During disasters or other emergencies, radiograms are used to commu
nicate information vital to saving lives and property, or to inquire about the health or welfare of a disaster victim, often called 'health and wlfare trafic'. AND for a anyone affected by or in a disaster area to get the word out to family that they are safe. This is one of the things we are talking about when we say “When All Else Fails” – amateur radio is there! Amateur Radio operators practice these skills every year at field day or even our weekly nets. Remember hearing ‘Does anyone have any formal traffic to deliver or originate via the National Traffic System?’
The NTS was started in 1915 by the newly formed ARRL, as a method of using amateur radio to pass emergency and non-emergnecy messages. The NTS uses a standardized format that maintains accuracy, accountability uniformity and daily nets to pass messages to and from stations around the globe. The NTS uses ALL modes to communicate, Voice, CW, and Digital modes on any band used by amateur radio. Interested in becoming an NTS operator? No restrictions - ANY class of license and have an interest is all thats required.
More on the National Traffic System is found at: http://www.arrl.org/nts
From ARRL:
Information Resources • ARRL News • Ham Aid
National Hurricane Center
www.nhc.noaa.gov
The Hurricane Watch Net
www.hwn.org
active Red Cross Shelters
maps.redcross.org/website/maps/ARC_Shelters.html
Facebook Safety Check
www.facebook.com/about/safetycheck
Red Cross Safe and Well
safeandwell.communityos.org
Update on Hurricanes Irma, Jose and Katia
[ Edited from http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2017/september/update-on-hurricanes-irma-jose-and-katia.htm#.WbK2zzWQxpg posting]
The following is an update on Hurricanes Irma, Jose and Katia from Radio Amateurs of Canada. [They are] monitoring the progress of the storms in the Caribbean and any necessary Amateur response.
The National Hurricane Center has issued the following public advisories:
Hurricane Irma:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT1+shtml/061753.shtml
Hurricane Jose:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT2+shtml/060832.shtml
Hurricane Katia:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT3+shtml/071146.shtml
Stay tuned to [their] website and to [their] social media sites for more information:
Twitter https://twitter.com/ractweets and
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/radioamateurscdn/
Here is a list of frequencies:
Puerto Rico: 3.803, 3.808, 7.188 MHz. Radio Amateurs in Puerto Rico also will cooperate with the Hurricane Watch Network on 7.268 and 14.325 MHz.
Cuba: Daylight hours, 7.110 MHz (primary) and 7.120 MHz (secondary); Provincial Net: 7.045, 7.080 MHz, and on other lower frequencies as necessary. Nighttime, 3.740 MHz (primary) and 3.720 MHz (secondary) and on other lower frequencies as necessary.
Dominican Republic: 3.873 MHz (primary), 3.815 MHz (secondary), 7.182 MHz (primary), 7.255 MHz (secondary); 14.330 MHz (primary), 21.360 MHz (primary), 28.330 MHz (primary).
Your usual cooperation is appreciated.
Doug Mercer, VO1DM CEC
RAC Vice-President and Community Services Officer
Emergency Coordinator IARU Region 2
This year marks the 18th year of this great radio event. Originally started by the Northern Arizona DX Association, it was a way to allow amateur radio operators a fun way to “Relive the Ride.” They also can relive their own memories of Route 66, and get to celebrate the highway’s rich history in making the U.S. what it is today.
Citrus Belt Amateur Radio Club (CBARC) in San Bernardino, CA took over the event a couple years later and has grown into one of the best special amateur radio events each year.
Amateur radio clubs using special 1×1 callsigns operate from cities on or near the route from coast to coast. Hundreds of operators worldwide aim to contact as many radio operators as possible who would like to take part in this annual event.
More details on the Citrus Belt Amateur Radio Club website: http://w6jbt.org/?page_id=15
