Crimean peninsula, one of the southern peninsulas of Europe, is the most southern part of Ukraine. The area of Crimea is near 26000 square km . The western and the southern coast of Crimea is washed by the Black sea, the eastern and north-eastern - Kerch strait and the sea of Azov.     On the geological structure and surface's character the Crimean peninsula shares on two unequal parts: bigger - the nothern flat and smaller - the southern occupied with Crimean mountains which stretch from Sevastopol to Feodosiya.     Crimean mountains form three parallel ridges to the north, it looks like the gigantic steps. All three ridges have the steep southern and the flat northern slopes.       The highest southern ridge is called as Main. In the highest point - mountain Roman Kosh - it reaches in height 1545m above the sea level. Besides it, the highest tops of the main ridge is - Demir-Kapu (1540m), Zejtin-Kosh (1533m), Kemal-Egerek (1526m), the Eklizy-Burun (1525m).     The high areas of the Main ridge represent mountains plateau and there are called the yaylas (the Turkic word meaning "a summer pasture"). The most highest yaylas of Crimea - Babugan-yayla (till 1545m - Roman Kosh mountain), Gurzufskaya (1540m), the top plateau of Chatyr-Dag (1525m), Nikitskaya (1470m), Yaltinskaya (1406m), Aj-Petrinskaya (1320m), Tyrke-yayla (1283m). We indicate tops and plateaus in the details, because these are the most attractive places in the possibilities of the radio amateur communication.     From the north and the northwest from the Main ridge has settled down the second ridge of Crimean mountains - internal (more than 700m above the sea level). Behind the internal ridge there is a Northern-longitudinal lowland. Behind it the Third, or the External ridge of Crimean mountains (to 350m above the sea level) lies, which flat slope gradually passes in the plains of the northern Crimea.     The relief the eastern part of the mountain Crimea, is presented by low crests and mud hills of Kerch peninsula (to 190m above the sea level). The most considerable here the Parpachsky crest. From the north and the northeast hilly it surrounds  the Southwest Kerch plain (50 - 120m above the sea level).     The unique geographical location of Crimea and its undescribable beautiful landscapes with the interesting story involve the numerous tourists from all over the world. There are many attractive places for all kinds of tourism here: mountaineering, bike and cartourism, cave explorers, pedestrial tourism and others.     Karaby plateau is especially interesting place, which we has taken fancy to our radio expeditions. It is our radio amateur altar - here we come on the contests, test our antenas, spend trainings, from here all our exits on the nearly mountain tops and distant expeditions begin. Our base takes places at the territory of the meteorological station which is simultaneously has the shelter for numerous tourists. Here there are all conditions for independent stay, habitation, water, gas, power supplies, parking for cars, places under tent camp. For us, radio amateurs, one more important thing - there are neither electric mains nor industrial targets nearly, that provides the air without QRM. And the surrounding mountain landscapes and capricious weather conditions give romanticism and a sharpness of the sensations. That is why it would be desirable to tell about this place in more details.  So, Karaby plateau.
									KARABY
			Karaby plateau. 1000 metres high above the sea level. The base camp.
			It is the largest plateau in Crimea in the eastern part of the Main ridge of Crimean mountains. Represents a massif of the flat tops isolated from adjoining mountains from the West by a valley of the rivers Sou-At and Burulcha, from the east a valley of Bijuk-Karasu and pass Alikot-Bogaz. The Southern border of Karaby represents by the multimeter breakages from which opens the view on the Southeast coast between Alushta and Sudak. The Northern flat slopes go down in the hollow between the main and the internal ridge of Crimean mountains.
						The southern border of Karaby
					The northern border of Karaby
				The area of Karaby is near 113 square km: near 11 km from the West to the east and near 10 km from the north to the south. As for height of Karaby, as well as many Crimean yaylas, consists of two tiars - the top plateau - Kara-Tau ridge   (1260m) and bottom - actually Karaby (600-1000m). The massif is formed by karstic breeds - limestones, that caused the formation reason of considerable quantity of karstic caves in its bowels, which are one of the main little raisin of the plateau. There are more than 3500 craters. Total quantity of the caves investigated on Karaby exceeds 400. At Karaby there are two of three deepest caves in Ukraine - Soldier's (-515m) and Nahimovsky (-400m). In 1989 game reserve "the Mountain karst of Crimea" was created here.     The climate of Karaby is very severe. In the autumn there are thunder-storms, in the end of September - frosts, in October - fogs, rains. More closly to November - hoarfrost, sometimes so plentiful that under its weight the trees break. Snow lays down in last dates of October or in the beginning of November. In other winter craters depth in 5-7 metres are covered with snow, the thickness of a cover on yayla is 30-40 centimetres. The snow is still half-troubles, but the gale-force winds are more terrible and capable to knock the person down, to break from breakage. In total in a year happens about 30 days with strong winds from 26 to 40 metres per second. They fall on winter basically.     The spring is concerned as a windy time also. In winter months and in the beginning of spring winds of the western direction and in April-May - the southeast prevail. Karaby's winter is long - 100-140 frosty days. On a surface of soil frosts keep 155-170 days in the year. The lowest temperature is -25-27°C. It occurs  usually in the middle of February accompanied by strong winds.     Even dangerous surprises can be here. In May - beginning of June (at fast change wind's direction on northern) sharp temperature falls happen. Just was +20°С, and an hour later the temperature has fallen to +11-10°С or even to +6°С. For example is not conditional, but quite real, taken from the supervision  meteorological station book. Continuously rain is drizzling, yayla is covering by a fog.  By the way, it is very characteristic for Karaby - a fog coming with the rain. The matter is that not fog but rainy cloudness lays down on Karaby. Cold rainy weather in May - June usually lasts one or two days.  If the person moreover easily dressed loses the way in a fog he/she can perish because of a cold at temperature 6-10°C.  There were such causes... Lower temperatures are not excluded also. In June it was  fixed minus 1°C, in September - minus 4°C.     Certainly, all stories and descriptions could not be compared by that you will see and  feel yourself. That is why we invite you at least once to visit this wonderful  place - KARABY!