The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from 1^st June to 30^th November this year. So it is time to remind the wider Amateur Radio community that the following frequencies may be in use by nets in North and Central America to track and deal with the consequences of these severe weather events. Radio Amateurs in Region 2 play their part in gathering and distributing information for the weather and emergency services as they do every year.

Radio Amateurs in Region 1 are reminded it is possible to cause unintentional QRM to these nets so please listen carefully if operating near these frequencies:

Belize: 7.177MHz
Caribbean Emergency & Weather Nets (CEWN): 3.815 & 7.162 MHz
Caribbean Emergency: 14.185 MHz
Central America: 7.090 & 3.750 MHz
Cuba: 3.720, 3.740, 7.110 and 7.120 MHz
Eastern Caribbean Narrow Band Emergency System Net: 7.036 MHz USB (Olivia & MT63)
Guatemala: 7.075 MHz
Mexico: 3.690, 3.693(Alternative), 7.060 & 14.120 MHz
Nicaragua: Main Frequencies 3.798, 7.098, 14.298 MHz Alternate Frequencies 3.898, 7.108, 14.198MHz
Panama: 7.085 MHz
Republica Dominicana: 3.780, 7.065 (Main), 14.280 MHz

USA:
Maritime Mobile Service Net: 14.300 MHz
Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN): 14.265 MHz
Hurricane Watch Net: 14.325 MHz (day) 7.268MHz (Night)
National Hurricane Centre ( WX4NHC ) 14.325MHz

Other local emergency communications groups may also activate if a hurricane approaches their area and those frequencies would be announced at the time.

Thanks to the National Societies and Emergency Communications Groups of IARU Region 2 for updating their frequency information.

A Spanish translation of this article is available from here.

1 – 3 June beings the largest gathering of Radio Amateurs in Europe and also the largest gathering of Emergency Communicators at HAMRADIO 2018 in Friedrichshafen.

IARU Region 1 will be hosting a meeting for Radio Amateurs interested in Emergency Communications in Room Rom on Friday 1^st June between 1200 – 1530 local time.

The Working language for this meeting will be English and further details will be published closer to the event.

Ham Emergency Radio Operations have been in support of two weather events in the Philippines, Kai-Tak and Tembin, which brought significant damage and loss of life.

The first was tropical storm Kai-Tak at killed about 33 people, followed by tropical storm Tembin that swept through the southern Philippines, with reports that 200 lives have been lost.

Roberto C Vicencio ‘JoJo’ DU1VHY says HERO had HF coordination through the national emergency net at 7.095 MHz with three nets being held, 0700, 1700 and 1900.

Local clubs embedded with the government responders used designated channels and club frequencies.

JoJo says Kaitak ravaged the Central Visayas area, almost the same entry point as the Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, and maintained a stationary position for about three days.

“Much rain was dumped in the Samar and Tacloban areas of the Central Visayas region,” he said. “In situations like this, most of radio amateurs in the affected areas fold into the government’s regional/provincial disaster risk reduction management offices to consolidate the actions of the amateur and civic groups as well as the military and police forces.”

But after a respite of two days the southern island of Mindanao was threatened by Tembin.

HERO reported that this was anticipated and the government was able to mobilise the assets of radio amateurs and civic communications group as well as the police and armed forces.

Joyo says the wind strength and volume of rains inundated the island and the system took a direct path from east to west of Mindanao island.

Flooding hit houses and many lives were lost when people were trapped in their homes by the flash flooding.

He said: “Bridges, roads and agricultural fields were damaged. There was a shortage of communications too. “Many major transportation arteries were affected further stranding others who tried to escape. About 200 have been declared dead with the final count not yet determined.” Ed Escabarte DU8EE embedded with the regional disaster risk reduction management office mentioned that search is ongoing for survivors and bodies.

It is only the start of the season for adverse weather in the Philippines, with the HERO network prepared for other activations.

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

Tilen S56CT has reported the activation of Radio Amateurs in Slovenia on Saturday 9^th December after heavy snow caused damage in a small region in Slovenia, Zasavje, affecting about 20000 citizens. Electrical power lines were down and consequently internet and phone networks. A lot of roads were also blocked due to fallen trees.

A large part of the major town, Trbovlje lost electrical power, including the 112 Emergency Call receiving station. Calls from the public were transfered from Zasavje region to the Call receiving station in Ljubljana. Slovenian call centers are also dispatch centres, so this increased their workload dispatching teams outside their normal area.

A few hours after the breakdown operators from the regional Emergency Communications group S50ATR (Trbovlje) organised themselves to offer help with redundancy communications between the centres in Trbovlje and Ljubljana. The Centre in Trbovlje was very happy to accept the help, so Matjaz S57MK and Roman S56HVF immediately went to Trbovlje with enough charged radios for the professional communications, Winlink through a connection to a local radioclub which had a Satellite internet connection and reliable electricity. Also communication through the FM/DMR repeater system was established and has served as a link between Trbovlje and Ljubljana. In Ljubljana the S50ALJ regional team has also been activated to assist the 112 centre in Ljubljana using the S55DHF FM/DMR wide coverage repeater.

Zasavje region is known for its mountainous terrain and difficult radio coverage. Amateur Radio provides 3 repeater locations in that region along with a packet radio node on a TV tower, Satellite internet at the radio club S59DOR in Trbovlje and of course HF with Pactor, Winmor, etc. for Winlink.

All good examples of the diversity that amateur radio can bring to emergency communications.

The following update has been received from Jeff 9Y4J via Cesar Pio Santos HR2P the IARU Region 2 Emergency Communications Co-Ordinator concerning the relief efforts in Dominica, with specific reference to Telecommunications.

“1. An emergency operating centre was activated using the call sign J73EOC, with batteries and a generator installed

2. The NEOC is being manned by radio amateurs, some of whom arrived from neighbouring countries.

3. Limited mobile service is available in the capital of Roseau with free SMS messaging and WiFi being provided

4. Troops from Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, The UK, and France have arrived and are bringing some order back to the country after widespread looting.

5 The USA have started activating their citizens

6 The CEWN (Caribbean Emergency and Weather net) webmaster, Franz/J69DS has established a link from his server to the EOC in Roseau in order to pass on the more than 2,000 messages on hand.

7 The CEWN continues to maintain a watch on 7188 kHz and 3815 kHz daily.

8 Major infrastructural damage was done, thus limiting access to many areas on the island.”

Clear frequencies for the CEWN would be appreciated.

Meanwhile in Puerto Rico, radio amateurs have been operating brisk and busy ad hoc health-and-welfare traffic nets on 7.175 and 14.270 MHz. Only outgoing messages are being handled at the moment with incoming enquiries being directed to the American Red Cross ‘safe and well’ web pages. 2m is in heavy use supporting the restoration of utilities and law enforcement. Again clear frequencies for those listed and the Salvation Army SATERN net on 14.265MHz would be appreciated.