Forward into 2021

Season's  greetings. I hope you started today right with a word of prayer to GOD, seeking forgiveness, and thanking Him for His love, wisdom, protection, guidance, and more. Always remember to ask GOD'S Blessings and Help for our brothers and sisters, at home and abroad, who are going through difficult times. There is always someone in need, somewhere.

As we get ready for the new year, I wish to suggest that many of us who are seeking to move ahead in every area of of our life, give serious thought and consideration, to becoming an Amateur Radio Operator, also called a Ham Radio Operator, especially if you had any previous contact with or interest in the hobby. Even if you are just inquisitive. There is always something NEW that you can learn. Many of us have gone through a lifestyle change in 2020, and 2021 should see us coming out of this somewhat 'unwholesome' atmosphere.

Amateur Radio, when you get involved, will take you to another level.  There are many new things to learn, not just in electronics, radio and communications, that I am not at liberty to disclose. One of the international laws state that 'what you hear on the radio , stays just there', it is not for public consumption. If you don't have a problem with that, you are safe. If you are a blabber mouth, and what you hear you talk, then ham radio is not for you. I would not wish you to get a jail for disclosing people's business. The other thing is that religion is not discussed. I speak to hams in Dubai and other Eastern countries, and I am not concerned what they believe, we talk about anything else by religion. These are the only two DO NOTs  in ham radio, agreed  to by all, INTERNATIONALLY.

I started a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/V44KF/ in order to promote amateur radio, ham radio, in Saint Kitts-Nevis, and I must thank amateur radio operators, at home in V4 land, the Caribbean and around the world for viewing. Thank you  all for sharing the Facebook page with other ham radio friends. If this is your first contact with V4, do not let it be the last.  V4 still have contacts to make on all the modes and bands.  For the new year V4 hams must think bigger, and I am seeing plans for across the world VHF tests. Some hams have already started to talk about this. The covid19 put a hold on V4 ham radio activity for 2020, but as we go into the new year I suspect that many things are going to change for the better.

I do not know what the training program for 2021 is, but that can be obtained from the President of sknaars, the local amateur radio society. Their Facebook page is found at  https://www.facebook.com/ST-KITTS-NEVIS-ANGUILLA-AMATEUR-RADIO-SOCIETY-146131718557/ and if you are a new person to ham radio, please take the time to peruse the whole Facebook page, it would prove very educational. To ham radio operators overseas, these Facebook pages will provide you the contact points for setting up your future DX skeds and band operations. I am already in contact with ham radio operators looking for skeds on 80-meters. As the hams in V4 gets more organized all these DX needs will be filled.

Let me close with a few web site addresses for some of the major amateur radio organizations of the world. It is good to know and to compare their outlook on ham radio for their country and the world. Amateur radio exists in practically every country of the world.  Google search for amateur radio and country name. For example: Google search "amateur radio namibia"

http://www.arrl.org/

https://rsgb.org/

https://www.rac.ca/

https://www.iaru.org/   -  [ https://www.iaru-r2.org/ ]

https://www.wia.org.au/

https://www.facebook.com/9Y4TT/

https://www.arsb.org/

Let me end by telling you that amateur radio is always under threat in some country or another, because there are entities who want to use the radio frequency spectrum legally assigned to amateur radio. In Saint Kitts there is an entity that causes RF interference with other radio services, with their newly installed equipment. The telecommunications regulating authority has requested that this entity stop causing the interference, but that entity has refused to comply, and are purposely breaking the laws of Saint Kitts-Nevis.  I understand that the spectrum authority now seem to be back pedaling, and trying to make the WRONG,  RIGHT, without changing the LAW. This cannot be right at all, and amateur radio  operators must expose any deception, and let everyone know the TRUTH of our situation.

Amateur Radio is under serious threat in Saint Kitts, and heading for the dog-house. Shall we carry this deception, hurt, attitude and mentality into 2021? I hope that we get this fixed before the new year. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehFoVCOW1Dw&feature=youtu.be

 Nevertheless, let us enjoy the stay at home and lockdown season as best we can. 

[to be continued]