Monument to the radio amateur - Puertito de Güímar - Tenerife

The municipal council of El Puertito de Güímar was the first in the world to recognize the volunteer work of radio amateurs . That is why the monument was erected in 1974 . The original monument was replaced by a steel one in 2003 , following the renovation of the square where it is located.

The first local branch of the Union of Spanish Radio Amateurs (URE) in Güímar was founded in 1968. They were so active that in 1974 the Güímar Municipal Council agreed to build a Monument to the Radio Amateur, the first in the world and which was designed by partner José Enrique Dávila (former EA8JT). The municipality was a pioneer in expressing and materializing the importance of a hobby that few remember today , but which for decades was the only form of direct communication, essential for warning of accidents or emergencies .

The monument consists of a series of sky-facing tubes , each representing a continent , and flanked by four bronze plaques . It has always been a meeting place for radio amateurs from all over the Canary Islands and of course also from the rest of the country and abroad.

The love for radio has always been very important to Güímar. Currently, the URVAG Radio Amateur Association, which legally has a provincial framework of action, is the regional representation of the Union of Radio Amateurs of Spain in the Güímar Valley, including the municipalities of Güímar, Candelaria and Arafo.

In 1997, the Güímar City Council named the El Puertito Square where the monument is located, Manuel Dávila Santana Amateur Radio Square (EA8ET). The ceremony to unveil the plaque was presided over by then mayor Vicenta Díaz Sáez, member of URE.

Willem Vandenameele