I wanted to share with you my upcoming adventure, where I’ll be combining two of my biggest passions: walking and amateur radio. On September 19th, I’ll be starting the Portuguese Camino from Lisbon, aiming to reach Santiago de Compostela in about a month. Along the way, I’ll also take a detour to Fatima, and after Santiago, I’m considering extending my journey to Finisterre.
As a ham radio operator (CT7/IU8QTM in Portugal, EA/IU8QTM in Spain), I’m bringing my portable (tr)uSDX and a homemade End Fed antenna. Throughout the journey, I’ll be attempting SOTA activations whenever possible, activating references I encounter along the route. I’ll be operating on HF, mainly in the 20 and 40-meter bands, depending on where I am and how I can set up my station. My goal is to log each QSO and send out QSL cards once I return home.
I’ll also be documenting my journey on my website iu8qtm.eu and my YouTube channel Onde Radio in Cammino, where I’ll share my experiences both as a walker and as a ham radio operator. If you’re interested in following along, I’ll be posting regular updates on my Instagram account, sharing my location and any successful radio setups.
If anyone has suggestions or advice, I’d be happy to read them—they will surely be helpful during my journey.
I hope to connect with some of you during the activations. Thank you for your support, and I look forward to sharing this journey with you!
73!
I am starting in Porto on the 20th, so I may be a few days ahead of you. I may be able to set you up for some completes. We are doing smaller days as 2 of the people in my group have asked for 16-18km days so you may actually pass me.
Hello Emilio!
If you bring with you VHF, try local SOTA freq. 145.525 MHz. While you walk it Will be usefull to you the repeater 145.625 tone123, from Serra de Arga. I Will be QRV to your portuguese call CT7/IU8QTM/P. 73 CT2IQK Jorge.
If you bring with you VHF, try local SOTA freq. 145.525 MHz. While you walk it Will be usefull the repeater 145.625 tone123, from Serra de Arga if you want to QSO Emilio.
I Will be QRV to your portuguese call CT7/N6JFD/P or EA1/N6JFD/P
73 de CT2IQK Jorge.
Send a Message if you pass in Barcelos or Braga. See you!!
What a joy Emilio! I am excited to follow your adventure of combining radio and Camino Portuguese, and from Lisbon with the trusdx!! I hope to be able to make some contact with you.
If you accept my advice, take a walkie with you to do U/V, It is super interesting to feel close to the colleagues local where you pass the road. Try to be on the repeaters in the area to feel accompanied.
When you get to the Spanish area you have the following repeaters: VHF: Baiona 145.675 MHz -600 kHz FM No Subtone.
Vigo 145.725 MHz -600 kHz FM Subtone 77
Padrón 45.650 MHz -600 kHz FM No Subtone UHF: Pontevedra 38.875 MHz FM -7.6 MHz Subtone 88.5 Hz
Vilagarcia (the BEST) 439.000 MHz FM -7.6 MHz Subtone 77.0 Hz
(Font: Repetidores y balizas - Unión de Radioaficionados Españoles)
I have doubts if you are going to do the Camino Portuguese close to the coast or the inland route. The inside one, in a quick look, it seems more accessible to SOTAs without much detour from the road.
What a great month we are going to spend following your Camino!! Good luck and Buen Camino Peregrino!! 73!
Heya Jorge. Unfortunately I did not bring V/U on this leg. Since we are on the road for some 3 months, dealing with one more charge system was a headache I was not looking to endure. Although i am open to suggestions of where I can pick up an EU/region 1 based HT between Barcelona and Porto :). I do like my VHF contacts. IF we take a sode trip to Shanghai/HK on our return to the states, I am already thinking I will need to ship my KX kit back to the US to avoid needing an import/export telecommunications permit. (or just having the whole kit ganked by CN customs)…
Thanks for all the information! Unfortunately I didn’t bring a V and UHF radio either, I had to make a choice and I brought the (tr)uSDX. I’m checking if I meet any SOTA references along my Camino and I can’t find anything at least until Porto. Today I’m in Azambuja and neither today nor yesterday I managed to find a place to efficiently install my little radio station. Yesterday I tried from the Hostel where I slept but without success. I’m sure I’ll find a nice place where I can have fun with the radio. Thanks to everyone
Drop us (the SOTA Portugal team) a note if you need any information, help, or a hand. Our contacts are listed on the association listing in the main SOTA website. Same for Jamie N6JFD, btw.
As far as SOTA summits along the way, there are a few that might be reachable, but even the closest ones are always a significant detour from the Caminho path, so must plan for some hours spent detouring and then getting back on track.
I´ll keep an eye out for spots from you both, regardless, and let us know if you require assistance.
yah, it looks like in my case, the start of day 3 (or end of day 2) is my first activation CT/MN-062. Also for those just past the Ct/EA border, my cohorts wanted a zero day in Vigo so IF anyone would like to head out Sept 30 I am game!! Perhaps something taller in the Penedes Geres National Park??
Thank you so much Paulo for the information and support I really appreciate it. as you say some references are out of the way and require km and extra time. every day when I arrive at a stage of the way, I check if the next day I meet a reference. Thanks again
Very exciting, Emilio.
I activated my way from Porto a little ways back, and recently along the Frances.
I’ll be walking again from Astorga the same time as you, but I already activated those summits this year.
Folks that were chasing me appreciated me dropping APRS breadcrumbs along the way as activation times were very approximate until I got close to the mountain.
APRS call signs with country prefixes prevented APRS messaging, so I just used my standard call in the APRS app.
I used the APRS.fi app for beaconing my position.
Cell coverage is very complete throughout EU, so self spotting is no problem.
Good luck and Buen Camino.
Hi Jim! Thanks for the tips! I don’t have an APRS radio yet but when I get home I’ll consider buying one, because it looks very interesting. Thanks again
Hello Jorge, walking from Povoa de Varzim to Costelo do Neivo by way of Esposende, yes a big day…. Very aware of the Scottish weather Portugal/Spain is getting the next two days.
Hoping for a clear westher window tomorrow morning for SOTA, walking in the rain I do not mind, sitting and activating however is not my cup of tea/pint o super bock.
You can visit a small sea rescue museum that is just in your way if you walk in the coast line in Esposende.
Take the bikeline of Esposende when you pass the Hotel Mira Rio. Its a more Beautifull walk than N-13 road and is just in your way. Ask for Miguel Miquelino CT2HKN (in the rescue station by the museum) he is also a SOTA entusiast, and he can show you the museum.
Hi everyone, I am about 65 km to Santiago. from Porto I almost always encountered rain and I was not able to do radio activity. SOTA references are few during the Portuguese Way, I did stages of 25 to 35 km per day, even in the rain, On some occasions I tried to install my little radio station using the (tr)uSDX and the End Fed and the UnUnTenna from QrpGuys, I listened well to the stations but no one could hear me, they were always areas not exactly perfect for doing radio activity. I am in Galicia and the weather is really bad. 73!
