Emergency Ham radio operations in the Philippines - Post Earthquake

A 7.2 Magnitude earthquake struck the island of Bohol OC-129 and the island of Cebu OC-129 causing personal casualties and severe infrastructure damage including . ARES operations are ongoing and Philippine hams are using 7.095 Mhz for our emergency communications. Kindly keep clear of this frequency. Appreciate the assistance. 73
DU1VHY

 

Using 7.095 will eliminate the USA hams (perhaps others?) as voice isn't allowed for US there.

If you want the largest collection of hams in the world to possibility assist, get it above 7.175.

 

I agree with k2ncc.

du2us

 

...but their point is they are using 7.095 Mhz for their emergency communications wiithin the region, and wish to avoid QRM coming from hams elsewhere. During local daylight that's not going to be so much of a problem, but at night I expect they could be getting QRM from quite a way away...

 

Thank you all for the cooperation of keeping the clear frequency. QRM during the operation is minimal. So far over 90 deaths with less than 10 coming from the island of Cebu (OC-129) and the rest from the island of Bohol (OC-127). Classes in all levels are suspended pending safety investigation of buildings. Many commercial facilities are also closed. Couple of bridges are down thus limiting access to some areas. Provincial and national entities are pitching in to the rescue and recovery efforts. The two island are home to many historical buildings which were built during the 16th to 19th Century. Power is slowly being returned to majority of the areas. Three areas were declared disaster areas Bohol, Cebu and the Island of Siquijor.
Again thank you to everyone for your cooperation and well-wishes. 73

 

buon lavoro izewuw 73 : (

 

I was in the RP three times during my service in the Marine Corps. It's a beautiful country and the people there are warm and accommodating. My condolences to the families of the lost and my prayers for the survivors and emergency services people who are trying to mitigate the damages.

73

Steve, K4YZ
Winchester, TN

 

Philippine disaster monitoring coverage is limited to your region only if you use 7.095Mhz. You may use 7.175-7.200Mhz so that the world could also participate in monitoring. DU 40 meter is allowed from 7.000-7.200Mhz. You may also monitor two frequencies, one for 7.095 and the other is around 7.175-7.200 that way you are not isolated. Make sense?

K6ZRH/ DV1IMA

 

Extending good thoughts to the devastated people and all responders. Earthquakes are horrible and the lack of control is without a doubt heartbreaking.

Not necessarily on a lighter side I do find a small bit of humor in the ARRL's explanation of operation of the 40 meter band: "Phone and Image modes are permitted between 7.075 and 7.100 MHz for FCC licensed stations in ITU Regions 1 and 3 and by FCC licensed stations in ITU Region 2 West of 130 degrees West longitude or South of 20 degrees North latitude. See Sections 97.305(c) and 97.307(f)(11). Novice and Technician licensees outside ITU Region 2 may use CW only between 7.025 and 7.075 MHz and between 7.100 and 7.125 MHz. 7.200 to 7.300 MHz is not available outside ITU Region 2. See Section 97.301(e). These exemptions do not apply to stations in the continental US." And 8 out of 10 'high-skoolers' have no idea what constitutes the "continental USA"! The other funny numbers and letters confuse 'em as well! Sooooooooooooo .... to make it simple ...... "SHADDUP and LISTEN!"

Old Senile Don still extending good thoughts to the devastated people and all responders. WD5JOY

 

Almost two years ago I donated a VHF Repeater system, DX7SIQ-Repeater, 144.300 (+), PL 146.200, together with one VHF mobile / base radio for each of the six towns of Siquijor Island through the Island's Amateur Radio group, Siquijor Amateur Network District - 7(SAND-7). With more donations from friends and fellow Amateurs, I plan to put up a complete HF station as well. In times like these, cell phones and land lines shut down due to overload. I experienced this personally during the 7.1 magnitude Loma Prieta Earthquake around the San Francisco Bay Area in October of 1989.

I hope the Repeater Network in Siquijor has helped in some ways in disseminating "health-and-welfare information" traffic where needed during this calamity. In some remote areas and even in larger communities and Cities, panic set in causing minor injuries because of this lack of information.

For updates and everyday chat, many among the Amateur Radio contacts, between DU and Whiskey land monitor the "meeting" frequencies on 7.181, 14.277, 21.275 and 28.585. On the other hand 7.095 works best for local DU Hams during local daytime operation hours. Night time operation is very minimal so interference from DX stations are at best negligible and manageable.

I monitor these frequencies when favorable and participate in the exchange only if I can contribute some affirmative action.

 

Been monitoring some of the Nets, GREAT work!...

 

Hi Roberto,

Can you tell me specifically what are some of the things Amateur Radio use has done to help the disaster stricken region? It's nice to have specifics to cite to other people when they ask how can Amateur Radio help in an emergency.

 

The communication and electrical power infrastructure got crippled. Even before this disaster hams have been working with the Provincial Disaster risk Reduction Management Council in preparing for disasters like this because typhoons and earthquakes are expected to hit the country due to our location. Hams were on mobile HF rigs, VHF rigs were connected t o the echolink, even net controllers are embedded on the Incident Scene Commander's station at the Command Center of the PDRRMC. To date over 140 fatalities have been recorded in the island of Bohol alone and about 10 in the island of Cebu. Many buildings were damaged due the severity of the tectonic shaker. Even as I type hams are still passing info to and from the island and to us at the National Capital Region utilizing HF, VHF, Echolink and the social media.

 

This is the best advice I've heard in a long, long time.

 

Thank you for your observations and suggestions. They very much appreciated. 73