About CS8ACT
STATION OPERATORGreetings from the beautiful island of São Miguel in the Azores! My name is Nuno, and I operate under the callsign CS8ACT. I'm located in the heart of the North Atlantic (IOTA EU-003), which is an autonomous region of Portugal. The Azores are known for their lush landscapes, volcanic activity, and mild marine weather—an ideal and unique location for an amateur radio enthusiast.
São Miguel Island
The Azores are often referred to as the 'Hawaii of Europe' due to their dramatic green volcanic craters and subtropical climate. São Miguel is famous for its natural geothermal hot springs, the only tea plantations in Europe, and the breathtaking twin crater lakes of Sete Cidades.
QSL Information
QSO CONFIRMATIONMemberships
Live Station Monitoring
REALTIME TRANSMISSION & SPOTSReal-time Station Location
APRS MOBILE POSITIONLoading latest APRS position...
Station Equipment
SHACK HARDWARE SPECSYaesu FT-991A & Vectronics VC300DLP
Multi-mode transceiver serving as the primary station rig, paired with a manual VC300DLP antenna tuner to secure optimum SWR on HF.
Retevis RT95
Dual-band FM transceiver connected to a mag-mount outdoor antenna fixed to a balcony rail via zip ties.
Radioddity DB-25
Digital Voice base transceiver connected to an outdoor mag-mount railing antenna for DMR communications.
Xiegu G90
SDR-based 20W HF QRP transceiver, utilized for portable field deployments and SOTA operations.
Retevis RT95 (Vehicular)
Mounted inside the vehicle with a high-performance thru-glass antenna, optimal for island-wide mobile ops.
Anytone 878 & MMDVM Hotspot
Handheld DMR transceiver paired with a custom Raspberry Pi 3B+ dual-hat MMDVM Hotspot running WPSD.
Quansheng UV-K5
The popular, mod-friendly VHF/UHF handheld radio, running custom open-source firmware for monitoring.
Baofeng DM-1707 (OpenGD77) & Arrow II
Handheld radio loaded with OpenGD77 firmware paired with an Arrow II dual-band antenna for satellite trackers.
StreamDeck Audio Mixer Interface
Audio routing system controlled via StreamDeck for mixing and digital mapping across transceivers and PCs.
Online & HamNet Services
DIGITAL TOOLS & ANTENNA FEEDS
Toolbox App
MOBILE UTILITIESLive propagation forecasts, real-time DX spots, dipole calculator, and custom band maps.
ADSB Receiver
AIRCRAFT TRACKINGMonitor and track aircraft live over the Azores region using a local receiver and antenna system.
AIS Ship Tracker
MARINE TRACKINGReal-time marine traffic monitor and vessel tracker covering Azorean waters via local receiver.
Web SDR
HF RX STATIONAccess software-defined radio online to listen live to Azorean HF signals and bands.
Events & News
STATION UPDATES, EVENTS & ARTICLESHam Radio Toolbox - Mobile App
I've developed a comprehensive mobile app for amateur radio operators that provides live propagation reports, DX spots, dipole calculators, band maps, and more. Available for both Android and iOS!
Download and learn more
ARISS Contact at Colégio do Castanheiro
Participated in an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact event alongside CU2JX, building ground stations to connect local students directly with astronauts aboard the ISS.
Read school reportRadioamadorismo Regulation Battles in Portugal
A personal journey and legal tracking series detailing access to public administrative information demands, ultimately leading to the disclosure and transparency of the new Portuguese amateur radio law proposal.
Setting Up a HamCloud WireGuard VPN Gateway
Technical guide detailing the deployment and configuration of a Linux-based WireGuard VPN gateway, linking local rigs safely into the HamCloud network structure.
Read technical guideQSL Cards Gallery
VISUAL QSO CONFIRMATIONSDigital QSL Card
Sample confirmation sent for digital, satellite, and electronic QSO logs
Paper QSL Card
Sample physical postcard sent via traditional EuroBureauQSL networks
What is HamNet?
HamNet is a high-speed amateur radio network, using commercial microwave technology to provide independent digital infrastructure and connectivity to various emergency and amateur radio services worldwide. It functions completely separated from the commercial internet, making it highly resilient.