Rainbow Radio League Inc celebrates 15 years

The Rainbow Radio League Inc. celebrated its 15th anniversary on January 22, 2010. The event was marked with a social evening and fish BBQ for members and their significant others.{{more}}

The Rainbow Radio League is the main driving force behind the establishment of an island-wide single side band (SSB) high frequency (HF) network of amateur radio transmitters, the most reliable emergency communications tool, used worldwide.

The RRL has also trained in the last two years close to 50 new radio amateurs, most of whom are shelter managers and community service volunteers. The RRL has also been closely associated with the School of Nursing (now The Division of Nursing Education), with the annual staging of their mass casualty training, imparting knowledge in wireless radio protocol and emergency message handling.

In 2006, following the devastation of Ivan in sister island Grenada, a field exercise dubbed “Operation X”, was staged for the very first time, giving the opportunity for radio operators trained as Emcoms (emergency communications ) first responders to visit all the major emergency shelters in a neighbouring territory via safe routes during a 48 hour period, setting up and operating wireless HF radios, in the process establishing contact with the EOC’’s and other radio amateurs in participating countries. This knowledge of another country makes it easier for first responders to operate having known that terrain before during their training. “Operation X” is based on a similar concept and spirit of the Tampere Convention.

In 2010, “Operation X” is carded for Dominica and will involve first responders from Grenada, St. Lucia and SVG.

The RRL has also provided radio coverage over the years for road races and well as regional cycling events staged in St.Vincent.

The RRL is now in the final stages of signing an agreement with funding provided through CIDA, to procure ‘green energy’ devices like solar panels and wind generators to power deep cycle batteries at nine locations, including the Grenadines. This development will ensure reliability of service, should commercially supplied electricity fail following a major disruptive act of nature or man. It is critically important to have communications capabilities from rural communities, so that policy makers stationed at the National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) will be notified of the nature of the damage or assistance required, giving them the ability to make an effective response plan.

In April 2009, Rainbow Radio League Inc. became a registered organization enabling the organization to benefit from direct funding from agencies like CIDA.

The RRL wishes to thank all sponsors and benefactors who have supported its work during the last 15 years, including NEMO, Karib Cable, LIME, Scotiabank, First Caribbean Bank, Digicel, VINLEC, National Commercial Bank, and all national newspapers for publishing the work of our organization. Our newspapers are the best recorders of Vincentian history and the RRL is grateful that part of our history has been duly recorded.

The attached link is a You Tube video of the first “Op X” exercise between Grenada and St. Vincent. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1Zt6j2fN8Y.