Season 2013
After 40 years I believe that the St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla Amateur Radio Society is coming out of the wilderness. That is my view and I suspect also the view of some members of our ham radio society at what I hail to be an historic meeting at the Red Cross Convention Center on Bradshaw Hill last evening, June 4, 2013.
I am still alive and well and engaged in the hobby of ham radio in our V4 land, St Kitts and Nevis. Today is just 5 days short of a year since I last posted here. It is not that I did not have anything to say, but there are times when you have to cool out and just watch movements from the sideline, and in my case not upset people with my usual 'different' point of view. It is not my fault if I see things differently, especially when they sometimes seem predictive. Some of us are just born that way, and maybe it is for a purpose.
I notice that our society is moving upward and forward, and I think that it may have something to do with our embracing certain spiritual principles, even though there could appear to be a national falling away from them. We are all free to believe what we wish and to follow and subscribe to whatever principles and teachings that we can live with. I go with what works for me and I am supporting those who think like me. The majority of us however seem to think this way and it is working for us. We still begin our meetings with a word of prayer and find time to worship with a congregation, when we celebrate another year of continued ham radio service to our nation.
For forty years we have been in the wilderness getting evicted from one old building or another. In all the ups and downs the hams and members have not given up on our hobby, but did what we had to with what we had. I believe we are all eternally grateful to the members who held the chairs, and kept the society's head above water, because they believed in what they believe. Once a ham, always a ham, even without any equipment, we do not give up our ham radio hobby. It is an "unto death do us part" relationship. That is a real serious lifelong commitment.
I did not hear everything that transpired last evening, because I did not walk with a hearing aid, but I liked what I heard. We are moving in the right direction finally. The times would appear to be difficult but if we pool our resources, we can get to where we want to be, and most likely even sooner than we expect. A positive mental attitude is certainly required by all of us. There are some of us who need a bit of guidance and encouragement, but I am pretty sure that they will catch the enthusiasm, and we will not have any problems in moving forward as one team, with one voice.
It is that time of year again, the Atlantic Hurricane Season. I believe that we need to be ready now, not wait for August because our usual period of severe weather historically has been in the Independence week, one week before to one week after. That was just some pre 2013 coincidence. We should not forget Hurricane Lenny, which came from the wrong direction, as far as most of us were concerned. We need to be cognisant of the new weather patterns and global warming. We need to be aware that we can have more than one disaster on our hands at any one time. We need to be able to handle hurricane, tsunami, earthquake, and volcanic eruption, all at the same time.
Are we ready yet?
We may need to stop thinking small mindedly and grasp the big picture and make an attempt, no matter how feeble or primitive, to have a disaster plan that in some way seeks to address ALL the disasters that can possibly occur simultaneously in our Federation. I believe that this would appear to be an impossibility given the present known resources. If we can accept this challenge, it would seem that we must immediately set upon a plan to think outside the box, to find the easiest and quickest solution. We cannot wait until something do us and then we find ourselves wanting.
"That never happen is St Kitts yet" True, but are we ready to deal with it when it happens the first time? Or will it hit us for six? Historically, while you are trying to recover from the first six, another six comes your way. You have to be able to react swiftly. It is the only solution. Ours is a service. To maintain national and international communication links in the event that the local service providers cease to function effectively. Sounds pretty simple indeed. But in life nothing is as simple as it appear.
If the society finds itself in a position where it does not have the hardware to effectively provide the backup service expected, it will have to seek personal assistance from the membership, to wit, the use of members personal equipment to effect the communications links. A certain magnitude of any national disaster could evoke a state of emergency, local or otherwise, and under that authority, all our members communications equipment could be commandeered by the Ministry of National Security. I suspect that we would need to know now, in advance, how this "commandeering" works in detail, and what to expect at the end of the national disaster. We would not wish any surprises and hard feelings.
On the other hand a state of emergency may not be called, but the society finds itself in the same predicament, lacking its own hardware to fulfill the service required. I would like to think that the society would have a mechanism in place to deal with this, and all of us would be happy with the arrangements. I suspect that some of us have agreed in principle, but when the time come for the real world test, we may not be in agreement with some of the conditions. I hope that we can have all these real world situations ironed out before hand and documented in black and white, legally binding, so that our society and members do not get at loggerheads over these arrangements at some time in the future.
Here comes the hurricane season. My HF radio is not working properly, it is more dead than alive, and really does not qualify as a working radio. I have gotten my moneys worth from it. Made in 1985, 28 years may be time for it to go. I must acknowledge and compliment V44KAI, Joel, who gave the Kenwood TS-940SAT a new lease on life some years ago, and afforded me some more great operating joy. This is the only radio that I really fell in love with, and it is with a heavy heart that I have to part with it. But everything has its life cycle, and this one is just about ended.
So what am I looking at next. I had a liking for the Flex. I still do. Then I moved on to the Elecraft. I love both QRP rigs but the Elecraft would catch me because I don't have to lug around a computer, like for Flex. Quite recently though I have lost all interest in brand name radios, as I recognise that they all do the same thing, but the price tags are seriously different. Last week I got my first handy, portable, vhf/uhf transceiver. After years of depriving myself because I had the notion that I did not need to walk and talk on vhf. Well I am now retired and have a lot of time to walk and talk on vhf. The only problem is that the society's 2-meter repeater has been off the air for weeks, and no one seems to know how to use simplex.
My 2-meter vhf/uhf radio is made in China. I can't pronounce the brand name, but it is working and it seems quite robust. I do not plan to drop it anytime soon to test. And I really like the price. Some people claim to have a problem with the Chinese, but if they can supply me with the quality of items that I need at a better price than others, I don't have a problem with them. That is my thinking now after 45 years of ham radio. Buying a made in China radio directly from them, instead of the radio from a USA supplier could come with a certain disadvantage, but that would not apply to me.
Any radio sold in the USA have to meet certain FCC requirements. The vhf/uhf radio I recently acquired is not sold in the USA because it does not meet ALL of the FCC requirements. It was sold at one time, but not anymore. If I carry my vhf radio to the USA I will not be allowed to use it because it does not meet their requirements, it might be confiscated. But I am not going to the USA, so I am safe to use my made in China radio at home here in V4. Therefore some of us would not buy a China made radio, and all the USA hams who wish they could buy they can't, because their FCC says the radios don't qualify for entry into the USA.
So the search is on for an HF SSB ham radio transceiver made in China. I see some Japanese brand name radios being made in China, and you can order either the made in China model or the made in Japan model, for the same price, but maybe the specs are different. In any event, no problem for me in V4. I also see HF SSB marine radios, being advertised for ham radio. Full HF marine radio and ham band coverage. You can't get any better than that, for less than a quarter the cheapest USA selling price. I would put my money on an HF SSB marine radio, made in China. I believe that the hams in V4 without HF radio gear could give some consideration to the ham radio models made in China.
So my amateur radio station is awaiting a new HF radio. I have a new 40-meter experimental antenna project to execute, and everything hinges on the new radio. The vertical antenna experiments over the past few years have been extremely successful. Of course the sunspot activity and propagation has been in our favour. This is the season when we need to be prepared to lower and raise our antennas, maybe once, maybe twice, so we should have a system that works most easily for us. I have built a 2X4 hinge base for all my vertical antennas, so that I can lower the antenna by myself, during the lull in the winds.
This six month period is the most productive for our ham radio. We get more involved in our ham radio hobby but sometimes we could forget to ramp up our own personal preparedness and readiness for the season. It is only when we hear that V4 is on the track of the next storm that we pay attention and hustle to get things in place. That is not good enough, we need to set examples to those who are watching us, so as to follow our lead. The scientist can make all the predictions, from their historical data and more, but nature is known for its unpredictability and we should never ever forget that.
Let us pray for a safe hurricane season for all our ham radio operators, their families, friends, and all the loving people of our twin island Federation, St Kitts and Nevis.
I am still alive and well and engaged in the hobby of ham radio in our V4 land, St Kitts and Nevis. Today is just 5 days short of a year since I last posted here. It is not that I did not have anything to say, but there are times when you have to cool out and just watch movements from the sideline, and in my case not upset people with my usual 'different' point of view. It is not my fault if I see things differently, especially when they sometimes seem predictive. Some of us are just born that way, and maybe it is for a purpose.
I notice that our society is moving upward and forward, and I think that it may have something to do with our embracing certain spiritual principles, even though there could appear to be a national falling away from them. We are all free to believe what we wish and to follow and subscribe to whatever principles and teachings that we can live with. I go with what works for me and I am supporting those who think like me. The majority of us however seem to think this way and it is working for us. We still begin our meetings with a word of prayer and find time to worship with a congregation, when we celebrate another year of continued ham radio service to our nation.
For forty years we have been in the wilderness getting evicted from one old building or another. In all the ups and downs the hams and members have not given up on our hobby, but did what we had to with what we had. I believe we are all eternally grateful to the members who held the chairs, and kept the society's head above water, because they believed in what they believe. Once a ham, always a ham, even without any equipment, we do not give up our ham radio hobby. It is an "unto death do us part" relationship. That is a real serious lifelong commitment.
I did not hear everything that transpired last evening, because I did not walk with a hearing aid, but I liked what I heard. We are moving in the right direction finally. The times would appear to be difficult but if we pool our resources, we can get to where we want to be, and most likely even sooner than we expect. A positive mental attitude is certainly required by all of us. There are some of us who need a bit of guidance and encouragement, but I am pretty sure that they will catch the enthusiasm, and we will not have any problems in moving forward as one team, with one voice.
It is that time of year again, the Atlantic Hurricane Season. I believe that we need to be ready now, not wait for August because our usual period of severe weather historically has been in the Independence week, one week before to one week after. That was just some pre 2013 coincidence. We should not forget Hurricane Lenny, which came from the wrong direction, as far as most of us were concerned. We need to be cognisant of the new weather patterns and global warming. We need to be aware that we can have more than one disaster on our hands at any one time. We need to be able to handle hurricane, tsunami, earthquake, and volcanic eruption, all at the same time.
Are we ready yet?
We may need to stop thinking small mindedly and grasp the big picture and make an attempt, no matter how feeble or primitive, to have a disaster plan that in some way seeks to address ALL the disasters that can possibly occur simultaneously in our Federation. I believe that this would appear to be an impossibility given the present known resources. If we can accept this challenge, it would seem that we must immediately set upon a plan to think outside the box, to find the easiest and quickest solution. We cannot wait until something do us and then we find ourselves wanting.
"That never happen is St Kitts yet" True, but are we ready to deal with it when it happens the first time? Or will it hit us for six? Historically, while you are trying to recover from the first six, another six comes your way. You have to be able to react swiftly. It is the only solution. Ours is a service. To maintain national and international communication links in the event that the local service providers cease to function effectively. Sounds pretty simple indeed. But in life nothing is as simple as it appear.
If the society finds itself in a position where it does not have the hardware to effectively provide the backup service expected, it will have to seek personal assistance from the membership, to wit, the use of members personal equipment to effect the communications links. A certain magnitude of any national disaster could evoke a state of emergency, local or otherwise, and under that authority, all our members communications equipment could be commandeered by the Ministry of National Security. I suspect that we would need to know now, in advance, how this "commandeering" works in detail, and what to expect at the end of the national disaster. We would not wish any surprises and hard feelings.
On the other hand a state of emergency may not be called, but the society finds itself in the same predicament, lacking its own hardware to fulfill the service required. I would like to think that the society would have a mechanism in place to deal with this, and all of us would be happy with the arrangements. I suspect that some of us have agreed in principle, but when the time come for the real world test, we may not be in agreement with some of the conditions. I hope that we can have all these real world situations ironed out before hand and documented in black and white, legally binding, so that our society and members do not get at loggerheads over these arrangements at some time in the future.
Here comes the hurricane season. My HF radio is not working properly, it is more dead than alive, and really does not qualify as a working radio. I have gotten my moneys worth from it. Made in 1985, 28 years may be time for it to go. I must acknowledge and compliment V44KAI, Joel, who gave the Kenwood TS-940SAT a new lease on life some years ago, and afforded me some more great operating joy. This is the only radio that I really fell in love with, and it is with a heavy heart that I have to part with it. But everything has its life cycle, and this one is just about ended.
So what am I looking at next. I had a liking for the Flex. I still do. Then I moved on to the Elecraft. I love both QRP rigs but the Elecraft would catch me because I don't have to lug around a computer, like for Flex. Quite recently though I have lost all interest in brand name radios, as I recognise that they all do the same thing, but the price tags are seriously different. Last week I got my first handy, portable, vhf/uhf transceiver. After years of depriving myself because I had the notion that I did not need to walk and talk on vhf. Well I am now retired and have a lot of time to walk and talk on vhf. The only problem is that the society's 2-meter repeater has been off the air for weeks, and no one seems to know how to use simplex.
My 2-meter vhf/uhf radio is made in China. I can't pronounce the brand name, but it is working and it seems quite robust. I do not plan to drop it anytime soon to test. And I really like the price. Some people claim to have a problem with the Chinese, but if they can supply me with the quality of items that I need at a better price than others, I don't have a problem with them. That is my thinking now after 45 years of ham radio. Buying a made in China radio directly from them, instead of the radio from a USA supplier could come with a certain disadvantage, but that would not apply to me.
Any radio sold in the USA have to meet certain FCC requirements. The vhf/uhf radio I recently acquired is not sold in the USA because it does not meet ALL of the FCC requirements. It was sold at one time, but not anymore. If I carry my vhf radio to the USA I will not be allowed to use it because it does not meet their requirements, it might be confiscated. But I am not going to the USA, so I am safe to use my made in China radio at home here in V4. Therefore some of us would not buy a China made radio, and all the USA hams who wish they could buy they can't, because their FCC says the radios don't qualify for entry into the USA.
So the search is on for an HF SSB ham radio transceiver made in China. I see some Japanese brand name radios being made in China, and you can order either the made in China model or the made in Japan model, for the same price, but maybe the specs are different. In any event, no problem for me in V4. I also see HF SSB marine radios, being advertised for ham radio. Full HF marine radio and ham band coverage. You can't get any better than that, for less than a quarter the cheapest USA selling price. I would put my money on an HF SSB marine radio, made in China. I believe that the hams in V4 without HF radio gear could give some consideration to the ham radio models made in China.
So my amateur radio station is awaiting a new HF radio. I have a new 40-meter experimental antenna project to execute, and everything hinges on the new radio. The vertical antenna experiments over the past few years have been extremely successful. Of course the sunspot activity and propagation has been in our favour. This is the season when we need to be prepared to lower and raise our antennas, maybe once, maybe twice, so we should have a system that works most easily for us. I have built a 2X4 hinge base for all my vertical antennas, so that I can lower the antenna by myself, during the lull in the winds.
This six month period is the most productive for our ham radio. We get more involved in our ham radio hobby but sometimes we could forget to ramp up our own personal preparedness and readiness for the season. It is only when we hear that V4 is on the track of the next storm that we pay attention and hustle to get things in place. That is not good enough, we need to set examples to those who are watching us, so as to follow our lead. The scientist can make all the predictions, from their historical data and more, but nature is known for its unpredictability and we should never ever forget that.
Let us pray for a safe hurricane season for all our ham radio operators, their families, friends, and all the loving people of our twin island Federation, St Kitts and Nevis.
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