World Amateur Radio Day – WARD is celebrated internationally on April 18 each year. It was on this day in 1925 that the IARU – International Amateur Radio Union was formed in Paris. Amateur radio, or Ham radio is both a hobby and service, which is especially useful and reliable in times of natural disaster, a service that is recognized globally.
To mark this historic occasion, radio amateurs or Hams as they are also called take to the airwaves, but on WARD, the numbers increase as there is a hive of activity on all HF, VHF and UHF bands including communications via satellite. Here in St. Vincent, the activity was marked with a Parks On The Air – POTA event, held at the Rawacou recreational park. The YRM team was the first group to arrive at Rawacou just after 6:00 AM to erect antennas and solar panels to ensure an early start to the day’s activities.
Throughout the day, contacts were made with local, regional and International stations via HF and VHF radios. The members also took the opportunity to explain to the public how the amateur radio service operates and to whip up interest in the hobby/service. One of the main advantages of amateur radio is that it can work independent of the internet and from 12 volts using a battery and solar panels or wind generators to recharge the batteries, making this service quite robust, reliable and portable.
The YRM wishes to thank the National Parks Authority for providing our members with a gazebo free of cost, in recognition of the valuable service we provide locally and regionally. It is hoped that those visitors who witnessed our portable operation will be inclined to join our group of volunteers. And thanks to all visitors who shared their goodies with us.
The next event to be undertaken by the YRM will be a pre-2022 hurricane season drill carded for May 02, 2022. This field exercise is designed to put its members and affiliates in a state of readiness for the upcoming storm season which officially begins on June 01. The Youlou Radio Movement – YRM, formerly Rainbow Radio League has been in existence for 27 years and has provided Emcoms (emergency communications) services to SVG and the wider Caribbean including Grenada – 2004, St. Maarten – 1995 and Dominica – 2017 following devastating storms in those countries.
