C.E.W.N: Caribbean Emergency and Weather Net


Following several ‘on air’, Zoom and Google Meet platforms with regard to having a formal structure to guide the activities of this longstanding Network, a group of 11 radio operators representing Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent & the Grenadines met on Saturday, June 17, 2023, where the way forward was discussed and volunteers identified to hold INTERIM positions as Net Manager and Net Secretary for the duration of the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane season.

The volunteers are Rock J69R as Net Manager and Donald J88CD as Net Secretary with a proviso that if any of these volunteers become incapable of carrying out the responsibilities assigned to due health or incompetency, that the position(s) in question will be reviewed by other bona fide radio operators before the end of their tenure.

Frans, J69DS has volunteered to make soft copies of the Net Preamble among other documents including the Mission Statement available to all active radio amateurs in the East Caribbean. The main purpose for the interim net management team is to ensure that if there is a request from regional hams for their services during the current storm season, or if there is any training or other opportunity available to regional radio amateurs, that there is a structure in place to formally handle such requests or assistance.

It is also the intention during the interim period to seek volunteers who will take the responsibility to manage the affairs of the CEWN for the year 2024 and beyond. This will be done the traditional way in the month of January where volunteers will be appointed after being endorsed by the rest of the CEWN membership and who will be responsible for the affairs of the CEWN for that year.

While we do not wish for the impact by hurricanes or other hazards (Trinidad had flooding only last week and a plane crash in Grenada just recently) we have to be in a state of readiness to assist in our own territories and if the impact is beyond the capacity to respond domestically, then we must have a team of able bodied Emcomms first responders who can rise to the occasion to assist our affected neighbours. To be efficient and effective in such missions, training is of paramount importance, as well as having access to both aeronautical and maritime resources/assets.

The interim Net Management committee also invites the support of volunteers from each island who will act as a liaison between the CEWN and the amateur radio community in the East Caribbean. Net Controllers will be seeking the support of these volunteers from this week onwards during the daily networks and via the CEWN Facebook and Watsapp forums.

The Interim Net Management Committee looks forward to the continuing support from all members and invites your ideas and suggestions to keep the network vibrant and interactive. Feel free to contribute to the positive development of this ‘institution’ that is older than many of us, including those in the interim management group. Radio operators in rural districts in each country have also been identified as contact persons/liaisons and will serve as Zonal coordinators. Each country will have to name those volunteer Zonal Coordinators and to define their responsibilities.


Present during the last meeting were:

J69DS Frans IT Officer
J39KK Margaret
J88CU Sean
J69X Stephen
J69B Bernard Resource Officer
J69SJ Cyril
J88NMB Monte
J69BF Kerri
J73CC John
J69R Rock Interim Net Manager
J88CD Donald Interim Net Secretary



Dated : June 17 2023