V44KF

  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 amate

  Alure of the Seas at Port Zante, Basseterre, St Kitts. 2022-01-03 It is a nice warm, bright, not cloudy, and not windy day in the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis.  A wonderful day to begin taking our amateur radio on a journey to another level. Amateur radio in this Federation can only go upward, as all of us seek to make our amateur radio mark in 2022. We all need to seriously consider what is next, so that we can effectively and efficiently take our amateur radio to the next level. I suspect that all of us wish to take our amateur radio knowledge and education to that next level. I know for a fact, that some amateur radio operators used the pandemic "stay at home" and "lockdown" to update their radio knowledge online. There are problem situations in V4. There are almost 200 amateur radio operators by call sign, and many of them are not active, as in being on the air regularly. That is not a real problem. Our resident amateur radio population are either opera

The Allure of the Seas at Port Zante, Basseterre, Saint Kitts. 2022-01-02.  Picture made from a second floor bedroom window at V44KF. I do not have the  answer. As we begin the New Year some of us are asking that question, and also where do we go from here? As an amateur radio operator for some years, I have formulated a plan which forces my amateur radio development and progress every year, irrespective. Amateur radio is ongoing, and one can never run out of amateur radio activities. Durng the last sunspot cycle when the bands were dead for some operators, they turned to the digital modes rather than go to sleep or play dead, just because the ham bands appeared dead. Ham radio operators should always have a plan, because amateur radio is a hobby that affords it.   There are amateur radio operators who are watching and waiting on other amateur radio operators, while there are others who are charting their our amateur radio course, rather than watching and waiting for someone to break s

  There comes a time in life when we just need to have patience and endure a little bit longer. Another year is ending and I am still unaware if the interference, noise and frequency jamming of frequencies, which include a critical section of the amateur radio spectrum, has been officially removed, gone away, as in permanently stopped as ordered by the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission [NTRC] some four [4] years ago.  The electric company in Saint Kitts, installed smart meter equipment, which generate significantly high levels of RF signals, which interference with duly authorized and  licensed Telecommunication services, including amateur radio. After four [4] years the electric company still has not complied with the NTRC's order, and the laws of Saint Kitts and Nevis, that govern the illegal generation of interference to licensed Telecommunication services. A whole lot of politics is being played out here, as the Government, who owns the electric company, refuses

What do you do when the people who you trust to make it happen for you, seem to conspire with those who set out to ensure that it does not happen for you? This is the case of Amateur Radio in the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. October 7th 2021 will make another year that the NTRC seem to have proven that is cannot effectively enforce its duty of keeping the frequencies used for amateur radio telecommunication services in the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, free and clear from RF interference, noise and frequency jamming. On October 7th 2019 a "cease and desist" order was given to the electric company for illegally generating RF interference on unauthorised frequiencies. To date I am not aware that the electric company has stopped generating the RF interference that jams the frequencies rendering them then unusable for amateur telecommunications services.  Nothing more needs to be said about this illegal RF interference matter plaguing our amateur radio telecommunic

  It is not over yet, and even after the official close of hurricane seson, it is not done. Storms and hurricanes have wisited our location way out of season, in the past, and almost every day there is an historic return of something we have forgotten a long time ago. This seems all part of the 'new normal' we were being introduced to a year ago. Everything has to be treated as 'new' because it will never be business as usual ever again. This also means that our amateur radio has to be treated as 'new', because there are now 'protocols' to follow, but fortunately, no 'protocols' can be established for certain aspect of amateur radio, so many of us can still enjoy our ham radio as it was, and hopefully will forever be. Amateur radio participation is taking off with the introduction of the 'new normal' lifestyle, the ham radio scientists are still looking for the triggers which are making amateur radio so popular at this time during and aft

 The Independence 38 celebration is gone, and we are now watching an Atlantic Hurricane named "SAM" bearing down on the Caribbean. This is the nature of Caribbean life, good days and better days. This does not have a negative impact on amateur radio. Amateur or Ham Radio benefits when the weather is like this, as the ham radio operators prepare to do what they have trained to do in this season. June 1, is the start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season and September is now past the half way mark. By this time of year, everyone and everything should be ready and in place. Historically our 'visitation' is usually August to September. I hear the nighly 2-meter net since the season started, and when the weather gets severe, the latest local weather reports are added. Just a couple weeks ago ten [10] more amateur radio operators passed the license requirement set by the NTRC, National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission who administers Telecommunication in Saint Kitts and

All amateur radio operators are affected by the present pandemic in many ways. We stand with all our brothers and sisters as they go through these changing times. Let us keep our ham radio operations active, and keep our mind focused and head level as we weather our personal storms. We hope that we can assist each another when help is needed. A new season is coming , we do not know how it will pan out. Let us keep positive and focused. I follow a few amateur radio groups on Facebook, and view some of the issues and questions raised. I suspect that some of these issues and questions may also be raised by the new ham radio operators who may read this blog. In 50-years of ham radio I have seen and proved a few things, which may be helpful to someone willing to experiment. I am still learning, as we all are. We never stop learning in ham radio. Antenna experiments are fun, if you have the correct tools. In 2020 I got a RigExpert antenna analyzer, which opened up a new world of antenna expe

  All Is Well, as this week V4 takes new steps in addressing the covid within our borders. Let us be there for our brothers and sisters who are part of the covid teams. Our PRAYERS are with them 24x7 as they provide National Service with undeniable and undisputed distinction. Amateur Radio has a unique role to play in any aspect of Emergency Disaster, and is almost always on alert during this season. A few miles down the road the V88 amateur radio operators of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are dealing with an active Volcano, and in a few days the 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season begins on June 1. All amateur radio operators in this Caribbean region is undergoing practical training, whether we like it or not. We do not know when covid will end, neither the V88 volcano activity, let us PRAY that this is a quiet hurricane activity year. This is a testing time for amateur radio in this region.  In recent times I suggested that all amateur radio stations should have, and that all amateur r

  "The rewards of life come to those who DO, not to those who merely read, talk or day dream. ACTION is The KEY" . This is the Action beginning month. Begin the MARCH, one step at a time, even if you only touch the radio daily, don't stop and accept defeat. At the ham station many things are accelerating. I am not at liberty to share liberally. It is interesting to note that I am also looking into YB land for DX. This is DX when you are in V4, and if you can get into YB, all the DX in this area is fair game. Unfortunately in V4 we are still suffering from RF interference on the DX bands 12 MHz to 2 MHz and here is what is going on.   https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2859016311009957 We are all hopeful that this interference matter is resolved soon. The local amateur radio society which has been talking with the authority about the interference for some time, seem to be using all its power to bring about a resolution, but nothing is happening. It has gone 4 years and th

Greetings ALL,  [a] Happy New Year.  We are all pleased that 2020 is now behind us. [b] Please excuse my treating this blog as a business document. I am of the view that we need to treat all that we do very seriously until the world is rid of this "pandemic". Ham radio is still our hobby, we still love doing what we do in our spare time, but I am just taking my ham radio more seriously than before. Everything around us are not like before. In our Caribbean there is an active volcano just miles down the street in Saint Vincent, J8 land. Things are not like before, and we need to be aware, and ready for any eventuality, anytime. We must know what we can do, what is expected of us, and how to do it effectively. I am getting the impression that we are just watching the movements. If that is true then that is bullshit, and every Caribbean ham radio organization should be on alert, even though nothing blows yet. Of course, this is my personal view,  and everyone is free to disagree

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

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ The Atlantic storm/hurricane season ends on November 30, and we are now over the season's peak. I am now planning the installation of my DX antennas. I say installation instead of re-installation, because my radio station operations will change from last year. I do not plan to put us the same six [6] antennas as before, and the main reasons are [a] on 40 and 80 meters there is significant illegal Radio Frequency interference caused by a local business operation, which has REFUSED to stop generating a band of illegal Radio Frequency signals which are affecting other legal radio frequency users, even after the NTRC, [the legal authority given the responsibility for  keeping the radio frequencies free from all and any illegal radio frequency  transmissions,] has issued the offender with a cease and desist order. On Independence Day I saw the following news item on Facebook, it was also on YouTube. It  explains what is happening to amateur radio and amateur ra

V44KF shack under construction In the last six [6] months since my last blog many things have happened to Amateur Radio in Saint Kitts and Nevis. The most important was that of the NTRC, the Telecommunications regulator, in early October 2019, notifying the electric company that their smart meters system was causing RF interference, and that they should "cease and desist" from causing that radio frequency interference immediately. That give me hope, and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. The notice that I saw also instructed the amateur radio operators to inform the NTRC as to the RF interference experienced at their radio stations. To date the RF interference at my radio station V44KF has not gone away. I am encouraging our amateur radio station operators in Saint Kitts to kindly update the NTRC as requested, so that the NTRC can continue to do their job effectively, providing us with frequencies that are free and clear of any RF interference. The picture a