The D44CF Licence

This is a short accounting of my Amateur Radio activity from the island of Sao Vicente, Cape Verde. Republica de Cabo Verde consists of 9 inhabited islands some 500 km west of Senegal in West Africa.
I received my licence already in March 2000 but postponed my trip until winter. When I decided to go there on the 1st of November, I was fortunate to have company of Waldemar SM0TQX. We were joined by EA8BYG and EA8EE in Las Palmas and our group was hosted by Carlos Pulu D44AC. Waldemar SM0TQX was instrumental in restoring Carlos's antenna and rotator and soon an old tribander was swaying in the fresh wind over Mindelo Bay.
I myself used a long wire antenna of about 100 meters, tied to the old jailhouse on the hill. The ground connection was difficult. I used an ICOM IC746 and ICOM PS85 power supply together with ICOM AH-4 antenna tuner. All delivered by Swedish Radio Supply of Karlstad, Sweden. I was on the air courtesy of Carlos D44AC betwen 2 and 17 November 2000 exclusively on CW on all bands from 160 meters to 6 meters. Manual logging and telegraphy sending.

Outdoor operating position of D44CF with a view
of the harbour of Mindelo, Sao Vicente Island
The antenna visible in the picture is a 5 element
50 MHz Yagi Vårgårda Radio 5EL6 which I left
at the QTH of Carlos Pulu D44AC for any future
50 MHz enthusiasts visiting him.

Mindelo Airport, flight to Praia, photo:H.Kotowski
While I was staying in Mindelo I was lucky to see
and hear TITO PARIS perform live in Cafe Musique.
I immediately fell in love with coladeira and morna
music and never get enough of it nowdays.


picture on the right taken by Carlos D44AC

Here I wish to wholeheartedly thank Carlos Pulu Monteiro D44AC and his whole family for their hospitality and generosity.
I got enchanted by the Islands of Cape Verde and will go there again. The climate is perfect, the people are friendly, the cuisine, the music, the atmosphere make me long for this place. I strongly recommend Cape Verde for holidays or retirement.

QSL info : PLEASE DON'T SEND ANY QSL CARDS TO ME,
send only requests, by mail to my mailing address. Please include a self-adhesive self addressed enveIope and money for postage. Check your log for any other contacts with me - C56JHF, S92JHF, SO5JHF, K6JHF, SM0JHF etc - and send all your requests at the same time. I  don't collect any cards and cards sent via bureaus will never reach me. Mailing address is:
Henryk Kotowski, Sibeliusg 28 XI, SE-16477 Kista, Sweden

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