Earthquake net frequencies - 7045, 3720 kHz - Please keep clear

Earthquake net frequencies - 7045, 3720 kHz - Please keep clear

From the CQ / WorldRadio Online Newsroom

All radio amateurs are requested to keep 7045 kHz and 3720 kHz clear for possible emergency traffic related to today's major earthquake in Haiti.

International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region II Area C Emergency Coordinator Arnie Coro, CO2KK, reports that as of 0245 UTC on January 13, nothing had been heard from radio amateurs in Haiti, but that the above frequencies were being kept active in case any Haitian hams manage to get on the air, and in case of other related events in surrounding areas, including aftershocks and a possible tsunami.

The following is from an e-mail from CO2KK:

A few minutes after the earthquake was felt in eastern Cuba's cities, the Cuban Federation of Radio Amateurs Emergency Net was activated, with net control stations CO8WM and CO8RP located in the city of Santiago de Cuba, and in permanent contact with the National Seismology Center of Cuba located in that city.

Stations in the city of Baracoa, in Guantanamo province, were also activated immediately as the earth movements were felt even stronger there, due to its proximity to Haiti. CO8AZ and CO8AW went on the air immediately, with CM8WAL following. At the early phase of the emergency, the population of the city of Baracoa was evacuated far away from the coast, as there was a primary alert of a possible tsunami event or of a heavy wave trains sequence impacting the coast line at the city's sea wall ...

Baracoa could not contact Santiago de Cuba stations on 40 meters due to long skip after 5 PM local time, so several stations in western Cuba and one in the US State of Florida provided relays. CO2KK as IARU Region II Area C Emergency Coordinator, helped to organize the nets, on 7045 kHz and also on 3720 kHz, while local nets in Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa operated on 2 meters.

As late as 9,45 PM local time 0245 UTC we have not been able to contact any amateur or emergency services stations in Haiti.

Amateurs from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela were monitoring the 40 meter band frequency, that I notified to the IARU Region II executive Ramon Santoyo XE1KK as in use for the emergency, requesting that 7045 kHz be kept as clear as possible..

We are still keeping watch on 7045 kHz hoping that someone in Haiti may have access to a transceiver and at least a car battery to run it.

All information that has so far come from the Cuban seismologists tell us of a very intense earthquake, and also of the possibility of other events following.

Following the advice of the geophysicists, we are keeping the 7045 and 3720 kiloHertz frequencies active until further notice.








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"Following the advice of the geophysicists, we are keeping the 7045 and 3720 kiloHertz frequencies active until further notice.
"

OK... I give... What the heck do geophysicists have to do with keeping watch frequencies open?

 

No Respect...

I dialed to 3720 this am and there were several amateurs just ragchewing. I inquired with them about this article and they arrogantly replied..."Well there hasn't been earthquakes in Haiti for a long time, so IF someone has an emergency we'll move off, otherwise we're staying."

It's the total lack of respect for others like this that is the problem with society today. Me first, others don't matter attitudes are the #1 contributing factor in the demise of today's society.

 

Well....

Well, it is 80 meter SSB and all HF hams know that the major nut cases amongst us frequent that band. Just another example.

 

For the same reason that the hurricane center in Miami requests that "hurricane watch frequencies be kept open."

 

The Hurricane Watch Center is a group of civil entitites involved in dealing with hurricane related emergencies.

A Geophysicist is not a group of civil entities involved in dealing with earthquake related emergencies. He is a geek hovering over a seismograph and is not involved in dealing with the aftermath of an earthquake.

 

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/kids/become.php

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

 

Ragchewers on the emergency frequency

The fallacy of the "We will move if an emergency station asks us to" is that they will never hear the emergency traffic that they are walking all over. Any station that shows up from Haiti will probably be operating QRP on emergency power... probably batteries. He will most likely be speaking to a station in Cuba, Trinidad, or another nearby Carib station. The bozo ragchewers will never hear them but will wipe out the emergency stations' communications.

 

3720 will likely be used for regional communications in the Caribbean with neighboring countries therefore stateside communications may not pose a problem, but we should keep the frequency clear just in case. 3815 (and 3855) may also be in use. 3815 is the Antilles emergency and weather net frequency and I think there is another net on 3855.

I wonder how much use 14.300 is getting???

 

I think Intercon starts at 8 AM Eastern on 14300, and the Maritime Mobile Service Net begins at noon following Intercon.

Other than perhaps a few health and welfare messages I don't think there will be any MMSN activity relating to the earthquake, but it isn't on yet, and I won't be home to listen, so that's just a guess.

I think SATERN on 14265 may have more H&W traffic.

But right now communications in Haiti are pretty much at a standstill so it may be a couple more days before much shows up on Stateside frequencies.

Ed

...

 

i dont know about others but if i have an emergency i like to hear someone talkin first,and then i ask for help. also it seem the hanger outers on 40 and 80 are the best for that. jim ke5ktr

 

Haiti hams

Does anyone know about hom many amateurs might be in Haiti? I know it is an extremely poor country. Has anyone worked Haitian stations recentlys on HF?

My prayers go out to that nation. Let's work to keep these frequencies QRM free!

 

HB9AMO is supposed to be there until Jan 25, according to Announced DX Operations. I did work him on Dec. 30. I hope he's safe.

 

Regarding the number of amateurs in Hati. To get a quick idea go up (top left) to the "Callsign" entry space and insert Haiti. There are a couple of pages of names. You also can go to hamcall.net for the same search. The two will compliment each other.

 

Haiti

Echolink has a "Group" net which you can listen to.

It is titled *IRESC* . They have a net control and are passing info they have

Rich