On São Miguel Island, the largest island in the Azores off the coast of Portugal, a new 10-metre FM repeater stands ready for QSOs. This is the first 10-metre repeater for the association, which is marking the 50th year since its founding.

The 50-watt repeater transmits on 29.630 MHz, with a -100 kHz shift, giving it a receive frequency of 29.530 MHz. It has a CTCSS tone of 88.5 Hz.

Bruno, CS8ABG, told Newsline that challenges in installation prompted the group to install the receiver and transmitter separately. The transmitter is located in the center of the island and the receiver is about 20 km away on the western side. Both are at an altitude of 900 metres.The sites are connected using 5 GHz Wi-Fi links.

The site holds promise for other connections too, according to Bruno. There is a Raspberry Pi system with a private AllStarLink connection that may someday provide a link to the group's VHF repeaters that are part of the Azores AllStarLink network.

Bruno told Newsline that the east-west radiation pattern of the dipoles favour propagation between Europe and North America so DXers, of course, are very welcome.