The following news item is an update on Hurricane Irma.
Update on September 7, 2017:
Radio Amateurs of Canada is monitoring the progress of the storms in the Caribbean and any necessary Amateur response.
The National Hurricane Center has issued another public advisory with an update on Hurricane Irma:
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT1+shtml/061753.shtml
Stay tuned to this website and to our 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
Update on September 6, 2017:
The Salvation Army will activate their SATERN Net in response to Hurricane Irma
The SATERN Net will be activated this Wednesday, September 6 in the Delta II (extended monitoring) mode to listen for any traffic related to Hurricane Irma. This monitoring will continue through at least Saturday, September 9.
SATERN monitoring start each day at from 1400 UTC (7 am Pacific Time, 10 am Eastern Time) & continue to 2300 UTC (4 pm Pacific Time, 7 pm Eastern Time). Those wishing to continue monitoring after 2300 UTC are encouraged to monitor the Hurricane Watch Net, the frequencies & hurricane related information can be found at: https://www.hwn.org/
Update on September 5, 2017
As Hurricane Irma is now a Category 5 , please note the following advisory from Bill Feist with the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Newtwork (SATERN) network.
Please also see the following links:
National Hurricane Centre Hurricane Irma Public Advisory:
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT1+shtml/051159.shtml
FEMA Announces Regions that Could Activate on 60-Meters for Hurricane Irma
https://www.arrl.org/news/fema-announces-regions-that-could-activate-on-60-meters-for-hurricane-irma
Some Amateur Radio Preparations Under Way for Hurricane Irma
https://www.arrl.org/news/some-amateur-radio-preparations-under-way-for-hurricane-irma
Your usual cooperation is appreciated.
Doug Mercer, VO1DM CEC
RAC Vice-President and Community Services Officer
Emergency Coordinator IARU Region 2
SATERN Bulletin: Hurricane Irma and Invest 94L
Hurricane Irma:
Hurricane Irma is now about 320 miles east of the Leeward Islands moving west at 14 mph as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 150 mph and gusts up to 185 mph near the storm’s center. Some fluctuations in strength are normal but Hurricane Irma is expected to remain a category 4 hurricane. Hurricane Irma is currently about 370 miles wide.
Note: just prior to this posting Hurricane Irma has been upgraded to a category 5 hurricane.
Hurricane Irma is a growing threat to the United States, but will first pose a danger this week from the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico and potentially to Hispaniola, the Bahamas and Cuba. By next weekend, Irma will begin to turn north in the direction of a departing southward dip in the jet stream that will set up in the eastern United States. Where that northward turn occurs will be critical for what impacts parts of the United States may see from Irma. It is far too soon to speculate on the specifics surrounding any potential U.S. threat from Irma, but it could pose a big danger as it draws closer later this week. The U.S. is likely to be impacted by Irma by the end of this week.
Invest 94L:
Invest 94L is an elongated area of low pressure located several hundred miles southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. It continues to produce disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Environmental conditions are expected to be conducive for gradual development and a tropical depression is likely to form later this week as the system moves WNW at 10 to 15 mph over the tropical Atlantic Ocean. Invest 94L has a 90% chance of becoming a tropical system within the next 5 days. If this becomes a named storm, it will be called Jose.
There is also a second disturbance (Disturbance #2) in the Bay of Campeche. It is a trough of low pressure. Environmental conditions are marginally conducive for some slow development of this system with the National Hurricane Center giving it a 60% chance of development in the next 5 days.
SATERN:
Tuesday, September 5, 2017:
Because Hurricane Irma is not expected to begin affecting the Leeward Islands until later in the evening on Tuesday, September 5, 2017, SATERN operators are encouraged to begin monitoring either of the two Hurricane Watch Net frequencies on 14.325 MHz or 7.268 MHz, depending upon propagation for their location.
Wednesday, September 6 through Saturday, September 9, 2017:
Beginning Wednesday, 06 September 2017, the International SATERN SSB Net will move to a Delta II (extended monitoring) status from 0900 (CT) / 1400 Z until 1800 (CT) / 2300 Z. From 1800 (CT) / 2300 Z until 0900 (CT) / 1400 Z the next day, SATERN operators will again be encouraged to monitor either of the Hurricane Watch Net frequencies as conditions dictate.
This same schedule will continue through at least Saturday, September 9, 2017. It is possible that this same schedule will be continued into the next week depending upon (a) the level of threat posed by Hurricane Irma, and (b) the needs of The Salvation Army.
Stations interested in signing up for a one or more one hour slot(s) between 1100 (CT) / 1600 Z through 1800 (CT) / 2300 Z to be either a Net Control Station or Assistant Net Control Station should contact Net Manager Ken Gilliland (AG6SV) at and Assistant Net Manager Bob Rogers (WA5EEZ) at .
Stations checking-in will be asked to provide the Net Control Station with the following information:1. Any emergency, priority or health & welfare messages that may come out of the impacted area(s)
2. A brief situation report from the stations’ location that includes:
a) Is there any hurricane wind damage? If so, is it minor moderate or severe?
b) Is there any tornado damage? If so, is it minor moderate or severe?
c) Is there any flood or storm surge damage? If so, is it minor moderate or severe?
d) Are there any power outages? If so, how wide-spread?
e) Are there any communications disruptions? If so, what kind and how wide-spread?
Neither the SATERN Net nor SATERN.org will be accepting Health & Welfare Inquiries (Health & Welfare Messages inquiring about the health and welfare of people inside an impacted area). Health & Welfare Inquiries should be referred to the American Red Cross Safe and Well program at: https://safeandwell. communityos.org/
Both the International SATERN SSB Net and the Hurricane Watch Net strongly encourage the participation of bi-lingual (English & Spanish) amateur radio operators on their Nets.
Hurricane Irma is a particularly dangerous storm which will bring category 4 winds and torrential rain to numerous Caribbean islands and very likely somewhere in the U.S. mainland afterwards.
International SATERN Digital Net: There are no current plans to activate this net at this time.
Partners:
Hurricane Watch Net (HWN): Net Manager Bobby Graves (KB5HAV) believes that the Hurricane Watch Net will begin operations on Tuesday, 0September 5 2017 at 1300 (CT) / 1800 Z. Please watch their website at HWN.org or further details. SATERN stations should NOT check-in but only monitor the frequency. Significant situation or damage reports can be sent to National SATERN Liaison Bill Feist (WB8BZH) at . org.
VoIP Hurricane Net: Net Manager Rob Macedo (KD1CY) reports that the VoIP Hurricane Net will begin operation on Tuesday, 05 September 2017 at 1700 (CT) / 2200 Z and will remain active into sometime on Wednesday, 06 Sepember 2017. Additional information about activations will be available at VoIPWX.net.
WX4NHC: The National Hurricane Center amateur radio station will also begin operations on Tuesday, 05 September 2017 at 1700 (CT) / 2200 Z. They generally monitor the Hurricane Watch Net and VoIP Hurricane Nets.