Re: [IRCA] St. Kitts - Nevis VON likely moved to 860 from 895

[Patrick Griffith <antennawizard@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

If my memory is correct it was about 2004, just as the VOA was shutting down their Belize transmitter site, when I was contacted by some investors who were interested in both moving to Belize for retirement and in establishing a new AM station in Belize. They were looking for a chief engineer for the station who would also be an investor and willing to relocate to Belize. I believe the discussion included talk about using the former VOA transmitter site in Punta Gorda - at least the antenna system which I believe consisted of two horizontal wire rhombics suspended from very tall wooden poles. The rhombics were directional and as I recall one was aimed pretty much north right across the middle of Belize (Punta Gorda is at the far south end of the country) and the other was aimed slightly east of south down the middle of South America. I believe one was on 1530 and the other on 1580. The VOA was running two fairly new 100 kw transmitters which was definitely beyond our budget !
 to operate and maintain, especially in a climate that averages 170 inches of rain per year. Lots of problems with humidity. (By contrast the north end of the country averages about 60 inches per year.) We would probably have used the north rhombic on its former VOA frequency to avoid retuning. But the VOA had urgent need for the transmitters elsewhere. I later heard that the VOA completely raised the Punta Gorda site and took down everything including the antenna array. The investors had also apparently discussed the idea with government officials in Belize and again had a favorable response. But somewhere somehow the plans fell through and I eventually lost contact with the gentlemen.
 
As to the former Radio Belize on 834 kHz with 20 kw, it was long gone at that time and the country had no AM stations. It seems to me that back in the day (70s) Radio Belize also had 4 or 5 synchronous transmitters located around the country. I think that they were all on discreet frequencies in the 900 to 1000 kHz range and were each running 1 kw.
 
Patrick Griffith, N0NNK
"I'm as happy as a tornado in a mobile home park." (Foghorn Leghorn)
 
> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:29:58 -0400
> From: DAVID.HASCALL@xxxxxxxx
> To: irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> CC: RandyStewart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [IRCA] St. Kitts - Nevis VON likely moved to 860 from 895
> 
> I recall hearing Belize many a night on my HS Graduation present, a
> DX-160, in the early 80's. I miss that radio! Sold it the late 80's.
> 
> 73,
> Dave in Indy 		 	   		  
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