Amateur Radio Earning Praise, Respect in Hurricane Katrina Relief:

Amateur Radio Earning Praise, Respect in Hurricane Katrina Relief:

"Amateur Radio Earning Praise, Respect in Hurricane Katrina Relief:
from The ARRL Letter, Vol 24, No 36
Website: http://www.arrl.org/ on September 16, 2005

Amateur Radio Earning Praise, Respect in Hurricane Katrina Relief:

Amateur Radio is continuing to earn praise and respect as the Hurricane Katrina relief effort moves forward. Donated Amateur Radio equipment and supplies arriving at the American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina relief staging area in Montgomery, Alabama, have been turned around as quickly as possible to accompany volunteers into the field. A team headed by Alabama ARRL Section Manager Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, now has been on duty for some three weeks, overseeing Amateur Radio volunteer intake and registration and trying to satisfy the ever-changing requirements of the Red Cross and other served agencies.

'The American Red Cross and other served agencies are very thankful and appreciative that we are helping them out,' Sarratt said this week. 'I have talked with several ARC folks who said they could not operate without us!'

ARES and MARS member Matt Hackman, KB1FUP, was among a Rhode Island contingent processed through the Montgomery marshaling center. The New England volunteers were able to take advantage of the newly donated handheld transceivers, HF transceivers and antennas for use in and around Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Hackman said Red Cross personnel were using VHF simplex to keep in contact with each shelter.

'We still have no potable public water and no land-line telephones,' Hackman said this week, adding that cell phone service was intermittent. 'I hope I am helping in some small way,' he went on to say. 'People further west still have no power, no water--even for flushing to"


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.

NewsAdvance.com | Amateur radio operator helped with communications

NewsAdvance.com | Amateur radio operator helped with communications

"Amateur radio operator helped with communications

Matt Busse
mbusse@newsadvance.com
September 18, 2005

For Bob Weber, Hurricane Katrina meant a chance to use his hobby to help out.
Weber, a 57-year-old broker for Edward Jones, was one of several local amateur radio operators who offered to assist with communications in the wake of the hurricane.

With phone systems and other methods of communications knocked out by wind and water, emergency officials needed ham radio to send and receive messages.
Weber spent last week in Montgomery, Ala., assisting the American Red Cross with radio communications.
Before leaving, he received a Hepatitis A shot and met with clients who stopped by his office to wish him well.

Weber said that he wasnt sure what he would find when he arrived in Alabama or what exactly he would do.

The term amateur radio refers to the fact that operators arent paid for their work, not to any lack of experience.

For years, hams have helped out after disasters, natural or not. Weber went to New York after Sept. 11 to assist. Gerry Knowlton, of Bedford, and Henry Wyatt, of Forest, who also went to Alabama after Katrina hit.

A lot of people need a lot of help down there, said Knowlton, a 58-year-old program analyst for BWX Technologies.

Amateur radio operators were required to supply their own equipment, such as radios, cables, batteries and clothing. Though they would be with the Red Cross, they took responsibility for their own safety.
The News & Advance was unable to reach Weber on Friday, but Larry Stanecker, spokesman for the Lynchburg Amateur Radio "



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 Resources at the Ready for Rita

ARRLWeb: Amateur Radio Resources at the Ready for Rita

"Amateur Radio Resources at the Ready for Rita

A National Weather Service graphic (click link to update) depicts the probable path of Hurricane Rita, now a Category 3 storm as of 1800 UTC with winds of 125 MPH. [NOAA Graphic]

Prospective volunteers may sign up for possible deployment in the region via the Hurricane Rita Disaster Communications Volunteer Registration & Message Traffic Database. Only volunteers who are willing to travel into the disaster area should indicate their interest in this database. This list is being maintained separately from the Hurricane Katrina volunteer list. SMs and SECs in the Hurricane Rita strike zone emphasize that volunteers should not self-deploy.

NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 23, 2005--As Hurricane Rita (click for latest advisory) continues on course for landfall sometime early Saturday morning along the Gulf Coast between Texas and Louisiana, Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES)/Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) and other Amateur Radio groups are at the ready. The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) on 14.325 MHz has announced plans to remain active until 0300 UTC or as long as the 20-meter band is available--whichever comes first. ARRL Headquarters is maintaining regular contact with Section Managers and Section Emergency Coordinators in the Gulf Coast region as they muster their own volunteer resources, some of whom already have been deployed to emergency operating centers and other strategic sites.

'Once again, the entire ARRL organization--including our volunteers in the field, our Headquarters staff and our members--are gearing up as Hurricane Rita approaches to provide needed emergency communications when all else fails,' said ARRL Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B. He has announced that Maxim Me"


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.

Emergency Nets Etiquette

Emergency Nets Etiquette

"Emergency Nets Etiquette
Eric Behr (KC9DUX) on September 10, 2005

I have been monitoring more than usual recently, and I am very disappointed by the way some hams are behaving in this time of crisis. Most people out there are doing a truly fantastic job, but some of us are doing amateur radio a real disservice.

Anyone who has any contact with the outside world knows by now that two main 40 meter and 80 meter nets run by the West Coast ARES are handling most of the traffic, and that the ARRL has asked everyone to give them 5 kHz of elbow room on either side. But night after night I hear 'nets' or other QSOs, with amps full blast on and deviation at scary levels, 2 or even 1 kHz away from the well-advertised frequencies. These people also routinely ignore breakers who want to politely ask them to move, or -- when they do they heap abuse on them. This may be a coincidence, but many of these operators go on for as long as 30 minutes with no ID. I won't mention specific callsigns this time.

To those folks who say 'we've been meeting here since 1955 and we won't budge', I say: I hope your loved one is in an emergency one of these days, and you will need help getting through to the net with strong QRM nearby.

The net controls and their relays, tired after hours of work day in and day out, need to pull out some very weak signals, given the current propagation and the nature of emergency operations. The last thing they need is a strong CW carrier which covers everything else. It is amazing to me that there are still many dozens of people who tune up, sometimes for minutes on end, the moment the NC stops talking and starts listening. How clueless can one get? Reduce your power; find a spot a few kHz away, then tune. Otherwise you are doing the very opposite of what we need to do"


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.

Does Homeland Security OTHR Affect HF?

Does Homeland Security OTHR Affect HF?

"Does Homeland Security OTHR Affect HF?
John Dvoracek (KE5C) on September 16, 2005
View comments about this article!

This past weekend, '9-11' 2005, several of us in the central Texas area heard unusual pulsing or popping signals on the bands, especially on 7 MHz. I had a QSO with a Oklahoma station on 7 MHz Sunday evening who had just talked to a Florida station about the same thing, and both had also heard such signals.

The fellow in Oklahoma thought it sounded a lot like the old Russian woodpecker (over-the-horizon radar). If I hear it again, I will try to record it, but it did sound at least similar to the old woodpecker.

At first I think we all worried that BPL was revenging us already, but could we have heard The Relocatable Over-The-Horizon Radar (ROTHR) for Homeland Security described in this Raytheon pdf brochure?
The AN/TPS-71 ROTHR is also discussed on the Federation of American Scientists' web site. "


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.

Which HF+ Transceiver is Best for Emergency Use?

Which HF+ Transceiver is Best for Emergency Use?

"Which HF+ Transceiver is Best for Emergency Use?
George Fisher (W0QU) on September 14, 2005

I work for a company with 90,000 employees, about 4,500 here in the corporate office. I've found half a dozen hams among us. Yesterday one of them asked what 'all mode' HF+ transceiver with power, and what antenna would best be used if we can convince the company to provide space for a ham station which could be used in emergencies. This would be non-commercial traffic of course. We hope to align with the local police department and perhaps get a couple of officers licensed.

What would you suggest for the best combination of new equipment and antenna which could be mounted on the roof (8 floors high), within a reasonable budget, to accomplish this? "


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.

Portable/Mobile Rig for an Emergency

Portable/Mobile Rig for an Emergency

"Portable/Mobile Rig for an Emergency
from omegaci on September 24, 2005

I want to get a ham license and buy ham radios for my family and a few friends so that we may communicate in an emergency. They too will get basic ham licenses.

I want to know if anyone can recommend some basic equipment for this task. This means it doesn't have to be very fancy, as we will only use it in an emergency. I have a place where I can setup up a large antenna with power and even a back up generator.

I imagine individuals carrying handhelds or mobile units and there being one mobile rig with an antenna and as much power as needed. Which bands (2m, 6m, etc) would be ideal for this task? And given the band what kind of range can one expect from a 5-watt HT?

While I am in a technical field, the acronyms here and elsewhere are not always obvious so please remember I am a newbie. "


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.

Disaster Relief Realities in Mississippi

Disaster Relief Realities in Mississippi

"Disaster Relief Realities in Mississippi
Pablo Veal (N0AH) on September 16, 2005

I have been in Mississippi since September 5th as an ARRL member and volunteer for the Red Cross and Salvation Army.

There has been next to none health and welfare trafficking on the HF bands.
Most of our work here in Hattiesburg, MS, 80 miles north of the coast, has been feeding the poor and hungry. Katrina was a Category 2 Hurricane when it hit here with 120 MPH winds. Most signs, trees, and infrastructure here and in the area are significantly damaged or destroyed.
We use our radios to work with the emergency response vehicles (ERVs) to stay in contact with the kitchen where our net control is located.

We go out in these trucks that look like an ambulance on steroids, and serve food. We look for people who need medication and those without clean water etc....
The children are the hardest part of this job. There are a lot of biting bugs and some kids coming in for a meal are pasted with bites. Most communities are filled with fallen trees and extensive damage.

They are just now getting power back to a limited degree. "

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.

Salvation Army Expands Relief Efforts In Anticipation Of Hurricane Rita

Salvation Army Expands Relief Efforts In Anticipation Of Hurricane Rita

"Kansas City EDS Teams on Stand-By to Respond to Hardest-Hit Areas

Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (Satern) Activated In Preparation

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The Salvation Army is expanding
relief efforts in anticipation of Hurricane Rita.

The organization is deploying additional emergency disaster services
vehicles (canteens) and personnel throughout Texas and neighboring states to
assist in the Hurricane Rita response effort.

Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) crews are preparing to
serve as many as 560,000 hot meals per day at designated shelters and from
canteens dispatched to the hardest hit locations. Meanwhile, The Salvation Army of Kansas City is preparing to assist with Hurricane Rita relief efforts.

Three emergency disaster services vehicles (canteens) from the Kansas and
Western Missouri Division are on stand-by to depart from Kansas City after the
storm makes landfall. The canteens being called into service are currently
located in Hays, Independence and Kansas City, Kansas. Each will carry a three
person team.
In addition, The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) has
been activated in preparation for Rita's onslaught. This network of ham radio
operators is able to exchange information to assist people looking for family
members or friends in the aftermath of a disaster.

HURRICANE KATRINA RELIEF CONTINUES
In the ongoing response to Hurricane Katrina, The Salvation Army, Kansas
and Western Missouri Division, is deploying 13 more personnel to offer
emotional and spiritual counseling"


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 Daily World

The Daily World

"Tobi Buckman, Aberdeen's disaster preparedness coordinator and a mental health volunteer with the American Red Cross, plans to leave on Sept. 28, to provide counseling help to Katrina victims. She may also end up in Texas, depending on the outcome of Hurricane Rita. Two other volunteers with the Grays Harbor Chapter of the American Red Cross are down in the hurricane disaster area helping out and right now two more are set to go in the next week.

An Aberdeen family is hoping to collect items to help young hurricane victims. The Dossetts, Robert, Brandy and their two daughters, Eva, 13 and Catherine, 12, started the Katrina's Kids donation drive. Lots of charities and organizations are collecting money, food and other necessities needed for survival, but the family wants to collect extra things -- toys, clothes, books and school supplies -- that 'might just bring a smile to a child's face ... and help to take their minds off of what has happened around them,' the donation flyer said. The items will be delivered to World Vision in Kent for distribution. The girls, Eva's an eighth-grader at Miller and Catherine's in seventh grade, have set up a collection box at school, and donations can also be dropped off at their home at 803 W. Third St"

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 Antenna "CC&R Bill" Reintroduced in Congress

ARRLWeb: Amateur Radio Antenna "CC&R Bill" Reintroduced in Congress

"Amateur Radio Antenna 'CC&R Bill' Reintroduced in Congress

Amateur Radio Antenna 'CC&R Bill' Reintroduced in Congress
NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 23, 2005--New York Congressman Steve Israel has reintroduced legislation that could make it easier for radio amateurs living in communities with deed covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) to erect suitable antennas. Arkansas Congressman Mike Ross, WD5DVR, signed aboard as an original cosponsor of the 'Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Consistency Act' (HR 3876).

ARRL Hudson Division Director Frank Fallon, N2FF, who attended Israel's public announcement of the bill September 19 on Long Island, pointed out the Amateur Radio volunteers always fill the gap after other communication systems fail in an emergency or disaster. He notes the bill's introduction comes in the immediate aftermath of positive media coverage of Amateur Radio's response to the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

'Unfortunately if all new housing developments contain deed restrictions forbidding outside antennas there will probably come a time when there will not be enough ham radio operators to help their neighbors and countrymen,' said Fallon. He believes Israel's bill will help to ensure that Amateur Radio will continue to be able to provide emergency communication should a disaster occur. "

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.