[SFDXA] Ham Radio Serving Southeast US Recovery Efforts - From the ARRL Letter

Fri Oct 4 08:10:39 EDT 2024

*Ham Radio Serving Southeast US Recovery Efforts*

ARES® Logo

Flood waters in North Carolina. [Photo: 1SG Leticia Samuels, NCNG)

Amateur radio is proving critical in areas hit hard by Hurricane Helene, 
especially in North and South Carolina, portions of Tennessee, and 
beyond. In the hardest-hit Asheville, North Carolina, area, homes and 
entire towns have been swept away by flood waters and mudslides. Over 
200 people have been killed, and many more are still missing.

Widespread devastation has damaged the power grid and roads, and many 
residents are without cell phone service and other utilities. For 
several days, radio communications were the only means of passing 
information. Ham radio continues to play a significant role in this 
situation.

A roadway in North Carolina. [Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection 
Special Response Team]

In North Carolina, all official emergency radio communications are done 
through NC AUXCOMM. NC Division of Emergency Management Senior External 
Affairs Specialist Brian Haines says hams are deployed. “Amateur radio 
operators are working side by side with first responder communications 
personnel all over Western North Carolina. Needless to say, we are 
interested in highlighting all they are doing but at this point they are 
heavily involved in response efforts, which is where we need to focus,” 
he said.

A visualization of Winlink traffic. The amount of activity is unusually 
high, due to the emergency.

Winlink, which provides email over amateur radio, has been used 
significantly in the recovery. ARRL Director of Emergency Management 
Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, says the recent FCC removal of symbol rate 
restrictions has allowed a streamlined response using modern technology. 
“Winlink is an example of how modern tools work well within the Amateur 
Radio Service. Not having to petition the FCC for a waiver of the old 
rules allowed Winlink to be used immediately during this emergency,” he 
said. ARRL had advocated for the change, which was implemented in 2023 
<https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zMTUzNDM4JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTQ3MzY2NCZsaT0zNTMxMTc3MQ/index.html>.

Significant stories of the response from individual hams is emerging, 
particularly from those who have created pop-up nets to pass health and 
welfare traffic. Using mountaintop repeaters that have robust power 
backups, HF frequencies, and Winlink, ham radio operators are putting in 
their time, talents, and personal gear to good use.

The local news media in affected areas has connected with several radio 
amateurs to highlight their work. CBS 17 in Raleigh reported on Van Lee, 
KM4TC, who helped families 
<https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zMTUzNDM4JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTQ3MzY2NCZsaT0zNTMxMTc3Mg/index.html> 
trying to get information on loved ones. In Charlotte, Queen City News 
told the story of Dan Gitro, K2DMG, who has been providing information 
to hams about current conditions 
<https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zMTUzNDM4JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTQ3MzY2NCZsaT0zNTMxMTc3Mw/index.html> 
as well as passing along messages to loved ones.

Countless other hams have stepped up by passing traffic and providing 
information. ARRL seeks to tell those stories of selfless service as the 
operators find time.

Amateur radio has been serving communities even before the storm hit. 
The Hurricane Watch Net, VoIP Hurricane Net, and WX4NHC, the amateur 
radio station at the National Hurricane Center, were all active as the 
storm churned towards Florida. In the 25 hours that the net was active, 
hams passed along over 100 surface reports that were used by forecasters 
to make more informed decisions about the storm.

Hurricane Helene made landfall near Perry, Florida, on the evening of 
Thursday, September 26, as a Category 4 storm. With winds of 140 miles 
per hour, it was the strongest hurricane on record to slam into 
Florida’s Big Bend.

In Florida, Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) 
<https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zMTUzNDM4JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTQ3MzY2NCZsaT0zNTMxMTc3NA/index.html> 
volunteers were embedded with county officials and at the State 
Emergency Operations Center.

As the storm moved north, the worst impacts were felt. Officials have 
classified the rainfall near Asheville as a 1,000-year event. The impact 
started to emerge over the weekend of September 28—29.

ARRL leadership was in touch with field organization volunteers in the 
impacted area throughout the weekend. On Monday, a call was held to see 
what resources may be needed. A clear challenge of logistics emerged. 
Entire road networks are unpassable. General aviation pilots have been 
working, as they do during major disasters, to use donated aircraft to 
ferry in relief supplies. Ham radio operators have been working with 
Operation Airdrop and other volunteer groups to help provide 
communications support. Dozens of private helicopters have been flying 
in supplies, as have military assets.

Batteries being delivered for the repeater.

In Tennessee, hams have rallied to return repeaters impacted by the 
storm to service. Section Manager of the ARRL Tennessee Section David 
Thomas, KM4NYI, reports that a request for help on the TN ARES net 
resulted in batteries being donated and delivered to return the W4KEV 
repeater system to service, including the 145.410 machine located on 
Viking Mountain in Greene County, Tennessee, which covers much of the 
area in North Carolina and Tennessee that was decimated.

As connectivity via phone and data networks continues to return, ARRL 
expects more stories of amateur radio serving communities will emerge. 
Stories and local media coverage can be shared with ARRL via 
newsmedia at arrl.org <mailto:newsmedia at arrl.org>.

While commercial communications networks and utilities are increasingly 
more resilient, Hurricane Helene has demonstrated that amateur radio is 
a critical partner that works When All Else Fails®.

Related Media Coverage:

*Asheville*

https://thecitizen.com/2024/09/29/how-to-stay-in-touch-when-the-grid-goes-down/ 
<https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zMTUzNDM4JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTQ3MzY2NCZsaT0zNTMxMTc3NQ/index.html>

*Charlotte*

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ham-radio-operators-help-reunite-loved-ones-after-helene/ar-AA1rBGPg 
<https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zMTUzNDM4JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTQ3MzY2NCZsaT0zNTMxMTc3Ng/index.html>

https://www.qcnews.com/severe-weather/how-old-tech-is-being-used-to-remotely-help-in-wake-of-helene/ 
<https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zMTUzNDM4JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTQ3MzY2NCZsaT0zNTMxMTc3Nw/index.html> 

https://www.wbtv.com/2024/10/01/times-devastation-many-turn-old-school-tech-keep-communication-lines-open/ 
<https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zMTUzNDM4JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTQ3MzY2NCZsaT0zNTMxMTc3OA/index.html> 

*Raleigh*

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article293361644.html 
<https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zMTUzNDM4JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTQ3MzY2NCZsaT0zNTMxMTc3OQ/index.html> 

https://www.cbs17.com/news/local-news/triangle-families-desperate-to-reach-loved-ones-missing-after-helene-ham-radio-operators-help-relay-messages/ 
<https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zMTUzNDM4JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTQ3MzY2NCZsaT0zNTMxMTc4MA/index.html>

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