MONACO 04 & 05 jan 2025 - 3A/F5PGP - POTA MC-0001 (en)

I’m a licensed amateur radio operator since 1991, I moved away from the hobby between 2005 and 2020. Like some of us, I took up radio again during the Covid period. Finally, what really motivated me to take up equipment again was Parks on the Air. This activity gave a second life to my passion for amateur radio.

My friend Laurent (F5PYI) has grown the community in France. There are more and more of us on this side activating and hunting POTA references. Laurent has created many references in my region, including three references located in Monaco. Doing radio in Monaco is not very easy, but Laurent knew how to motivate me and I decided to activate MC-0001. This country is one of the most densely populated in the world and the legislation is restrictive. Luckily, I benefited from the great kindness of 3A2LF, who is the president of the Monaco radio amateur association. I had to obtain an authorization, then a permission to install my station in a public place: the public beach of Larvotto, in the heart of Monaco. It was not very easy because they will soon close the beach for several weeks or months, so I had to obtain the authorization for a close date. I finally chosen January 4th and 5th. I had 10 days to obtain the authorization. The Monaco administration is efficient and fast and I received all the papers 3 days before activation.

First day

Luckily, early in the morning, I find a parking space near the beach. With Kate, my wife, we bring the equipment to the beach. I am used to do portable radio, so the complete installation takes less than half an hour. At 8am got, I decide to start the traffic on 20m. The first station that answers to me is ZL1LU. The antipodes. The day starts well! I quickly become aware of the power of attraction of the 3A prefix. I chain the qsos in ssb, then in cw. A few Japanese contact me on long path. In the afternoon, I switch to 15m, then to 10m in the early afternoon. Unfortunately, a solar flare disrupts the propagation. The 10m is not very open, especially towards the USA. It must also be said that the mountains above Monaco do not favor traffic towards North America. As I am not allowed to stay by night, I dismantle everything at 15:30 GMT. The summary for the first day is 654 qsos. Despite the very average propagation, I am within my objectives.

On sunday, I come back alone because my wife is busy. I drive around for more than an hour and a half to find a parking space. So the traffic starts later, around 09:00 GMT. Like the previous day, I start on 20m. The band is very busy and I have trouble finding a place around 14.280. Despite everything, the qsos keep coming. At the end of the morning I receive a visit from F4LEC and his wife. It is very nice to have some company. Around noon, I notice that the beach is empty. As the weather is overcast, there are few walkers on the beach. It is time to put the inverted V for the 40m. Naturally, this antenna also resonates on 15m. I spend the rest of the day switching between 40 and 15m, in ssb or cw. When I have to dismantle the station, the pile-up is still huge. But nobody plays with the laws in Monaco. With regret, I say goodbye to my friends on the airwaves, and I turn off the transceiver. In the end, I made 1175 qsos. I would have liked to contact more stations from North America and Asia, but the propagation conditions were not very favorable. In any case, it was a very pleasant and enriching experience. Thank you to all those who called me and my apologies to those I did not hear.

Thanks to 3A2LF, the authorities of Monaco, Kate, Antonio (F4LEC) and Nathalie.

Photos - Kate Suarez - Antonio Villanueva Segura