As Tropical Cyclone Ita impacts on far northern area of Australia, WICEN has declared a number of frequencies for health and welfare traffic including 7.088 MHz an 3.588 MHz, as well as 2m and 70cm. Dale McCarthy VK4DMC reports that at this point in time the cyclone has crossed the coast at Cape Flattery which is just north of Cooktown as a severe category 4 system. Cooktown is experiencing very strong wind and heavy rain. The system will track south/west over the next 12 to 24 hours and possibly impact on the Atherton Tablelands, Port Douglas and Cairns before heading south towards Townsville.

Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee.

Category: Emergency CommunicationsPublished: Thursday, 10 April 2014 21:54Written by G0DUBHits: 12719

The America Radio Relay League (ARRL) Alabama Section and the Huntsville Hamfest, have announced further details of the Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (GAREC) Conference in August. Held in Huntsville, Alabama, it will be on August 14^th and 15^th — just before the two-day ARRL Southeastern Division Convention — Huntsville — The World’s Friendliest Hamfest. 

GAREC-14 focuses on the application of advanced technologies available in emergency communications. All Emergency Communication-minded radio amateurs and professionals are invited to attend. The venue is the Embassy Suites Hotel in Huntsville, adjacent to the Von Braun Convention Centre and the Hamfest. The Huntsville Hamfest is the Regional ARRL Centennial Event, held on Saturday August 16^th and Sunday 17^th. This is the second time Huntsville has hosted GAREC — previously it was in 2007. The GAREC-14 website contains a lot of information. An agenda to be finalised later is to include reports by IARU regions, those involved in recent emergency communications work and the technology that can be used.

GAREC-14 Website: http://​www​.w4ozk​.com/​G​A​R​E​C​1​4​.​htm
GAREC-14 Registration: http://​www​.arrl​.org/​g​a​r​e​c​-​2​014

The Radio Club de Chile has been activated due to earthquake. It is working in collaboration with ONEMI, National Emergency Office of the Ministry of Interior and Public Security.

Media reports are that five have died in the 8.2 magnitude on the Richter scale earthquake which hit off shore Chile sparking a tsunami warning.

All emergency frequencies and others may be in use.

- Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee.

The vanishing of the Malaysian Airline (MAS) Boeing 777 – 200ER jetliner with 239 passengers on board is a mystery that nine nations are trying to solve.

When flight MH370, ex-Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing, disappeared from the air traffic control radar, the MAS Emergency Management Centre (EMC) at Kuala Lumpur Airport provided accommodation for all next-of-kin at the Everly Hotel at Putrajaya.

The Malaysian Amateur Radio Transmitters’ Society President, Mohd Aris Bernawi 9M2IR, said MARTS was asked to provide a link between the airport and the hotel.

Mohd 9M2IR said at the hotel MARTS quickly set up a station, led by Zanirul Akhmal Zanirun 9M2PRO, and Azizi Samsuri 9W2ZZE was the MAS team leader.

NESRAC, a club from Negeri Sembilan, provided the volunteers for the station at the airport’s Emergency Management Centre.

MARTS provided a cross-band VHF/UHF link to avoid any unnecessary interference from the public services. An HF link was later added.

During the call-out there were 11 volunteers at EMC and 23 volunteers at the hotel, on a shift roster for the link.

Mohd 9M2IR, who oversaw the entire process, said MARTS an IARU member society, was pleased to be able provide the link on the very tragic occasion. The search for MH370 continues.

- Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee.

Since 31^st January Slovenia has been affected by extreme cold weather such as blizzards, heavy snow and sleet. This has caused the collapse of power lines under the weight of ice, snow and falling trees with electricity disruptions now affecting 250,000 people (25% of households). The restoration of electricity supply is being made difficult by the continuing bad weather. This has prompted Slovenia to request assistance from the European Union for mobile electric power generators with a capacity of 100 – 300+ kVA.

Within Slovenia, some radio amateurs are assisting with operations on a local community level due to problems with the mobile phone and professional radio networks. At the time of writing, no national request for assistance has been received but Slovenian Radio Amateurs are preparing to respond if required.

The European Union Civil Protection Mechanism has asked for assistance from nearby European states with Germany, the Czech republic and Austria providing generators and assistance. Because of uncertainty whether the Austrian teams responding to Slovenia will be able to communicate back to their home bases, the Austrian Fire Departments have asked Austrian Emergency Communicators to provide a link between Austria and Slovenia using Pactor/Winlink.

Gregor, OE1VGC the Emergency Communications Co-Ordinator for Austria asks all European Radio amateurs to keep clear of the following frequencies and services which are being used to support these links.

S51SLO 3.644MHz
OE3XEC 3.608 and 3.617MHz
OE6XPD 3.601MHz

Information on the European Union response can be found at :
http://​europa​.eu/​r​a​p​i​d​/​p​r​e​s​s​-​r​e​l​e​a​s​e​_​I​P​-14 – 102_en.htm