Long before the coming of the Internet, and well before telephone
was available, Pitcairn Island maintained contact with the outside
world by amateur (“ham”) radio. The beginning of Pitcairn’s
off-island amateur radio contact goes back to 1921 when Captain
F. A. Hemming, Master of the New Zealand Shipping Company’s
vessel Rimutaka gave Fred Christian, Pitcairn’s magistrate,
a card bearing a Morse Code communication. That led to contact
with passing ships using simple crystal sets, and later to the
use of ham radio rigs by Pitcairners which could reach around
the world. At one time or another there has probably been a higher
per capita use of ham radio by Pitcairners than any other place
in the world. Even today, with both telephone and e-mail available,
ham radio continues to be a popular communication form on Pitcairn
Island.
Pitcairn (VP6) Ham Radio operators include:
- Dave Brown, VP6DB
- Kay Brown, VP6KB
- Betty Christian, VP6YL
- Dennis Christian, VP6DR
- Irma Christian, VP6ID
- Tom Christian, VP6TC
- Daralyn Griffith (nee Warren), VP6DW
- Clarice Brown Oates, VP6CB
- Jay Warren, VP6JC
- Meralda Warren, VP6MW
- Michael Warren, VP6AZ
- Brian Young, VP6 BX
- Kari Young, VP6KY
- Terry Young, VP6TY
- The Pitcairn Island Club Station, VP6PAC.
Between 3 and 4 p.m., Pacific Standard Time (2200 to 2300 UTC)
most days of the week, Dave Brown is available to talk. Dave (VP6DB)
is on the air at 14.226.5 MHz and 14.247 MHz.
Between 3:30 and 5 p.m., Pacific Standard Time (2330 to 0100
UTC) on Tuesdays, Tom Christian (VP6TC) is on the air at 21.348
MHz, or at 14.181 MHz if the primary frequency is poor.
At 9 a.m., Pacific Standard Time (1700 UTC) on Wednesdays, Betty
Christian (VP6YL) is available at 21.325 MHz. (Note: Betty is
away from Pitcairn until mid-September 2003.)
At 9 a.m., Pacific Standard Time (1700 UTC) on Fridays, you might
be able to speak with Tom Christian (VP6TC) at 21.248 MHz.
