Waves Among the Vineyards: La Rioja’s New Chapter on the Air

LOGROÑO, LA RIOJA – Better known for its tempranillo and medieval monasteries than its decibels per hertz, La Rioja has long remained an under-the-radar outpost of Spanish amateur radio. But that may be changing. With the appointment of José Ángel Iñiguez Palacio (EA1GQ) as president of both the local section and the URE Territorial Council in 2020, the Radio Club Rioja (EA1RCR) is tuning into a more active frequency.

Headquartered just behind Logroño’s central bus station, in Belchite Street, the club’s location is as humble as it is functional—typical for many Spanish radio associations whose reach is global but whose roots are often very local.

The Voice of Rioja

Radio Club Rioja is more than a meeting point. It is the voice of a community that, from the foot of the Sierra de Cantabria to the banks of the Ebro, thrives on sharing signals and stories. And under Iñiguez’s leadership, that voice seems set to get louder.

Alongside him, Juan Carlos Cabezón Pereda (EA1C) serves as club secretary, lending continuity and organizational heft to the section. Both bring experience and intent: to maintain Rioja’s position as a fully participating member of Spain’s ham radio landscape.

Democracy on the Dial

The leadership change came not by whim, but by democratic process. In a general electoral cycle that culminated in March 2020, URE’s national committee approved the new officers for La Rioja. The calm procedural handover—formalized on April 6—stands in contrast to the chaos of the wider world that month, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced much of Europe indoors.

For many hams, that isolation was ironically a chance to reconnect—on HF. In this context, the role of clubs like EA1RCR took on added meaning: offering not just technical activities, but companionship via radio waves.

What Comes Next?

While specific contests or field activities haven’t yet defined this new chapter, expectations are quietly building. With a refreshed board and decades of legacy behind it, Radio Club Rioja stands ready to chart a path forward—measured not in miles, but in megahertz.

In a land of oak barrels and high-altitude vineyards, it’s refreshing to know that some of the region’s boldest signals don’t come from wine, but from wire.