[BARC-List] Fwd: [PR:2559] MSNBC News Story written by a Ham

[Arthur N1NHZ]

Below is the news article that first came to my attention from:
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 > >Subject: [PR:2559] MSNBC News Story
 > >Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 10:03:29 -0500
 > >Thread-Topic: MSNBC News Story
 > >From: "Hagy Jennifer,  N1TDY" <n1tdy@arrl.org>
 > >To: "pr list" <pr@reflector.arrl.org>
 > >Reply-To: pr@arrl.org
 > >X-OriginalArrivalTime: 10 Feb 2003 15:03:38.0796 (UTC)
 > >FILETIME=3D[979CF6C0:01C2D115]
 > >
 > >Here's a good one:
 ><http://www.msnbc.com/news/869906.asp>http://www.msnbc.com/news/869906.asp
 > >
 > >73,
 > >Jen Hagy, N1TDY
 > >Media Relations Manager, ARRL
 > >Jhagy@arrl.org
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Hams help with Columbia recovery
FBI, local police turn to amateur radio operators

By Gary Krakow
MSNBC

       ACCORDING TO THE national membership association for amateur radio,=
=20
the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), ham radio volunteers are currently=
=20
assisting federal, state and local officials and relief organizations in=20
Texas in their search for shuttle Columbia debris and the remains of the=20
crew members. Amateur radio operators must pass rigorous tests to receive a=
=20
license and a call sign from the Federal Communications Commission =97=20
clearing them to broadcast radio, TV or data signals on frequencies set=20
aside for their use.

        ARRL officials say local efforts following the Columbia disaster=20
have been a great success. =93Ham radio has proven to be the only reliable=
=20
communications options during the recovery effort,=94 according to Tim=20
Lewallen (call sign KD5ING) of the Nacogdoches, Texas, Amateur Radio Club.

        =93The communications systems used by other federal and state=20
organizations cannot penetrate =91The Pine Curtain=92 as we know it in East=
=20
Texas,=94 he said. =93The dense forests and hilly terrain just swallow up=
 most=20
radio traffic, and even county sheriff and county fire department radio=20
systems have serious blind spots.=94 According to Lewallen, federal=20
authorities have requested that every survey team have at least one amateur=
=20
radio operator along to help keep the recovery efforts coordinated and=20
organized.

          In South Texas, there are requests for hams that are still needed=
=20
to assist in the search effort =97 with an urgent need for operators in the=
=20
San Augustine County, where substantial debris remains to be recovered.=20
Local coordinators say two-to-four dozen operators are needed each day and=
=20
they expect the need to continue for the next three weeks.

        Hams are using local amateur radio clubs=92 repeaters =97 which are=
=20
receiver-transmitter combinations, usually installed on top of tall=20
buildings that take low power radio signals and re-broadcast them at=20
elevated power to a large area. Dallas County volunteers are being told=20
they should use high-powered radios in the recovery effort because handheld=
=20
=93walkie-talkies=94 don=92t have the necessary range. It=92s also=
 recommended they=20
bring four-wheel drive vehicles, portable GPS (global positioning systems)=
=20
and even laptop computers with mapping programs if they=92re not familiar=20
with the area.

        Area residents with VHF scanners can listen in on the recovery=20
effort. In the Dallas area, activities can be monitored on 146.96 MHz; in=20
Nagodoches on 147.32 MHz, in St. Augustine on 146.74 MHz, and on a portable=
=20
repeater in East Texas on 146.66 MHz. Yesterday, a Dallas resident who=92s=
=20
been listening told MSNBC.com there were several reports of =93hazardous=20
materials=94 being found and that =93demolition experts=94 were called in to=
=20
assist in the recovery.

        Public service communication has been a traditional responsibility=
=20
of the Amateur Radio Service since 1913. Today, disaster work is highly=20
organized and implemented principally through a number of different ARRL=20
groups including the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service, or R.A.C.E.S. =
=97=20
an organization of ham radio operators who volunteer their time and=20
equipment to provide supplemental communication to local, county or state=20
agencies during times of crisis or disaster.

           Three of the Columbia astronauts were licensed amateur radio=20
operators: Mission Specialists Kalpana Chawla, KD5ESI; David Brown, KC5ZTC;=
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Laurel Clark, KC5ZSU. They aren=92t alone =97 many people associated with=
 the=20
space program have been active in amateur radio, including businessmen=20
Dennis Tito, KG6FZX, and the three astronauts still circling the earth in=20
the International Space Station =97 Commander Ken Bowersox, KD5JBP, Don=20
Pettit, KD5MDT and Nikolai Budarin, RV3FB. Even astronaut hopeful Lance=20
Bass of =91N Sync is a ham =97 KG4UYY.

        The three current space station astronauts are manning NA1SS. the=20
first permanent amateur radio station in space. Use of NA1SS has been=20
temporarily curtailed. Last week, the astronauts were scheduled to make=20
radio contact with high school students in Germany. The session was=20
postponed. But, according to the ISS governing group, space station=20
contacts are expected to resume later this month.

        Gary Krakow is licensed ham radio operator W2GSK.

de Arthur  N1NHZ, 73
Boston (MA) Amateur Radio Club
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