be done every day and every stage.

One good thing is that the ham radio family accompanies on 2m along the camino and are willing to drive you close to a summit to activate the SOTA.

The experience becomes more about learning and sharing the moment of activation with ham radio colleagues.

73,

EA9ADD · 30 April 2025 21:17

Etapa 4 - Vitorino dos Piaēs - Ponte de lima. 12km

After the previous stage I needed a lighter stage. Although 12km seems little, the stage was planned include the activation of Nora CT/MN-036, but on the recommendation of han radio who activated it before, they did not recommend doing that summit on a stage in the Camino and with the heat it was doing, and I took the recommendations.

Although the smmit watches me proudly and seductively. Maybe they are just thoughts of a walker with a thirst for radio.

Once I arrived at the destination village, Ponte de Lima, where roman legionaries believed they were at the river that separated the known world and hell.

The mountain called Nora was still watching my steps.

But the river, jealous of the mountain, points out to me with an informative sign that it is part of the Natura 2000 network and that, therefore, its banks are POTA.

But having forgotten the fishing rod for the antenna takes its toll on the activation. Only 5 contacts certify that height and isolation from other elements is essential for this type of QRP activation.

Etapa 5 Ponte de Lima - Rubiæs 18km

Today’s stage had not planned any radio activation and thank goodness, because it was very rainy at the end of the day. This has not been an impediment to enjoy the radio on the local repeaters. All these days I have been active on the repeaters along the way and I have been able to meet and build relationships with local hams, people in the area who are more or less active on the radio, with activations in portable or something more classical being active fron their QTHs. Whatever, I cannot explain the feeling of talking with ham radio colleagues in the area, and feeling the surprise and joy of being in communication with a pilgrim who is on air on 2m.

EA9ADD · 1 May 2025 20:55

Etapa 6 - Rubiæs - Tui 20km

Here comes the sun again, after the rainy day of yesterday comes a blue day with picturesque clouds that make more beautiful the profile drawn by the mountains on the blue and white background.

At the end of the stage we leave CT (Portugal) behind and move on to EA crossing the river Minho, which is also POTA. But I will not activate it as planned because @CT2GSN offers to wait for me at the end of the stage to take me to the natural park of Monte Aloia and activate the mythical SOTA of Tui EA1/PO-019.

At the end of the stage we leave CT Portugal behind and move on to EA crossing the river Minho, which is also POTA. But I will not activate it as planned because @CT2GSN kindly offers to wait for me at the end of the stage to take me to the natural park of Monte Aloia and activate the mythical SOTA of Tui EA1/PO-019.

Not only that, but @EA1FBU joins the party at the summit.

A very interesting log! The first VHF call is answered by a S2S with @CT2IWWW at 103km! And then hably several friends from EA1 who make it on VHF. I was also able to activate on 20m and 40m.

I have to thank all this again to the unbeatable help and company of @CT2GSN who lent the trip and the whole station.

EA9ADD · 2 May 2025 20:44

Etapa 7 - Tui - O Porriño 16km

One more stage, and another surprising one. The stage is short until O Porriño but the journey through the natural park of Garandas de Budiño is especially beautiful and enjoyable.

And as in this stage there was no possibility of approaching SOTA but there was a desire for radio. With a little help of a friend of radio @EA1FTW, and the permission of the weather we were be able to activate Camino Portugués Historic Trail and Garandas de Budiño.

Many thanks to this friend, adventurer, QRP and sotero for joining me in the activation of this very special POTA on the Camino de Santiago.

EA9ADD · 5 May 2025 22:28

Etapa 8 - O Porriño - Redondela 16km

For the last stage I have not planned a SOTA but I could not miss the opportunity to activate again the POTA reference of the Camino de Santiago Portugués, and the approximate point chosen is a little before the chapel of Santiaguiño at the highest point of the profile of that stage.

Here I am with an unexpected visitor, although it was rather me who was visiting the usual garden of that dog.

The planned route does not reach the usual end, Santiago de Compostela. But it is these last kilometers that I do for now. There are many experiences and learning that leaves this new camino.

The evening in Pontevedra awaits a great occasion to meet friends of the inspiring and fun ham radio podcast https://cqenfrecuencia.com/. Old friends and some new faces. A pleasure to listen to conversations and stories from the radio.

Sunrise in Pontevedra
On Sunday morning I was supposed to activate what was my first SOTA Pinar do Rei EA1/PO-035 but some discomfort in my left foot due to a bad movement during the last stage made me raise the alarm and be cautious. So unfortunately I could not climb the last planned and enjoy one last radio day of this trip.

PE1EEC · 6 May 2025 10:11

Excellent and well done. I am currently in Japan, walking the Shikoku Henri pilgrimage. I found it’s a lot more difficult to activate all the summits you see on your route when walking, hi. Since I planned to go camping, I had to trade in radio-comfort for weight, so no fancy antennas etc.

73, Martin JL1EFV/5 (PE1EEC)

EA9ADD · 6 May 2025 21:23

Thank you very much for sharing your adventure here! I have read a little about this pilgrimage route along 88 Buddhist temples and it seems very interesting.
I find it fascinating to take a route for whatever reason and do radio activations. If there is somewhere you are sharing the adventure please post it here or on sotareflector!

Thanks again for sharing! 73 & Buen Camino!

EA2BD · 8 May 2025 21:59

Hi Juan,

despite you couldn’t easily activate all the planned points, I’m happy you completed your schedule stages and ended without any harm.

Maybe you have to find alternatives for any future long walk and prepare a specific SOTA / POTA gear that takes less space in your backpack and weight less.

Hope to hear you soon and read your new stories.

Take a good rest now!
73 Ignacio

EA9ADD · 15 May 2025 12:28

Thank you very much Ignacio for writing and follow the story! I especially didn’t expect to have such a good time and to have met so many sota family!

EA9ADD · 25 May 2025 22:41

I finally bring something to close the thread.

All the contacts during activations or accompanying during a stage of the camino have been 184 (HF+VHF+repeaters).
Here is an image with a high percentage of the QSOs done during the adventure.

Thanks @M0TRT https://qsomap.m0trt.radio/

Below is the pilgrim’s credential with the activations, as I like to do so that it will remain in the memory.

Many thanks to all who made QSOs with me and to all who have followed the thread here.

I hope to see that another colleague is encouraged to do the Camino de Santiago at least with 2m and feel accompanied by people, or even doing SOTA/POTA activations!

73,

M0TRT · 26 May 2025 08:41

Congratulations on completing your route, and I’m glad you found the map tool useful. I would love to do something similar one day!

GM5ALX · 26 May 2025 12:19

What an amazing trip and I love the “certificate of passage”! What a great memento of the trip.