[ARRL-OK] Ham Radio Ready as Residents Flee

[Mark D. Conklin N7XYO]

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2005/08/28/100/?nc=1

Ham Radio Ready as Residents Flee "Potentially Catastrophic" Katrina

NEWINGTON, CT, Aug 28, 2005--With the dangerous and powerful Hurricane
Katrina drawing a bead on New Orleans, thousands of residents there and
elsewhere along Louisiana's Gulf Coast have been heading out of town or to
storm shelters. Officials issued mandatory evacuation orders for New
Orleans, and say power and water service could be lost when the Category 5
storm strikes. The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) on 14.325 MHz has activated.
The net works in cooperation with WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center
(NHC), which is calling Katrina "potentially catastrophic." HWN Assistant
Net Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, says the net's mission at this point is
to compile a list of stations in the affected area that can be
available--primarily with measured weather data--beginning at 1300 UTC
Monday morning.

"As usual, during any net activation, we encourage all mariners and
residents in and around the affected area to come to the net frequency
(14.325 MHz) for all the latest information and for the purpose of
providing reports of conditions in your area," Graves said.

Mississippi ARRL Section Manager Malcolm Keown, W5XX, says the West Gulf
ARES Emergency Net will activate on 3873 kHz at midnight Central Daylight
Time (0500 UTC). The West Gulf ARES Emergency Net combines the resources
of the Mississippi, Louisiana, and South Texas sections for mutual support
during emergencies affecting the region. Based on recent 40-meter
propagation, Keown anticipates that much of the net's operation will
continue on 75 meters, although the net may shift to its daytime frequency
of 7285 kHz at the net control's discretion.

Stations not involved in emergency traffic or participating in the net are
asked to give the operation a clear frequency.

"Checkins will be limited to served agencies as well as to stations with
emergency, priority, and weather-related traffic, or to stations in the
affected storm event area with information or inquiries," Keown said. "All
other stations should monitor the frequency. There will be periods of
silence, but this is necessary to keep the frequency clear for emergency
or priority traffic."

The HWN provides storm-related information into and out of the storm, to
aid forecasters in predicting the storm's behavior. The net does not
handle health-and-welfare traffic. Graves referred inquiries to the
Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) on 14.265 MHz or to
the SATERN Web site, which includes a link to file a health-and-welfare
inquiry.

As of 0000 UTC August 29, Katrina, packing sustained winds near 160 MPH
with higher gusts, was some 130 miles south of the mouth of the
Mississippi River, moving north-northwesterly at near 11 MPH, although a
turn the north is expected.

The Gulf Coast already has begun to feel the impact of Katrina, which has
resurrected memories--and fears--of Hurricane Camille, which devastated
the area in 1969. The major concern in New Orleans is the potential for
flooding, since the city sits below sea level.

"Coastal storm-surge flooding of 18 to 22 feet above normal tide levels,
locally as high as 28 feet, along with large and dangerous battering
waves, can be expected near and to the east of where the center makes
landfall," the NHC said. Some levees in the greater New Orleans area could
be overtopped. Significant storm-surge flooding will occur elsewhere along
the central and northeastern Gulf of Mexico coast.

The NHC says the storm's center will be near the northern Gulf Coast early
Monday morning, but conditions continue to deteriorate along portions of
the central and northeastern Gulf Coast, and they will continue to worsen
through the night.

A hurricane warning is in effect for the north-central Gulf Coast from
Morgan City, Louisiana, eastward to the Alabama/Florida border, including
the city of New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain. The NHC says preparations
to protect life and property should be completed this evening.

Graves says the HWN is seeking measured and/or observed ground-level
weather data from affected areas. The National Hurricane Center may
request data coming from specific locations or meeting specific criteria,
such as sustained winds exceeding 35 knots or rapidly degrading
conditions.

"Throughout this event, we remind everyone that we are also available to
provide backup communication facilities to official agencies such as
emergency operations centers and Red Cross officials in the affected
area," Graves said. "We will also be interested to collect and report
significant damage assessment data back to FEMA officials stationed in the
National Hurricane Center."

The HWN asks stations not to check into the net unless specifically
requested to do so. "We will attempt to handle all communications within
the capabilities of our own members," he said, "and only when required
assistance is needed will we ask for your help."

The HWN likely will report other emergency frequencies that have been set
up by local Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and Radio Amateur Civil
Emergency Service (RACES) teams in affected areas.

Special Counsel Riley Hollingsworth of the FCC's Enforcement Bureau does
not anticipate the need for an Emergency Communications Declaration (ECD)
to accommodate HF emergency nets or SATERN. "Section 97.101(c) gives
priority to emergency communications at all times," he pointed out.

The HWN Web site includes storm forecasts, advisories and graphics.
However the site has been experiencing unprecedented traffic loads on its
Web server that may slow the system's response time.