[Elecraft] OT: Warm climate for a vacation/be-the-DX winter holiday?

[Dr. William J. Schmidt, II]

Contact me off-line.  I can tell you everything you want to know about operating in the Caribbean...


Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ 

Owner - Operator
Big Signal Ranch – K9ZC
Staunton, Illinois

Owner – Operator
Villa Grand Piton
Soufriere, St. Lucia W.I.
Rent it at: http://www.vrbo.com/487375

email:  bill at wjschmidt.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of James Bennett
Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2015 11:04 PM
To: Elecraft Reflector Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT: Warm climate for a vacation/be-the-DX winter holiday?

Hi Jim -

Another suggestion: Sint Maarten. The island is Dutch on the south half; French on the north. My XYL and I stayed on the Dutch side in 2001. Actually, we were there during the 9/11 attacks, but that’s another story. St. Maarten has reciprocal licensing, so that’s one problem solved right up front. Lots of good places to eat at, in a wide variety of cuisines. English is spoken on both halves of the island. You’d have to check with the airlines, but when we went, there were daily direct, non-stop flights from Philadelphia. Probably lots of others. Water is clear and warm. Food is super! The road infrastructure could use some upgraded in places! Rental cars are available - no problem there. I operated as PJ7/W6JHB using my K2/10 and a G5RV hanging under the balcony of our time share unit that we traded into. Lots of fun!

There was a link on the Elecraft web site to an article I had written about the experience, but not sure if it is still around or not.

73, Jim / W6JHB
Folsom, CA


> On   Saturday, Jan 3, 2015, at  Saturday, 8:42 PM, Ian - Ham <km4ik.ian at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Jim,
> 
> Check out any of the following:
> 
> - Bahamas
> - Puerto Rico
> - US Virgin Islands
> - St. Lucia
> - Cayman Islands
> - Trinidad and Tobago
> - Jamaica
> - Aruba
> 
> These are just a few Caribbean destinations hams I know operated from on
> vacation.
> 
> Hope this helps.
> 
> 73 de,
> 
> --Ian
> Ian Kahn, KM4IK
> Roswell, GA  EM74ua
> km4ik.ian at gmail.com
> 10-10 #74624, North Georgia Chapter #2038
> K3# 281, P3 #688, KPA500 #1468
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim
> Lowman
> Sent: Saturday, January 3, 2015 9:20 PM
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Elecraft] OT: Warm climate for a vacation/be-the-DX winter
> holiday?
> 
> After spending the second holiday season in San Diego, and last year it was
> Tucson, the XYL announced that next year she'd like to go someplace warm.
> Yes, temperatures in the 50s in December feel cold to us.  The area where we
> live is between LA and Palm Springs, but our climate more closely
> approximates that of Palm Springs.
> 
> I know that many fellow amateurs head for the Caribbean nations for this
> purpose.  That would work, as would somewhere in the South Pacific.
> 
> Anyone have any suggestions, based on past experiences?
> 
> Criteria are:
> 
> --  somewhere that English is the primary language, or is spoken widely
> 
> --  possibly a country with reciprocal-operating privileges for a US
> licensee
> 
> --  easy to get there via commercial airlines
> 
> --  no hassles with customs, coming or going, with amateur gear
> 
> --  ease of getting a license/callsign for that country, if not reciprocal
> 
> --  good accommodations (villa for rent for a week or so); turnkey ham
> station on premises is a plus so that we don't have to take much equipment;
> hotel with room for a simple antenna
> 
> --  nearby restaurants, although cooking facilities would be helpful
> 
> We've ruled out the following:
> 
> --  Hawaii - probably the easiest option, but is nuts with tourists during
> the holidays.
> 
> --  Mexico - difficult to get a license without knowing whom to bribe - been
> there before and don't like it
> 
> --  The XYL looked into Belize, but I'd worry about drugs/crime anywhere in
> Central America.  Costa Rica, perhaps?
> 
> Any and all suggestions are appreciated.
> 
> Thanks in advance and 73 de Jim - AD6CW
> 
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message
> delivered to km4ik.ian at gmail.com
> 
> 
> ---
> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> http://www.avast.com
> 
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to w6jhb at me.com

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to bill at wjschmidt.com