[W1SMH] FCC Declares Communications Emergency as Hurricane Lili Approaches Gulf Coast

[Martin Pyne]

FYI






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From: W1AW Mailing List [mailto:w1aw-list-request@listserv.arrl.org] 
Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2002 3:35 PM
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Cc: W1AW List:
Subject: ARLB060 FCC Declares Communications Emergency as Hurricane Lili
Approaches Gulf Coast


SB QST @ ARL $ARLB060
ARLB060 FCC Declares Communications Emergency as Hurricane Lili 
Approaches Gulf Coast

ZCZC AG60
QST de W1AW  
ARRL Bulletin 60  ARLB060
>From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  October 2, 2002
To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB060
ARLB060 FCC Declares Communications Emergency as Hurricane Lili 
Approaches Gulf Coast

The FCC has declared a communications emergency in response to the
approach of Hurricane Lili. Under the authority of Section 97.401 of the
FCC Amateur Service rules, a general communications emergency has been
declared for the states of Louisiana and Texas. ''Amateurs are required
to refrain from using 7285 kHz (daytime) and 3873 kHz (nighttime), plus
or minus 3 kHz unless they are taking part in the handling of emergency
traffic,'' said the FCC declaration from Joseph P. Casey, Chief of the
Technical and Public Safety Division of the FCC's Enforcement Bureau.
The FCC declaration will remain in effect until rescinded and could be
in effect for as long as two weeks.

The National Weather Service reports that Lili has strengthened rapidly
to a dangerous Category 4 hurricane. ''Reports from an Air Force Reserve
hurricane hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds have
increased to near 135 MPH with higher gusts,'' said an NWS bulletin
issued at 1800z. ''Preparations to protect life and property in the
hurricane warning area should be rushed to completion.'' A hurricane
warning remains in effect from east of high island Texas to the mouth of
the Mississippi River.

South Texas ARRL Section Manager Ray Taylor, N5NAV, says the FCC
declaration will support the operation of the West Gulf Emergency Net
for Texas and Louisiana. Net operation began this morning. Taylor also
says Amateur Radio operators are staffing the Texas emergency operations
center in Austin as well as some along the coast, where evacuations
already have begun.

The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) is scheduled to remain active on 14.325
MHz until 0300z then activate October 3 at first light. Operators at
W4EHW at the National Hurricane Center in Miami also have been active
and cooperating with the HWN effort. W4EHW volunteers were scheduled to
remain on duty at least until 0200z.

Information on the Hurricane Watch Net and W4EHW at the National
Hurricane Center in Miami may be found on the web at http://www.hwn.org
and http://www.fiu.edu/orgs/w4ehw/ , respectively. NNNN /EX