[2m] FCC Declares Communications Emergency

[KD5PCK@cs.com]

NEWINGTON, CT, Oct 2, 2002--The FCC has declared a communications emergency=20
in response to the approach of Hurricane Lili. Under the authority of =A797.=
401=20
of the FCC Amateur Service rules, a general communications emergency has bee=
n=20
declared for the states of Louisiana and Texas. "Amateurs are required to=20
refrain from using 7285 kHz (daytime) and 3873 kHz (nighttime), plus or minu=
s=20
3 kHz unless they are taking part in the handling of emergency traffic," sai=
d=20
the FCC declaration from Joseph P. Casey, Chief of the Technical and Public=20
Safety Division of the FCC's Enforcement Bureau. The FCC declaration will=20
remain in effect until rescinded and could be in effect for as long as two=20
weeks.=20
The National Weather Service reports that Lili has strengthened rapidly to a=
=20
dangerous Category 4 hurricane. "Reports from an Air Force Reserve hurricane=
=20
hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near=
=20
135 MPH with higher gusts," said an NWS bulletin issued at 1800 UTC.=20
"Preparations to protect life and property in the hurricane warning area=20
should be rushed to completion." South Texas ARRL Section Manager Ray Taylor=
,=20
N5NAV, says the FCC declaration will support the operation of the West Gulf=20
Emergency Net for Texas and Louisiana. Net operation began this morning.=20
Taylor also says Amateur Radio operators are staffing the Texas emergency=20
operations center in Austin as well as some along the coast, where=20
evacuations already have begun. The <A HREF=3D"http://www.hwn.org/">Hurrican=
e Watch Net</A> (HWN) activated at=20
1800 UTC today, and net members are keeping an eye on the storm's trajectory=
.=20
"The Hurricane Watch Net activates when ever a hurricane is within 300 miles=
=20
of the forecast landfall," said Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, who's filling in this=20
week for Net Manager Mike Pilgrim, K5MP. "However, given the population alon=
g=20
the Louisiana Gulf Coast, any change in course to the east will bring the ey=
e=20
on shore much earlier." The Hurricane Watch Net is scheduled to remain activ=
e=20
on 14.325 MHz until 0300 UTC then activate October 3 at first light, Graves=20
said. Operators at <A HREF=3D"http://www.fiu.edu/orgs/w4ehw/">W4EHW</A> at t=
he National Hurricane Center in Miami also have=20
been active and cooperating with the HWN effort. W4EHW volunteers were=20
scheduled to remain on duty at least until 0200 UTC. The NWS says "a=20
life-threatening storm surge" of 10 to 15 feet above normal tide levels is=20
likely near and to the east of where the center crosses the coast. "This=20
surge could spread well inland across the low-lying areas of the hurricane=20
warning area," the NWS said. Forecasters say rainfall accumulations of 6 to=20
10 inches are possible along Lili's track. A hurricane warning remains in=20
effect from east of high island Texas to the mouth of the Mississippi River.=
=20
A tropical storm warning remains in effect from Freeport, Texas, to High=20
Island, and from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Alabama/Florida=20
border, including New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain. As of 1800 UTC, the=20
storm's center was about 325 miles south of New Orleans and moving toward th=
e=20
northwest at nearly 15 MPH. Additional strengthening is possible this=20
afternoon and tonight. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 45 miles=20
from the center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 185=20
miles. Graves noted that the Hurricane Watch Net has been working to attract=
=20
skilled, bilingual (English-Spanish) net control operators. He cited the wor=
k=20
of Hector Godoy, HR3HGB, and Herman Cueva, HR1HCP, of Honduras who earlier=20
this week helped to gather much-needed weather and storm damage information=20
from other emergency service ham frequencies, including Cuba. Assistant W4EH=
W=20
Amateur Radio Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4JR, said its bilingual operators=20
were able to receive preliminary damage reports via ham radio this week from=
=20
Cuba's Isle of Youth, where damage was more extensive than that experienced=20
during Hurricane Isidore. "Many homes have extensive roof damage," he said.=20
"Many large trees are down, some snapped in half." In addition, power was=20
reported out, a baseball stadium suffered damage to its roof, he said.=20


                               73
                               Scott Hernandez
                               KD5PCK




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