April 23rd, 2008 Posted in SHARES, SPARCS | Comments Off
PROVIDED FROM ARRL “VIEW FROM FLAGLER COUNTY” K1CE Rick Palm please subscribe to ARRL ARES E-Letter for more! —————————————–
During Katrina, and recently the Nevada earthquake, traditional cellular voice service was overwhelmed due to a combination of damaged infrastructure and system overloads. In many cases, however, it was noted that Short Messaging System (SMS or “text”) would often function when voice circuits would not.
It’s also possible to send these SMS messages via e-mail in most cases, using SMS Gateways. If you are deploying ham radio EmComm team members into an affected area, you should test their cell phones for this capability before they leave. It’s also important to limit the message length, since most carriers restrict SMS messages to 160 characters. Below is a list of the major carriers in North America that offer SMS gateway services. Others can usually be found using search engines.
An SMS gateway provides an easy way for you to communicate with deployed ham radio EmComm team members, family members, or anyone whose cell phone number and carrier you’re sure of. In many cases, we were able to help people outside the affected area reach their loved ones more quickly using these gateways.
Also, before deploying in approach of Katrina and Rita, we purchased inexpensive pre-paid cell phones at Wal-Mart for two or three of the other major carriers (we carry T-Mobile phones). These included Verizon, Cingular (AT&T), and Spring. Even in some of the worst areas impacted by the storms, we were usually able to communicate on at least one of the phones we had with us. This adds an important degree of team safety.
– Les Rayburn, N1LF, Shelby County, Alabama Emergency Coordinator NCS-SHARES NCS-047
Alltel
[10-digit phone number]@message.alltel.com
Example: 2125552555@message.alltel.co
AT&T Wireless (now part of Cingular)
[10-digit phone number]@mmode.com
Example: 2125552555@mmode.com
Boost Mobile
[10-digit phone number]@myboostmobile.com
Example: 2125552555@myboostmobile.com
Cingular
[10-digit phone number]@mobile.mycingular.com OR [10-digit number]@cingularme.com
Example: 4152555555@cingularme.com
Nextel (now Sprint Nextel)
[10-digit telephone number]@messaging.nextel.com
Example: 7035552555@messaging.nextel.com
Sprint PCS (now Sprint Nextel)
[10-digit phone number]@messaging.sprintpcs.com
Example: 2125552555@messaging.sprintpcs.com
T-Mobile
[10-digit phone number]@tmomail.net
Example: 4252555555@tmomail.net
Verizon
[10-digit phone number]@vtext.com
Example: 555255555@vtext.com
Virgin Mobile USA
[10-digit phone number]@vmobl.com
Example: 5552555555@vmobl.com
During the test, NHC Director Bill Read, KB5FYA, addressed the Amateur Radio community on the VoIP Hurricane Net and on the Hurricane Watch Net. Read spoke about the importance of Amateur Radio in hurricane-related disasters and thanked Amateur Radio operators for their support in past hurricanes. He encouraged hams to continue to provide that strong support as WX4NHC enters its 28th year of service and the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season begins. Read made several contacts with Amateur Radio operators during the test. 
The 
(May 18, 2008) — In November 2007, ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, wrote to the American Red Cross (ARC) regarding concerns voiced by ARRL volunteers. In 2006, the Red Cross stated it would implement background checks that included, among other things, a credit check and a “mode of living” check for its staff and volunteers, including ARES volunteers providing services to the Red Cross during disasters. ARRL saw these portions of the background check as unneeded and inappropriate for ARES service.