by Donn DeRiggs 05.DEC.08

Thirty-two persons ranging in age from 11 years to 62 years have successfully completed a course of training and are this country’s newest amateur radio operators (Hams).{{more}}

The training culminated on Saturday, November 29, 2008, and was requested by the National Commercial Bank as they seek to upgrade their capability to stay in touch with all of their branches, should regular phone service be disrupted due to man-made or natural disasters.

The Rainbow Radio League was contracted to install the emergency radio equipment and train radio operators. As part of its contribution to national development, the RRL provided the training free of cost and used the opportunity to train other persons, including shelter managers, National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) staff and members of the SVG Cadet force.

The training, which was held every Saturday in November, took place at the NEMO conference room.

The new ham operators will be provided with a novice class license during the first year of operations and will be under the vigilant supervision of the other senior local Hams to ensure that they adhere to the laws governing amateur radio. Ham radio is a self-regulating hobby/service, but is also monitored by the NTRC with their sophisticated monitoring equipment.

The course facilitator was the Director of the RRL, Donald De Riggs (J88CD), and he was assisted by Justin Da Silva (J88DA). The exam was presided over by NTRC IT specialist Omar Wyllie, who is also a General Class ham operator. The next ham classes will be conducted early in 2009 and is expected to include district nurses/doctors, police and coast guard telecoms officers, more shelter managers and radio operators stationed at Fort Charlotte.