SPARCS Ham Radio Emergency Communication

EMERGENCY COMM DRILL SCHEDULED FOR DEC 5, 2009

STX NAVMARCORMARS EMERGENCY EXERCISE
December 05 2009
TIMES 9:00 AM TILL 12:00 AM  
 
1. FIRST HOUR OF EXERCISE
A.  ACTIVATION OF STX MARS EMERGENCY NET. A TERRORIST HAS CAUSED AN EXPLOSION OF LARGE AMMONIA TANKS IN PORT ISABEL TEXAS. EMERGENCY NECOS ESTABLISHED WITH AN ALT STA TO RELAY TRAFFIC. COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE AREA ESTABLISHED AND NEEDS TO BE RELAYED.
2. SECOND HOUR OF EXERCISE.
A. CONTAINMENT OF FUMES AND TRANSPORT OF INJURED. ALL TRAFFIC TO BE RELAYED AS NECESSARY. SITUATION IS BEING STABLIZED AND PERSONEL IN PLACE.
3. THIRD HOUR OF EXERCISE.
A. SITUATION RETURNING TO NORMAL AND EMERGENCY BEING DOWNGRADED. AFTER ACTION REPORT TO BE FILED AND SECURING OF EMERGENCY NETS.

1.       ****DRILL**** A terrorist has blown up ammonia storage tanks at a large food processing plant in Port Isabel Texas. The explosion has released 10,000 gallon liquid ammonia. Liquid ammonia is spreading over large sections of the city. Extensive casualties and extensive injuries due to breathing ammonia fumes. Need all available ambulances and fire departments from surrounding cities with ammonia breathing equipment. All hospitals in area to be put on alert to expect large number of casualties. Need police from surrounding cities to block all roads into Port Isabel and only let in emergency Scenarios personnel and vehicles. Need air ambulances to evacuate injured people to adjacent hospitals. Alert Coast Guard to patrol harbors and waterways to keep boat traffic from affected areas. Ammonia fumes should be dissipating in two to three hours then emergency personnel can check for more casualties. Enclosed is copy of Toxic Endpoint ****DRILL****
2.       This will be a joint exercise with the following entities:
3.       Cameron County EOC
4.       City of Brownsville EOC
5.       Port Isabel Police Department
6.       U.S.Coast Guard (Port Isabel Station)
7.       Area Hospitals
8.       Area Police Departments
9.       Area Fire departments
10.    Mobile Mars/Shares Mobile Communications Van will be deployed.

STARS Emergency Powered WINLINK Digi-peater - W5RGV-1

Fully intended for WinLink RMS Packet Gateway the South Texas Amateur Radio Society (STARS) of the lower Rio Grand Valley in Texas operates a digital repeater station on 145.01 MHz simplex for those stations in Cameron and Hidalgo County who cannot reach a RMS Packet Gateway station directly. The digi-peater is located at the Blue Town commercial radio tower facility, the location provided to SPARCS by radio station KVMV of McAllen, in association with the STARS’ 146.70 MHz EmComm repeater.

The Valley is fortunate to have primary and multiple secondary RMS Packet Gateway stations now operating and established for WinLink use, “when all else fails”.  All hams who are capable of operating WinLink are welcomed and encouraged to operate. The Digi-peater is in operation to “assist” those stations outside of the range of the RMS Gateways due to the fact that all of the Gateway antennas are  lower to the ground than would normally be desired and require “digi-peating” to compare coverage to the voice repeater systems operated by STARS. 

SPARCS wishes to thank the following hams for contributing their equipment, some portion of their high speed Internet backbone, and a great deal of time maintaining their WinLink RMS Gateway nodes for operations in Emergency connditions:

AE5R-10  MAIN GATEWAY NODE  24/7 w/generator backup - Harlingen Police Dept.
K5RAV-10  BACKUP operational 24/7  K5RAV-Harlingen - emergency power
N5RGV-10 BACKUP operational 24/7  N5RGV-Brownsville

146.70 STARS’ MAIN REPEATER HUB - BLUE TOWN TEXAS

As we sail into August 2009 the STARS radio technicians were hard at work this past weekend adjusting and upgrading the STARS repeater backbone and related network components. KD5ZZE, WB5BMB, N5SLI and K5RAV installed an emergencybackup power system at the Brownsville 147.04 site that will deliver emergency power to that repeater for up to 3 days.

While KD5ZZE and WB5BMB were busy with Brownsville, N5SLI with assist from K5RAV put the tweak on 146.70 MHz primary repeater at Blue Town (La Feria).  The Blue Town repeater offers complete lower Rio Grande Valley-wide coverage between Hidalgo and Cameron Counties from the Coastal towns to McAllen providing excellent coverage to all ham operators along the Rio Grande.  Farther west, the STARS 146.76 repeater takes over in the McAllen - Edinburg area which was also recently upgraded with new antenna, transmission line adjustments, and a maintenance once-over for various settings and levels done by KD5ZZE. The 146.76 McAllen-Edinburg repeater is linked by UHF back to 146.70 MHz in Blue Town, ditto on the other repeaters in the STARS linked repeater network as well.

Finally after much planning and special effort from key hams in the Valley the repeaters listed below are now powered by automatic emergency backup systems with the remainder available for backup power connection as determined by the specific event at that time and until additional backup power supplies are available.

Brownsville 147.04                     Cameron County to South Padre
Harlingen    147.14                     Harlingen Vicinity
Blue Town   146.70                     Port Isabel To Mission - McAllen
Port Isabel  147.12                     Manual generator switch over as required

Cameron County Adopts New Portable HF / VHF / UHF Ham Gear

Our local RGV Cameron County EmComm team was contacted this week with a huge surprise, just in time for drills and tests in the upcoming HUREX 2009 and other events that will span Summer 2009 as we head into Hurricane Season.

Once the County contacted our group a committtee was quicly formed and reported to the secondary EOC location for the County, located in Harlingen, Texas. KB5TMC, KE5YYY and K5REW met with Cameron County Office of Emergency Prepardness Officials as the portable equipment was delivered by the vendor.  The 3 hams each assisted the commercial radio techs as they were testing additional portable radio gear meant to follow the Office of Emergency Prepardness in various hurricane situations.

Equipment received and now being tested as this artice is written is a Kenwood TM-710 Dual Band VHF-UHF fixed station; and a Kenwood TS-480 HF to 6 Meter fixed station mounted in a commercial radio cabinet along with their respective power supplies.  In addition, a highly portable antenna system was purchased and chosen by the radio communications vendor however it’s performance is leaving much to be desired considering that the antenna performs best at 20 meters and above which broadcasts right over the top and beyond where our signals need to be the strongest in a disaster.  Since our target for HF disaster communications is 80 Meters night time and 40 meteres daytime, our antenna requirements are for dipole and NVIS antennas in the horizontal plane.

Steps have already been taken to correct the antenna issue in ordering a 90 ft. B&W folded dipole which is designed for up to 400 miles range, fitting exactly the requirements for establishing communications to the State EOC, Camp Mabry in Austin and FEMA Federal Regional Center in Denton not to mention various MARS and SHARES stations across the countryside.

SKYWARN SPOTTER CLASS 4-28-2009 SOUTH PADRE ISLAND

Coast Guard Station South Padre Island is hosting a National Weather Service spotter seminar this coming Tuesday, April 28th 2009. Seating is now full and no addtional reservations being taken. Coast Guard members will be participating during the morning session that day, and the evening session will be taught for first responders along with 6 seats reserved for Cameron County ham radio licensees.  To determine if seats are available to register please call U.S. Coast Guard Station South Padre Island at 956-364-7400. Tell the individual that is standing watch that you would like to register for the storm spotter class at 7 p.m. Tuesday night, if there are seats still available.  Be sure and let them know the organization you are with is “ham radio operator”.  The seminars are being led by National Weather Service personnel from the Brownsville Weather Service Office. Joe Tomaselli will be instructing the evening session and Barry Goldsmith will lead the morning session for Coast Guard members. 

EmComm Workshops at 2009 National Hurricane Conference

On April 6-10, Amateur Radio had its largest presence ever at the 2009 National Hurricane Conference in Austin, Texas. Representatives from the ARRL, WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) and VoIP Hurricane Net (VoIPWXNet) completed several presentations at the conference as well as a presentation at the local Austin Amateur Radio Club. According to ARRL Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager Dennis Dura, K2DCD, the workshops were very well attended with more than triple the participation of prior conferences. You can CLICK HERE to get the complete story and much more information. Read about Dr. Woolweaver’s appointing an Assistant Director in charge of Emergency Communications!

PLEASE VOTE FOR LEE W5LHC FOR SECTION MGR THIS AUGUST

Our South Texas Section encompasses many miles and key American Cities of Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Corpus Christi and the Rio Grande Valley. South Texas hosts the NASA Manned Spaceflight Center in Houston, Two NBA franchises, an NFL franchise, some of the most famous Army, Air Force and Navy Bases, and of course the Texas Gulf Coast takes on quite a bit of punishment over just a few years time. And last but not least, our State Capital in Austin is a South Texas treasure. We should be proud of our ARRL leadership in South Texas and they should be proud of all ARRL members.

I’m voting for Lee Cooper this coming election for the South Texas Section Manager because I believe Texas should have the best available person that wants the job. It will be very difficult for anyother candidate who announces for this election to come anywhere close to the talent and capability of W5LHC. Mr. Cooper in all of his accomplishments and activity has convinced me that he has the ability, interest and energy to take us where we need to be in ARRL leadership here in South Texas.

My hat goes off to previous Section Managers who have demonstrated their own affections for our State and our South Texas Section and for their service I am thankful. I look forward to Lee’s plan for South Texas, his continued representation of our Ham Radio issues in the State Legislature and his ability and knowlege of what needs our focus right now, especially in the Section Emergency Coordinator and ARES programs. South Texas deserves the excellence that W5LHC will bring.

K5REW 

Jerry Reimer Comments On Lee Cooper Candidacy for Section Mgr

Lee is WELL qualified to lead our section, and I believe he will do so
with wisdom, experience, honesty, openness, and integrity. I support
his candidacy, and look forward to his election and leadership. Lee
understands the value of a viable ARES organization, ’cause he’s been
there and done that.

Let me tell you what I know about Lee. Until I saw this, I did not know
Lee was even considering running for Section Manager. He did not ask my
opinion about it, nor did he ask for my endorsement.

I know Lee has long been an active ARES member and leader in Travis and
Williamson counties. He was an AEC for nearly 10 years, and an EC for
four years. He helped launch the highly successful Travis county (and
now regional) hospital emergency communications group known as ARCHES.
He worked closely with the city of Austin emergency management to
integrate Amateur Radio and ARES into the new EOC & 911 communications
center. When he worked for DPS, he helped resurrect the Amateur Radio
program at the state EOC and encouraged more interaction among ARES
organizations and the Texas state RACES program.

Lee wrote part of a change to a state law, which allows state employees
to volunteer during disasters, without losing vacation and paid sick
time.

Professionally, Lee is an IT project manager at the Texas Health & Human
Services. He has gone above and beyond to earn the highly coveted
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. This is similar to
being a CPA.

Lee is going to get my vote when the ballot arrives in my mailbox. I
encourage all ARRL members to also vote to elect Lee as our next Section
Manager. I am highly confident that he will lead us in the right
direction.

Jerry
KK5CA

Lee Cooper For Section Manager - Announces Candidacy

April 9, 2009 -  Last night at the Austin Amateur Radio Club’s Hurricane conference meeting I announced to the members that I have submitted my name for consideration as Section Manager, South Texas section.

I have worked with most of you closely over the past few years as the PIC for the section.  I believe that I have had a good working relationship with all and I am looking forward to continuing that in a new role, if elected.  I hope you also believe that, working together, we can continue to grow the section and set the example for accomplishing many great things.

I seek your support and would ask for your vote this coming June.

Thanks in Advance,

73,

Lee, W5LHC

Assistant Director
Emergency Communications
West Gulf Division

Public Information Coordinator
South Texas Section

President
Austin Amateur Radio Club

New ARRL Emergency Communications Course in the Works

Over the past several months, ARRL staff have been reviewing the Amateur Radio Emergency Communications online course program and have decided to combine two of the three Emergency Communications courses. According to ARRL Education Services Manager Debra Johnson, K1DMJ, the review included a critical examination of the course content, as well as methods of course delivery and interrelationships with government organizations. Johnson said that the decision was made to revise the Level 3 course to become a new Advanced Emergency Communications Course; this, she said, will replace both the current Level 2 and Level 3 courses. The new advanced course is set to be released during the last quarter of 2009.  CLICK FOR FULL STORY

SOLAR CYCLE BEHAVING LIKE THE STOCK MARKET

April 1, 2009: The sunspot cycle is behaving a little like the stock market. Just when you think it has hit bottom, it goes even lower. 2008 was a bear. There were no sunspots observed on 266 of the year’s 366 days (73%). To find a year with more blank suns, you have to go all the way back to 1913, which had 311 spotless days: plot. Prompted by these numbers, some observers suggested that the solar cycle had hit bottom in 2008.

Maybe not. Sunspot counts for 2009 have dropped even lower. As of March 31st, there were no sunspots on 78 of the year’s 90 days (87%).  CLICK FOR STORY AND GRAPHS

Ready for Field Day 2009? - Better Bring an Air Conditioner!

Mar 23, 2009) — The official 2009 ARRL Field Day Web page is up and running. This page includes a summary of available resources, with links to Field Day forms and rules, logos and reference links. The page also includes a quick link to the map-based Field Day Station Locator where users can search for public Field Day sites. “Field Day is the largest on-the-air operating event,” said ARRL Field Day Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND. “The event draws tens of thousands of radio amateurs to the airwaves over a single weekend.” This year, Field Day is June 27-28. 

According to Henderson, it has become a tradition to create a new logo each year to commemorate Field Day: “This year’s logo evokes a sense of the ‘great outdoors’ in camp-like fashion. We hope the logo inspires even more participants to get active, get outdoors and get on-the-air.” This year’s logo was designed by ARRL Graphic Arts Supervisor Sue Fagan, KB1OKW, and Senior Technical Illustrator David Pingree, N1NAS.

The Field Day page also includes a link for ordering commemorative Field Day T-shirts, hats, pins and other supplies. All of the items are available for ordering now; many of the items are already in stock. Radio clubs are encouraged to order early.

Need Net Controls For Hurricane Watch Net on 20 Meters

With hurricane season approaching, the various organizations that assist the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami are gearing up for what could be a very active storm season. One organization that assists the NHC is the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN). To better assist the NHC, HWN Manager Dave Lefavour, W7GOX, told the ARRL that the HWN is looking for new members. “The Hurricane Watch Net relies on volunteer operators — our members — who serve as our net control stations,” he said. “HWN members are hams who have above-average stations, are capable of effectively conducting HF net operations and are willing to commit their time to operating in support of the HWN’s mission during Net activations. The Net sessions can be long, and, in the recent absence of sunspots, pretty grueling.”  [CLICK FOR MORE]

Global Simulated Emergency Test Scheduled for April

Global Simulated Emergency Test Scheduled for April (Mar 19, 2009) — The HQ Stations of all IARU Member-Societies, as well as the stations of Emergency Communications Groups, have been invited by IARU Region 1 to participate in the 2009 Global Simulated Emergency Test (GlobalSET), on Saturday, April 18, 2009 from 1100-1500 UTC. The GlobalSET will take place on and near the emergency Center of Activity (CoA) frequencies on 80, 40, 20, 17 and 15 meters, +/- QRM. Stations in the United States intending to participate need to register through their IARU International Emergency Communications Coordinator. For the United States, registrations should be e-mailed to ARRL Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager Dennis Dura, K2DCD. Dura confirmed that W1AW will participate in the GlobalSET.     Full Story

Coast Guard to Discontinue LORAN Radio Services

Last month, the US Coast Guard announced that due to economic conditions, they would be closing down the 24 LORAN-C (Long Range Aid to Navigation) stations operated under the auspices of the USCG. LORAN stations provide navigation, location and timing services for both civil and military air, land and marine users. According to the USCG, LORAN-C is approved as an en route supplemental air navigation system for both Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) and Visual Flight Rule (VFR) operations. The LORAN-C system serves the 48 continental states, their coastal areas and parts of Alaska.

On February 26, 2009, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) publicly announced the President’s Fiscal Year 2010 Budget. In the section for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the budget “supports the termination of outdated systems such as the terrestrial-based, long-range radionavigation (LORAN-C) operated by the US Coast Guard, resulting in an offset of $36 million in 2010 and $190 million over five years.” The USCG, once a part of the US Department of Transportation, is now under the direction of DHS.

LORAN-A stations were developed beginning in World War II, and signals were transmitted on frequencies in and around our present-day 160 meter band. LORAN-A was responsible for reduced amateur radio operations, including frequency and power limitations, on 160 meters in the United States. In 1979, the Coast Guard phased out the LORAN-A stations; they were replaced by LORAN-C stations. The newer stations operated on 100 kHz, enabling the restrictions on 160 meters due to LORAN functions, to be dropped.

According to the Coast Guard, the nation’s oldest continuous sea-going service will continue to operate the current LORAN-C system through the end of fiscal year 2009; it is in the process of preparing detailed plans for implementing the fiscal year 2010 budget. According to USCG Vice Commandant and Chief Operating Officer Vice Admiral V. S. Crea, further details of the LORAN-C termination plan will be available upon the submission of the President’s full budget. — Some information provided by Cliff Appel, W7CGA

Armed Forces Comm and Elec Assn Supports MARS & SHARES

On Feb 17th the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, known as AFCEA  printed a very nice article about amateur radio MARS support as well as MARS supporting and providing operational expertise for the National Communications System SHARES program.  Please CLICK HERE to read the article on the AFECA web site.  A good read by any means!

HAM RADIO EMCOMM SETS UP AT HOME DEPOT

Home Depot as a location for disaster communications prior to, during and after disaster strikes. What an idea. Just when you thought that hams were doing just about everything they could do for emcomm around here, up comes someone with a fresh idea that is actually worth the effort or so it seems!  Setting up an emergency communications station at Home Depot is brilliant. This is where homeowners come to gather materials just before disasters arrive, especially in our neighborhood here along the Texas Gulf coast.  Having a working ham radio station with operators who are able to actually add presence and personality and engage the public is simply genius for everyone concerned.  This effort allows the home owner, family or head of household to see emergency communications concepts in action and to know better about what and who to look for when disaster strikes. Our congratulations to these fine hams out on the west coast up in the state of Washington of all places, out in the land of Fruits and Nuts, and I’m not talking about oranges and pecans.  Read the article in the Daily Astorian newspaper by CLICKING HERE

Distress Beacons at 121.5 and 243 MHz Phased Out

As of February 1, the Cospas-Sarsat (Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking) satellites are no longer monitoring distress beacons at 121.5 and 243 MHz. All mariners, aviators and individuals who use emergency beacons on those frequencies will need to switch to the newer, digital 406 MHz frequency if they want to be detected by the monitoring satellites. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) claims that in 2008, beacons monitored by the Cospas-Sarsat worldwide system were responsible for almost 300 lives saved, including 203 people rescued in 65 in at-sea incidents and 12 people rescued in 7 aviation incidents.

“Over the years, many amateurs have played vital roles by monitoring frequencies that the satellites have stopped tracking,” said ARRL Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager Dennis Dura, K2DCD. “While the switchover to 406 MHz just occurred, there is still ‘older’ equipment out in the world, so amateurs may want to continue monitoring, as they may save a person’s life who doesn’t have the latest gear, but is in distress and needs to be found.”

According to NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS), NOAA, the US Coast Guard, the US Air Force and NASA monitored these emergency beacons. According to NESDIS, problems in the frequency band that inundated search and rescue authorities with poor accuracy, as well as numerous false alerts that adversely impacted the effectiveness of lifesaving services, were some of the deciding factors to stop the monitoring of 121.5 and 243 MHz. The agency also acknowledged that two United Nations agencies — the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) — recommended the switchover to the 406 MHz digital frequency, even though the beacons for this frequency will cost more.

Cospas-Sarsat provides a satellite based worldwide monitoring system that detects and locates distress signals transmitted by 406 MHz Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs, used in aviation), Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs, used for maritime) and Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs, used by individuals). The system includes space and ground segments that process the signals received from the beacon source and forwards the distress alert data to the appropriate Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) for action.

NOAA said that the 406 MHz emergency beacons have “superior performance capabilities” as compared to the 121.5 and 243 MHz beacons, as they “transmit a stronger signal and are more accurate, verifiable and traceable,” and that the 406 MHz distress signals can be “easily detected within a matter of minutes. Each 406 MHz beacon has a unique ID encoded within its signal. As long as the beacon has been registered (required by law), RCCs can quickly confirm that the distress is real, who they are looking for and where they should look. This means that a search can be launched even before a final distress location has been determined. Position accuracy means the search area is less than 2 nautical miles in radius, which decreases the amount of time SAR teams must search.”

JUMP TEAM BOOT CAMP 2009

The Bexar Operators Group (W5BOG) located in San Antonio, Texas, will again sponsor “Jump Team Boot Camp” in 2009, commencing on October 23 rd (Friday morning) and running through the 25th (Sunday evening). Unlike last year’s MARS orientated session, this year’s “Boot Camp” will concentrate on amateur radio and the ways and means to get a “Jump Team” operational should there be a need to deploy some distance from your home and communicate in the aftermath of a disaster. Just like last year’s session, this will be an actual drive-and-operate operation and NOT a desktop drill. Participants for this session will meet at a central staging area. Pre-deployment maps will be given out at this time, although due to the nature of real emergencies along any caravan route, driving directions may change due to “flooding” and other concerns so each vehicle must be equipped with 2 meter capabilities. When the destination has been reached, all participants will assist in the construction of shelters and operating areas. We will be teaching the proper way to do a site evaluation before any structure is erected in order to avoid problems which could be encountered should weather take a turn for the worse (additional rains and/or high winds). Unlike last year, we will be supplying energy to operate using three types of power: gas generation, solar generation and wind turbine generation with instruction on the set up and operation each system. Since it is important that every Jump Team member have a firm grasp of all aspects of setting up and operating during an emergency, special emphasis will be placed on the logical sequence of setting up (structures, power and antennas), meeting nutritional requirements (basic cooking and meal planning), station operation and message logging/handling and band propagation. Along with instructions during each phase of setting up and operation, there will be short lectures and discussions. The true test of communicating during less than favorable conditions will be done on this weekend as this session coincides with the “CQ WW SSB” contest. This weekend was chosen because it will help “train your ear” to listen for information you will need to “report” amid interference. We will also check in to various HF nets during our operation and pass mock traffic to stations who will be awaiting our messages. All communications gear, antennas, shelters, instructional booklets and food will be provided. Participants will be given a short list of what they need to bring (personal items).

If any amateur radio operator, with a sincere interest in emergency communications, wishes to sign up for this 2009 “Jump Team Boot Camp”, please email me at Alonestaryank@aol.com with the subject: “Boot Camp”. This event will be limited in the number of attendees. Please be sure to read the section on “Creating A Viable Jump Team” located at: WWW.W2IK.COM so you will have a basic understanding of jump team operation. Also be aware that the actual destination will not be a local park so like an actual emergency communications deployment we will have to bring everything that we need. This will be more rustic in nature than last year’s boot camp. Cell phones, again this year, will NOT be allowed.
 
Bob  W2IK - NNN0KSI - Navy Marine Corps MARS

ARISS 25th Ham Radio In Space Anniversary this week!

This is the week that Owen Garriott W5LFL made history 25 years ago by being the first Ham Operator to talk to hams from space.  This happened on the Space Shuttle Columbia with flight STS-9 in 1983.  Many of us who were licensed at the time can easily remember how exciting it was to monitor the first contacts from Columbia. These events have been so successful that they continue today as show by our own AB5JO Joe here in the Valley with his two-meter voice contact with the Space Station just a few weeks ago. 

Last month Owen Garriott’s son Richard W5KWQ became the very first second-generation ham operator to travel in space and talk to other hams on the ground.  —— To celebrate the 25 year anniversary ARISS has planned a set of special events for December and part of January.  Special Certificates are available for those who communicate with the Space Station in orbit either two-way direct with the ISS Crew, the digipeater or cross-band repeater or one-way reception of slow-scan TV or voice downlink. Several surprises are planned over the month long celebration and are soon to be announced so stay tuned to www.arrl.org.  Those who are running packet stations might want to tune to 145.825 MHz to monitor the situation beginning December 7 as they will be testing 9600 baud, and on December 14 they’ll switch to 1200 baud for the next five days from the 14th to the 19th. These operations will also be coordinated with PC-Sat in “full sun” starting December 9th so that double hop opportunities can be supported. Also during this time and especially on the weekends there is a huge chance for slow-scan TV transmissions from the space station.  For more information head to www.arrl.org.

Digital Technology for Emergency Communications (on CD)

With digital technology becoming an integral part of Amateur Radio, hams interested in Emergency Communications now have a new tool to help them take advantage of emerging modes such as Packet Radio APRS, Winlink 2000, IRLP, EchoLink and WIRES-II, D-STAR, APCO25, HF sound card modes and Automatic Link Establishment (ALE). The ARRL Digital Technology for Emergency Communications Course will introduce hams to all of the ways Amateur Radio operators are using digital technology as a valuable emergency communications tool.  CLICK FOR FULL STORY

Skywarn Recognition Day is Fri-Sat Dec 5th and 6th - Signup!

Its that time of year once again for the annual Skywarn Recognition Day.  The National Weather Service office in Brownsville will again host local hams wishing to participate in this years SRD. 

Operating times for the event are Central Standard Time (CST) from 6 p.m. on Friday December 5th to 6 p.m. on Saturday December 6th.  Hams will sign up for shifts lasting two hours each and may sign up for as many shifts as are available provided that everyone who wants to operate has a chance to do so.  This year’s emphasis is on having operators serve one or more shifts late at night, overnight and early morning hours. Each shift can hold at least two operators and possibly three according to Mr. Miller a lead forecaster at NWS.  If you would like to participate in this year’s SRD please contact Brian at his email address (CLICK HERE) or simply telephone Brian at 956-504-1432 and leave a message should he not be available.

 For more details and to sign up for SRD at National Weather Service please contact Brian above or CLICK HERE to visit the 2008 SRD web site.  We hope to see you there! 

The Next Time Could Be Different

“It is better to be ready and not needed, than to be needed and not ready”…         David Summer, K1ZZ ARRL CEO

Amateurs in the affected areas received many communications assignments and were able to carry them out with available personnel. However, it is somewhat sobering that we were not able to assemble a longer list of qualified volunteers willing to be deployed, had they been needed, from adjacent areas. We will be working to improve this in the future.

Not every hurricane season is going to be like 2005. Not every storm is going to be a Katrina. But when they are, we must be prepared.

READ THE COMPLETE EDITORIAL HERE

2008 Hurricane Season Withers on the Vine

by ryanm on October 31st, 2008

The North Atlantic hurricane season has nearly come to an end. As November progresses, the chance of another storm developing becomes smaller. Climatology (last 60 years) tells us that roughly 4 in 10 years see a November storm formation including 4 in 2005 (Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon), Hurricane Michelle (2001), Hurricane Lenny (1999), and Hurricane Kate (1985). Jeff Masters from the Weather Underground has an image of previous early-November storm tracks especially clustered in the Western Caribbean.

So, what has the 2008 season wrought in the North Atlantic and how well did the seasonal prognosticators fare?  FOR MUCH MORE INFO AND GRAPHICS CLICK HERE

Local Ham Contacts Richard Garriott W5KWQ aboard the ISS!

On Sunday, October 12, Richard Garriott W5KWQ from Austin, TX became the sixth private citizen to fly with the Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA) for a  mission on the International Space Station (ISS). Richard is following in the footsteps of his Dad, astronaut Owen Garriott, W5LFL, who was the first amateur radio operator to have a QSO from space. Richard docked with the ISS on the 14th, two days after launch.

Garriott, a successful video game industry professional, had numerous scheduled contacts planned during his trip including those with several schools, amateur radio friends and even the Mayor of Austin. In the end his flight provided a unique opportunity for ground stations to make contact via amateur radio with someone who had more time for contacts than “professional” astronauts aboard the ISS typically do. That being said, there was a rapidly growing number of amateur radio operators vying to log a contact with W5KWQ and the International Space Station Amateur Radio Club, NA1SS.

On Saturday, October 17th while attending the weekly Charro Amateur Radio Club meeting in Brownsville, my attention turned to satellite and space communications while discussing Richard’s mission with K5REW. Ric shared his past experiences with space shuttle communications and provided several helpful tips. My ongoing interest in actively working satellites must have been sufficiently energized since by Sunday morning I was up early to attempt my first space contact… And there he was, as clear as day– and right on time! Somewhat surprised at how clear he was coming in, I figured, this must be just as easy as many say it is: “you can work the ISS with a 3 or 5 watt HT and even get away with just using the rubber duck antenna the radio comes with”. So, with that in mind, I dropped the power on my base station ICOM IC-220H and called… And called.. and called… And yes, called some more. Helloooo?

To my dismay, he was acknowledging stations in Houston  and Dallas, but what about me or others in the Valley? Later that afternoon I caught the tail end of a QSO he was having as I started my car- Gave my call but again, too late. Later that day Jerry KB5TMC sent an e-mail with some slow scan TV images that Richard had transmitted. Jerry’s e-mail motivated me further…. I reeeeeally wanted to do this now.

I dusted off a small three element Arrow Yagi and fashioned it for use with my mobile. Next, I went on a field trip at the crack of dawn to Port Isabel figuring that I would do better there at reaching the Southern Gulf of Mexico just above the horizon than from my home QTH in Los Fresnos. I also had a “plan B”. If initial attempts failed, I could drive across the Queen Isabella bridge and, if timed just right, should have an unobstructed path while atop the bridge.  Well I gave it a go and resorted to “Plan B” but still no success.

Not being known as a person that easily gives up I took a better look at the remaining pass trajectories for that day. A later morning pass attempted from home yielded no improvement. I figured that my best remaining chance would be to attempt a contact while he was a high overhead as possible– not near the horizon. There was one such attempt that afternoon. I waited and tried but I did not even hear Richard at all, even as he was tracked pretty much over head…. Maybe he was taking a nap or conducting some top secret experiment?  His mission would soon be over and how could we have him fly over the Valley without at least saying “Hola”? Wednesday morning would put him following the path of an arc over the RGV once more… This attempt had to count.

I decided to give it a go from home this time, watching his trajectory on my computer while using an Alinco DR135 and the same Yagi. The plan was to aim the antenna at the ISS through his trajectory and follow his path as best could be accomplished manually. It was a clear morning with very few clouds and the stars made quite an impressive backdrop to “my mission”. This time I began transmitting my call at about 30 seconds before I anticipated his being in range, figuring if he heard me first, I might have an edge. At 11:23:44 UTC he was commencing his pass. I called a couple of times, no Richard. Then… Two minutes later at 6:25 Central Time… Eureka! “This is Richard W5KWQ aboard the International Space Station; station in Los Fresnos, Texas please call back.” Could it be? “This is AB5JO in Los Fresnos, TX, just want to congratulate you on your flight and wish you a safe trip home”. “We are starting to prepare for the trip back now. Good contact, thank you.” And, as quickly as our contact began, he was no longer heard.

How cool, I thought. Hey, one for the Valley. Thinking back, Ric and Jerry motivated me enough to “Just do it” and although I was getting more and more suspicious of my success, I was getting equally as determined. As it has been proven time and time again with Ham Radio, ingenuity, determination and an unobstructed path– and the proper antenna go a long way. Hope this motivates you to go out and do something you have been meaning to do.
For now, I have to get to mowing my lawn!
73,
 Joe

For further reading:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Garriott

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/10/17/10392/
***

Digital Communications Conference: “Pretty Interesting!”

Victor Poor, W5SMM, gave an update on Winlink 2000. “He reported that there is one Web site, five Common Message Server sites around the world, 150 Radio Message Service Pactor Gateway sites, 800 RMS Packet Gateway sites and over 13,000 registered users,” Wolfgang said. “He also mentioned that inactive users are purged from the system from time to time.” For more information on the 2008 Digital Communications Conference, please visit TAPR’s DCC Web page.  Please read the complete article on the ARRL WEB SITE by CLICKING HERE.

ARMY MARS in Iraq Seeks Personnel to Run Lead Station

Army Captain Jeff Hammer,YI9IC/N9NIC, the custodian of the Baghdad Amateur Radio Society (BARS), is due to come home after a nine month tour of duty with the Indiana National Guard. “I need someone I can turn the BARS station over to,” he said. “Please assist me in finding other Amateur Radio operators in or coming to Iraq.”

Keeping the club active is a challenge in the face of constant troop rotation, Hammer said. “Operating Amateur Radio in camp is fairly easy, as long as you ask your commander and don’t cause interference,” he said. “If you know of any hams deploying to Iraq, contact me as soon as possible to coordinate the transfer of equipment and discuss licensing procedures.” Hammer can be reached via e-mail.

Gov Perry Appoints K5RAV to the Council Overseeing Texas DSHS

Harlingen and Rio Grande Valley hams overwhelmingly applaude Vice Director  K5RAV Dr. David Woolweaver being appointed by Texas Governor Rick Perry today to the 9 member council that oversees the Texas State Department of State Health Services, formally known as Texas Department of Health.  You can pick up the story on the ARRL web site by clicking here!

IKE CAME VERY CLOSE TO EFFECTING TEXAS POWER GRID

A story from Houston’s KHOU TV 11 News reports that Southwest Texas came within minutes of a complete power disaster much worse then what we know now.  Check out the story and watch the video on the KHOU web site out of Houston.  (CLICK HERE)

Dolly Numbers Are In From AEP - Amazing Statistics & Logisitics

The Corpus Christi Caller-Times is reporting AEP’s logistical numbers for Hurricane Dolly support. The story is on their web site and pretty amazing especially when you think of all the manpower and machines that went into restoring our power here at South Padre Island and Port Isabel and the ten other counties surrounding us that required power restoration.  Besides the overwhelming gratitude of thanks and appreciation to AEP and their heroic and legendary efforts at getting our power on after Hurricane Dolly, we should remember that this was a small light-weight catagory Two (2) storm for a short while. There are three (3) levels of hurricane consider stronger then the second level up, which Dolly was.  Enjoy the Caller-Times article by CLICKING HERE FOR MORE and to read all about how many poles, transformers and other logistics. Plus don’t miss the photo gallery of their staging area at  Port Isabel High School, their feeding tents and sleeping quarters!  (CLICK FOR MORE)

Photo Comparison of Bolivar Peninsula Before & After Ike

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTO PAGE

ALSO… KK5CA REPORTS FROM HIS HOME IN HOUSTON TEXAS…

“God was good to us and spared our house from damage. A few pine trees and the wooden fences did not fare so well.

I was out of state before and during the storm on a long planned trip. My wife KC5BXR did a great job of preparing the house before she had to report to the command center at Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center for the storm’s duration. After 5 consecutive days at the hospital, sleeping a few hours at a time on an air mattress in her office, she was released late Monday afternoon.  Among the Memorial Hermann hospital systems, the TMC was the only one which did not lose power during the storm. Some of you may remember it was flooded during TS Allison in 2001.

I returned home about 2 PM Monday afternoon. As of Wednesday morning, 5 days after it went out, we remain without electric power and internet connectivity. The generator keeps the now empty refrigerator cool and the water flowing, as long as gasoline is available. I know the warm water remaining in the water heater will eventually run out, and it’s cold showers after that.

We have not been running the generator long enough to recharge the deep cycle batteries, so the home station is only operating when the generator is running. I hope to stretch our gas supply long enough to avoid sitting in the hours-long lines to purchase from the few open stations. The battery backup on my Davis weather station eventual expired, and lost my hoped-for records of maximum wind speeds.

In our small sub-division of 400 residences, at least 390 are without commercial
electric power. A few streets remain blocked by large downed trees. A few
houses have trees through them. ALL have tree damage and yards full of green
debris. The most common sounds are generators and chain saws.

My employer  had my building flood, again. The last time was TS Allison in 2001. This time, the drain for a small atrium in the center of the building became blocked, allowing the atrium to will with rain water. At one time, my office had the only door into that atrium, and that was how the water entered the building this time. I long ago vacated that office. Most of the offices are unusable due to water damage, and the sheet rock is cut
out 2-feet up each wall. Our manufacturing and warehouse areas were unaffected;
only the administrative areas. We are shuffling the employees that are able to
make it to work into conference rooms.

Cell phone service, even text messaging, is difficult in most Verizon and AT&T service areas. POTS continues to work in most areas, providing you have a non-AC powered phone.

Most large grocery stores that are open do not have bread or dairy products.

In Harris County alone, more than 2 million residents and businesses are without commercial power. One restoration model from Centerpoint Energy (the largest provider) says 50-75% of them will have power restored by next Tuesday, September 23. Upwards of 10,000 skilled electric power specialists are working 24 hours a day. The project is massive. Other counties are similarly affected.

My church held only one service Sunday morning; no bible study classes; and will conduct a shortened Wednesday night service using generator power”.

Jerry
KK5CA

DEEP SOUTH TEXAS HAMS PREP FOR IKE ARRIVAL

Monday Evening September 8, 2008 — 8:30 p.m. 

To: All Cameron County Ham Radio Support Team Members

From: K5REW - STARS/SPARCS Cameron County EMCOMM Coordinator

Subject:  IKE as of Monday night -  Elevated Condition 3 

Wishful thinking had the storm moving farther north as it leaves Cuba as it still might just be doing, still a possibility but I am forwarding you the attached graphic of tonight’s GFS run (the red line) along with the other super-computer model runs.  I’m sure you will be as concerned about this as I am tonight. The “GFS” stands for Global Forecasting System and is one of the US Government’s main supercomputer programs located in Washington DC. Note that none of the computer models have 100% accuracy, and this is one of several as you can see in the model run. Other information should be compared to this 8 pm. EDT run including the model that Dr. Woolweaver provides to us several times each day from his station in Harlingen.

I’m elevating our ham radio communications group to CONDITION THREE (3) status, up from the routine daily “4″ condition we observe during normal day to day life in the Valley. The elevated condition “3″ can be found on the SPARCS.US web site alert page:

http://www.sparcs.us/home/alert-status/

In regard to the attachment… Our general location can be found to be situated in the middle of a wide swath. As of tonight IKE is weak and could weaken more I understand. Much can change and probably will before we know a lot more and with much more reliability. I urge you to proceed cautiously ahead.

Our IKE efforts will begin Tuesday night at 7 p.m. on 146.70 MHz with an “IKE Info Net”. We’ll look forward to your check-in and reporting in. Here we’ll focus on information as we know it from NWS, Hurricane Center and our Local Authorities. WA5ZIP or WB5GFU will be calling the net precisely at 7 pm depending upon Patti’s schedule at work.

At some point it might become necessary to assemble radio systems and antennas at our EOC locations in Cameron County and I greatly appreciate everyone who could possibly contribute time, effort and any extra equipment you may have from dipoles to masts, and from two meter to HF. The need for two-meter and HF antenna systems including radios could be significant. Coordinators for each EOC will be as follows so please contact the hams below to arrange any support you can provide whether it be operating a schedule or contributing equipment of some type. Not everyone is able to contribute and that fact shouldn’t deter anyone from participating in the EmComm effort. Hams that participated in the Cameron County ID Badge program will be called upon to serve in the Cameron EOC if a storm should begin to indicate problems for us. Our coordinators for both Brownsville and Cameron EOC locations are:

Brownsville EOC:  K5VC Bob Austin and KF0MP Andy Treat
Cameron County EOC: KB5TMC Jerry Rogers
National Weather Service: WA9IES Ralph Waddups

If you are able to spare time and energy in the effort to equip and possibly operate from the EOCs in Brownsville, please contact me or the coordinators above as soon as possible so that they can develop their plan accordingly.

Once again, this is simply an elevated condition up one level from routine to “A STAY ALERT CONDITION 3″ due to the possibility of IKE’s route through the Gulf of Mexico as the week unfolds.

NOAA UPS HURRICANE FORECAST FOR 2008 SEASON

NOAA updated it’s hurricane forecast for the U.S. Atlantic Hurricane Season on Thursday August 7.   Now there is an 85% probability that we’ll see an “above normal” hurricane season, up from a 65% probability forecasted recently at the beginning of the season. Please visit the NOAA web site for their prediction and story. (READ HERE)

HURRICANE DOLLY EMCOMM: The Real Story

Rio Grande Valley
Hurricane Dolly After Action Report
From K5REW
Former DEC District 3 ARES
South Texas Section

August 5, 2008

Although a couple of active hams who are key stations in the local EmComm plan and the subsequent Dolly operations were severely affected by the Hurricane strike, no injuries or serious loss of property were reported at this point to our group.  Active in the Brownsville EOC at request of the EMC were K5VC and KF0MP who braved much more than the storm to maintain amateur communications at that location. KB5TMC bravely stood by at Cameron County EOC blocks away, and Harlingen EOC ham radio positions were operated by ham operators recently licensed from a group of Police Department communications dispatch employees.  WA9IES and XYL stood by at National Weather Service Brownsville on two meters and WB5GFU with KC5RFW and WA5ZIP provided the best Net Control Station talent available in the State or Nationally, by far.  This effort without any doubt continues to be the only significant ham radio effort that took place in the Rio Grande Valley especially in Cameron County which was the focus and location of Dolly’s landfall.

Dolly didn’t force any severe communications blackouts but there were situations where specific cell sites failed, public safety radio systems lost channels and telephone outages were reported in South Padre Island and Port Isabel. City and County EOC operations along the river were able to maintain their collective electronic communications means, and therefore our official mission “to provide communications when all else fails” was not required from hams in the area.  We dodged a huge bullet.

As in any emergency such as a hurricane our public safety and public works responders were overtaxed and overwhelmed. Ham radio operators were pressed into service to assist local shelters and fire stations, Salvation Army, Red Cross and the Baptist Men’s Kitchen feeding unit during the response and recovery phase of Dolly.  These agencies and others enjoyed tremendous support by STARS (South Texas Area Repeater Society) using the only wide area coverage repeater that remained operational due to it’s advanced emergency backup generator system with associated linked stations in the Rio Grande Valley.  The STARS network operates it’s cornerstone repeater on 146.70 MHz with Echolink and IRLP nodes with “autostart - drop load” or “ADL” emergency generator status.

We are making recommendation to our served agencies (CUSTOMERS) that permanent EOC locations be selected and allowed to have ham radio equipment including outside antennas installed as soon as possible. No EOC in Cameron County except the Harlingen Police Department had any ham radio or antenna equipment installed and available. Hams had to bring their own antennas along with their own radios and power supplies in order to operate. This made it very difficult to setup services such as WinLink and Airmail as well as other digital modes, not to mention plain voice communication. 

Our very dedicated ham operators listed below by call sign were very active in providing emergency communications before, during and after Hurricane Dolly with operations support. Ham elements of the Salvation Army and Red Cross including Baptist Men’s Kitchen enjoyed the use of the wide area repeater network through 146.700 repeater.  During the relentless and slow arrival of the storm and it’s subsequent stall just offshore of Brownsville and South Padre Island communication was established via WinLink with the State EOC (SOC), MARS and SHARES HF stations and which continued during the recovery phase of the operations.

Although the Ham Operators mentioned below were active through STARS EmComm Group there appeared to be no other organized ham radio response or recovery efforts outside of MARS and DHS SHARES (who also are closely coordinated with STARS) in the Rio Grande Valley.  Many thanks go to the following hams who made it all happen for the EOC and local government response plan, including Salvation Army, Red Cross and Baptist Men’s Kitchen:

KF0MP, K5VC, KB5TMC, W5CZI, WA9IES, K5RAV, KD5ZZE, N5SLI, WB5GFU, KC5RFW, WA5ZIP, N5PVL, N5RGV, KC5MOL, K5REW, WA4BEW, AB0EG, and many others who call the Rio Grande Valley their home.

####

TS DOLLY INFORMATION AS OF SUNDAY / EARLY MONDAY

PLEASE REMAIN ALERT FOR UPDATES AND DEVELOPMENTS. AS OF SUN JULY 20th 11:30 p.m. there will be morning conference calls across the State to determine the next phase of planning and preparation for possible arrival of a CAT 1 or possibly a CAT 2 Hurricane. As of tonight we remain in a “CONDITION 4 OPS NORMAL” mode which can be updated at anytime. (See “alerts-status” page by clicking the link at top).  Also please review some of the information on the links to the right of this story. You’ll find the latest Hurricane information there as well as very important prepardness, planning and operations information on the links.  Additional information will be provided as available, 24/7 for Tropical Storm Dolly.

OPERATION LONE STAR BRIEFING

This year’s exercise will run from July 28th through August 1 and involve local Ham Radio two-meter systems from the Lower RGV, Laredo and El Paso.  Prior to the exercise beginning on Monday July 28th the STARS group in the Valley will monitor the STARSLINK network for arriving Med Rangers coming into the Valley during the 26th and 27th, Saturday and Sunday.

During the exercise repeaters will connect the Texas State Guard Medical Rangers deployed in the Lower Rio Grande Valley with Texas State Guard Medical Rangers deployed in Laredo and El  Paso.  Said Sgt. Newton of the Medical Rangers, “Our primary intentions in the area of Ham Radio will be to practice and work with ham radio teams in the Rio Grande Valley, Laredo and El Paso to the extent where we can gain additional knowledge and experience that we can use when the need arises in a real emergency such as a large hurricane striking the Lower Valley area”. 

Texas State Guard Med Rangers have requested that the Lower RGV and Laredo areas be interconnected in real time using current IRLP or Echolink capabilities.  Our IRLP connection is being configured by Pat N5SLI and hopefully will be available to the Med Rangers by their arrival.  We’ll also be using Echolink to backup, possibly as the primary connection depending upon how our IRLP efforts succeed.

The Medical Rangers battalion begins arriving on Saturday and Sunday July 26 and 27 for Operation Lone Star 2008 which actually begins Monday morning July 28th.  Our Lower Rio Grande Valley Ham Radio efforts will be focused on both the arrival of the troops on the way down and providing the STARLINK two meter communications system between Laredo and Lower Rio Grande Valley locations via IRLP and/or ECHOLINK.

PHASE ONE:  July 26th and July 27th

Local volunteer ham operators will be scheduled to monitor the Valley STARS repeater link system for the purpose of offering directions, highway information, Hotel and Motel information and old fashioned ham radio fellowship for the arriving State Guard Medical Rangers.  If you are able to volunteer for a two or three hour shift, or longer please email a message to k5rew@sparcstakeout.us.  Remove the “takeout” in the email address in your email program. It should read sparcs dot us.  

PHASE TWO:  July 28th through August 1st.

Local volunteer hams will be assigned to instruct, monitor and assist Medical Ranger communications team members in activating and operating IRLP or ECHOLINK systems in order to connect with the members of the other Med Ranger teams dispatched to Laredo using the Laredo two-meter network there.  A copy of the instructions will be provided to those who can volunteer.

On the Medical Ranger end, they will be striving to coordinate and familiarize new as well as experienced ham radio operators (who will be assembling along the Rio Grande River from across the State), in operating ham radio communications using two meters both in repeater and simplex mode and the use of IRLP and ECHOLINK in “reaching beyond” when such systems actually survive in large scale disaster situations.  July 2006 which was the first planned use of local ham radio operators with a Military unit anywhere saw that a priority was placed on ”simplex” two-meter communications.  Current planning indicates a worst-case scenario with doubtful survivability of radio towers, electricity and repeater networks in the path of a landfall hurricane.  ”We’re supposed to be the service that provides communications when all else fails,” said K5REW a member of the STARS network, CHARRO Ham Radio Club, US Navy MARS, and the DHS SHARES HF Network, and volunteer in the City of Brownsville and Cameron County Emergency Operations Centers.  ”The Amateur Radio Service is a great technology-base for lots of “whiz bang” gadgets and electronic projects, but when it comes to providing disaster communications which is what Hams are famous for, we have to depend on the fact that we do what we do without infrastructure. Once we depend upon infrastructure to accomplish our customer’s expecations, we’re sunk”. 

During this exercise you may hear new hams and old using the local system.  They couldn’t be in a better place to have wonderful people with ham radio licenses standing by who will be more than glad to help out.  Don’t be bashful to jump in and provide assistance if you hear a strange call sign having a brief challenge in practicing their new skills. And especially if you hear someone requesting information. We’ll be hosting these hams as our Guests in their stay here in the Valley with us, and hope to be responsive and informative to their needs, best can be.

Deadliest & Costliest Texas Hurricanes (20th Century)

*More than 500 of 600-900 estimated deaths lost on ships at sea.
The Texas estimate of deaths was 284.
Sources: National Hurricane Center, Texas Weather by George Bomar

Hurricane	Year	Category Storm	Damage
Alicia (San Luis Pass)	1983	3	$3 billion
Allen (Port Mansfield)	1980	3	$600 million
Allison	1989	Tropical Storm	$500 million
Celia (Corpus Christi)	1970	3	$453 million
Carla (Port O’Connor)	1961	4	$408 million
Claudette	1979	Tropical Storm	$400 million
Beulah (Brownsville)	1967	3	$200 million
Audrey (Sabine Pass)	1957	4	$150 million
Bret (Padre Island)	1999	4	$75 million

Hurricane Center Director Joins WX4NHC Annual Test

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.  CLICK FOR MUCH MORE!

NOAA Predicts Normal or Above Normal Hurricane Season

The Climate Prediction Center outlook calls for considerable activity with a 65 percent probability of an above normal season and a 25 percent probability of a near normal season. This means there is a 90 percent chance of a near or above normal season.

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE STORY

American Red Cross Responds to Background Checks

(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.

(FOR FULL STORY CLICK HERE)

Local Skywarn Net Brings Needed Rain To Rio Grande

WA5ZIP activated Skwyarn at 2:10 p.m. on Sunday April 27, 2008 as severe thunderstorms began to develop along the border and lower Rio Grande Valley. Although no physical damage has been determined by this afternoon’s frontal passing, people all over the Valley including local hams have been celebrating the much needed rain. The last rainfall in the lower Valley was in January of this year!  On this activation the control operator position at NWS in Brownsville was manned by KC5RFW of Edinburg who shouldered some of the ongoing committment with the NWS Office in Brownsville.  Salute!

15 total check-ins from across the area rounded out the net with reports from all stations checking-in: n5sli k5rew kb0vwg wa4bew kc5rfw ab0eg k5rav kf0mp k5dg ae5r kd5pmp  (Crystal at harlingen P.D.) n5icq n5pvl ke5qzl w5stx and wa5zip as Net Control!

Thanks to all stations and several who were monitoring but did not check in, for your contributions to the Skywarn net and we look forward to seeing you each Thursday on the local EmComm Net at 6:30 p.m. central on 146.70 MHz.

Tricks For Your Cell Phone In wide-spread Disaster

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

Hurricane Center Director: Hams Give “Valuable” Reports

Director of the National Hurricane Center (NHC) Bill Read, KB5FYA, praised Amateur Radio at the National Hurricane Conference in Orlando earlier this month. “Ham radio has always played a critical role in emergencies,” Read said. “What goes out when you have a high wind event or major flooding is the communications system, so you lose even cell phones, landline phones, commercial radio and TV.     (READ MORE)

6 Brand New National Weather Service Ham Operators!

Rio Grande Valley ham radio operators are now welcoming 6 new hams to the Amateur Radio Service fraternity this week!  Congratulations for passing the exam go to Nezette, Barry, Geoff, Joe, Jason, and Robert all NWS employees who decided it was time to take their test and enter the world of ham radio.  The course was taught by W6LUY and tests administered by Volunteer Exam operators Ron AC9RM, Bonnie KD5VMD, Ralph WA9IES and Bob K5VC on hand to administer exams right after the one-day course was given. 

K5REW Ric, former ARES DEC for District 3 said “This is very exciting news for the Rio Grande Valley, Skywarn storm-spotters, local government served agencies and citizens!  The six new ham licensees coordinated by Nezette Rydel the Meteorologist In Charge will make a big difference in ”manpower” available to operate the NWS Brownsville station call sign WX5BRO during emergencies and weather events…  the amateur radio station at NWS has recently been upgraded to digital capability featuring WinLink 2000 and the 6 new operators couldn’t have come on board at a better time”.  K5REW says that the biggest challenge to both the ham community and the weather service office has been the ability to provide ham operators to report to the NWS at the Brownsville Airport whenever required and at all times of day.  ”Few if any hams have served as many hours at NWS over the years as CHARRO ham radio club of Brownsville”, says K5REW. ”K5VC, and KB5TMC have been serving NWS for years… KF0MP comes to mind, along with WA9IES and of course WA5ZIP serving as Skywarn net control… have all been essential in providing hours and hours of service when called upon there in the Brownsville area”, he says. 

 As soon as call signs are available SPARCS.US will report them on this page. For those who want to email their congratulations you can visit their web site using THIS LINK and click on their names to bring up your email program to send congratulations! 

ICS Form 213 Available In Links On Right Side of Page

The standardized form for Incident Command System / National Incident Management System message traffic is listed as “Form 213″ on the right-hand side of the main page under “Links”.  Simply browse to the site, select all of the text, right click and “copy” the text information and then you can open your email or messaging form to paste the text, and to save as a template or sample for emergency communications use.   Just simply fill in the blanks and send your message on it’s way.  A direct link IS HERE.

TEXAS HAMS HAVE SIMPLIFIED LICENSE PLATE RENEWAL

The Special Registration Branch of the Texas Department of Transportation has confirmed that Texas amateur radio license plates (”Radio Operator”) will now have a combined registration and special plate renewal notice beginning with March 2008 renewals.

Licensed amateur radio operators will no longer have to send in the $1.00 special plate renewal annually and then process a separate registration renewal.  This should also resolve the confusion of multiple vehicles bearing the same call sign which resulted in only registration for one vehicle being sent.  Now, everything will be handled as a single renewal/registration for each vehicle.

The Special Registration Branch began sending the combined notices for March renewals with only two weeks prior to expiration.  April and May renewals should have at least 3 weeks notice prior to expiration and by June the system should be on track with at least a month’s notice prior to expiration.

Texas amateur radio operators who would like to obtain Radio Operator plates (the application fee is only $2.00 plus the vehicle registration) can find more information plus an application form at (CLICK HERE) the Texas DOT web site.

HAMS GET 1st VALLEY SKYWARN ACTIVATION OF 2008

Tuesday Feburary 12 was the first Skywarn Ham Radio Storm Spotter net of this year as a result of a line of thunderstorms moving down from Corpus Christi and primarily affecting Cameron County. “Last  night’s net was a good check-out of all of our systems and operators for the year ahead”, said Patti WA5ZIP the official net control for Skywarn who resides in La Feria, Cameron County. “We found a few bugs that we’re working out right now, and the exciting part was that the Harlingen Police Department Dispatcher “Crystal” checked-in from the Police Department on two meters using their call sign, AE5R”. WA5ZIP went on to say how AE5R at HPD relayed important weather information from the Police Officers in their Patrol Cars in real time to the Weather Service Offices in Brownsville using the two meter VHF wide-area EmComm repeater 146.70, provided by STARS.

Harlingen Police Department’s KC6CNN Sgt. Gerald Manthey worked steadily to have his radio communications staff pass their ham radio exams last year. As a reward for his effort 6 new hams entered the Amateur Radio Service in 2007.  Dispatchers reporting by two meter repeater from the HPD communications center at the AE5R radio operating position is a major enhancement for Harlingen Police and the citizens they serve and protect. It was also a great step in the overall plan to have professional law enforcement working directly with ham radio assets in the local area, a step also taken by Texas Military Forces, State Guard and National Guard during hurricane support for the citizens of the great State of Texas during previous hurricane scenarios. Sgt. Manthey is also responsible for establishing WinLink 2000 in the local area using TelPac VHF and PMBO HF nodes online at the Police Department. 

In addition to the excitement of the AE5R Harlingen Police Department station providing live reports from Patrol Cars other key weather reports came in from WA4BEW in Port Isabel, K5RAV and N5SLI in Harlingen as Andy KF0MP handled the Weather Service Office duties at the National Weather Service in Brownsville. Andy reported that there were initial equipment settings that had to be configured for voice contact on the two meter nets when he arrived to activate the Ham Radio station, and also that WinLink TelPac operations should be up and running very soon as the transmit side was finished.

The Skywarn net began operation at 5:37 p.m. and lasted until the Rio Grande Valley Rag-Chewers net began at 7:00 as the weather moved to the Southeast off shore from South Padre Island.

Ham Operator Is New Boss At Hurricane Center Miami

Veteran meteorologist Bill Read, KB5FYA, was named the new director of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Tropical Prediction Center, which includes the National Hurricane Center (NHC) earlier this month. Read had served as the Center’s acting deputy director since August 2007. The NHC has a dedicated amateur station on-site — W4EHW — and has worked closely with hams for decades. In announcing Read’s appointment to head the Center, NOAA Administrator Conrad Lautenbacher cited Read’s three decades of experience with the agency and of his reputation as “a trusted consultant to emergency managers” in the Houston area.

CLICK HERE TO ENJOY THE COMPLETE ARTICLE AT ARRL HQ WEB SITE!

CHARRO COOKOUT & WINLINK SHOW A GREAT SUCCESS!

At least 100 were in attendance at the CHARRO Amateur Radio Club semi-annual cook-out and WinLink Seminar on Saturday January 26th with 37 hams attending the WinLink Seminar after everyone else finished lunch. Just before the WinLink Seminar there was an opportunity to tour the Texas Pack Shrimp Process and Packing Center, hosts of the 2008 cookout event.

Starting at 2 p.m. N5TW Tom from Austin (Georgetown) and KC6CNN Gerald from Harlingen Police Department kicked-off the SPARCS WinLink Seminar, one of the more interesting Ham Radio presentations I’ve seen in 31 years of hamming and featuring Ham Radio WinLink Station AE5R provided by Harlingen Police and their communications division. WinLink is the process of using personal computer programs such as “Airmail” to control the PC and ham radio equipment synchronized together to send and receive email messages to and from the Internet. VHF and HF Internet “nodes” are connected in strategic areas around the State as well as the nation. These nodes are called “TelPac” on VHF and “PMBO” connections or gateways on HF. What it means is that in almost all Hurricane strikes along the coast as well as in other disaster scenarios email can and will survive as a ham radio communications offering. WinLink is a highly valuable capability for ham radio emergency communications and it should be the number one priority for EOC and Incident Command Posts everywhere and certainly in the field. It’s ability to reach out by HF Radio in the affected area to an automated WinLink node hundreds of miles away to send and receive email in real time across the Internet has heads turning in the right direction for amateur radio operators.

After Gerald KC6CNN presented captivating photos and diagrams from HPD operations Tom N5TW then gave his updated and attention-grabbing presentation he made at the ARRL National Convention last August in Huntsville, Alabama.  Also covered was the “Radio Message System” or “RMS” that is replacing the existing “CMS” technology using the CMS “Central Message Servers” currently operating across the nation and which upgrades have begun. The RMS upgrade will allow faster message process and quicker delivery of emails with fewer layers through various hubs and networks. It was very interesting to see the growth from when WinLink began to grow in Houston, then Austin-San Antonio and finally around the U.S. and especially in the State of Florida. An area destined to be developed as soon as possible is Louisiana which hasn’t had the WinLink development and growth seen in other States coast to coast. Finally, Tom spent time covering D-Star and it’s operation which Gerald and the Harlingen Police Department have slated for development during 2008 in addition to their recent WinLink project carried out in 2007. SPARCS remains on top of WinLink and it’s continued process and development in Texas and the tremendous work and accomplishment by Tom Whiteside N5TW. Tom also announced a new backup TelPac K5RAV-10 that will assist the AE5R-10 local VHF TelPac when necessary.

Those who made the cookout enjoyed coffee and donuts on Saturday morning provided by CHARRO and of course plenty of fish, shrimp and chicken with “charro beans” and all the fix’ns free for hams and their better half. Above all, the CHARRO event reflected the warm and friendly Texas ham radio culture, fraternity and friendship expected among ham radio operators especially in the Rio Grande Valley and for which CHARRO stands proud and tall.  For more photos and additional stories by N5SLI and WA5ZIP please visit SoTexasHams and W5RGV.NET

THE WEATHER IN TEXAS IS DRIVING US BATS!

I thought you might enjoy this special link of “cool images: interesting, beautiful, educational, and/or unusual radar, satellite, or analytical imagery dealing with any weather subject” that is published routinely by Roger Edwards of the Storm Prediction Center Natioinal Weather Service Offices in Norman, Oklahoma. It will be interesting to come back often to this link to see what Roger has for us from time to time. CLICK HERE TO VISIT PAGE