[CVRC] FW: [EM] Hurricane Watch Net and Messaging

[Paul Cavnar]

FYI on Isabel and HWN -

"The Hurricane Watch Net plans to begin operations on our net frequency
(14.325mhz) beginning Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 1400UTC. According to recent
advisory and track information, Hurricane Isabel will be within 300 miles
of projected land fall someplace along the North Carolina coast at that
time. 

      Our main operational goals for Wednesday will be two fold, as
follows:
      1) to make the storm advisory information on a regular basis to
those in the affected area of the forecast path of the storm, and 
      2) to identify and collect a list of stations in the path of the
storm who may be available throughout this event for the purpose of
reporting local weather measurements and observations to us for
conveyance to the forecasters in the National Hurricane Center.   It is
essential to contain our scope of reporting stations along and closely to
the side of the forecast track, and it is important that you remain
silent if not in the specified area." 

The web site http://www.hwn.org announced the impending net.

Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network "SATERN" uses Amateur Radio
Health & Welfare frequency 14.265 MHz.  This channel is so Billy Joe Bob
can send a message to Aunt Sue (the aunt he has not called in 15 years
but remembers she's in the hurricane because she was in the last one
<G>).  Your LOCAL amateur radio operator would format a message for Billy
Joe Bob.  The message would be delivered to someone in the area
participating in the National Traffic System for relay to the area.  The
process is repeated coming back to Billy Joe Bob.  Alternatively, you
will hear stations from all over the Nation contacting SATERN folks on
the frequency mentioned above.

http://qso.com/satern/emailfrm.htm is the online form one can use to send
an inquiry through the SATERN network.  Navy-Marine Corp MARS has an
online form for sending messages to military members (this works even
when there's no disaster and can also work for Civilians as well (though
the focus is for military)).  See http://www.navymars.org/egram/about.htm
for details.  Army and Air Force MARS can offer a similar service.  See
http://www.navymars.org for information about the service with links to
Air Force and Army programs.

I will hasten to add that LISTENING is allowed on amateur radio channels.
 Transmitting, except during an emergency, is NOT allowed, except for
licensed operators.  Health and Welfare is NOT emergency traffic.  It
would be Routine.  It would be handled when the situation presents
itself, behind emergency and priority messages.

I'll also mention that the American Red Cross conducts a disaster inquiry
service.  I mention this because, in some areas, SATERN has no
volunteers.  Contact your local ARC for details.

Up to this point, I've mentioned these resources because phone lines to
the effected area are likely to be down for days.  The services that DO
work will be overloaded.  Make sure your Citizens have an out-of-state
contact in their Personal Disaster Plan and they can contact an amateur
radio operator to facilitate communication (i.e. the radiogram) to the
out-of-state contact.  Adding amateur radio and/or MARS programs to your
Communications annex might be an appropriate move.

When the dust settles, http://anyservicemember.navy.mil/nav4/default.html
send an encouraging message to a serviceman.  Tell him whatever you want.
 I'm sure he'd appreciate hearing from you.   WHOOOAWH!