WP3GW - Amateur Radio Station in Puerto Rico

Hello from KP4 land!

The name's Angel and I've been an Amateur Radio (Ham)operator for almost three years with an Extra Class license; I started out as a CBer a time ago and decided to do the big move! In this time I've accomplished much, like contacting more than 200 DXCC entities and just submmited for obtaining the DXCC Award....And of March 31, 2003 received it! I'm #32,979 Phone dated January 28,2003... another one for the shack!


Have participated on some HF contests and won four certificates, including Worked All Continents, CQ WW WPX SSB 2001 (Rookie #25 worldwide, #1 in Puerto Rico)the IARU HF Championship and the Worked All Europe (the only one to send a log from P.R.) and the Islands on the Air IOTA contest. Also done some Amateur Television, Packet(APRS, DX Cluster, ISS, PCSat),the FM satellite UO-14 and Field Day on the club call KP4ES.


One of my dreams was that my callsign appear on QST or CQ Magazine; already done because of results of the mentioned contests. The next dream? ...well it happened on September 28, 2002 when I spoke with the International Space Station via Ham Radio - and spoke with commander Valery Korzun of the Expedition 5; a school here did it on April of the same year. And after that did work the UO-14 satellite for a month.


My equipment: for High Frequency I use a Kenwood TS-440S and the antenna..... at first it was the Antron-99 (yes, the one CBers buy most, 'have the Cobra 148 NW ST) and with it worked the 2001 CQ WPX up to 20 meters using the antenna tuner; now I also have two homebrew dipoles: one for 20 and another for 40 meters respectively. For 2 meters, as base a Yaesu 1500M and a AR2 antenna, plus the portable Kenwood TH-D7(A) which can be used for packet and viewing the DX cluster and have the VC-H1 for Slow Scan TV; and by the way used for the ISS contact. And last, but not least, the P.C. Electronics TC70-20 Amateur TV Transceiver with an M2 21 element antenns just for it. Remember, this is a hobby in which you invest for the enjoyment and as you can see, Amateur Radio has lots of various modes to work on: form telegraphy to satellite. You choose !


I'm a member of the Puerto Rico Amateur Radio League - PRARL and la Federacion de Radioaficionados de P.R. - FRA as well as of the American Radio Relay League - ARRL. Also reader of CQ Magazine.

Ham Radio Activity in Puerto Rico

There is plenty. . . You ask for it! There is much activity on 2 meters: from uninformal morning ragchew to weekly nighttime nets; there are 5 nets on 2 meters from tuesday thru saturday plus a sunday morning one on 40 meters(7.257Mhz).


Also there are two 2 meter repeaters with 10 meter links so if your a Technician Class you may taste the flavor of DX on FM, much packet and DX cluster monitoring and an Amateur Television repeater, which retransmits the feed from NASA TV (with permission of course)from Tony-KP4IA and work some satellite. There are some repeaters on 70CM that also link with 2 meters and there are a few available in 1.25 cm (220 Mhz). Packet is mainly done in 145.010 Mhz and believe me there are people who do this mode only!


Then there are those who work the "miracle band" 6 meters, like Julio-WP4LNY who did the WAS (Work All States) recently being the only one in Puerto Rico to do it, and some like me who go to high frequency (HF) on single side band to speak with others in the states or worldwide while others go for the traditonal CW (telegraphy).


Every second monday of each month there are meetings of the Puerto Rico DX Club-KP3DX, where different themes on amateur radio are touched.Exams are given every last saturday of the month in the University of P.R. as well other coordinated places. There a some hamfests and workshops recently to educate on communications and amateur practices, plus two sessions of classes for new prospects per year. The American Radio Relay League is represented here by the Puerto Rico Amateur Radio League and it's Section Manager is Victor Madera-KP4PQ who I know personally. So as you can see, there's a bit of all.

My Background and Other Interests?

I'm 36, born in the Bronx, New York and live in Saint Just, a sector of the city of Trujillo Alto which is 9 kms. south of the capital city of San Juan, and work as a sales person on Suncoast in Plaza Carolina mall, selling movies and also known as the DVD Man since I have much knowledge on the titles out and to come as well the technical specs (I sometimes have to explain why movies are coming almost all on widescreen and 70% are convinced); and by default also a movie buff.


Also hear some music, work around the house, some photography, read books and comics,cut the lawn, and on free times search the internet or a new country and making friends on High Frequency or "ragchewing" on the 2 meter band. And I LOVE science fiction til death ..... as well anything related to space sciences!


And if you want contact me, send an e-mail to Santanaamt@aol.com or wp3gw@hotmail.com

For more on Ham Radio go to:

AMSAT - PR
AMSAT - NA
QRZ.COM - My QSL Info