REUS, TARRAGONA – In the heart of Catalonia’s Baix Camp, where the scent of olives mingles with the Mediterranean breeze, the Centre Civic Mas Abelló hides a less visible but no less vibrant pulse: that of amateur radio. From this civic node, José Roca Fusalba (EA3XL) orchestrates the local section of URE with a mix of nostalgic craftsmanship and forward-facing curiosity.
The story begins early. At 13, José built his first 27 MHz transceiver—not as a school project, but as an entry into a lifelong obsession. That youthful DIY spirit never left. Though family obligations silenced his signal for nearly a decade, he returned in 2007 with renewed purpose, a soldering iron in one hand and a QSL log in the other.
DX Dreams and QRP Realities
The Baix Camp section doesn’t boast the largest membership or the most elaborate installations. What it does offer is passion scaled down to human proportions: DXing, QRP operation, and technical tinkering remain at the heart of the club’s ethos. There is a purity here—a distaste for shortcuts and an embrace of the learning curve. In a world where plug-and-play rules the day, Baix Camp still celebrates the thrill of the build.
On the Air and In No Hurry
Patience, too, is part of the culture. “If I take too long to answer your QSL,” José writes candidly, “just send me an email.” eQSL and LOTW coexist with physical bureau cards in a quiet nod to tradition meeting technology—proof that the spirit of amateur radio can be both analog and asynchronous.
Baix Camp may not make headlines, but from this quiet outpost in Reus, the signal is strong, and the message clear: in the right hands, radio is not just a hobby—it’s a homecoming.
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