We are pleased to announce that the CDARIN AllStarLink servers have been successfully upgraded to enhance reliability, security, and performance.

In June 2024, AllStarLink released ASL3, heralding it as the next generation of AllStar repeater and hotspot software. To ensure CDARIN remains up to date and prepared for any potential end-of-life for the previous ASL software, our two new AllStarLink servers will go live before midnight on Sunday, February 9, 2025.

As part of this transition, new URLs have been assigned for both the Main and Hub servers. The existing URLs (allstarlink.cdarin.net and allstarlinkhub.cdarin.net) will be deprecated, with temporary redirects in place for approximately one month before they are fully retired.

Additionally, this upgrade includes the implementation of a new announcement system dedicated to weather alerts and emergency notifications—stay tuned for further details!

CDARIN will now be accessible via YSF, alongside the existing TGIF TG-4201. You can find CDARIN in the list of available hosts or connect using 43142.

Please update your bookmarks with the new URLs:

• ALLMON-MAIN
• ALLMON-HUB

We appreciate your patience and continued support as we improve our systems!

— CDARIN Team

By: Donald DeRiggs (J88CD)

January 22, 2025, marked thirty (30) years since five radio amateurs climbed Mt. St. Andrews on the mainland of St.Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) and announced to the world that the Rainbow Radio League Inc. (RRL) had been formed. Twenty (20) years later, the RRL rebranded as the Youlou Radio Movement (YRM). As of January 22, 2025, the club has elected to change its name to the Youlou Amateur Radio Association (YARA).

The club feels that this new name more accurately reflects the organization’s true nature, which is an association of volunteer radio operators with varying/different skills.

The thirtieth-anniversary eyeball meeting began at the stroke of 5:00 pm at the Kingstown Government School. Vincentian amateur radio operator Marilyn Richards, J88NEE/9Y called from Trinidad and Tobago via WhatsApp and gave an opening blessing to the meeting, and a blessing it was indeed!

The subsequent discussions showcased the maturity of the members of a volunteer organization that has dedicated 30 years of service to SVG and the broader Caribbean. Before establishing their own emergency communications organization, the founding members were active participants in the CB club, a group that continues to exist through the dedication of a loyal few.

Over the past few decades, YARA has maintained a constant state of readiness by conducting annual simulations to ensure its members are well-prepared. The corporate community, recognizing our efforts and sacrifices, often supports our initiatives, helping to alleviate the financial burden on volunteers as training activities inevitably incur costs.

The meeting heard the plans for the rest of the anniversary year. Some of the plans include: a public exhibition just before the start of the 2025 hurricane season, an awards ceremony cum simulation to be held during the Easter weekend in the Tobago Cays as well as the support to local Scouts for their annual JOTA event in October.

The awards ceremony is planned for the Tobago Cays, which is carded to be a seafood only weekend. A catamaran with limited accommodations will be made available for the entire weekend and interested persons are asked to register early to secure a place on the boat. Members can also travel by ferry to the grenadine island of Mayreau, and arrangements will be made for transportation to the Tobago Cays.

A follow up meeting is planned for mid February to concretize plans and to provide further updates.

Present at the anniversary meeting were founding members Sean Patterson  – J88CU, David De Bique – J88CR, Donald De Riggs – J88CD and other directors and members including Leslie Edwards – J88LE, Brian Horne J88NFN,  Talbert Franklyn – J88TF,  Justin Da Silva – J88DA, James Ollivierre – J88N,  Kavern Ferril,  Christine Ferril , Arington Raguette – J88SE and Monte Browne – J88NMB.

The Director of YARA wishes to thank the Principal of the Kingstown Government School, for the use of the school, as well all their sponsors over the years including the Co-Op Bank in Grenada and Barrett Communications, Australia which have supported their work in the past including donations of field equipment.  He also extended a heartfelt thanks to the members of  the RRL/YRM/YARA who kept the flame of amateur radio alight.

CDARIN will relay an event as part of World Amateur Radio Day on Thursday, April 18th, 2024.
We will join W2JLD and a team of operators to celebrate the day under the theme A Century of Connections: Celebrating 100 Years of Amateur Radio Innovation, Community, and Advocacy”.

This is an IARU, ARRL-affiliated event.

Repeater and Node operators are encouraged to join even if it is for an hour during the day. If you do not want to participate, feel free to disconnect your node and repeaters.

The event will be relayed from 10:00 AM to 10 PM EST.