Hurricane Katrina

[M5AKA]

The Amateur Radio Daily News Service at http://www.southgatearc.org/ has links to half a dozen stories about the involvment of Radio Amateurs in supplying emergency communications in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina.

Our thoughts are with all those who have suffered in this disaster.

73 Trevor M5AKA
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[KC2ESD]

Thank you for posting this, two thumbs up.

[KD5FJE]

Title: Who Is Jamming Communicatins In New Orleans?
Source: rense
URL Source: http://www.rense.com/general67/jamin.htm
Published: Sep 2, 2005
Author: Wayne Madsen
Post Date: 2005-09-02 16:16:36 by knightofstjohn
29 Comments


Who is jamming communications in New Orleans? Ham radio operators are reporting that communications in and around New Orleans are being jammed. In addition, perplexed ham radio operators who were enlisted by the Federal government in 911 are not being used for hurricane Katrina Federal relief efforts. There is some misinformation circulating on the web that the jamming is the resault of solar flares. Ham radio operators report that the flares are not the source of the communications jamming.

If anyone at the National Security Agency is aware of the source of the jamming, from direction finding or satellite intelligence, please discretely contact me at waynemadsendc@hotmail.com (from a private or temporary email account). In this case, the Bush administration cannot hide behind national security and it is the duty of every patriotic American to report such criminal activity to the press. Even though the information on the jamming may be considered classified -- it is in the public interest to disclose it.

Also, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is reporting that no aircraft over New Orleans have been fired on over New Orleans or anywhere else in the area. Are the reports of shots being fired at aircraft an attempt by the Bush administration to purposely delay the arrival of relief to the city's homeless and dying poor? The neocons have turned New Orleans into Baghdad on the Mississippi.

========
I HAVE NO IDEA IF THIS IS TRUE. SEE URL LINK.

[kd5scf]

Quote[/b] (KD5FJE @ Sep. 02 2005,22:09)]Title: Who Is Jamming Communicatins In New Orleans?
Source: rense
URL Source: http://www.rense.com/general67/jamin.htm
Published: Sep 2, 2005
Author: Wayne Madsen
Post Date: 2005-09-02 16:16:36 by knightofstjohn
29 Comments


Who is jamming communications in New Orleans? Ham radio operators are reporting that communications in and around New Orleans are being jammed. In addition, perplexed ham radio operators who were enlisted by the Federal government in 911 are not being used for hurricane Katrina Federal relief efforts. There is some misinformation circulating on the web that the jamming is the resault of solar flares. Ham radio operators report that the flares are not the source of the communications jamming.

If anyone at the National Security Agency is aware of the source of the jamming, from direction finding or satellite intelligence, please discretely contact me at waynemadsendc@hotmail.com (from a private or temporary email account). In this case, the Bush administration cannot hide behind national security and it is the duty of every patriotic American to report such criminal activity to the press. Even though the information on the jamming may be considered classified -- it is in the public interest to disclose it.

Also, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is reporting that no aircraft over New Orleans have been fired on over New Orleans or anywhere else in the area. Are the reports of shots being fired at aircraft an attempt by the Bush administration to purposely delay the arrival of relief to the city's homeless and dying poor? The neocons have turned New Orleans into Baghdad on the Mississippi.

========
I HAVE NO IDEA IF THIS IS TRUE. SEE URL LINK.

The article is written by a conspiracy theorist/anti-Bush lunatic. One look at his webpage will have your head spinning. Take the article with a grain of salt. (oh, I'm a liberal, and people like this guy give us a bad name.)

This is the URL to his webpage: http://www.waynemadsenreport.com/

M5AKA, thanks for the links!

[M5AKA]

Hurricane Katrina HF Response and Recovery Frequencies

02802.4 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-91) **

03171.4 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-92) **

05136.4 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-93) **
05141.4 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-94) **
05211.0 USB FEMA
05236.0 USB SHARES Coordination Network (nationwide HF voice coordination)

06859.5 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-95) **

07507.0 USB USN/USCG hurricane net (pri)

07550.5 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-96 - primary) **
07698.5 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-97) **

09380.0 USB USN/USCG hurricane net (sec)

10493.0 USB FEMA

14396.5 USB SHARES Coordination Network (nationwide HF voice coordination)

** Type-accepted equipment and an issued US FCC license are required to
transmit on Red Cross frequencies

AMATEUR HIGH-FREQUENCY GULF COAST HURRICANE NETS

03845.0 LSB Gulf Coast West Hurricane
03862.5 LSB Mississippi Section Traffic
03873.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane
03873.0 LSB Louisiana ARES Emergency (night)
03873.0 LSB Texas ARES Emergency (night)
03873.0 LSB Mississippi ARES Emergency
03910.0 LSB Mississippi ARES
03910.0 LSB Louisiana Traffic
03923.0 LSB Mississippi ARES
03925.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane
03925.0 LSB Louisiana Emergency (altn)
03935.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane
03935.0 LSB Louisiana ARES (health & welfare)
03935.0 LSB Texas ARES (health & welfare)
03935.0 LSB Mississippi ARES (health & welfare)
03935.0 LSB Alabama Emergency
03940.0 LSB Southern Florida Emergency
03950.0 LSB Northern Florida Emergency
03955.0 LSB South Texas Emergency
03965.0 LSB Alabama Emergency (altn)
03967.0 LSB Gulf Coast (outgoing traffic)
03975.0 LSB Texas RACES
03993.5 LSB Gulf Coast (health & welfare)

03995.0 LSB Gulf Coast Wx

07225.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane
07235.0 LSB Louisiana Emergency
07235.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane
07235.0 LSB Louisiana Emergency
07240.0 LSB American Red Cross US Gulf Coast Disaster
07240.0 LSB Texas Emergency
07243.0 LSB Alabama Emergency
07245.0 LSB Southern Louisiana
07248.0 LSB Texas RACES
07250.0 LSB Texas Emergency
07260.0 LSB Gulf Coast West Hurricane
07264.0 LSB Gulf Coast (health & welfare)
07265.0 LSB Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio (SATERN) (altn)
07273.0 LSB Texas ARES (altn)
07280.0 LSB NTS Region 5
07280.0 LSB Louisiana Emergency (altn)
07283.0 LSB Gulf Coast (outgoing only)
07285.0 LSB West Gulf ARES Emergency (day)
07285.0 LSB Louisiana ARES Emergency (day)
07285.0 LSB Mississippi ARES Emergency
07285.0 LSB Texas ARES Emergency (day)
07290.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane
07290.0 LSB Gulf Coast Wx
07290.0 LSB Texas ARES (health & welfare)
07290.0 LSB Louisiana ARES (health & welfare) (day)
07290.0 LSB Texas ARES (health & welfare)
07290.0 LSB Mississippi ARES (health & welfare)

14265.0 USB Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio (SATERN) (health &
welfare) 14300.0 USB Intercontinental Traffic
14300.0 USB Maritime Mobile Service
14303.0 USB International Assistance & Traffic
14313.0 USB Intercontinental Traffic (altn)
14313.0 USB Maritime Mobile Service (altn)
14316.0 USB Health & Welfare
14320.0 USB Health & Welfare
14325.0 USB Hurricane Watch (Amateur-to-National Hurricane Center)
14340.0 USB Louisiana (1900)

[M5AKA]

The following from Bob WB4APR. New reports of Amateur operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina at http://www.southgatearc.org/ 73 Trevor M5AKA
----
USING APRS SATELLITES IN DISASTER AREAS:

DISCLAIMER:
This document is NOT a recommendation to
use APRS via ISS in a disaster. There are many
other Ham Radio Communications capabilities that
are better under any given circumstances.

This document was only written to tell "HOW"
to use APRS and packet via ISS for emergency
operations in a disaster area,*IF* such use
was necessary for a given emergent need.
---------------------------------------------------------

This email describes how to use the ARISS and
possibly PCSAT2 system (on ISS) for tracking and
communicating with APRS assets in the Hurricane
affected areas. It covers 3 topics:

1) Knowing when the ISS is in view without a PC
2) Settings for ISS and PCSAT2 digipeater
3) How to send an Email from your APRS or
D7 or D700 APRS mobile/HT or normal packet.

KNOWING WHEN ISS IS IN VIEW:

DAILY 1: At 30 deg latitude (New Orleans),
you will get two contact window periods a day
and each period will give you 2 or 3 pass
opportunities. Today these Windows are 7-10 PM
and 2-6 AM daylight time (applies everwhere at
this N.latitude).

DAILY 2: If you hear a pass early in a window,
then you will hear another one 97 minutes later.
And if lucky, another 97 minutes after that.

DAILY 3: Similarly, if you hear a good pass during
the first window, then you will hear another good
pass in the second window exactly 8 hours
(and 2 mins) later.

NEXT DAY: If you hear a pass on ONE day, then
you will hear another one the NEXT day 27 mins
LATER. (AND/OR 68 minutes EARLIER.)

MULTI-DAY: For longer range multi-day planning,
these "window-periods" slide EARLIER by 22
minutes per day (but the exact times follow
only the "daily" rules above")

WIth these simple rules and keeping a log of
when you hear ISS passes on your dashboard,
it is easy to predict future passes and operating
times for weeks or longer. You can work up
simple plans like this for ECHO, SO50 and any
other satellite.

NEW-START: If you are starting new, then all you
have to do is monitor continuously during one
of the windows until you do hear a pass, and
from then on, you can figure your own schedule.
Just remember to slide the window earlier by
22 minutes per day from the times above for
1 Sept.

SETTINGS: There are two digital assets on ISS
and both digipeat using the path of "VIA ARISS"

ARISS: 145.800 down, 145.99 up
PCSAT2: 435.275 +/- 10 Khz, 145.825 up

Use ARISS in the disaster area and mobile
since it is 10 dB stronger, has 9 dB less path
loss on the downlink to other omni's, has more
IGate stations and has no appreciable Doppler.

PBBS: If you have a portable cross band beam
antenna, and can remember to TRACK ISS, and
point the beam, and tune the downlink for Doppler,
then you are welcome to use the PCSAT2 BBS for
longer paragraph type trafffic, though you
must remember that maintainig a "connection"
via a satellite is problematic at best. The PBBS
callsign is MAIL.

Only USA STATIONS IN the disaster area
should logon to the BBS with emergency
or priority traffic. No other USA stations should
attempt to use the BBS for ANY purpose even
emergency or priority traffic to or from someone
in the disaster area.

Instead, Let stations in other parts of the world
be the gateways for downloading any such traffic.
or sending back replies.

EMAIL: APRS is a one-line message system.
But you can send email if you can fit the email
address and text in the same line. ANyone
can do this via ISS using the APRS protocol
if they have either an APRS system, a D7 walkie
talkie or a D700 mobile, or even a simple radio/TNC.

EMAIL FROM APRS, D7 or D700:
- Set your path to go via ARISS
- Send the message line TO "email"
- Make the first part of the message be the
email address and then enter your very brief
email text continuing on the same message line.
For any TNC or packet system, simply make
the AX.25 address be APRS and send the
packet as a UI digipeated packet via ARISS.

If you are successful via ISS, your radio will
display "MY MESSAGE" to confirm the packet
got digipeted. If it did, then cancel the
remaining message retries to reduce QRM.
Do not expect a message ack.

EMAIL FROM ANY PACKET SYSTEM:
To do this you must make your packet look
like an APRS message packet:
- Set your UNPROTO APRS VIA ARISS
- Go to converse
- Type :EMAILssss:eeee@eee.eee.eee text
Where the four "ssss" are four spaces
Where eeee@eee.eee.eee is the email address
Where text is your text.

If you see it digipeated, then your email will
probably be successful. If not, you have
to type the whole thing again, error free
to try again.

CONCLUSION:
This document is *NOT* a recommendation to
use APRS via ISS in a disaster. There are many
other Ham Radio Communications capabilities that
are better under any given circumstances.

This document was only written to tell "HOW"
to use APRS and packet via ISS for emergency
operations in a disaster area, *IF* such use had
any immediate application.

But in any case, unattended packet beacons via
ISS are NEVER welcome and especially over the
USA at this time.

This email is provided for what-it-is-worth, and
is not endorsed nor approved by ARISS at this
time. I just thought it would be useful to have
it as a baseline...

de Wb4APR, Bob
US Naval Academy
PCSAT2 Ground station

---------------
AMSAT-UK produce a newsletter "Oscar News" full of satellite information.
For membership details contact the secretary Jim Heck G3WGM
Tel: +44 (0)1258 453959
E-mail: g3wgm@amsat.org
Website: http://www.uk.amsat.org/
Online Satellite Pass Predictions:
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/tools/predict/
---------------
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[KD5FJE]

Quote[/b] ]The article is written by a conspiracy theorist/anti-Bush lunatic. One look at his webpage will have your head spinning. Take the article with a grain of salt. (oh, I'm a liberal, and people like this guy give us a bad name.)

=======
Figured it was Bravo Sierra...thanks..and thank goodness it was bs.
73

[W9GRN]

Quote[/b] (n5cpu @ Sep. 02 2005,22:17)]Quote[/b] (KD5FJE @ Sep. 02 2005,22:09)]Title: Who Is Jamming Communicatins In New Orleans?
Source: rense
URL Source: http://www.rense.com/general67/jamin.htm
Published: Sep 2, 2005
Author: Wayne Madsen
Post Date: 2005-09-02 16:16:36 by knightofstjohn
29 Comments


Who is jamming communications in New Orleans? Ham radio operators are reporting that communications in and around New Orleans are being jammed. In addition, perplexed ham radio operators who were enlisted by the Federal government in 911 are not being used for hurricane Katrina Federal relief efforts. There is some misinformation circulating on the web that the jamming is the resault of solar flares. Ham radio operators report that the flares are not the source of the communications jamming.

If anyone at the National Security Agency is aware of the source of the jamming, from direction finding or satellite intelligence, please discretely contact me at waynemadsendc@hotmail.com (from a private or temporary email account). In this case, the Bush administration cannot hide behind national security and it is the duty of every patriotic American to report such criminal activity to the press. Even though the information on the jamming may be considered classified -- it is in the public interest to disclose it.

Also, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is reporting that no aircraft over New Orleans have been fired on over New Orleans or anywhere else in the area. Are the reports of shots being fired at aircraft an attempt by the Bush administration to purposely delay the arrival of relief to the city's homeless and dying poor? The neocons have turned New Orleans into Baghdad on the Mississippi.

========
I HAVE NO IDEA IF THIS IS TRUE. SEE URL LINK.

The article is written by a conspiracy theorist/anti-Bush lunatic. One look at his webpage will have your head spinning. Take the article with a grain of salt. (oh, I'm a liberal, and people like this guy give us a bad name.)

This is the URL to his webpage: http://www.waynemadsenreport.com/

M5AKA, thanks for the links!
The guy is a total idiot who wrote that piece of trash.
For my part I will donate to the Red Cross as much money as possible this week.

[kg5vk]

Ijust returned from the US Coast Guard Naval Air station in New Orleans

I was supporting the Coast Guard with in coming Ham Radio traffic for specific Search and Rescue requests

I can not tell you how help ful everyone was both on and off of the air
The only comm problem I had was band conditions and high noise from close by emergency generators and Flight-line activities

Ham Radio did make a difference in lifes saved !

Steve
KG5VK

[wx5dbz]

I am a ham operator here on ground Zero on the Mississippi gulf coast. My call sign is KD5ZSM. I have been helping out by being stationed at the Ocean Springs EOC. I would like to thank everybody who is helping or is trying to help us. I would also like to thank everybody for keeping us in your prayers. All emergency agencies, such as ambulance and police forces, and the media are now finding out how useful and important ham radio is. After Katrina hit the gulf coast, it took out everything. It took out power, of course, telephone service, cell phone service, cable, internet, and even the 800mHz machines used by emergency dispatches. Our 146.73- repeater has been the only source of communication between, Harrison, Hancock, Jackson, Stone, and Pearl River counties. We are using the the 146.73- machine to handle emergency and priority traffic only. Hancock County is using their 145.33- machine to handle some health and wellfare traffic. I would personally like to thank the following for working the emergency traffic on the repeater non stop. These people Have been working in the Harrison county EOC since last Saturday and are still at it with only a few hours of sleep each day. They are as follow(in no particular order): W4WLF Tom Hammock-Mississippi EC, W5EG John Moore, and W5BLV Glover Hayden. I tip my hat to these men. I wish I could still be helping them, but the college I am attending is opening tomorrow(Tuesday). If you have any questions you can email me at kd5zsm@arrl.net. I will try to answer any question you may have. 73's and God Bless DE KD5ZSM

[K4JF]

Quote[/b] (KD5ZSM @ Sep. 05 2005,22:16)]I am a ham operator here on ground Zero on the Mississippi gulf coast. My call sign is KD5ZSM. I have been helping out by being stationed at the Ocean Springs EOC. I would like to thank everybody who is helping or is trying to help us. I would also like to thank everybody for keeping us in your prayers. All emergency agencies, such as ambulance and police forces, and the media are now finding out how useful and important ham radio is. After Katrina hit the gulf coast, it took out everything. It took out power, of course, telephone service, cell phone service, cable, internet, and even the 800mHz machines used by emergency dispatches. Our 146.73- repeater has been the only source of communication between, Harrison, Hancock, Jackson, Stone, and Pearl River counties. We are using the the 146.73- machine to handle emergency and priority traffic only. Hancock County is using their 145.33- machine to handle some health and wellfare traffic. I would personally like to thank the following for working the emergency traffic on the repeater non stop. These people Have been working in the Harrison county EOC since last Saturday and are still at it with only a few hours of sleep each day. They are as follow(in no particular order): W4WLF Tom Hammock-Mississippi EC, W5EG John Moore, and W5BLV Glover Hayden. I tip my hat to these men. I wish I could still be helping them, but the college I am attending is opening tomorrow(Tuesday). If you have any questions you can email me at kd5zsm@arrl.net. I will try to answer any question you may have. 73's and God Bless DE KD5ZSM
Excellent job, Charles. Thank you for the update telling us how it really is, and thank you from all of us for representing ham radio so well. Good luck in your studies, and hope to wk you one day.

73, Jim K4JF

[kg5vk]

To all that have been assisting, thank you !!!!!!!!!

here is a WAV file with a msg that started on a cell phone with a dying battery to a family member way up in the North corner of the state of Louisiana

this msg was picked-up by me on the 7285 ARES net and handed to a Coast Guard SAR Dispatch Air OPS Officer

the end result was lives were saved..........

http://www.lottsphoto.com/OrleansCompressed.wav

Again Many people helped get this msg to me and then I turned it over to the fine folks at the US Coast Guard Naval Air Station in New Orleans

steve
KG5VK

[KG6LWU]

There is a group of people worried about a Ham who is from Meridian, MS. We don't know if she is ok or not. I'm hoping she is just busy helping out with emergency efforts. This is KD5GWM (Donna) if anyone out there has talked to her or has heard her on the airways, can you write me? I don't have a decent radio or the right class of license to listen for her. My e-mail is care4k9 @ att.net and I'm in California. Thank you for your time.

[WA5BEN]

Quote[/b] (M5AKA @ Sep. 03 2005,04:59)]Hurricane Katrina HF Response and Recovery Frequencies

02802.4 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-91) **

03171.4 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-92) **

05136.4 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-93) **
05141.4 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-94) **
05211.0 USB FEMA
05236.0 USB SHARES Coordination Network (nationwide HF voice coordination)

06859.5 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-95) **

07507.0 USB USN/USCG hurricane net (pri)

07550.5 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-96 - primary) **
07698.5 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-97) **

09380.0 USB USN/USCG hurricane net (sec)

10493.0 USB FEMA

14396.5 USB SHARES Coordination Network (nationwide HF voice coordination)

** Type-accepted equipment and an issued US FCC license are required to
transmit on Red Cross frequencies
The only communications the Red Cross has deployed in the area are the 42 MHz base stations they use to talk to their trucks taking food cooked by non-Red Cross volunteers (mostly Baptist Disaster Relief, where I have been and heard) out to selected sites. The range is reliable for less than 10 miles.

At my site, they would never have got the 42 MHz antenna up if I had not shown them how -- using an extension ladder. They had four 10 foot Radio Shack TV masts, no guy rings, and only ropes at the top. Then they overstressed the guy ropes, and bent the mast in the middle after it was up. (A tree stopped it from falling.

The Red Cross is using Iridium phones for limited communications. I have seen ZERO Red Cross HF in the field.

Every person that I have talked to from every site ran out of food and had to do an "end run" around the Red Cross to get more. We were told "a couple of days" for trucks until I made it a point to pass an urgent message on 7285 that we were totally out of food -- literally. We had nothing to make either dinner or breakfast! A semi arrived in less than 6 hours. We were only feeding 13000 to 15000 meals per day.

The only people working shifts were the Red Cross people. All of the volunteers started at 0630 or so and worked until it was dark -- sometimes longer.

[WA5BEN]

Quote[/b] (kg5vk @ Sep. 07 2005,19:21)]To all that have been assisting, thank you !!!!!!!!!

here is a WAV file with a msg that started on a cell phone with a dying battery to a family member way up in the North corner of the state of Louisiana

this msg was picked-up by me on the 7285 ARES net and handed to a Coast Guard SAR Dispatch Air OPS Officer

the end result was lives were saved..........

http://www.lottsphoto.com/OrleansCompressed.wav

Again Many people helped get this msg to me and then I turned it over to the fine folks at the US Coast Guard Naval Air Station in New Orleans

steve
KG5VK
I personally heard at least a dozen rescues initiated in exactly this manner on 7285. Good job, guys!

[ky5u]

An update from New Orleans:

The water had covered 90% of the city area of Orleans Parish on Tuesday. Today, the water covers about 20%. Water in many communities in Orleans has gond completely down. The resulting landscape is much like moon dust.

[kb4cvn]

Voices from the post-Katrina period


During the overnight hours until roughly 07:00 eastern time, you can hear WWL radio (870 kHz) using a common portable AM Broadcast band receiver.

What you hear is a collective of all the broadcasters in the New Orleans region known as the 'United Radio of New Orleans' with a single audio feed to all the stations with WWL being the flagship station. # See: #http://www.wwl.com .

Those in cities or other high-noise areas which can't hear WWL broadcasts directly can listen in to the broadcasts via two other methods. #I live streaming broadcast is available on their website via a link to http://ccri.eonstreams.com/ccri_la_batonrouge_wskr_am.asf , or via a shortwave simulcast on station WHRI, and heard on the following frequencies: 5.835, 9.840, 11.785, 15.285 MHz. #(See: http://www.wwl.com/Article.asp?id=114239 )


News alerts on recovery are broadcast ever fifteen (15) minutes, information on where to file for everything from financial aid (foodstamps, etc.), who is back to work, people looking for family members, how to clean a refrigerator after it has been submerged for several weeks, to where to get a replacement driver's license.

There are even a few commercials from insurance companies. #A commercial has even been heard for a local ambulance company recruiting EMT's and Paramedics.

The general feelings expressed in some of these broadcasts is they "feel like a prize fighter who has just taken a major blow, is seeing stars, but is getting back on their feet once again, and concerned that another blow will strike before they regain a upright position".

One thing I have not heard anything about is recovery efforts in the rural areas of the region. #All the commentary, money and hype is being directed to the New Orleans metro area. #What about the rural folks in the area who also got hit too? #Especially the poorer rural people who did not have much to began with. #What about them?

It is interesting to see things from their unique perspective, instead that of a national media outlet. #It also causes one to think about if a major disaster (natural or man-made) were to occur in your home area, and what would happen in the aftermath.

73,
Mark Cobbeldick, KB4CVN
Monroe, VA