. . . T A K E U R R I G . . .
In the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, halfway between Europe and America lie the remote islands of Flores and Corvo - the westernmost frontier of Portugal ...and Europe.
... why cu8 ? ...
The Azores archipelago is made up of
nine islands devided into three distinct groups. Most HF activity is from the the
central/eastern group - IOTA EU-003, usualy ssb voice from the larger islands of Terceira
or São Miguel. To the far west lie the remote islands of Flores and Corvo - EU-089, an
unspoilt paradise where cw activity is almost non-existent. By carefully planning our
extended weekend's stay I was able to keep the yl happy during this island holiday and
simultaneously give a new one out to many country, prefix and island hunters.
... running knwd ts570 into gp ant wid pwr
abt 75 wtts ...
Pleased with the 570's past cw
performance, it accompanied me once again. On my last trip I had taken a conventional
bulky 9Kg power supply which practically required it's own individual flight-case for
transportation. This time I opted for a new switched-mode power supply, capable of
delivering over 30 Amps free of noise and weighing just over 2Kg. Much long path dx was
worked with a 10 metre vertical ground plane antenna allied to an SGC-230 coupler. For
logistic reasons this was later replaced with a random wire.
... info ...
CU8 QTH: Cuada - west coast of the island.
Lat/Lon: 39.45 N, 31.25 W
Loc: HM49JK
IOTA: EU-089
ITU: 36
WAZ: 14
... wrkg condx ...
rig: Kenwood TS-570D
pwr: 75 Watts
ant: GP and Random-Wire with SGC-230 coupler
log: CT by K1EA
... hpe cuagn ...
During my extended weekend stay on the
island, I enjoyed a relaxing break in its natural beauty as well as finding time to notch
up almost three thousand cw QSOs. Many familiar calls made it into the log...
...thanks to everyone who took the time to work me.
. . . A B T A Z O R E S . . .
Far out in the Atlantic, 1300 km (800 miles)
west of Portugal's mainland, the nine islands of the Azores are known for their
spectacular volcanic scenery, abundant flora and peaceful way of life. Once wild and
remote, they are now a popular destination for travellers who enjoy walking, sailing and
getting away from it all.
Santa Maria was the first island to be discovered by the Portuguese
in 1427. The islands were settled during the 15th and 16th century by colonists from
Portugal and Flanders who introduced cattle, maize and vines. During the 20th century they
have benefited from their use as stations for transatlantic cable companies,
meteorological observatories and military air bases. Once a brave new world of pioneer
communities, the Azores are now an autonomous region of Portugal and an exotic region of
the European Union, where life remains refreshingly civil and unhurried.
The islands of the Azores are spread 650 km (400 miles) apart and fall into three distinct groups. In the east lie Santa Maria (CU1) and São Miguel (CU2), the largest island and home to the regional capital, Ponta Delgada. The main towns in the central group are Horta (CU7) and Faial, a popular stopping point for boats crossing the Atlantic, and Angra do Heroismo on Terceira (CU3), a busy cosmopolitan city. From here visitors can travel to the other islands of São Jorge (CU5), Graciosa (CU4) and Pico (CU6), the last dominated by a towering volcanic peak 2350 m (7700 ft) high. Further west lie the remote weather-beaten islands of Flores (CU8) and Corvo (CU9).
... flores island = iota nr eu089 ...
Often cut off by stormy weather, the island of Flores (Flowers) is a romantic outpost that
was not permanently settled until the 16th century. This westernmost island of the Azores
has a population of approximately 2000 and is only 17 Km (10 miles) long. Its name derives
from the abundance of flowers growing in its ravines, and the prospect of wilderness draws
adventure walkers here during the summer.
... hr qth is cuada ...
Cuada is situated atop a plateau on the
west side of the island between the coastal resort of Fajã Grande and Fajãzinha. Ringed
by cliffs to the east, it is a popular base for walkers and for viewing the impressive
waterfalls that plunge into the sea. In the 60's many of the inhabitants of Cuada
abandoned the village and emigrated to the New World. Each Cuada cottage has now been
lovelingly rebuilt in its original style but also includes all the amenities for modern
comfort. In this way the resort bridges the gap between those old times and contempory
life. My thanks to our hosts Teotónia, Carlos Silva and all the 'Aldeia da Cuada' staff.
