Visit & DX
Welcome Visiting Hams!
Cayman is a dream for DXers and Parks on the Air (POTA) activators, with its low noise and sandy beaches. There are more than 40 POTA locations and friendly local operators who call Cayman Islands their QTH.
Best Locations
- Public Beach, Seven Mile
- Pedro St. James Boardwalk
- Barkers National Park
Operating from Cayman
The Cayman Islands participates in the CEPT amateur reciprocal licensing arrangement (ECC Recommendation T/R 61-01) and has reciprocal arrangements with many countries.
Amateur licensees from CEPT (T/R 61-01) countries meeting that Recommendation’s criteria (typically Class A equivalence) may operate for up to 3 months using ZF/[home call] — not a /ZF or /ZF1 suffix. For stays over 3 months, Class B operators from CEPT T/R 61-01 countries, or other UK-reciprocal cases referencing the Cayman Islands, apply to URCO/OfReg (longer-stay visitors typically receive a ZF2 callsign).
For official questions, please contact OfReg via email licensing@ofreg.ky.
Visitor Licensing
- Callsign Prefix: Longer-stay applicants receive a ZF2 callsign (short CEPT T/R 61-01 stays use
ZF/[home call]— see above). - Who qualifies: Citizens of CEPT countries, the USA, Canada, and the UK, who wish to operate longer than 90 days.
- How to apply:
- Download the visitor application form
- Visit the OfReg licensing website for details
Ready to get on the air?
Once you have your licence sorted, head to the Operating Guide for frequencies, repeater details, APRS info, and important visitor warnings — including why Cayman doesn’t use 446.000 MHz for amateur calling.
Free Loaner Battery
Visiting hams can borrow a free Loaner Battery from Phil Bodden, ZF1PB on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac, so you do not need to fly with batteries.
Contact Phil ahead of your trip:
- Phone: +1 345 916 1680
- Email: zf1pba@gmail.com
He can drop off and pick up at your hotel lobby. The battery comes with 6 foot, 10 gauge wire, 25 amp fused, Anderson Powerpoles.
This is Phil’s personal loaner offer for visiting operators.
Resident Licensing
Want a Cayman callsign? 👉 Click here to learn about resident license requirements and how to join the club.
Live ZF Spots
See who is hearing Cayman ZF callsigns (and what ZF stations are hearing) on the ZF DX Spots page — Spothole data, kept for 7 days and refreshed every 2 minutes (with a live Spothole slice merged in).
Popular DX Spots
Cayman Brac - ZF9
Little Cayman - ZF8
Grand Cayman - ZF1
POTA Sites: Multiple parks available for activation
POTA Locations
The Cayman Islands has over 40 Parks on the Air (POTA) locations perfect for activations. Each location includes detailed information about access, facilities, operating conditions, and photos to help you plan your activation.
Our dedicated POTA section includes:
- Interactive map of all POTA locations
- Detailed information for each park including photos and operating tips
- Direct links to log your activations on POTA.app
- Contact information for POTA coordination
For questions about POTA activations in Cayman, contact Phil Bodden, ZF1PB at zf1pba@gmail.com.
Meshtastic mesh
Visiting or local operators curious about off-grid mesh messaging are welcome to learn about our island-wide Meshtastic rollout (starting on Long Fast) and how roof- or window-mounted nodes help the whole network. Meshtastic in Cayman →