Trinidad and Tobago Amateur Radio Society
National amateur radio society of Trinidad and Tobago, IARU member.
The Trinidad and Tobago Amateur Radio Society, Inc. (TTARS) serves as the national amateur radio organization for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and holds membership in the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU).
Amateur radio in Trinidad and Tobago began in 1929, when airline co-pilot Colin Fraser made the first contact with S. R. Connelly (W3BCR) in Pennsylvania, United States, using Morse code on the 40-meter band. Fraser later took the callsign VP4CF. Other early operators followed, building radios from plans and kits. Because amateur radio was unregulated and unlicensed at the time, most operators used arbitrary callsigns. One pioneer, Paul Alonzo (VP4TK), broadcast cricket results on the 40-meter band, but his equipment was seized by police and he was charged with operating without a license. Public outcry over this incident led to the introduction of licensing and regulation.
After World War II, government regulation and licensing were established, and interest in the hobby grew. In 1951, local hams founded the first radio club, the Amateur Radio Society of Trinidad and Tobago (ARSTT), to self-regulate and coordinate activities. ARSTT became dormant in 1959, and the South Trinidad Amateur Radio Society (STARS) formed around the same time. In 1961, ARSTT was reactivated under the name TTARS, which it still uses. The society was later incorporated by Act of Parliament (Act 13/1981). In 2001, TTARS supported the REACT International Convention held in Trinidad and Tobago.
TTARS offers four membership levels: full, associate, honorary, and affiliate. Full membership requires a government-issued amateur radio license. Dues from full members fund repeater maintenance, the club station, and general operational costs. Only financial full members may vote and hold elected office.
The society publishes a call book listing local radio amateurs, including call signs, names, addresses, and telephone numbers. It is typically distributed at the Annual General Meeting and updated periodically. Members may use the TTARS QSL Bureau to send and receive QSL cards.
To encourage participation across the country, TTARS divides operations into four regions that align with local government areas. The Northern region covers northwestern Trinidad, including Diego Martin, San Juan–Laventille, and Port of Spain.
Quick Facts
- Abbreviation
- TTARS
- Formation
- May 1981
- Purpose
- Advocacy, Education
- Headquarters
- Boy Scouts Headquarters, Port of Spain / 10.67429 · -61.50872 · yes
- Region Served
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Leader Title
- President
- Leader Name
- Dexter Harroo, 9Y4C (2021-)
- Affiliations
- International Amateur Radio Union
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The first amateur radio contact from Trinidad and Tobago was made in 1929 by airline co-pilot Colin Fraser with S. R. Connelly in Pennsylvania, using Morse code on 40 meters. Early operators built radios from plans and kits, using arbitrary callsigns due to the absence of regulation. Pioneer Paul Alonzo, VP4TK, broadcast cricket results on 40 meters until his equipment was seized and he was charged with unlicensed operation, prompting public demand for licensing.
After World War II, government regulation and licensing were established, leading to the founding of the first radio club in 1951, the Amateur Radio Society of Trinidad and Tobago (ARSTT). It became dormant in 1959, and the South Trinidad Amateur Radio Society (STARS) formed. In 1961, ARSTT was reactivated as TTARS, a name it retains. TTARS was incorporated by Act of Parliament in 1981. In 2001, the REACT International Convention was held in Trinidad and Tobago with TTARS support.
TTARS operates three 2-meter FM repeaters: one on the Northern mountain range (147.93 MHz), one in the Central Range (146.94 MHz), and one in Tobago (147.76 MHz). It runs two club nets: a Sunday night 2-meter net and the Hummingbird net on 40 meters. The society also coordinates the Worked All Trinidad and Tobago Simplex (WATTS) contest and participates in Jamboree on the Air with the Boy Scouts.
Reader's Guide
TTARS serves as the central coordinating body for amateur radio in Trinidad and Tobago, providing licensing classes, a QSL Bureau, and a call book. Its four regions mirror local government divisions, encouraging participation across the country. The society's emergency communications service, EmComms, works with the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) and regional corporations during hurricanes and floods, and cooperates with local CB clubs and REACT International. TTARS membership is not required to participate in emergency preparedness involving amateur radio. The club station 9Y4TT is active in contests such as the IARU HF Championships, and a second station, 9Y4PCS, operates from Presentation College in San Fernando. The society's incorporation by Act of Parliament underscores its formal role in national communications infrastructure. Through its repeaters, nets, and field day exercises, TTARS maintains a continuous presence on HF and VHF bands, linking Trinidad and Tobago to the global amateur radio community.
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