A Contest Home Away from Home
Since 2006, Santana on Madeira has become a very special place for me and an important part of my amateur radio journey. Over the years, I have made more than 25 trips to this remarkable contest location — sometimes operating as a single expedition, and at other times as part of larger and highly motivated teams.
Not every expedition went according to plan, of course. But some of them turned into truly unforgettable experiences, including several World Wins that I was fortunate enough to bring home from Madeira.
During these nearly 20 years, the station has continuously evolved. It has been improved, expanded and adapted time and time again, with every generation adding something new to the location and its capabilities. Much of the recent progress is thanks to the current owner team, who are doing an outstanding job maintaining, developing and improving the station.
For me, Santana is much more than just a contest location. It is a place filled with memories, great radio, long nights, challenging conditions, good friends and some very special moments in the history of my contesting.
Here are a few pictures from the many expeditions and years spent at this fantastic station.
The Station:
The Casa Da Tia Clementina:
This and that:
73
Helmut DF7EE aka CQ3W
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