Welcome to Rolas Island

What is Rolas Island DX'pedition

West Africa Adventure?

This is a Project envelopment Amateur Radio and Tourism.

In fact you can enjoy a small vacations with some fun operating radio.

We've look around, and found out excellent conditions here.

Of course we have no problem with language and also to get license.

This is also can be a good way to human relationship and cultural

knowledge between people from different cultures.

One of the real thrills offered to licensed amateur radio operator is the opportunity to work DX.

That thrill is trebled when the DXing is done from some exotic out-of-the way place.

Unfortunately most of us have neither the time nor the money to travel extensively ... crossing oceans to far-flung islands on Pacific or Indian Ocean. We may never visit the other continents nor hope to ham from the moon.

However, there is nothing to prevent any ham from sharing in the thrill of a DXpedition within reach of a simple transportation, in short vacation periods, and best of all on a exotic and paradísiac island.

The wife permitting, the rig usually accompanies the family on every summer vacation.

Installing the antenna and the rig is as important as setting up the the bungalow and preparing the first meal.

The working of DX is fairly simple if the equipments includes WARC and 6 meters bands.

If you have never taken 6 meters equipment as your only station on a DXpedition you have missed one of the most exciting and interesting pleasures in all of ham radio. Nowadays you can take 1 transceiver with HF plus 50 Mcs (6 meters) like the brand NEW Kenwood TS480. You can see the Propagation Overview and our planning frequencies.

Of course, because of the short distances normally covered , a good antenna is recommended for 6 meters band. On the other hand, the smaller dimensions make this an easier antenna to pack along with other gear.

This is the most exciting and interesting pleasures in all of ham radio you don't miss this.

Having decided what is to go, it is well to talk over with the rest of the family where 1 week vacation is to be spent. We decided here on S. Tomé e Principe.

Welcome to Rolas island DX'pedition. The purpose of this web is to promote Amateur Radio and DX at this country located at West Africa.

Where is São Tomé e Principe Archipelago ? Why Rolas Island?

Sao Tome is situated at 1 degree 0'North and 7 degree 0'East in the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean at West African Continent. The islands were discovered by portuguese sailors in 1471.

Plantations were founded and the slaves were kidnapped from the near African mainland.
The Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe became independent on July 12, 1975 after the April Revolution in Portugal . The Portuguese plantation owners left the island and the economy was nationalized. Until 1989 they exported almost all of their cocoa production.

In 1991 took place the first free and independent elections at the country S.Tome and Principe archipelago covers a land area of about 1000 sqkm.

It is accompanied by the smaller islands and islet , like Ilheu das Cabras and Ilheu das Rolas near the S.Tome Island.

A little to the North there is the island group Ilha do Principe   with Ilheu Bombom, Ilheu Caroco, Tinhosa Pequena and Tinhosa Grande. The  climate is tropical warm and wet and the raining period lasts from October till May. Most of the island is covered by rain forests. The highest elevation is the Pico de Sao Tome with 2024m above sea level.
Nowadays there are about 165.000 people living on Sao Tome most of them
descendants from the slaves in Angola. The national language is Portuguese
and they have six radio and two TV programs on the island. They export
bananas, coffee, cocoa, copra, palm oil and fish.
Amateur radio: prefix S92 for S.Tomé Island and group islands and islet, and S91 for Principe Island and group of island and small islet.
List IOTA: Sao Tome: AF-023, Principe: AF-044, Time difference: UTC +/- 0 hours.

At the support services we provide to all radio operators We've provided a number of resources here to help you on , report bugs, and suggest improvements to our objective encourage new generation operators and promote amateur radio.

During the last two years we have seen gigantic strides made tronic-radio equipment and the end is not yet in sight. Now we are hearing a great deal about micro-miniaturization. Where will it all end? No one yet knows; but we are inclined to think that from radio amateur's viewpoint that the appearance of an all-band transceiver (having a power output 100 to 200 watts PEP) housed in a cabinet the size of a cigar box is more than a few years off! There will always be a practical size for ham equipment beyond which nothing would be gained by making it any smaller.

The reason of course that there is so much solid state techniques is the needed for such equipment a rocket must lift and carry is very important - but when is so important that a ham transceiver be reduced in weight from 4 to 8 kgs?

This is our NEW Transceiver Kenwood TS480 SAT support services we provide to all radio operators We've provided a number of resources here to help you on , report bugs, and suggest improvements to our products and service.

You may also obtain technical support by e-mail or telephone at [KENWOOD]; and by e-mail .