Views to Pacific

These are views to the Pacific Ocean from 2 of my lots near Vocan, Panama.

Orange Lemons, Green Oranges and Green-Yellow Lemons

Here in Panama were have orange lemons (bitter I’m told), ripe green oranges that are sweet and good, and green-yellow lemons that are sweet, and not so good. It’s a bit confusing at first. I have learned about the green oranges from picking them from trees in my back yard, and about the green-yellow lemons from a tree one street over that is in the public right-of-way.

It is all part of getting used to a new part of the world. Our days here are between 11 ½ and 12 ½ hours long and the sun always rises at 6 something and sets at 6 something. Of course we do not use “daylight” savings time as it would be redundant. We have only 2 seasons, green (wet) and dry. The green season lasts from about mid-April until around mid-December and the dry (Summer) season is the other 4 months.

Many folks here do not have the money to buy a car, so they get around in a variety of other ways: walking, bicycles, horseback, motorcycles, taxis that are inexpensive, and small, very inexpensive, buses that run at many times during the day and go almost everywhere. The main roads and city streets are quite good and secondary roads and streets vary from OK to very bad. Our electric power is U.S. standard 115/230 volts, 60 Hz (cycle) AC and seems very reliable (and radio quiet) compared to Nashville Electric Service.

Heating and air conditioning here in the mountains are provided by mother nature, free of charge. If you want even more comfort, a ceiling fan and fireplace will even everything out completely. House construction varies from shacks that provide adequate shelter in this mild climate to expensive villas build by rich locals and foreign immigrants. Most immigrants are from the United States and Europe, although people from all over the world find their way here.

This is a beautiful country with friendly people and a slower paced life style, except when these crazy locals get behind the wheel of a car or pickup. Then everything speeds up considerably. Defensive driving here often means taking the right-of-way if you are there first and (maybe) a huge bumper sticker (in Spanish) saying, “Be Careful, I Drive Like A Local!”

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Sunset in Paradise

More Panama Pictures at
www.paradisepanama.net

Radioaficionados - Ham Radio in Panama

Paradise for Ham Radio Operators - Now licensed as HP3AK
This area of western Panama is truly paradise for radioaficionados (ham radio operators). I operated my ham station as HP3/K1YJ during visits in the first 1/2 of 2007 and made hundreds of great contacts all over the world. I am now a permanent resident of paradise in Volcan, Panama.

Operating with just 100 watts and dipole antennas at 20 feet above the ground, I was able to easily work the U.S., Europe, South America, and Australia / New Zealand on SSB on 75 meters, 40 meters, and 20 meters. On 2 occasions I was operating from the base of a mountain with the entire mountain between me and the U.S. & Europe ... and still made contacts easily.

(Update 16 Jan. 08) I just received my Panama license, HP3AK. I am in a rented house while I build on one of my beautiful, view lots just outside of Volcan. When I get moved to the ranch next year I will have a dipole (or 1/4 wave vertical) on 160, 4-square on 75 meters, inverted V on 40, and beam on 20, 15, 10, & 6 meters. While in the rented house, I have a (low) trap dipole for 160/75, dipole on 40, and low beams for 20,15, 10 & 6 meters running 100/500/1500 watts.

Operation on VHF and UHF will probably wait until I learn sufficient Spanish. I do plan to establish a couple of UHF repeaters (430 & 1280 MHz) at the ranch in the future. The ranch has a clear view all the way to the Pacific, covering the David and Concepcion areas.

I am once again DX from HP3 land, on SSB, on several bands.

73 & good DX,
Jay, HP3AK

Welcome to Paradise (in the Republic of Panama)

Lots for You & Me in Paradise!
I have found paradise for me and my dog Blue. Following over a year of on-line research we now live in Volcan, Chiriqui Province, Panama. Volcan is at 4,700 ft. elevation next to the dormant volcano, Volcan Baru' in far western Panama -- very near Costa Rica.

Many factors went into my choice of Panama and the Volcan area. Some things important for me to enjoy my semi-retirement (I still work at photography) were:

1. Low cost of living
2. Good medical care available
3. Good climate - warm days and cool nights all year
4. Friendly neighbors and low crime rate
5. Uncrowded; preferably a rural or semi-rural area
   
6. Good to excellent location for world-wide amateur (ham) radio operation
7. Great location for local and area photography
8. Convenient transportation and public transit (a bonus)
9. Reasonable air travel time to the United States
   
10. English spoken by almost everyone [Oh well, you can't have everything]

So after doing my research I settled on rural Panama. I visited the Volcan area 3 times and spent about 6 weeks here in the first half of 2007. Then in mid-October I packed everything from my home in Nashville, Tennessee, including my dog Blue (an Australian Cattle Dog -- Red Heeler) and moved to Volcan.

The daytime temperatures are 75-85 F. and nightimes are 55-65 F, year round. No heating or air conditioning needed - ever! Our weather is dry (Summer from mid-December to mid-April) and green (rainy) the other 8 months. During the "green" season, the usual pattern is sun in the morning, rain in the afternoon and more sun or clouds in the evening.

For retirees from the U.S. or Europe, one of the big attractions of Central America is the much lower cost of living. Even though the price of gasoline and raw land is as high as the U.S., almost everything else is much lower priced. Retirees in Panama, including expatriates who receive a Pensionado visa, receive many substantial discounts that are mandated by law.

The people of Panama are friendly and very used to North Americans, as the U.S. had a big presence here for almost 100 years. Some speak English, but we should learn Spanish if we want to understand what is going on and fit into their culture.

For more about the Volcan area, please visit my web site at: http://www.paradisepanama.net/volcan.html

During my previous visits, I spent over 40 days searching for the best residential property that I could find. I found 1 city lot and a larger rural property with views, and purchased both. Now, I have more than I need so I have 3 lots for sale

1. A 1,500 square meter (large city lot / .37 acre) lot in one of the best locations in the city of Volcan. It has:

• Paved street (very important here)
• Only 2 blocks from the main street (no traffic noise, but easy walking distance)
• Water, electricity, and phone service

2. Two 3,000 +/- square meter (.70 acre) fantastic view lots at 4,600 ft. elevation

• Only 3 kilometers from Volcan
• Road is in the process of being paved - great bonus
• Electricity and water at front of each lot
  
• Views of the mountains and vistas all the way to the Pacific
• River running behind, and far below, back of each property
  

If you are interested in these properties, please contact my Real Estate agent:
Miss Francia Pinedo, e-mail volcanrealty(at)hotmail.com or volcanrealty(at)yahoo.com, (from U.S. 011-) 507-6539-0579. Click link for more about Volcan Real Estate.

For other questions, please send e-mail (inserting symbols/punctuation as needed) to:
panama(at)jaymills(dot)org.

"Don't worry; be happy!"