>>> 🐧NEW ONE WBA 2026 🐧 <<< 165DA/CMSB08 – In the Footsteps of Giants (by 165DA101 Alex)/ 2 PTS (H)/3 PTS (A) / DATE: 07/08/2026 start @ 09.00 UTC / Freq. stay tuned on WhatsApp WBA news / PROVINCE 117 ( Medio Campidano )/  Historical Region HR02 ( Monreale ) / Municipality E089 ( Gonnosfanadiga ) 

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

📜 OFFICIAL PORTABLE ACTIVATION REPORT: 165DA/CMSB08 🗿🏛️

📈 67 QSOs LOGGED: AMONG THE GIANTS’ TOMB AND THE HILLS OF GONNOSFANADIGA

The adventure continues, and we have successfully stamped off the Eighth Stage of our journey along the Santa Barbara Mining Trail (CMSB)! For this unmissable occasion, my trusty penguin companion Giacomino and I chose to head towards the vicinity of the famous Giants’ Tomb of San Cosimo, located in the area of Gonnosfanadiga (Cadastral Code: E089) 🗺️✨.

🚜 Logistical Choices, Wind, and Curiosity Along the Provincial Road

Geographically, this wasn’t one of the highest points of the eighth stage—in fact, it was one of the lowest—but I considered it right away to be the most representative and fascinating. Once I arrived at the location, however, I noticed that the enclosed layout surrounded by hills was not ideal for radio propagation. For this reason, I opted for a spot a short distance away but slightly higher and more favorable, situated near the ruins of the Church of San Cosimo. Since it is now private property, I positioned myself strategically right in the clearing in front of the entrance area, right on the edge of the provincial road! 🛣️🚙

The day was very hot, though mitigated by a pleasant, relatively dry moderate wind from the west, which made staying outdoors quite bearable. Naturally, the unmistakable presence of our white Panda 169 4×4 topped with the Skypper antenna did not go unnoticed, sparking great curiosity and inquisitive glances from passing motorists and motorcyclists fascinated by this “strange gadget” parked on the roadside. 🚗📡👀

📡 Propagation Analysis and Log Performance (67 QSOs)

The start of transmissions around 09:00 local time was marked by extremely scarce propagation. In the first hour, I logged just 4 QSOs, and honestly, the worry of failing to bring home more than 30 contacts that day started to creep in! 📉

Propagation proved to be uniquely peculiar and fickle: we witnessed sudden bursts, extremely brief Es (sporadic-E) openings, and highly variable signals swinging wildly from extremely strong to barely perceptible in a split second. Consequently, contacts had to be lightning-fast, packed into just a few seconds before the signal faded into nothingness. ⚡

With a lot of patience, persistence, and precise VFO tuning, the situation opened up, allowing me to bring home a solid 67 valid QSOs! Among the most special and memorable contacts of the day are:

• The intercontinental contact with 153DA102 Lars from Thailand 🇹🇭!
• The wonderful surprise of hearing and logging Nando and Belen straight from the Canary Islands 🇮🇨!

🏁 CONCLUSION AND GREETINGS

Despite the initial difficulties with “stuttering” propagation and finding the perfect spot among the hills of Gonnosfanadiga, the combination of the mobile station on the Panda and the Skypper antenna fully achieved our goal. 67 stations logged, a WBA diploma enriched with precious DX contacts, and the satisfaction of living another great day of radio and Sardinian archaeology.

A special thanks goes out to all the hunters who knew how to seize the lightning-fast propagation windows to make it into the log! Giacomino has already stamped the pages, and we are ready to look ahead. 🐧🐾

Best 73’s, 51 and great DX de Alex 165DA101, Giacomino & the Panda 4×4 Crew! 📻🙏 👋 QRZ… Stage 08 in the log, see you on the air for the next adventure!

📜 PRESENTATION ARTICLE: ACTIVATION 165DA/CMSB08 🗿📻

In the Footsteps of Giants: Alex 165DA101 and Giacomino Sign Stage 08 of the CMSB in Gonnosfanadiga!

The radio-trekking adventure along the Santa Barbara Mining Trail (CMSB) does not stop, heading straight toward a new, extraordinary historical and scenic milestone. Leaving the basalts of Guspini behind, my trusty penguin companion Giacomino and I are ready to fire up our rigs for Stage 08, scheduled for August 7th, 2026, at 09:00 UTC.

For this unmissable portable session, our trusty white Panda 169 4×4 will lead us to a location of immense millennial charm: we will set up in the immediate vicinity of the monumental Giants’ Tomb of San Cosimo, in the territory of Gonnosfanadiga (exact geographical coordinates: 39.50616, 8.61816).

🗺️ The Route and the Archaeological Setting

The official eighth stage of the trail, originally mapped between Arbus and Perd’e Pibera, winds through scenery of rare natural and geological beauty. Along the section bordering the Terra Maistus river valley, the trail intersects one of the most important and evocative archaeological sites in all of Sardinia: the Giants’ Tomb of San Cosimo (Sa Grutta de Santu Giuanni).

Dating back to the Middle Bronze Age (14th century BC), this imposing megalithic granite structure stands out for its extraordinary semicircular exedrae and a tomb body exceeding 22 meters in length, making it one of the largest on the island. Activating reference 165DA/CMSB08 from this crossroads of history, mystery, and ancient Nuragic rituals represents a unique thrill for us, indissolubly binding our passion for radio to the roots of Sardinian heritage.

📡 Operations and Live Log

As always, we will set up our portable station by leveraging the versatility of the Panda 4×4 as a logistical and support base for the antenna. We look forward to seeing many of you in the 11-meter pile-up to collect another precious piece of this traveling award.

You can follow the progress of the contacts in real time by checking the dedicated Live Log page: 👉 https://sbota.org/cmsb-11m-on-the-trail-challenge/

Best 73’s, 51 and great DX de Alex 165DA101, Giacomino & the Panda 4×4 Crew! 📻🏔️

Are you in the Log? Click below.

LOG

165AT448 Franco 1DA6 Sergio 30DA10 Sergio 14GT44 Pierrot 14DA26 Nicholas 161DA15 Janusz 13AT13 Steve 161DA135 Sylvester 34AT192 Nando 34AT116 Belen 1SR177 Luca 19LR1 Ger 14AT23 Jean Marc 14DA20 Pascal 1AT127 Luciano 1AT114 Mauro 153DA102 Lars 19AT515 Ron 13AT715 Pete 13DA285 Tommy 13SD114 Matt 327PX11 Roman 1AT400 Vittorio 14RA41 Chris 14AT247 Hervé 14AT371 Michel 26AT80 Harry 1RC118 Vittorio 14AT145 Philippe 35SSB105 Alfred 19AT546 Roel 14LE928 Bruno 13SD208 Wolf 14TW310 Cédric 1AT227 Livio 35DA35 Frank 14EK154 Daniel 26DX25 Paul 1AT57 Daniele 14AT47 Yohann 35DA159 Chris 1EK115 Emanuele 161SD176 Paul 35SSB79 Björn 13IR121 Jürgen 161CR13 Piter 14AT759 Xavier 14GT54 Gérald 165PAT104 Pierpaolo 16AT128 Stéphane 14AT661 Gérard 14LE1191 Manuel 56TR277 Timo 30DA12 Bernardo 161SWP104 Tomasz 14DA62 Gérard 14AT264 Pat 1EK156 Mauro 327SD126 Rudy 56LR288 Onni 19SD188 Andy 26RC2 Tom 31PAT299 Joao 1SR13 Andrea 161WE50 Andy 108AT46 Jim 14AT66 Brian —————————– 165AT448 1DA006 30DA010 14GT044 14DA026 161DA015 13AT013 161DA135 34AT192 34AT116 1SR177 19LR001 14AT023 14DA020 1AT127 1AT114 153DA102 19AT515 13AT715 13DA285 13SD114 327PX011 1AT400 14RA041 14AT247 14AT371 26AT080 1RC118 14AT145 35SSB105 19AT546 14LE928 13SD208 14TW310 1AT227 35DA035 14EK154 26DX025 1AT057 14AT047 35DA159 1EK115 161SD176 35SSB079 13IR121 161CR013 14AT759 14GT054 165PAT104 16AT128 14AT661 14LE1191 56TR277 30DA012 161SWP104 14DA062 14AT264 1EK156 327SD126 56LR288 19SD188 26RC002 31PAT299 1SR013 161WE050 108AT046 14AT066