Operating Suggestions

Operating Suggestions
The U. S. Virgin Islands, a territory of the United States, thus if you hold a US amateur license no reciprocal permits are necessary. For all of the U.S. Virgin Islands, operations on all authorized bands are achievable once propagation allows it.

Coordinates of the US Virgin Islands :

St Croix coords. are 17°44′01″N 64°47′02″W.
St. Thomas coords. are 18.34° N, 64.93° W
St. John coords. are 64.73° W, -64.7927° W


There are many locations that can provide elevation and overlook the Caribbean Sea, both conducive to making QSOs to the mainland of the United States. The direction to Chicago, IL for instance is 325.90° True / 326.47° if using the standard UTM Zone 20N grid / 330.46° magnetic.

If you are contemplating HF operation from your hotel, consider the following: Most hotels are eager to please their guests, but before you start setting up your rig, make arrangements with the hotel management. They may be able to put you in a room that is more ideally suited for your operation.

For VHF, our Territory-wide repeater system provides good coverage throughout the USVI and can be reached by hand held rigs. For best experiences, a larger antenna is useful, such as a magnetic mounted whip. The USVI repeater system also has an EchoLink node: NP2VI-R STX USVI. (Note: this node can only accommodate one connection at a time.) Put out a call and perhaps one of us will be listening and be happy to answer any questions you may have about the USVI. Please don’t get discouraged if you don’t get a reply. It’s not that we are trying to be rude, it’s just that there are not many hams here on our small islands.

Parks on the Air:
As of July 2026, there are 15 parks registered with Parks on the Air ® in the USVI:

VI-0001 STJ Virgin Islands National Park
VI-0002 STT Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge
VI-0004 STX Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge
VI-0005 STX Salt River Bay National Historical Park
VI-0006 STX Christiansted National Historic Site
VI-0007 STX Buck Island Reef National Monument
VI-0008 STJ Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument
VI-0009 STX St. Croix East End Marine Park
VI-0010 STT Lindbergh Bay Park
VI-0011 STX Cramer’s Park State Beach
VI-0012 STX Maroon Country Territorial Park
VI-0013 STX Altona Lagoon Territorial Park
VI-0014 STX Lowry Hill Territorial Park
VI-0015 STT Perseverance Bay Territorial Park
VI-0016 STJ Fish Bay Territorial Park
Note: For National Park service areas consult with park personnel prior to operation.

Lighthouses on the Air:
We have one lighthouse listed with Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society
VIR-001 STX Hams Bluff (St. Croix) Lighthouse

We have one lighthouse listed with International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend
VI0001 STT Buck Island (Old) (St. Thomas Island)

We have two lighthouses listed with World Lighthouse on the Air

WLOTA 2477 STX Saint Croix – Island (Hams Bluff)
WLOTA 2856 STT Buck Island (St Thomas)



Youth on the Air (YOTA).
At STXARC we are excited to share the fun and delight we
experience when operating with our young people. We support YOTA’s unique mission which is to
empower the next generation of amateur radio operators by providing immersive learning experiences,
fostering international friendships, and promoting a lifelong passion for radio communication and
technology.
Don’t be surprised if, during a QSO, we ask that you speak to one of our young people as part of our
YOTA outreach!

Welcome to St Croix and 73!