Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (A)
To : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Mon Sep 04 2017 09:53 am
Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2079, for Friday, September 1, 2017.
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2079, with a release date of Friday,
September 1, 2017, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. Hams respond to Hurricane Harvey. Prelimimary
results for eclipse radio contacts are in - and our series Nets of Note
looks at an Australian safety net for travelers. All this and more, as
Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2079 comes your way right now.
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BILLBOARD CART
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HAMS RESPOND TO HURRICANE HARVEY
JIM/ANCHOR: We begin this week's report with Hurricane Harvey, which
left Houston, Texas and surrounding areas flooded and ravaged. On the
12th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, this devastating storm ripped
through the Gulf region, where hams were preparing for the worst; which,
in many cases, came. Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, has details in this special
report on the amateur radio preparation and response.
KENT'S REPORT: Fueled by the warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane
Harvey became an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane when it slammed
into the Texas coast around 10PM on Friday August 25th.
MIKE: Rockport was ground zero for the hurricane, and Fulton had no power
or communications. Lots of structure damage, which you'd expect from a
Category 4 hurricane.
KENT: Mike Urich, KA5CVH, works with Harris County ARES.
MIKE: From a ham radio standpoint, there are not a lot of hams in that
general area. I know that DPS, the state troopers, are down there to
support the local agencies, and to provide an extra safety and security.
KENT: Harris County has recognized the resources Ham Radio can bring.
MIKE: Harris County is one of the best-equipped counties in the country.
We have a homeland security office, which is very supportive of the ham
radio community. We have an awesome radio station in our county
communications center.
KENT: The area hams are ready to offer assistance.
MIKE: We're primarily in a support role, but that is shifting. We are now
getting shelters supported by hams. We're setting up a network supporting
the Red Cross in the shelters. We also have along the coast PODS, or
points of distribution. Residents can go to a point of distribution. At
least you can get body and soul together.
KENT: Urich says advanced preparation is key.
MIKE: We have definitely looked at the ham radio infrastructure identified
asserts that we would like to use, and have worked out MOUs with the clubs
or trustees of those repeaters, and have a very good communications plan.
As far as any major needs, we pretty much bit the bullet. One of the
county's 800 MHz sites was on emergency backup. They were scrambling to
get it on line, while we were scrambling to put together a plan if we
needed to support them. They were able to alleviate the disaster on their
side, and that took pressure off of us.
KENT: Weak points in public safety communications systems were identified
and strengthened.
MIKE: After Katrina and all the failures from that event, most of the
emergency managers in counties and cities have really stepped up their
game, so we're maybe not quite necessary as we once were 20 to 30 years
ago years ago, but we are still a valuable asset to them, and they know
but they know when stuff fails, hey call the hams, they can do it.
KENT: For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.
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