Next week I’m going on a short trip to northern Spain. I’ve been thinking for days about how to spend the last two days of my holiday before January ends. In the end, walking around northern Spain always ends up being the best option, and of course, throwing a radio in my rucksack is a must.
If the weather permits, I can do three very interesting days of the Camino de Santiago, which include three SOTA. Although the spirit of pilgrimage will not be as complete as I would like, since I will be staying overnight in San Sebastián every day, I will go to the starting point from my accommodation.
I think the northern route is the most beautiful of all the routes I know, and I know that the part in the Basque Country has some wonderful stages that I have not yet explored. And, although I don’t know when I will be able to continue this camino, it is interesting to leave these options in a thread in case other radio-pilgrims are encouraged to join in.
Parks on the air: ES-1844: Camino de Santiago-Norte National Recreation Trail. ES-2355: Camino francés y Caminos del Norte de España World Heritage Site. ES-1960: Geoparque de la Costa Vasca.
Radio Equipment I will carry this time: Rig: Yaesu 818ND (QRP) + tuner Z817. iRadio UV-98 Plus for repeaters along the route and APRS. Frequency bands: I will try to 40m, 20m, 15m, 10m, 2m (SSB/FM). Antenna: EFHW (18,2m)
Hope you’ll enjoy this walk and wish you had a good weather.
Please consider adding also POTA Ref ES-2355 (Caminos de Santiago de Compostela: Camino francés y Caminos del Norte de España World Heritage Site): that’s a new Ref that has been receintly introduced and I believe you’ll follow it.
The stage begins and ends without rain, the greatest success this day of January in northern Spain. After watching all week, only the wind has marked the stage today.
I had good company until the first summit, a 78-year-old man who is in charge of checking the markings on the Camino de Santiago. He gave me a complete tour of the wonderful Jaizkibel mountain. I started climbing the mountain knowing that it was full of legends and stories, but I came down thinking that it is a magical mountain, and our ancestors knew it.
I couldn’t activate HF due to the wind, but the descent, crossing the entrance of the sea by boat, visiting the small coastal towns, and the food lifted up the spirit.
Ten minutes before arriving the summit, I was surprised to hear @EA2FGV activating on VHF! I don’t remember climbing the last few meters so quickly.
Inside the activation zone there is also a surprise waiting: an explendide tiny white shack with very Big ears. I guess it belongs to some local radioclub.
I was also able to leave traces of the journey in packages of APRS .
Today’s route is the highlight of the planned trip. It has been raining all week, but when the day arrives, there is a break in the weather and it doesn’t start raining until the end of the stage.
The SOTAs remain distant from the path making activation impossible. But the Flysch route has his POTA Geoparque de la Costa Vasca, and I couldn’t pass over here without activating it.
I don’t know when I’ll be able to continue this Camino del Norte, but I hope to find Sotas in the way and continue this thread.
Route and Possible Activations 
I will carry this time:
Rig: Yaesu 818ND (QRP) + tuner Z817. iRadio UV-98 Plus for repeaters along the route and APRS.
Frequency bands: I will try to 40m, 20m, 15m, 10m, 2m (SSB/FM).
Antenna: EFHW (18,2m)
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