>>> 🐧NEW ONE WBA 2026 🐧 <<< 165DA/CMSB07 – Among the Geological Wonders of the Columnar Basalts (by 165DA101 Alex)/ 2 PTS (H)/5 PTS (A) / DATE: 06/07/2026 start @ 09.00 UTC / Freq. stay tuned on WhatsApp WBA news / PROVINCE 117 ( Medio Campidano )/  Historical Region HR02 ( Monreale ) / Municipality E270 ( Guspini ) 

ANT: 3 EL. SKYPPER / PW 270W / Pts(A):2POTA+1N.One+2QSO=5

📜 OFFICIAL PORTABLE ACTIVATION REPORT: 165DA/CMSB07 🌋🚗

📈 224 QSOs LOGGED: RADIO-DX AMONG THE BASALT CATHEDRALS

We have reached the seventh chapter of this exciting and unique portable adventure with great enthusiasm! The radio-trekking journey along the 30 stages of the Santa Barbara Mining Trail (CMSB) continues to deliver incredible moments. For this activation, the trusty penguin mascot Giacomino and I chose one of the most spectacular and representative spots of the seventh stage: the area of the famous Columnar Basalts of Guspini, positioning ourselves at approximately 131 meters above sea level. 🗺️✨

🚜 The Field Experience: Dealing with Closures and Blistering Winds

We initially attempted to enter the main monumental site, but unfortunately, the entrance was closed due to ongoing modernization works. Not letting that dampen our spirits, we found an excellent open area in the immediate vicinity. This allowed us to set up our portable station in complete peace, just a stone’s throw away from the massive prismatic lava columns.

Meteorologically speaking, it was a demanding session. The day started out quite hot, forcing me to seek shelter from the direct sun inside the cabin of our white Panda 169 4×4, which seamlessly transformed into a protective radio shack. By the afternoon, the scenario shifted drastically: the wind surged in intensity, blowing so constantly and fiercely that it felt exactly like a giant, turned-on hairdryer! ☀️💨🌡️

📡 Log Analysis and Propagation: Excellent Short-Skip

The data extracted directly from the log file CMSB7 165DA101 WBA LIVE 1.5 – LOG.csv confirms a highly successful radio session, with a total of 224 valid QSOs logged. 📝

• Superb Propagation: Just like in the previous stage, the propagation was truly superlative for European short-skip. We witnessed the magical, simultaneous opening of both summer and winter skip conditions, delivering rock-solid signals from across the old continent. 🇪🇺📡
• Geographical Breakdown: Out of the 224 total contacts, nearly all of them (222 QSOs) were made with European stations, alongside an exciting propagation opening into Asia. 🌏
• The Big Absentees: Long-skip transoceanic propagation did not cooperate during our hours of operation. Long-distance signals from North America and Oceania were completely absent, concentrating all the pile-up energy strictly within European borders. 📉

🏁 CONCLUSION AND GREETINGS

Despite the closed gates of the site and the blistering afternoon wind, the combination of the Skypper antenna and the mobile station on the Panda allowed us to brilliantly overcome the day’s minor obstacles. We successfully archived 224 wonderful contacts, all valid for the prestigious World Beauties Award (WBA) diploma. 🏅

A special thanks goes out to all the hunters who managed to punch through the pile-up and overcome the heavy atmospheric and wind noise! Giacomino has already stamped the log pages, and we are ready to hit the road once more. 🐧🐾

Best 73’s, 51 and great DX de Alex, Giacomino & the Panda 4×4 Crew! 📻🙏 👋 QRZ… Stage 07 archived, see you on the air for Stage 08!

🌋 165DA/CMSB07: Radio-DX Among the Geological Wonders of the Columnar Basalts ⚙️📡

The Santa Barbara Mining Trail continues to amaze! After exploring the beating heart of the mines, for this seventh stage of the CMSB 11m On The Trail Challenge, Giacomino and I are moving towards a true monument of nature. On Monday, July 6th, 2026, we will activate reference 165DA/CMSB07, positioning ourselves in one of the most iconic locations in the Guspini territory: the Columnar Basalts.

🌋 Stage 07: From Montevecchio to Arbus

The path that accompanies us on this stage tells the story of the landscape. Leaving the Montevecchio area, the trail leads us through valleys rich in mining history and unique natural beauties, until we reach the Guspini area, famous for its spectacular columnar basalt formations—true natural prisms of volcanic origin that rise like stone cathedrals.

📍 The Location: In the Presence of the “Cathedrals”

We will set up near this geological wonder (WWFF Reference IFF2790 / P060) at coordinates 39.54017, 8.63488. Our trusty white Panda 169 4×4 will once again be the pulsating heart of our field station. Operating in contact with this ancient geological structure promises an incredible radio experience and, hopefully, propagation worthy of the majesty of the place!

📅 Activation Details

Live Log: Click here to follow the log in real time

Date: Monday, July 6th, 2026

Start Time: 09:00 UTC

Reference: 165DA/CMSB07

Are you in the Log? Click below.

LOG

14GT44 Pierrot 19LR1 Ger 13SD114 Matt 13AT715 Pete 165AT448 Franco 14AT661 Gérard 108AT46 Jim 29LR49 Michael 26DX25 Paul 26AT80 Harry 1RC118 Vittorio 14AT61 Leo 14AT824 Philippe 14AT23 Jean Marc 14AT219 Alain 14AT75 Georgette 1AT1692 Willi 14LE1191 Manuel 1AT127 Luciano 13SD208 Wolf 26AT155 Marcus 16AT128 Stéphane 26AT33 Chris 14FDX3601 Olivier 14AT47 Yohann 14RC85 Joaquim 47DX54 Leif 14EK102 Jean 14PAT810 Dominique 14PAT1082 René 14CD1 Delphin 30DA202 Javier 19AT515 Ron 30AT252 Pepe 30AO10 Oscar 14VD163 Denis 14SD120 Sébastien 14V295 Jean Claude 14AT148 Philippe 14AT417 Bernard 14AT145 Philippe 14TW207 Jean Pierre 14AT264 Pat 14AT247 Hervé 14EK34 Michel 329CZ91 Jirka 13WM19 Wim 14AT832 Christian 13IR121 Jürgen 161SD176 Paul 14AT214 Rodolphe 14DA20 Pascal 68AT121 Robert 30DA201 Pepe 14VD443 Jean François 1EK115 Emanuele 13LS1 Zelko 1AT474 Christian 13LR215 Sven 30WP2 Sergio 30RC571 Maico 13EK101 Udolf 14RC67 Thierry 161DA135 Sylvester 14VD155 Jean Francois 19DA138 Mark 26AK4 Don 14RC374 Jean Louis 47DK30 Happy 108AT888 Jim 30FD548 Alvaro 14VL3245 Jean Marie 29AT101 Mike 13VOG17 Billy 14PAT1038 Robert 19AT103 René 26AT169 Bill 327PX11 Roman 108CT338 Kenny 14BL33 Laurent 26MW1 Michael 26AT43 Nick 109HA2852 Joszi 14DA62 Gérard 30DR1 David 14HDX80 Claude 30SIM50 Victor 1AT14 Vincenzo 1AT227 Livio 45RS123 Abe 1EK156 Mauro 26OP11 Barry 35SSB79 Björn 14RC729 Jean Francois 14AT387 Thierry 29AT38 Tim 26RC2 Tom 14NE145 Christian 21EE102 Stewe 153DA102 Lars 331AT101 Slavi 14AT177 Manu 68AT142 Paul 30DA21 Andoni 13RC312 Kay 26RC252 Martin 14SD181 Patrick 108FB213 Brian 1RC167 Marco 1SD16 Alex 47TL58 Ove 108AT109 Ron 26CT5171 Mike 19AT112 Rob 26CT157 Sam 30LF500 Pedro 1AT114 Mauro 14EK154 Daniel 30DA555 Maria 13DA285 Tommy 26RC579 Derek 163SB600 Rich 26AT378 Bill 26DT1256 Martie 26ST9 Tom 1TW25 Claudio 26CT5412 Ken 14NE900 Sam 26RB45 Rob 1ALE13 Alessandro 13LR572 Thomas 1SR13 Andrea 1AT619 Fabio 1DA6 Sergio 56TR277 Timo 14DA27 Thierry 30AT198 Moisés 1WM802 Guido 26DA40 Robert 26AT23 Ian 1AT771 Marco 14GT54 Gérald 328HR51 Frank 13EK73 Ralf 108AT77 Kevin 26AT95 David 14SD161 Sebastian 161KCR16 Marian 14TW310 Cédric 19HK1 Helgo 14CI101 Olivier 26SE67 Steve 26GC97 Trevor 29WF380 Gerard 19RC500 Arjan 13LR444 Frank 14FDX300 Arnauld 13AT13 Steve 14PC2 Philippe 1SR230 Michele 14VD137 Hervé 14KTM64 Jean Jacques 14AT252 Eric 14TRC445 Pierre 14GEF721 Pascal 30DA10 Sergio 14CI177 Olivier 47AT124 Palle 14VD469 Yannick 26GA31 Jim 19AT161 Carlo 1AT57 Daniele 30HP1 José 14FAT115 Daniel 14AC1 Eric 13AT289 Jakob 16PR1 Fred 26LR5 Kevin 26LC194 Dave 26AT17 Nash 14ST59 Hervé 19LV449 Leon 26UK962 Stewart 26SAM Phil 14LE928 Bruno 13LR50 Marcus 14PF27 Nicholas 14PAT1262 Renald 14ED58 Didier 14AT759 Xavier 26GD168 Peter 14PAT1119 Rodrigue 14AT250 Michel 35DA35 Frank 13MD278 Mario 14JP80 Jean 19RF1861 14KF1 Pascal 26DR605 Steve 14ZK51 Didier 68AT109 Joe 13TH240 Thomas 165PAT104 Pierpaolo 14DA70 Franck 1AT562 Antonio 26NE34 Steve 16ON18 Patrick 14AT197 Philippe 13LR10 Erich 13CF394 Ralph 14KPI77 Daniel 14PW22 Jerome 14OCB1 David 19AT176 Hein 26TM98 Glen 14DT120 Thierry 19AT371 Freddy 15AL24 Bruno 68AT108 Richard 14SH Stéphane 161KPI414 Jacek 14RC127 Ludo 14VD376 Marco 15AN280 Max ——————————– 14GT044 19LR001 13SD114 13AT715 165AT448 14AT661 108AT046 29LR049 26DX025 26AT080 1RC118 14AT061 14AT824 14AT023 14AT219 14AT075 1AT1692 14LE1191 1AT127 13SD208 26AT155 16AT128 26AT033 14FDX3601 14AT047 14RC085 47DX054 14EK102 14PAT810 14PAT1082 14CD001 30DA202 19AT515 30AT252 30AO010 14VD163 14SD120 14V295 14AT148 14AT417 14AT145 14TW207 14AT264 14AT247 14EK034 329CZ091 13WM019 14AT832 13IR121 161SD176 14AT214 14DA020 68AT121 30DA201 14VD443 1EK115 13LS001 1AT474 13LR215 30WP002 30RC571 13EK101 14RC067 161DA135 14VD155 19DA138 26AK004 14RC374 47DK030 108AT888 30FD548 14VL3245 29AT101 13VOG017 14PAT1038 19AT103 26AT169 327PX011 108CT338 14BL033 26MW001 26AT043 109HA2852 14DA062 30DR001 14HDX080 30SIM050 1AT014 1AT227 45RS123 1EK156 26OP011 35SSB079 14RC729 14AT387 29AT038 26RC002 14NE145 21EE102 153DA102 331AT101 14AT177 68AT142 30DA021 13RC312 26RC252 14SD181 108FB213 1RC167 1SD016 47TL058 108AT109 26CT5171 19AT112 26CT157 30LF500 1AT114 14EK154 30DA555 13DA285 26RC579 163SB600 26AT378 26DT1256 26ST009 1TW025 26CT5412 14NE900 26RB045 1ALE013 13LR572 1SR013 1AT619 1DA006 56TR277 14DA027 30AT198 1WM802 26DA040 26AT023 1AT771 14GT054 328HR051 13EK073 108AT077 26AT095 14SD161 161KCR016 14TW310 19HK001 14CI101 26SE067 26GC097 29WF380 19RC500 13LR444 14FDX300 13AT013 14PC002 1SR230 14VD137 14KTM064 14AT252 14TRC445 14GEF721 30DA010 14CI177 47AT124 14VD469 26GA031 19AT161 1AT057 30HP001 14FAT115 14AC001 13AT289 16PR001 26LR005 26LC194 26AT017 14ST059 19LV449 26UK962 14LE928 13LR050 14PF027 14PAT1262 14ED058 14AT759 26GD168 14PAT1119 14AT250 35DA035 13MD278 14JP080 19RF1861 14KF001 26DR605 14ZK051 68AT109 13TH240 165PAT104 14DA070 1AT562 26NE034 16ON018 14AT197 13LR010 13CF394 14KPI077 14PW022 14OCB001 19AT176 26TM098 14DT120 19AT371 15AL024 68AT108 161KPI414 14RC127 14VD376 15AN280