[Ares-races] East Coast US Ham Radio Activations for Hurricane Isabel

Tue, 16 Sep 2003 19:36:28 EDT

From:   <A HREF="www.arrl.org">www.arrl.org</A>

NOTE:  This article contains radio frequencies, times and locations of some 
activated stations. 

Amateur Radio Ramps Up Preparations to Greet Hurricane Isabel

       NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 16, 2003--Amateur Radio operators along the Eastern 
Seaboard are gearing up to greet the arrival--probably on Thursday, September 
18--of a diminished but still potentially damaging Hurricane Isabel. At this 
point, the storm is expected to reach landfall along the coast of the 
Carolinas before veering north toward Western Pennsylvania and Western New York. The 
Hurricane Watch Net (<A HREF="http://www.hwn.org/">HWN</A>) on 14.325 MHz and <A HREF="http://www.wx4nhc.org/">WX4NHC</A> at the National Hurricane 
Center have announced plans to activate. The HWN will activate Wednesday, 
September 17, at 1400UTC (10 AM EDT) and remain up through the storm's duration. The 
National Hurricane Center is warning interests from the Carolinas northward 
to southern New England to closely monitor Hurricane Isabel's progress. The 
storm, once a powerful category 5 hurricane, now has been downgraded to a 
category 2 hurricane with still-dangerous winds of 105 MPH with higher gusts

       "As the hurricane achieves initial landfall, the HWN will focus 
specifically on storm reports into and out of the immediately affected areas and 
into the forecast path of the storm," said HWN Manager Mike Pilgrim, K5MP.  
WX4NHC will commence operations September 17 at 2200 UTC (6 PM EDT), although 
Amateur Radio Coordinator John McHugh, KU4GY, says the startup time could be 
adjusted as conditions change. At that point, McHugh estimated the storm would be 
some 300 miles offshore.

       Pilgrim says it's essential that health-and-welfare traffic be 
directed to other nets set up for that purpose. The Salvation Army Team Emergency 
Radio Network (<A HREF="http://www.satern.org/">SATERN</A>) has announced plans to activate on 14.265 MHz on September 
18 at 1400 UTC (10 AM EDT). SATERN National Coordinator Pat McPherson, WW9E, 
says the net's primary objective will be to handle necessary emergency and 
health-and-welfare traffic.

       Local emergency and informational nets also will be a part of the mix, 
and hams in North Carolina already are getting into the spirit of things. 
"There were lots of extra check-ins to the Tarheel Net on Monday night,"said 
North Carolina Public Information Coordinator Gary Pearce, KN4AQ. "Activity always 
picks up when a hurricane approaches the state." As the North Carolina 
Section's HF Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) net, the Tarheel Net meets on 
3923 kHz nightly at 7:30 PM Eastern Time and on 7232 kHz during daylight hours, 
if needed.

       At WX4NHC, McHugh was calling on amateurs within 50 miles of the 
Atlantic coast from South Carolina to New Jersey to provide weather data to the 
Hurricane Watch Net. Net participants collect and report observed and measured 
weather data to the net to relay to the National Hurricane Center via WX4NHC. 
The net also routinely disseminates public storm advisories as they become 
available. In the case of the recent Hurricane Fabian, which swept Bermuda, Amateur 
Radio for a while became the only means of obtaining stormforecasts and 
updates after power went down over much of the island.

        "If you have weather equipment and are in the affected area please 
try to get that data to WX4NHC, however do not put your self in danger at any 
time," WX4NHC's McHugh said. He also asked that stations not relay weather 
information given out by local media, since that information already is "in the 
system."      

       In addition to monitoring the Hurricane Watch Net on 14.325 MHz, 
WX4NHC will monitor Reflector 9210 on IRLP as well as the EchoLink system surface 
reports using the on-line Hurricane Report Form on the WX4NHC Web site. He said 
amateur weather enthusiasts with weather equipment and ON-NHC Volunteers may <A HREF="http://www.wx4nhc.org/WX-form1.html">
report directly</A> to WX4NHC on-line.

       McHugh said these "surface reports" are very important as they give 
hurricane specialists at the National Hurricane Center a clearer picture of what 
is actually happening on the ground during the storm.

       North Carolina ARRL Section Manager John Covington, W4CC, this week 
alerted members in his section to be at the ready. "I encourage each of you to 
make personal preparations for the storm," Covington said. "In addition, I hope 
you will be able to contribute to Amateur Radio disaster communications, if 
necessary." He urged amateurs to make sure their equipment is working, all 
batteries charged and any emergency generators operational. "Do this today," he 
said, "not during the storm!"

       Covington also said those having any doubts about their safety should 
prepare to evacuate. He said the Coastal Carolina Emergency Net on 3907 kHz at 
1900 EDT will handle health-and-welfare traffic. "Be aware that most inbound 
health-and-welfare traffic is very difficult to deliver," he said.

       Covington was among those worrying less about the potential for wind 
damage than about the possibility of widespread flooding. "With much of our 
ground saturated from the heavy rain we've had this year, North Carolina should 
be prepared for the possibility of flooding, even if the storm moves well to 
the east of us," he said.

       ARRL North Carolina Section Emergency Coordinator Bernie Nobles, 
WA4MOK, reports that hams will staff the North Carolina Emergency Management 
Eastern Branch headquarters in Kinston starting at 1 PM EDT today.  Repeaters likely 
will handle communication with North Carolina's Outer Banks, although HF will 
remain available as a backup.

       If Isabel takes a more westerly course, the Tarheel Netwill go into 
full-time operation as needed. Nobles has asked hams to maintain watch on 3923 
kHz as the storm approaches, whether or not a formal net is in session.

       North Carolina Emergency Management Emergency Coordinator John 
Guerriero, KG4HDT, says the amateur station at the state emergency operations center 
in the capital city of Raleigh will activate Wednesday, September 17. Pearce 
said Guerriero is organizing an umbrella of liaison stations to monitor the 
wide-coverage 146.88 MHz repeater and the Tarheel Net frequencies.

       Pearce says that on the Outer Banks--expected to be the storm's first 
point of contact--Richard Marlin, K4HAT, checked out the repeaters and linked 
systems that keep hams in touch in that remote area and said everything was 
working well. Pearce said Marlin, who lives on Hatteras Island, was debating 
whether or not to evacuate. Residents and vacationers on Ocracoke Island, which 
has only ferry transportation between the mainland, were among those facing 
mandatory evacuation orders in North Carolina.

       Pearce said other North Carolina hams are reporting they're ready for 
the storm. "Inland counties are watching the storm track carefully," he said. 
"If Isabel turns a little westward, it could bring strong winds and flooding 
to the interior. Nash, Wake and Johnston counties may also be home to thousands 
of people who evacuate the coastal areas, and Interstate 40 may be made a 
'one-way' highway in advance of the hurricane to expedite an evacuation."

       Some states already are considering mobilizing National Guard troops 
and relief organizations already have organized shelters for evacuees.

       As of 11 AM EDT, the National Hurricane Center had issued a hurricane 
watch from Little River Inlet, South Carolina, to Chincoteague,Virginia. That 
includes Pamlico and Albermarle sounds as well as Chesapeake Bay south of 
North Beach, Maryland and the tidal section of the Potomac River. The NHC said 
hurricane warnings may be required later today.

       Asof 11 AM EDT, the storm was 600 miles south-southeast of Cape 
Hatteras, North Carolina, moving northwesterly at around 8 MPH.  "A general motion 
toward the northwest or north-northwest is expected during the next 24 hours 
with some increase in forward speed," the NCH said. Hurricane force winds extend 
outward up to 120 miles from the center, and tropical storm-force winds out 
to 200 miles.

       Although it's now a category 2 storm, the NHC said conditions "could 
become favorable for restrengthening prior to landfall."

       The southeastern and mid-Atlantic coasts already have been 
experiencing large ocean swells and dangerous surf conditions. 

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Bill Lennox
US Air Force (Retired)
Full Time College Student (Emergency Management)
KD7EFP
Assistant Emergency Coordinator - Plans (ARES), Washington County, Oregon
Assistant Radio Officer - Plans (RACES), Washington County, Oregon

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