[RVRC] All NNJ ARRL Affiliated Clubs and Newsletter Contacts - Amateur Radio and the Haiti Earthquake Update - FW: Please Help Provide Radio Communications!]

Fri Jan 15 14:11:21 EST 2010

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	All NNJ ARRL Affiliated Clubs and Newsletter Contacts - 
Amateur Radio and the Haiti Earthquake Update - FW: Please Help Provide 
Radio Communications!
Date: 	Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:37:17 -0500
From: 	George Sabbi <KC2GLG at arrl.net>
Reply-To: 	KC2GLG at arrl.net
CC: 	Joyce Birmingham <ka2anf at arrl.net>, Frank Fallon <n2ff at arrl.org>, 
Leon Gauer <n0taz at NewarkAmateurRadio.com>, Richard Krohn 
<arrl.nnj.sm at gmail.com>

PLEASE PASS ALONG THIS TIMELY AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THE 
STATUS OF AMATEUR RADIO OPERATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE HAITI 
EARTHQUAKE AS BEST YOU ARE ABLE TO YOUR CLUB MEMBERS !!!!!! As this is a 
still developing and changing situation, information will be updated as 
things change, etc,. In the interim, Richard Krohn, our NNJ Section 
Manager and I, as the Section Emergency Coordinator, want to keep all of 
you in as much of the direct information loop as possible regarding 
local and other amateur radio developments in regard to this tragic 
situation.

*Below is some late breaking and updated information regarding the 
situation with amateur radio communications and the Haiti situation.* 

As on noon on Friday, amateur radio communications into Haiti has not 
been a viable situation. This is due to a couple hard and of necessity 
coldly stated facts. The first, there were few amateur radio operators, 
and of those, few had active stations located in Haiti before the event, 
either as citizens of Haiti as well as those amateur radio operators who 
were there as portable operations (from the UN, NGO's ,etc) and of 
course, the other main reason, is the loss of local infrastructure 
needed to to run any of those previously active stations as well as 
the most sad to state item, that perhaps there has been a loss of the 
operators themselves as a result of the earthquake.

It is possible that the current lack of active amateur radio operations 
may change, that is, it is possible that some level of operations might 
be established by some who might be able to re-locate into the affected 
areas, or into nearby areas and open communications links.

In that possible situation, there may become a situation wherein Health 
and Welfare types of communications via amateur radio, may become more 
viable. It  must be noted though, that this may not happen in the very 
short term, but may happen in the mid-term  or long term and if it does, 
operations such as are indicated below could then be of service and need.

Therefore, please consider becoming a part of the advance preparations 
that are now underway and being setup and operated by the Newark Amateur 
Radio Society as noted below.

Individuals, or groups, wishing to volunteer their services should make 
direct contact with Leon Gauer - N0TAZ, President of the Newark Amateur 
Radio Society (n0taz at newarkamateurradio.com 
<mailto:n0taz at newarkamateurradio.com> ).

Thanks goes out to all of you in advance for your attention to this matter.

Lastly, the International Red Cross remains a key contact point for all 
family and friends looking for information on the situation as well as 
people as noted below:

Anyone with webaccess, can use the link below to get or request specific 
Info, including being able to see the actual listings of people filed 
with the International Committee of the Red Cross and to add their 
own search information related to people in the affected region here: 
http://www.familylinks.icrc.org/WFL_HTI.NSF/DocIndex/locate_eng?opendocument 
<http://www.familylinks.icrc.org/WFL_HTI.NSF/DocIndex/locate_eng?opendocument>

and, the Salvation Army/SATERN online Form, for filing formal inquiries, 
is here: http://qso.com/satern/emailfrm.htm 
<http://qso.com/satern/emailfrm.htm> 

Also, the US State Department has a 1-800 type number available for 
inquiries and such which is: 1-888-407-4747

Lastly, overall information on the Haiti situation, from the 
International Committee of the Red Cross, is available here: 
http://www.familylinks.icrc.org/haiti 
<http://www.familylinks.icrc.org/haiti>  and the latest information from 
the American Red Cross is available here:  http://newsroom.redcross.org/ 
<http://newsroom.redcross.org/>

George Sabbi
KC2GLG
Section Emergency Coordinator
ARRL Northern New Jersey Section
Email: KC2GLG at arrl.net <mailto:KC2GLG at arrl.net>
Website: www.hudson.arrl.org/nnj/ares <http://www.hudson.arrl.org/nnj/ares>

-----Original Message-----
*From:* n0taz at newarkamateurradio.com [mailto:n0taz at newarkamateurradio.com]
*Sent:* Thursday, January 14, 2010 6:27 PM
*Subject:* Please Help Provide Radio Communications!

Greetings,

     We are all aware of the horrible devastation caused by the 
earthquake this past Tuesday and several aftershocks that have 
followed.  Both landline and cell phone systems in Haiti are down due to 
this event and, thus far, no Amateur stations out of that country have 
been heard. 

     It is my understanding that a contingent of Amateur Radio operators 
from the Dominican Republic will arrive in Haiti on Friday.  I do not 
know if they will operate from one location or whether they will serve 
any shelters, government agencies or relief organizations.  We should 
find out tomorrow. 

     I am writing to ask that each operator receiving this e-mail 
volunteer, to the extent possible, to serve as a radio operator for the 
Haitian community.  We will be setting up at least one operating 
location in Newark and, depending upon the number of responses we 
receive, other locations.  Our goal is to both pass Health and Welfare 
traffic and, to the extent needed, serve any government agencies or 
non-government agencies in our area that need our communications 
services in connection with relief efforts.  The intention is to operate 
on a 24-hour basis for at least one week, and assess to what extent our 
operation should continue beyond that point. Operators of all license 
classes are welcome and encouraged to participate, as there will be 
operations on VHF, UHF, EchoLink and CQ100, in addition to HF. 

     I am in touch with community leaders and churches in the Haitian 
community so that we can readily inform them of our operations.  *Our 
objective is to commence operations on Saturday morning, January 16th*.  
I am reaching out to secure operating locations.  If you can serve as an 
operator, please respond to this e-mail with the following information:

     *  Your name, call sign and FCC license class
     *  Any radio equipment, accessories and antennas that you can provide
     *  The days and hours that you are available to operate
     *  Whether you have training or experience in passing traffic (If 
you do not, you are still encouraged to participate).
     *  Any NIMS/ICS or ARRL training that you have had
     *  If you speak or understand French or French Creole fluently

     There is a total void in communications currently and we can 
provide an important public service by operating in an organized fashion 
at publicized locations.  I hope that each person on this list will make 
whatever sacrifice necessary.  Your efforts may save lives and will 
surely provide comfort to our neighbors. 

LEON GRAUER - N0TAZ
PRESIDENT AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
NEWARK AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY
17 ACADEMY STREET
SUITE 900
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY 07102

ESSEX COUNTY EMCOMM
METRO/NEWARK UNIT COORDINATOR