Storm zone update: Ham radio operators settle in to help victims - Computerworld

Storm zone update: Ham radio operators settle in to help victims - Computerworld

"Storm zone update: Ham radio operators settle in to help victims
Series Part 3: One volunteer sleeps next to his radio

News Story by Todd R. Weiss

SEPTEMBER 09, 2005 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Ham radio communications in areas ravaged by Hurricane Katrina continue to improve as volunteers work around the clock to help relief organizations and state, local and federal authorities coordinate their efforts.

Dennis Motschenbacher, the sales and marketing manager at the American Radio Relay League Inc. (ARRL), who has been at an American Red Cross rescue staging area in Montgomery, Ala., since Tuesday night, remains in Montgomery, where he is organizing donations of radio equipment from manufacturers. "

73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

(old calls KE5CTY - WB5ZQU - WY5L)
10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.qsl.net/ke5cty/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

CNN.com - Solar flare affects communications, disruptions possible - Sep 8, 2005

CNN.com - Solar flare affects communications, disruptions possible - Sep 8, 2005

Thursday, September 8, 2005; Posted: 7:36 a.m. EDT (11:36 GMT)

"Solar flare affects communications, disruptions possible

The solar flare is fourth largest in the last 15 years, a solar forecaster said.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A large solar flare was reported Wednesday and forecasters warned of potential electrical and communications disruptions.

The flare was reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Environment Center in Boulder, Colorado.

Significant solar eruptions are possible in the coming days and there could be disruptions in spacecraft operations, electric power systems, high frequency communications and low-frequency navigation systems, the agency said.

"This flare, the fourth largest in the last 15 years, erupted just as the ... sunspot cluster was rotating onto the visible disk of the sun," said Larry Combs, solar forecaster at the center.


73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

(old calls KE5CTY - WB5ZQU - WY5L)
10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.qsl.net/ke5cty/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

ARRLWeb: Amateur Radio Volunteers, Industry Responding to Help in Gulf Coast

ARRLWeb: Amateur Radio Volunteers, Industry Responding to Help in Gulf Coast

"Amateur Radio in Action

Some ARES groups have been making their contribution from home. Here, members of the Ohio District 6 ARES team took part in a fundraiser September 3 in Mansfield that was collecting donations for Hurricane Katrina relief. [Photo courtesy of Jay Bookwalter, KC8GNL]

Many flood refugees already have been relocated from Louisiana to Texas, radio amateurs were being requested over the weekend to help at the Houston Astrodome, now home to some 12,000 evacuees. South Texas Section Emergency Coordinator Jerry Reimer, KK5CA, says Harris County EC Hal Merritt, KD5HWW, is scheduling 24 operators a day for around-the-clock duty at the Astrodome and the Reliant Center next door, as well as at the Harris County EOC.

'There are teams operating in Covington and Washington Parish, Louisiana, supporting local emergency management, command and control, Red Cross and other relief operations,' Reimer said. 'In Mississippi, there is a desperate need for operators in the coastal counties.'

Louisiana Section Emergency Coordinator Gary Stratton, K5GLS, told ARRL that ARES has been using WinLink 2000 in Covington, Louisiana, to pass e-mail via HF during the emergency. Stratton said John Wagner, WA5VBP, was flown into New Orleans to equip Mayor Ray Nagin's office with WinLink for emergency communication. A Georgia Baptist group--the Chattahoochee Baptist Association, W4CBA--has fielded a WinLink operation in eastern Mississippi. "


73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

(old calls KE5CTY - WB5ZQU - WY5L)
10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.qsl.net/ke5cty/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

'Red Cross Radio' Launches on XM Satellite Radio to Help and Inform Red Cross Workers, Hurricane Victims

'Red Cross Radio' Launches on XM Satellite Radio to Help and Inform Red Cross Workers, Hurricane Victims

"XM is transforming radio, an industry that has seen little technological change since FM, almost 40 years ago. XM's programming features 100 coast-to-coast digital channels: 71 music channels, more than 30 of them commercial-free, from hip hop to opera, classical to country, bluegrass to blues; and 29 channels of sports, talk, children's and entertainment. For the first time on radio XM brings to the car the same diverse selection of news sources available in the home on cable and DIRECTV.

WASHINGTON, DC USA 10/28/2004

American Red Cross and XM Join Forces to Produce National Radio Channel
to Communicate with Red Cross Workers and Assist Hurricane Katrina Victims

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The American Red Cross and
XM Satellite Radio have joined forces to launch Red Cross Radio, a 24-hour,
nationwide XM channel to provide help and information for Hurricane Katrina
victims, Red Cross staff and volunteers along the Gulf Coast, and other Red
Cross workers across the country.

The newly-created Red Cross Radio (XM Channel 248) is broadcasting on XM
Satellite Radio from coast to coast. It can be heard on all XM radios for the
car, home, and portable use. XM is donating radios to the Red Cross for
relief workers, shelters and aid stations."


73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

(old calls KE5CTY - WB5ZQU - WY5L)
10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.qsl.net/ke5cty/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

The Feds and States Should Harness the Power of Satellite Radio For Emergency Situations

The Feds and States Should Harness the Power of Satellite Radio For Emergency Situations

"The Feds and States Should Harness the Power of Satellite Radio For Emergencies
From Corey Deitz,
Your Guide to Radio.
FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now!

Sep 8 2005

Yesterday, the American Red Cross and XM Satellite Radio announced they had joined forces to launch Red Cross Radio, a 24-hour, nationwide XM channel to provide help and information for Hurricane Katrina victims, Red Cross staff and volunteers along the Gulf Coast, and other Red Cross workers across the country.
The newly-created Red Cross Radio (XM Channel 248) is broadcasting on XM Satellite Radio from coast to coast. It can be heard on all XM radios for the car, home, and portable use. XM is donating radios to the Red Cross for relief workers and aid stations.
The Red Cross is using the XM radio channel to deliver information and announcements directly to workers in the field. In addition, the Red Cross is using the channel to send mass messages to staff across the country.
This is not only a great idea but should serve as a springboard for the Federal government and all state governments to incorporate into their emergency plans for natural disasters or terrorist attacks a relationship with both Satellite Radio providers.
Satellite Radio is an obvious and easy answer for helping our leaders maintain communication nationwide in the event of catastrophic conditions. "


73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

(old calls KE5CTY - WB5ZQU - WY5L)
10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.qsl.net/ke5cty/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

Storm zone update: Ham operator reaches Red Cross staging area - Computerworld

Storm zone update: Ham operator reaches Red Cross staging area - Computerworld

"Storm zone update: Ham operator reaches Red Cross staging area
Series part 2: Volunteer radio op coordinates equipment donations

News Story by Todd R. Weiss

SEPTEMBER 08, 2005 (COMPUTERWORLD) - As he prepares to drive later today into a Hurricane Katrina-ravaged community in Mississippi or Louisiana with his ham radio equipment to help re-establish reliable communications, Dennis Motschenbacher has already been hard at work helping victims of the massive storm. "

Since arriving Tuesday night at the staging area set up by the American Red Cross in Montgomery, Ala. (see "Ham radio operator heads south to aid post-Katrina communications"), Motschenbacher has been busy arranging donations of ham radio gear from manufacturers around the world so more radio operators can come to the aid of storm victims.

"We're continuing to make progress with the American Red Cross," Motschenbacher, who is sales and marketing manager at the American Radio Relay League Inc. (ARRL) ham radio organization, said today in a cellphone interview. The Red Cross Disaster Recovery Headquarters (DRHQ) operation was set up last week in Montgomery on the grounds of a vacant Kmart.


73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

(old calls KE5CTY - WB5ZQU - WY5L)
10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.qsl.net/ke5cty/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

TheWGALChannel.com - News - York Man Turns To Old-Fashioned Technology In Katrina Rescue Mission

TheWGALChannel.com - News - York Man Turns To Old-Fashioned Technology In Katrina Rescue Mission

"York Man Turns To Old-Fashioned Technology In Katrina Rescue Mission
POSTED: 4:32 pm EDT September 8, 2005
UPDATED: 5:20 pm EDT September 8, 2005
YORK, Pa. -- A ham radio operator who has talked to the world from the 'ham shack' in his York township home will soon be taking his skills to the Gulf Coast.


Jack Dellinger works the ham radio at his ham shack.

Jack Dellinger and other hams are heading south to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina."

A national organization, The American Radio Relay League, recruited Dellinger for the effort. He will be assigned to one of 250 Red Cross shelters along the Gulf Coast.

Because many areas affected by Katrina are still without cell phone service, people like Dellinger are especially in demand.

"I will be providing communication for the Red Cross to their command system. That will be my primary responsibility," Dellinger said.

Dellinger is packing portable ham radios and plenty of batteries for what is now a very uncertain future. He says he has been trained for the day when he could help those in need. He expects to do just that for two to three weeks.

73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

(old calls KE5CTY - WB5ZQU - WY5L)
10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.qsl.net/ke5cty/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

CBS News | "Old Technology Still Needed "| September 8, 2005�20:30:05

CBS News | "Old Technology Still Needed" | September 8, 2005�20:30:05

"Even wireless Internet depends on nearby transmitters and receivers on the ground.

But amateur radio is working and, according to Allen Pitts of the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL), 'ham' radio operators from throughout the country are answering the call to provide vital communications links. Satellite phones, a much newer technology, are also coming to the rescue.

Pitts acknowledges that cell phones and other technologies 'work wonderfully when everything is going right,' but 'they are very vulnerable when everything is going wrong.'

Just as with past hurricanes, earthquakes and on September 11th, the ground-based infrastructure, in many cases failed because vital parts of the system were damaged or overwhelmed during the emergency. "

73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

(old calls KE5CTY - WB5ZQU - WY5L)
10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.qsl.net/ke5cty/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

Lacking Phone Lines, Rescuers Turn to Ham Radio Operators - The New York Times

Lacking Phone Lines, Rescuers Turn to Ham Radio Operators - The New York Times

"Lacking Phone Lines, Rescuers Turn to Ham Radio Operators
By IAN URBINA
Published: September 8, 2005

A volunteer army of nearly 1,000 amateur radio operators have stepped in to help
fill the communications void."

73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

(old calls KE5CTY - WB5ZQU - WY5L)
10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.qsl.net/ke5cty/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

ARRLWeb: Amateur Radio Volunteers Filling Many Communication Gaps in Gulf Region

ARRLWeb: Amateur Radio Volunteers Filling Many Communication Gaps in Gulf Region

"In Mississippi, ARES operators have been helping to maintain communication among hospitals, EOCs and shelters. ARES District Emergency Coordinator Tom Hammack, W4WLF, reported operators were sleeping on the floor when off duty. State RACES Officer and ARES DEC Ron Brown, AB5WF, was reported working on a staging area for Amateur Radio volunteers near the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency in Jackson.

SECs in the US Gulf say volunteers signing up for duty in the hurricane-stricken zones should coordinate with their home SECs and, once given the go-ahead, arrive as self-sufficient as possible. 'If you need it, you bring it,' said Alabama SEC Jay Isbell, KA4KUN. "

73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

(old calls KE5CTY - WB5ZQU - WY5L)
10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.qsl.net/ke5cty/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

ARRLWeb: Amateur Radio Volunteers Filling Many Communication Gaps in Gulf Region

ARRLWeb: Amateur Radio Volunteers Filling Many Communication Gaps in Gulf Region

"NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 9, 2005--Amateur Radio operators from states along the Gulf Coast and elsewhere in the US continue to volunteer their skills and expertise as the Hurricane Katrina relief effort heads into its third week. ARRL Section Managers (SMs) and Section Emergency Coordinators (SECs) across and around the affected region have been teleconferencing daily to keep their efforts on the same page."

73 fer nw,
Bob N5IET

(old calls KE5CTY - WB5ZQU - WY5L)
10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.qsl.net/ke5cty/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

Ham radio operators to the rescue after Katrina - Wireless World - MSNBC.com

Ham radio operators to the rescue after Katrina - Wireless World - MSNBC.com

"Ham radio operators to the rescue after Katrina
Amateur radio networks help victims of the hurricane

With telephones down and wireless service disrupted, at least one group of people did manage last week to use technology to come to the rescue of those in need. Often unsung, amateur radio operators regularly assist in emergency situations. Hurricane Katrina was no exception. For the past week, operators of amateur, or ham, radio have been instrumental in helping residents in the hardest hit areas, including saving stranded flood victims in Louisiana and Mississippi.


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