J38R Team will be active from Grenada Island, IOTA NA - 024, 3 - 18 March 2024.
Team - ON4HIL, ON4MA, ON5RA, ON5TN, ON6CC, ON7RU.
Recent DX Spots J38R
J38R Log search They will operate on 160 - 10m, CW, SSB, Digital Mode.
QSL via M0URX.
J38R Grenada Island News 7 March 2024
The antenna for 60m is up and can be used. Yesterday, we were able to borrow a radio from one of the local amateurs. We needed some improvisation to make the station operational for digital modes, but we succeeded! Last night, one of the 3 linears malfunctioned. It's not producing any power anymore. Unfortunately, we have 2 linears to use and 1 station running barefoot working in FT8. This morning, we had to battle against static on 80m and 160m. Some JA stations have been logged, but not enough, we know. We've already greeted several local amateurs... J35X, J69JC, and J35AC.
Hopefully, we'll have more success on the lower bands tonight... Until later!
J38R Team
J38R Grenada Island News 5 March 2024
Our flight went well. All our equipment had arrived. Yesterday we were able to install all antennas except for the 160m antenna. Unfortunately, there is one radio DOA. He no longer gives power. We looked into it but unfortunately didn't find the error. Today we are going to try to get an extra radio so that we can transmit with 3 stations. The humidity here is very high, with very hot temperatures. A day like yesterday was very tiring for old guys like us. The many rain showers in between mean that we have to stop regularly. The K9AY RX loop is also available.
J38R Team.
The tropical island of Grenada
An island between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean
The island of Grenada is part of the island nation of the same name, located in the West Indies. The western coast of the island is washed by the Caribbean Sea and the eastern coast by the Atlantic Ocean. The island has an elongated shape, its length is only 34 km and its width is 18 km. The island is home to the capital city of St. George's, the state capital of Grenada.
According to 2010 estimates, the population of the island is approximately 100,000. Nationally, the bulk of the population is made up of black descendants of slaves and mulattoes. The white population accounts for about 2% of the population. The majority of Grenadians adhere to Catholicism and Protestantism. The official language of Grenada is English, in everyday life there is a West Indian dialect of Patois.
The main income to the budget of the island comes from servicing of tourist business. Another large source is receipts from offshore accounts of foreign companies. Among the productive sectors, the food and textile industries are developed, the raw materials for which come from local rural farms growing sugar cane, bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, citrus and avocados.
Grenada Island. Author - Darrell Friesen.
History of the island
When Columbus discovered the island in 1498 during his third expedition to the Americas, it was inhabited by Carib Indians. Subsequently, the Spanish established their settlements here, then they were displaced by the British and French. The Europeans gradually destroyed the local population, and black slaves were brought here to work on cotton, nutmeg and tobacco plantations. In the second half of the twentieth century, the island gained independence in the form of internal self-government within the British Commonwealth.
At some point, center-left sentiments became popular among the population of the island. This resulted in the establishment of communist parties, contacts with Cuba and the USSR, and attempts to establish popular revolutionary power. However, U.S. intervention prevented this movement.
J38R. Grenada Island. DX Pedition Logo.
Eternal summer and rainforests
Grenada is an island of volcanic origin that has a highly indented coastline with numerous coves and coral reefs. The main part of the island is rainforest with streams, springs and small picturesque waterfalls. The animal world is mostly represented by birds. Coastal waters are rich in fish, mollusks and crustaceans.
Grenada is characterized by subequatorial tropical climate with average monthly air temperature +25 +28°C. There are no weather extremes on the island and temperatures rarely exceed this range. From June to November the rainy season begins, during this period hurricanes are possible. Grenada is quite humid. Rainfall varies from region to region: the coast is quite dry, while the tropical forested mountains receive up to 3500 mm of rainfall per year.
Grenada Island. Author - Francisco Anzola.
For those seeking harmony with nature
The island is characterized by comfortable bays and secluded beaches. This attracts tourists who are looking for a vacation in harmony with nature. The beaches are covered with pure white sand. Most of the beaches are a narrow strip of coastline and some of them are widened by artificial sand mounds. The island is safely hidden behind coral reefs, which makes the coastal waters safe for swimming.
Despite the possibility of a secluded vacation, Grenada is characterized by a developed tourist infrastructure. In the main resort areas of the island Grand Anse and Morne Rouge hotels, bars and restaurants are built. On some beaches of Grenada there are markets where you can buy fresh fruit, as well as handicrafts of local craftsmen.
The island is rich in picturesque unusual views. Tourists will be able to see a forest with crater lakes, as well as a huge waterfall 10 meters high, which is located in a picturesque grotto and gradually passes into the mountain river. For those who are interested in local culture, it will be useful to visit the capital of the island St. George's, which has survived to this day examples of Creole architecture of the XIX century. Local buildings are decorated with red ceramic tiles, which have an interesting history. The first European colonizers brought these tiles here on ships as ballast. A walk along the pier will allow you to see the harbor, with numerous vessels, from the original wooden schooners to modern cruise ships.
