Forwarding this from a groups.io page I subscribe to. Dave Ai6vx
*From: *John Kitchens - NS6X via groups.io ns6x=arrl.org@groups.io *Sent: *Tuesday, August 29, 2023 8:44 AM *To: *arrlsb@groups.io *Subject: *[arrlsb] ARLB019 Idalia Prompts Amateur Radio Activations
Just to be aware of what is happening in northern Florida.
John Kitchens, NS6X
ARRL SB Section Manager
NS6X@ARRL.org
805.216.2569
from my phone
Begin forwarded message:
*From:* ARRL Web site memberlist@arrl.org *Date:* August 29, 2023 at 08:12:15 PDT *To:* "Kitchens, John, NS6X (SM, SB)" ns6x@arrl.org *Subject:* *ARLB019 Idalia Prompts Amateur Radio Activations*
SB QST @ ARL $ARLB019 ARLB019 Idalia Prompts Amateur Radio Activations
ZCZC AG19 QST de W1AW ARRL Bulletin 19 ARLB019 From ARRL Headquarters Newington CT August 29, 2023 To all radio amateurs
SB QST ARL ARLB019 ARLB019 Idalia Prompts Amateur Radio Activations
Volunteers of ARRL are activating ahead of Tropical Storm Idalia. The storm, which is forecast to intensify into a hurricane, was tracking from the Caribbean into the Gulf of Mexico, between Cancun and the western tip of Cuba. Models agreed that it could make landfall on the Florida Gulf Coast as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday.
In a planning call Monday night with leadership of ARRL Florida sections and ARRL Headquarters staff, Section Emergency Coordinator of the ARRL Northern Florida Section Arc Thames, W4CPD, shared plans for activation of Amateur Radio Emergency Service volunteers within the section. "Beginning at 7:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday, August 28, ARES volunteers will begin to staff AUXCOMM positions at the State EOC," he said.
The Florida Statewide Amateur Radio Network (SARnet) is the primary emergency communications system planned for use. The system is a series of linked UHF repeaters that covers the entire state. There are also HF nets planned as a backup.
Radio amateurs are asked to yield HF frequencies to emergency nets when they are activated.
The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) was activated Monday afternoon. HWN activated on 14.325 MHz at 2:00 PM EDT (1800 UTC) and planned to remain active until 11:00 PM EDT (0300 UTC) or until propagation was lost. HWN then planned to activate on 7.268 MHz at 7:00 PM EDT (2300 UTC) and remain active until 11:00 PM EDT (0300 UTC).
HWN Activation Plans for Tuesday, August 29 through Wednesday, August 30:
20-meters: 14.325 MHz at 8:00 AM EDT (1200 UTC) daily until propagation is lost at night.
40-meters: 7.268 MHz starting at 7:00 PM EDT (2300 UTC) Tuesday. HWN will remain active on this frequency throughout the remainder of this event.
"We will suspend operations each morning at 7:30 AM EDT to allow the Waterway Radio and Cruising Club Net - WRCC (Waterway Net) to conduct their daily morning Net. After the Water Way Net has concluded, generally around 8:30 AM ET, we will resume operations," wrote net manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV.
The WX4NHC amateur radio station at the National Hurricane Center also activated Monday and plans to be active Tuesday and Wednesday as the storm continues towards Florida.
WX4NHC is active on the HWN frequencies but will also utilize the VoIP Hurricane Net: IRLP node 9219 / EchoLink WX-TALK Conference node 7203. Details can be found at, http://www.voipwx.net/ .
The station is also monitoring WinLink reports sent to, wx4nhc@winlink.org (subject line must contain //WL2K).
WX4NHC asks that radio amateurs please relay any surface reports (weather data, flooding, damage) to them by one of the nets or an online hurricane report form at, https://w4ehw.fiu.edu/WX-form1.php .
The Hurricane VoIP Net plans to activate on Tuesday. "In addition to reports meeting Skywarn criteria, the operators, using Echolink WXTalk conference server 7203 and Internet Relay Protocol 9219, will be joined to the Kansas Sunflower Network offering Hamshack Hotline 94032, Echolink KC5FM-r, Allstar 28848, and other modes such as D-Star, Fusion, M17, and P25," wrote Lloyd Colston, KC5FM, Public Information Officer for the VoIP net.
ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, and the ARES headquarters staff are staying in frequent touch with members of the ARRL Northern Florida Section. Section Manager of the ARRL Southern Florida Section, Barry Porter, KB1PA, sent a message to the hams in the lower part of the Sunshine State. "Much of the northern part of our state will be facing impacts from Idalia, which could be a Category 3 or higher storm. In other words, they might be the victims. Since the southern part of Florida will not see much severe impact, we should be ready to assist with backup communications and welfare messages, if asked," he wrote.
ARRL will provide updates to the situation as it develops. Members in Florida are encouraged to monitor local emergency officials and prepare to take action to keep themselves safe as the storm moves toward them. NNNN /EX