EA6/MA-052 Puig de Maria SOTA Activation

The summit of Puig de Maria is easily reached via a steep hill from Pollenca town. If you arrive in a vehicle there are several places where you may park on the flank of the hill after leaving the main MA-2200 road south east of the town. We parked at N 39.52'14.5" E 3.01'02.2" as the road got quite rough after the next hairpin bend. 

The Sunday Market in nearby Pollenca Town

For more detailed information than I have of Puig de Maria go to this link: seemallorca.com 

The road is a mixture of concrete and tarmac going to rougher cobbles near the top... 

The steps to the monastery - within the activation zone of EA6/MA-052

After a visit to Pollenca Sunday Market, which was of great interest to our walking group, (there was a fine live Latin jazz band playing in the square), we all set off for the top. A former monastery lies on the summit with cafe.  The service is slow but the open sandwiches made in the Mallorcan way are superb and quite cheap. Canned beer and soft drinks are also sold and there is a sitting out area which is popular. 

View of Pollenca Town from Puig de Maria MA-052

Nick G4OOE and Dave G3TQQ set up their station as soon as they arrived.  I was hungry, so after the rest of us had lunch the walking group departed.  I set up my station just as Nick and Dave were packing up.  We were warned not to operate within the walls of the Monastery by Juerg HB9BIN, who had been here a week before we arrived, so we chose a place outside of the walled garden area to set up. 

Nick and Dave had concentrated on 14 MHz (20m) and had worked all stations calling them (33), so I set up for 18 MHz (17m) and had an enjoyable hour long session as conditions were very good.  I finished on 10 MHz (30m) with 6 contacts and then I finally worked Dave and Nick on 2m FM as they were back in Pollenca. My log totalled 40 contacts using a Yaesu FT-817 and link dipole. K4MF was worked in USA. the other contacts were all over Europe: Log2Map by ON6ZQ. Puig de Maria is one of the most popular summits to activate in Mallorca and I was the 6th operator to put it on the air.