Costa Rica to Jamaica: HF Radios?

[OviedoBob]

Planning a flt from Costa Rica direct to Jamica or the Domincan Republic in our CE 500 which tranverses the Panama FIR and into the Kingston FIR. Panama FIR lists VHF and HF radio freqs.

Has anybody done this and can it be done with VHF (no HF radios) at FL 330-370? Kingston doesn't list any HF freqs but I don't know if Panama FIR can be covered by VHF.

Thanx for any input.

 

[cezzna]

We routinely fly a route from the Miami Fla. area to panama city and never use HF. We are usually at FL450 though and I do hear people at lower altitudes having to use relays in the area where the Panama FIR meets the Kingston FIR.

 

[MooseTrax]

My guess is that you will need them, but only for a very short duration. The radios in that area aren't the best. It also depends on the output of your radios. I know sometimes we can get ahold of folks on the VHF, but sometimes we can't. I have never flown this routing directly, but from the Florida pan handle to Columbia we had to use the HF over the Gulf of Mexico with Houston center I think. Good Luck. Sorry I don't have the exact answer.

Regards,

 

[Loco Gringo]

I have flown for an air carrier all over the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean with VHF only, Houston to Cancun, Jamaica to Aruba, Dominican Republic to Venezuela, etc. Some where in the JEPP Latin America book 1 it says that only VHF communications are required (can’t remember where). My guess is you shouldn’t have a problem, maybe a couple of relays.

 

[AJWick]

KingAir at FL 250.....no problem.....from GCM to tocumen.

had some relays but for the most part...the vhf worked...and we had real mule muffin radios.

 

[OviedoBob]

Thanx everyone. Trip coming up and will try the direct route from Costa Rica to Kingston and maybe to Santa Domingo. Looks like VHF will occasional relays will do the trip.

My experience doing these trips has been with HF radios but this airplane (CE-500) doesn;t have them. Have GPS though, so I can go direct to many fixes.

 

[Ghetto Buck]

Re: your trip Bob

Having flown that Route regularly there is no need for HF Radios
Both Kinston Control and Merida control are not HF equipt. However i would STRONGLY! recommend in using Radio #2 in establishing contact with the other sector at least 10 Min prior to exiting the FIR as both Merida and Kinston are notrious for poor traffic management at the FIR. Also When transiting Kingston to the east into Santo Domingo I would also recoment this same procedure as the radios in Santo Domingo are poor and the controllers often forget about you.
happy landings
GHB