Next week I plan to do 9 stages of the Camino Primitivo (the hilly one!) walking, Oviedo-Lugo. Activating SOTA as far as possible (5 activations). Those stages that a SOTA is not possible because the detour of the way would increase too much the total distance, I will try to activate a geodesic vertex (2) or a hermitage (2).
The equipment I will carry are, a (tr)usdx, an EFHW antenna adjusted in 40m and a Quansheng to activate in VHF and keep in touch with repeaters among the way.
Thank you very much for your interest in the planning!
I would have loved to put a SOTA in each stage, the two stages where there are hermitages are going to be a bit of a compromise with radio, when I read you that there was a SOTA nearby I went quickly to look … I saw at a quick glance that there are about 4.5km from the road, that round trip would be 9km added … too much, knowing that day the total stage would be 22.5km.
I’m going cautiously because I don’t know how stopping for an hour to activate and continue will affect the pace of the pilgrim stage. Thanks for the recommendation! If anyone has any other recommendations to make feel free to contribute them, because although it seems very planned …I am open to improvisation, I am clear that things will happen to me, that it will rain at some point and I will not be able to do HF etc …
I did Portuguese Coast Way… Porto-Vigo (autumn 2022) and Vigo-Santiago (autumn 2023). Very nice the Galician part.
Be aware of going along the coastal path that runs along the beach, because the ocean tide has been responsible throughout history for leaving it flat and without shadows. There is a Portuguese coastal path that goes a bit inland, and it is very interesting.
For sure! I’m keeping an eye on the weather and it looks like it’s not going to be very good, I hope at least activate on VHF. Cross finger for better weather!
There are 2 days left for the trip, and already with the first draft of the backpack. Due to the weather and the low temperatures, I have to be more cautious with the warm clothes. There are still a couple of things missing such as shoes to rest, some medicine, waterproof pants… The total weight seems to be 7.4kg (It is recommended 10% of your weight so, perfectly achieved!). Then in a normal day, with a bottle of water and some food to carry during the day may reach 8.5kg. I thought the weight would be worse but it’s not bad at all.
Hi! I think that is “Cola de Caballo” (Horse tail waterfall), and behind there is the summit Monte Perdido. I went there when I was 16 years old, in a high school trip! It’s possible that was my first contact with a mountain trail hiking!
Arrival in Oviedo, I could not start tomorrow without having activated EA1/AT-208 and also with @EA2GM, whom I thank for the welcome, company and operate his station. I have learned a lot from their operations and equipment. Finally, 33 QSOs, one S2S (with @HB9HCS) another QSO with EEUU, i did the oceanic jump! first time (thanks @W4GO many 73s )
Then, we went down to the @EA1URV association to get my Pilgrim’s Credential stamped so now, I can start walking tomorrow with all my papers in order, and there the welcome could not have been better.
My pleasure, Juan! I was reading about this pilgrimage and it looks like a fantastic challenge. Wishing you good weather and propagation for the journey!
The day starts with rain and light rain forecast all day, but the surprise is that by mid-morning the rain stops so it looked like it was going to go well. On arrival at the chapel of Santa Ana in Premoño, after 4 hours of the beginning of the stage came the time to activate as there was no SOTA spot in this stage.
With light rain I could not do anything but venture to mount the station as well as I could but the strategy has been bad before a change of weather, and the rain has increased in intensity, I managed to make CQ a couple of minutes but the activity would not be able to perform comfortably and I decided to dismount. Thinking about it now, the installation could have been done in another way and I could have been sheltered inside the hermitage.
When I dismounted with my backpack and clothes a bit wet, I announced on the Tineo repeater that I was not doing the activation and there were many people from EA1 (Asturias) waiting for the activity, so I felt comforted. The first thing is to enjoy the Camino and make the stages with not too much pain, and there is always the V/U to enjoy the radio!
Despite the rain, the Camino always offers exceptional scenery in this paradise that is Asturias.
The day starts very cold and, with coffee of course. With the day clear and no rain forecast, it looks like the scheduled activation was going to be able to be done. Leaving Grao, a hard climb to the Alto del Fresno begins, looking back you can almost sense the path taken the previous day.
After walking almost all the journey planned (17km aprox), a great breakfast in Cornellana with its monastery and millenary lodging …I arrive at the spot that I had planned to activate, the hermitage of Santiago in Quintana.
The activation (11:50-12:40 UTC) at 40m and 20m does not turn out as expected. I conclude that it must be the propagation. After several tests with 2 local contacts, only 4 QSOs on 40m are achieved in 50 minutes. The day still has 5 km to go and it is time for lunch, so I pick up and continue the march.
Fortunately, one of the advantages of the radiopilgrim is that you can dry wet clothes from the previous day’s washing on the antenna set up.
Tomorrow the day starts with a tough climb to a SOTA, very early in the day so, I will have to measure the remaining strength to complete the day’s walking (adding almost 5km aprox to the inicial Camino Primitivo) .
Well done on choosing a Camino route. Not sure how I’ve missed your thread having completed the 800km Frances last year. I was considering taking the 817 but not enough summits on the Frances to warrant it. From Carrión de los Condes onwards I often looked north to where you are thinking ‘that’s SOTA country’.
I’ll put my wire up and hopefully catch you soon. Good luck Juan.
Thanksss for replying! I hope this thread will clarify and encourage future radiopilgrims to carry some type of equipment (even if it is in v/u) and be more in touch with the local people and the land you have been walking on or simply, doing radio activities.
