A Word From The U.S.V.I. ARRL Section Manager

Greetings! For those of us who have never met, my name is John Ellis, my call is NP2B, and my wife Jeanette (NP2C) and I live on the island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The U.S. Virgin Islands consist of three islands; St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. St. Thomas (population 54,000) is the island most familiar to everyone since it has a deep water port adjacent to the main town of Charlotte Amalie, and hosts over 500,000 cruise ship passengers per year. It is famous for it's duty free shopping and it's multitude of tourist related activities.

St. John, (population 3500) just north and east of St. Thomas, and almost as big as St. Thomas, is accessible only by ferry. A full 2/3 of St. John is a national park, so there is nowhere near the development that you see on St. Thomas. There are a few beautiful hotels, but it's just a more quiet and private place.

St. Croix (population 52,000) is the largest of the three islands and about 35 miles south of St. Thomas. It is home to the largest refinery (Hess Oil) in the western hemisphere, but due to the prevailing tradewinds, pollution is never a problem. There are a number of nice hotels and resorts on St. Croix, but it is not as “touristy” as St. Thomas. St. Croix is also home to the only casino in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

If you are visiting us for the first time or a veteran of many trips, the topics listed on the side panel will give you an idea of what you can expect when you vacation with us. And although this site is primarily geared to the amateur radio enthusiast, you will find links to a number of other tourist and related activities.

Enjoy your stay!

John Ellis, NP2B