Focus - Forward
We are looking at the new year in days. The question is, what did you achieve in 2020? And the next question could be, what do you plan to achieve in 2021? From the amateur radio operator there is always a positive response. The past we can speak about, and comment in "hindsight", but the future is not given to any of us, we could [1] make a physical determination based on our present knowledge of our circumstance, or [2] just create a wish list of everything we would like for ourselves. Most of us prefer the second option, and spend quite a bit of time day dreaming in this mode. That is quite natural and necessary, because all we need to do is to convert every dream into reality, and we have the GOD given ability to do just that. We also call this day dreaming imagination. Everything begins there. FAITH. If you need the scriptural data we can discuss that later.
Over the years I have been encouraging amateur radio operators to create their personal wish list of everything that they think they would need for their amateur radio operation and stations. In life everything that we now have was once a dream, 24x365. When we were 14-years old we dreamed about getting our own ninja bike, car, house, airplane, or whatever, and today we have them all. Capiche? Please remember that everything always begin as a dream, in our imagination, you just have to dream wisely, and in our case, apply that wisdom to our amateur radio hobby, and anything else that would make a positive impact on our life. Now that we are all clear on that, let us move forward, because this is what we MUST do, if we are to exit this covid19, AHEAD.
Today we move FORWARD with the next day of our life. We will look at where we are, where we wish to go, and how we expect to get there. In life many things do not work out exactly as planned, so optional plans and programs must be actively considered all the time. It is not wise to think that it is only "Plan A" cast in stone or nothing, that is the plan for failure. Our amateur radio is no different. The amateur radio hobby also has its ups and down, but more downs, because the "money makers" are always trying to take away our radio frequencies, for expansion of their various services. So the amateur radio international organizations have a full time defense job on their hands. It is up to us the amateur radio operators to utilize all the frequencies as licensed for our telecommunication experimentation, inside our country, region and world wide. Just being a licensed amateur radio operator for the fun of it, is not being a TRUE and REAL amateur / ham radio operator.
In these modern and enlightened days it is difficult to understand why the amateur radio hobby in Saint Kitts is under serious threat of losing radio frequency spectrum. There is a part of the short wave band designated for amateur radio use, by amateur radio operators all around the world. In Saint Kitts part of that frequency range is being blocked and jammed by radio frequency interference signals generated by an entity in the City of Basseterre. The entity which causes the interference is not our problem, because there is an internationally organized authority which oversea ALL aspects of telecommunications [with a representative in every country of the world] and it is THEIR responsibility to ensure that no RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE is generated by ANYONE to affect the duly licensed services in that country or beyond, and their frequency users, to wit, the amateur radio operators.
So there has been in Saint Kitts an entity generating illegal spurious emissions, to wit, radio frequency interference affecting legally licensed telecommunication services. For months the amateur radio operators negotiated with the interference generating entity. They see the problem, they know the problem, but they did not take any action to stop the island wide problem. After more months a complaint is raised with the local telecommunications authority. After more months the authority writes the entity issuing a cease and desist order. It has gone passed one whole year and the entity has not complied with the authority to "stop generating the interference" on the frequencies that affect the amateur radio operators. I conclude that the entity has decided to disregard the law. If this was anyone else we know that the police or the high court bailiff would have been at their door immediately, but when you are BIG, you LARGE.
The following video is a local news item [on YouTube] that would help you to get a better perspective on the foregoing threat faced by certain right thinking people in our SKB.
As of this writing [a] I am unaware of the entity's compliance with the cease order from the authority, [b] nor when the entity will comply with the authority, or [c] if they have any intention to comply with the authority. We are now going into 2021 and another year of no access to the radio frequencies legally assigned to the amateur radio operators of Saint Kitts. Recently it was reported that the radio interference on Saint Kitts was also affecting operations from Nevis. Radio frequencies strong enough will affect anyone around the world. That is why every country in the world has an authority to MONITOR and ENSURE that NO-ONE generates any radio frequency signals that they are not licensed for. We can only hope and pray that this INTERFERENCE matter is resolved soonest.
So we need to go forward with the foregoing in mind, but we need to plan as though everything is normal and ok. There was a time when amateur radio in Saint Kitts was only for the few elites and those with technical savvy, but over the years that has changed, and now anyone can become an amateur radio operator, and enjoy the hobby. In Saint Kitts-Nevis we have a unique situation which I will only mention. Initially amateur radio operators seem only to be interested in VHF, but recently with exposure to short wave its changing, but then along came covid19, and many things changed. But all amateur radio operators have a certain progress mentality, that is what makes them amateur radio operators, their positive and progressive outlook on life and survival, but not necessarily, on survival of the fittest.
It may be surprising to learn that in some very larger countries [geographically] of the world, that there are no LOCAL amateur radio operators. Some countries only have a handful, and only when amateur radio operators visit to do government and other projects, that they operate their amateur radio station. In our SKN case , the present local amateur radio society was started by a gentleman, Sid May Esq., a project manager working on the Golden Rock International Airport, now renamed the R. L. Bradshaw International Airport. He was an amateur radio operator from England. He got local operators together, formed and registered in the court, the St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla Amateur Radio Society, April 12th, 1973. And the rest Is history. The list of amateur radio operators posted on http://www.qrz.com/ show 184 callsigns for St Kitts-Nevis.
The first thing that all amateur radio operators do is to look at equipment. The antenna is most important but the equipment always comes first. Maybe it is the attraction of the knobs, and the display and the ability to hear signals from across the world. I can recall in my early days , some 50-years ago, I was up all night, just listening to guys talking to one another around the world. I must say that you actually learn quite a lot without trying. This is one of the many things that I found most interesting in amateur radio. The knowledge gained from around the world for free. There were people of every discipline, doctors and nurses, lawyers, judges, pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, ranch owners and cowboys, you name it, they were there, everyone speaking to everyone else, no discrimination, no racism. I have had amateur radio operators in South Africa ask me how my stay was in SKB. They were amazed when they learned that I was native to SKB. They could not fathom that my parents were not from the UK. And other local operators have said that they had the same experience too.
SKN has always been a country going places, and the amateur radio operators of today have to maintain that tradition. Simply, by always having the best signals on the frequency. Operators have to invest in the best affordable equipment. I keep my eyes on the Sherwood Engineering Receiver Test Data table at http://www.sherweng.com/table.html for me, this is the starting point. Over the years I notice that only a few non-US made equipment made the top 10. The USA made gear seems to go the extra amateur radio mile in providing the performance that the discerning amateur radio operators desire. http://Flexradio.com and http://Elecraft.com have been heading the list over the past few years, and at a better price too.
The Asian equipment appear more appealing than others, while the performance is not. After years of amateur radio I go for performance instead of appeal. The young operator, understandably, is quite the opposite. In these days when everything has changed, that is ok. I still suggest getting the brand name amateur radio equipment from the big three, Kenwood, Icom and Yaesu. These makers all have a top class radio which is outside my price range, but they offer a range of radio to fit every price range. Please know that you get what you pay for. The most important feature of any equipment maker is the after sales service, especially for me in an overseas and foreign country. It only takes a power surge or a lightening strike for the radio to require maintenance. Can service be rendered quickly and cheaply? By factory authorized personnel? Something to seriously think about.
You have now invested in the best amateur radio brand and model that money can buy, and you now think about hearing how this can play. If you are interested in making contact on the other side of the world, Japan and China for example, you would also have invested in a decent ready made, brand name antenna. However a resourceful person can also build an antenna system from scratch, that can give good performance. Amateur radio is about experimentation, and building antennas lead us into much experimentation if we have the right tools and test equipment. Simple antennas like the halfwave vertical dipole, and the end fed half wave antenna, seem pleasing to some DX amateur radio operators. I am still to experiment with these antennas, but the on-air reports are very encouraging.
The shut in and lockdown may have provided many of us with an interest in amateur radio, use the opportunity to Google and view and learn more about the fascinating hobby of amateur radio. But it is only after you get into the practical side of amateur radio, and can listen to the radio in the privacy of your den, that the joy of amateur radio hit you like a big stone. And there is no turning back. Amateur radio gives you an ability to be on cutting edge, and the front line, for many world events. It helps you to better appreciate the world that we now live in. And help to shape your own outlook and perspective. It means different things to everyone based on their unique environment. I have not come across anyone who regrets being an amateur radio operator. Sometimes you are active, sometimes you are on the quiet side, but you never, ever dump amateur radio from your life. Once an amateur radio operator, always an amateur radio operator.
[To be continued]
Comments