The end is in sight
It is now two weeks after the general elections in Saint Kitts and Nevis, and I can begin to see that the end of our ham radio problem of interference, noise and frequency jamming on some of the HF radio frequencies allocated to the Amateur Radio Service is in sight. It has been a few years that I have not been able to make any DX contacts on the 40 and 80 meter amateur radio bands, and I am looking forward to catching up on HF DX on these HF bands. Regrettably during the pandemic ham radio also took a beating, and many older hams are now silent key, but new hams have taken over. In V4 we did not lose any ham radio operators during the pandemic, but new hams were added to the amateur radio fraternity.
The ham radio outlook in V4 is changing, and has changed significantly, but the amateur radio society is obliged to run amateur radio licensing training classes for those persons interested in attaining an amateur radio license. This of itself is great, but V4 now has to get these amateur radio operators on the air. It is not the job of the amateur radio society to ensure that ham radio operators have equipment, but the amateur radio society can assist the amateur radio operators and the ham radio fraternity by making sure that the amateur radio station at the amateur radio society headquarters is available to all amateur radio society members.
Amateur radio society members should also be able to avail themselves of the information and services provided by the amateur radio society's DX committee. Of course one cannot beat searching the internet, and YouTube for DX information from the various DX groups, worldwide. It is helpful when every society or club has an active DX group, because DX is what we all do when there is no weather or disaster or emergency threat in our Caribbean region. We share six [6] months of every year with the hurricane season, June 1 to November 30. This season also provides some of the best DX to certain areas of the world. Of course one is expected to have the antenna[s] to pull the DX in.
Amateur radio is theory and practice, the practice sticks, the theory is very helpful. It is good to know the theory, and be a ham radio experimenter. All antennas were experimental at some time. Do not feel that every antenna is perfect until you prove it so. It is helpful to read widely, compare notes from various writers, do your experiments, invest in the best antenna tools and software that you can. For us who live in the Caribbean and other places where there is no restriction of any kind on amateur radio, except that you observe the 2kw pep legal limit, we can build and test the most outrageous antenna that we can conceive. For example, I hear DX hams using nine [9] element wire beams. Hams also use log periodic antennas one hundred feet long. As long as you have the space go for it.
I am limited for yard space but I find that verticals work for me. All my verticals use elevated radials, ground radials are out. Even more convenient is the half wave vertical dipole, the ground is not a problem and the half wave vertical dipole produces a lower take off angle, and it is best the closer to the beach and salt water. This works pretty well for us here because you can never get to far from the sea. I am less than a mile away from the Caribbean sea, 92 feet above sea level, and less than a mile away from the International Airport, which is one hundred and seventy [170] feet above sea level. The island is only 68 square miles and in the Caribbean Sea, great for DX all day and all night.
The borders of Saint Kitts and Nevis are now open so that anyone can enter without any restriction or test. Will we see an influx of amateur radio operators from North America and Europe? We were on the path for sports tourism but the pandemic stopped that. Is V4 in a position to fill the needs of the international DX community as we were before the pandemic? V4 is not rare but just hard to contact. On the 340 amateur radio most wanted countries list V4, Saint Kitts and Nevis, is at number 185. Let us see if we can move up to 204, and above, it is not impossible. Our local amateur radio fraternity needs to become very DX active, and whatever assistance that the amateur radio society can offer the fraternity to make this a reality will be greatly appreciated by all.
How can we motivate our V4 amateur radio operators to go after the many amateur radio awards available from around the world? Can the amateur radio society create an award to be sort after by amateur radio operators around the world? The society is celebrating 50 years, that is a lot of amateur radio for a country of less than 60 thousand [60K] people. In less than one month from today Saint Kitts and Nevis celebrates 39 years of being an Independent Nation. And these are just two commemorative events that can attract awards. Somethings for serious post pandemic consideration.
We are fourteen days into the administration of a new Government in Saint Kitts and Nevis. A Government that while in office before 2015 gave the amateur radio society and its members duty free concessions on amateur radio equipment and amateur products. Will the amateur radio society make the move now to reclaim these concessions for starters, and to see how the Amateur Radio Society and the Government can mutually benefit from our continued association? Can the Society also seek to get this legislated, in time, so that Amateur Radio products will always be duty free in our Saint Kitts and Nevis? The interference committee needs to be resurrected, because there is work to do.
Yesterday I saw photographs of the Minister of Electricity touring the facilities and getting an update. Do you think that it might be to early to tell the Minister that he has inherited an Electricity company with smart meter equipment that is generating an illegal RF signal that interferes with other duly licensed Telecommunication services in Saint Kitts, and that the last minister of electricity refused to comply with the legal requirements of the Telecommunications Act, and refused to comply with the "cease and desist order" from the NTRC [issued some four [4] or more years ago], who maintains controls of the spectrum? When will they bring this interference matter to the attention of the Minister of Electricity for his urgent attention? Will they also confess to the Minister that they [SKELEC] have refused to implement a temporary fix given them by the equipment supplier when the interference was first noticed? And there are more foolishness that they did, but they cannot fool these amateur radio operators.
Will this illegal interference matter continue to by swept under the carpet or will it be resolved by the new Minister of Electricity and the new Government? Will the Amateur Radio Society agitate to either consult with the new Electricity Minister or get on to the NTRC to force a resolution to this five [5] year old illegal interference problem? The ball is in the court of the Amateur Radio Society, let us see if they will allow it to drop, and get swept under the carpet again. I believe that amateur radio operators will take it upon themselves to interact with the new Minister of Electricity, acquaint him with the fact of this illegality, and see how quickly he can deal with this matter. It is long, long, overdue.
Pictures of the new Minister of Electricity [SKELEC] below seen in the news media.
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[to be continued]
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