Welcome  to  W P 2 A I J    ( HEARO )   Island

H.E.A.R.O.  is the club name and acronym for the H)urricane E)mergency A)mateur R)adio O)peration in the Caribbean.  Our first station is located on St Thomas island in the U.S. Virgin Islands.  This is 64 degrees 52 minutes WEST longitude by 18 degrees 20 minutes NORTH latitude, or in ham terms we are at grid square FK 78 nh and for Islands On The Air we are IOTA  WNA 106.   The club was formed to provide station locations for use in emergencies (primarily and originally hurricanes) that are designed to withstand hurricane force winds, and be back on the air in less than one hour after passing.  NO - we don�t have magic antennas - but we DO tilt over and hide them - thus you will find no huge multiband yagis at our locations - NOR are they needed !

H.E.A.R.O. was formed by four amateurs from the Thomson amateur radio club (TARC) in Indianapolis, IN as all four have visited there in 1994.  In fact we put in a respectable SS contest score considering only 2 of the 4 of us really worked at it, and, we had to cut it short by almost half to catch a flight back to Indiana... 

The club does not solicit donations, but gratefully apply those offerred toward the project - every nickel goes back into H.E.A.R.O. Both to maintain it, and with one site up and going, now to expand it.  We would MUCH rather you come down and experience the fun and sun as we do as a very small part of the rental goes toward the hamshack - and thus the club.  The club is small at the moment, having just gotten started in 1997. In order to maintain some control over the club direction, full membership is at the moment only offerred to members of the TARC club, and then only after they have visited the location.  We do on occasion grant associate memberships and allow those hams to use the WP2AIJ call while there - for whatever interest that might bring.  I know contest or not, when you try �yourcall/KP2� it is a mouth full - I did it for years !

The club on the island of St Thomas is well aware of our presence, and our open invitation to USE the facility under any emergency, since it would be foolish to think we would be there - or at least not right away. Those hams are some of the nicest and warmest in the world and will welcome you and help you no end during your visit.  You have only to key up one of the two main repeaters ( Tourists/visiting hams are VERY welcome on them ) and identify and state your problem/question.  I have had positively SUPER help for everything from directions to the local Radio Shack ( now more than one - we�re GROWING ) - to help getting a taxi from airport back to the shack one late evening when Delta decided it was not going to fly me back that night - hi !  Please come visit and try our operations - the world will hear you - and you - them ...

Please continue on and click the YOUR HOST fish..  thanks.