[KCDXC] Update on VU4 emergency communications:

[W0LHK at aol.com]

Hello DXers:

I am now reporting from Samut Sakhon, Thailand, about 50 miles south south
west of Bangkok.  This is my father-in-law home.  IC-718 and TA-33 + 40m kit
at 40 feet, my call is HS0ZCW.

I am in direct contact with VU4RBI and Vu4NRO as well as stations in India
and 4S who have called in from time to time.  VU4 is readable by me on both
40 SSB and 20 m almost all any day or night.

I have sent 2 health and welfare queries to Bharathi that I received here by
email.  No answers yet.

1. Bharathi is continuing to operate in emergency communication mode now and
has done so virtually every minute since the earthquake shook us all out of
out rooms.  She and Saraha set up one of the DXpedition radios about 30
minutes afer the quake on a table outside the hotel... in the garden...with
a mobile whip and the hotel's generator for power.  When the generator had
to be shut down for an hour from time to time, she used an automobile
battery and lower power.

2. Local authorities ask for the team's help to do communications of all
kinds.  The first messages were H&W from the folks standing around the table
to the India mainland.  Many concerned people got news from loved ones,
often within minutes because the India mainland phones were working ok
(except parts of the coast, of course).  Once word spread, many others
showed up to request a message and were served.

3. Recently, Ram (VU2MYH) and another of the team were dispatced to one of
the Nichobar Islands that was hard hit.  They are there now and I am
listening to them pass messages now as I type this.  They are using VU4NRO
and batteries and one of the DXpedition radios.

4. Bharathi's Port Blair location has electric power, local phones, and some
international phone service now.  Despite continuing small tremors, she has
recently relocated her station back into the Hotel and is using the larger
antennas again.

5. A small tremor was reported just now from Port Blair.  No damage.

6. Normal DXpedition operations have been, of course, suspended.  Please do
not call VU4 stations unless they call you.  The future of normal DX ops is
in doubt for the time being, as u can understand.  We must think months, at
least, before we can relax into the fun of DXing there again.

7. Delivery of H&W messages is vy difficult.  Please do not ask for same
unless the party is likely to have a real problem, such as disabled or on
medication, I would advise.

8. Based on what I have heard, Sri Lanka 4S may be in the most trouble these
days... horrible reports are coming out of the immediate events and now the
recovery is bedeviled with lack of everything.

I will use the NJDXA reflector as my only ham reporting outlet.  Please
refer non-users to this reflector so I do not have so many individual
emails.  The NBC bcast shot was pushed out by a Colin Powell report.  CNN
will carry me live on audio tomorrow.... maybe.... spoke to them just now.

EVERYONE, BE VERY CAREFUL TO REPORT ONLY WHAT YOU DIRECTLY KNOW ABOUT.  DO
NOT REPORT ANY DEATHS AT ALL NOR ANY INJURIES BY NAME TO THE NEWS NOR TO THE
GENERAL PUBLIC.  THAT IS THE AUTHORITIES JOB.  Make your reports to legit
authorities instead, or quote another public news source.  Think about
donations to established organizations like the Red Cross, Salv. Army, etc.
as a way to help.  Thanks to all for your notes of concern for the team and
myself.

73,

Charles Harpole
k4vud at hotmail.com