Over-the-Horizon Radar Systems are Back on HF

 

The International Amateur Radio Union's Region 1 Monitoring Service is reporting significant interference on HF ham bands from over-the-horizon (OTH) radar systems believed to originate in China and Russia. According to the IARU, the 10-kHz-wide signals of the so-called "foghorn" radar from China have been heard on 40 meters, particularly in the 7113-7123 kHz and 7165-7175 kHz ranges, and on 20 meters as well. In addition, the Russian "contayner" OTH radar system has been monitored on 20. The monitoring service urges amateurs suffering interference from these signals to file complaints with their national regulatory agencies.

IARU Region 1 President Warns of QRM from Wireless Power Chargers for Electric Cars

Speaking of IARU Region 1 (which covers Europe, Africa and the Middle East), region President Don Beattie, G3BJ, is warning of tremendous interference potential from wireless charging systems for electric vehicles. According to the ARRL Letter, Beattie notes that these charging systems, which are similar to wireless charging systems for cell phones but operating at power levels of 20 kilowatts or more, may generate harmonics causing interference on a wide range of frequencies. He urged IARU member societies to discuss these issues with their national regulators, noting that discussions about WPT-EV (wireless power transfer for electric vehicles) "have reached a point where they are moving from the technical to the political arena."

Lucky Numbers 20 + 7?

 The International Space Station (NASA image)

The numbers 20 and 7 are popping up in three stories about amateur radio in space. ARISS, the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station program, is celebrating the 20th anniversary of ham radio operations from the orbiting space station. ARISS has supported nearly 1400 scheduled contacts over the past two decades, according to the ARRL Letter, and astronauts aboard the station are in the process of installing new ham equipment for the first time since launch.

OSCAR-7 (AMSAT image)

AMSAT-OSCAR 7, the oldest ham radio satellite still operating, should be accessible by earthbound hams through Christmas. The satellite works only when in full sunlight, which it entered in late September. It is expected to be accessible through December 26, operating in either Mode A (2 meters up, 10 meters down) or Mode B (70 centimeters up, 2 meters down). AO-7 was launched in 1974, went silent for many years and amazed the amateur satellite world by suddenly coming back on the air in 2002.

Finally, AMRAD-OSCAR 27 celebrated its 27th anniversary in orbit on September 27th! According to the AMSAT News Service, AO-27 was the first FM "bent pipe" repeater in orbit and was also the platform for the first successful D-STAR satellite QSO.

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Monitored by Canadian Ham

Artist's conception of Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter above
the planet's surface.
(NASA image)

An amateur in British Columbia has reported receiving signals from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which is flying 170 miles above the surface of the red planet. 

Spaceweather.com reports that Scott Tilley, VE7TH, monitored a carrier from the satellite on 10 GHz, but the signal did not contain any telemetry or other data. The orbiter has a high-gain antenna and is intended to act as a relay station for signals from other Mars missions.

 

N0SSC Named IARU Region 2 Youth Liaison

Sterling Mann, N0SSC, has been appointed as Youth Liaison for Region 2 of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), which covers the Americas. According to the ARRL Letter, Mann will reach out to young hams throughout North, Central and South America and work with them and their national societies to develop "self-sustaining groups and activities" in each country. He will also be coordinating a "Young Ham Action Plan," which is described as a means to "connect with, engage, inspire and mentor young hams throughout the Americas."

FCC Allows MURS/Satellite Mix

 

The FCC will allow Garmin International to build a Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) handheld that also includes an emergency transmitter linked to the Iridium satellite network. MURS is regulated under Part 95 of the Commission's rules while the emergency beacon satellite system comes under Part 25. According to the ARRL Letter, FCC rules prohibit combining a MURS transmitter with one that operates in a different service. In this case, Garmin persuaded the Commission that it would be in the public interest to waive that particular rule and permit the installation of an emergency satellite module in its MURS handheld. Users would have to subscribe to Iridium's service to access the beacon transmitter, which Garmin assured the FCC would not be able to transmit at the same time as the MURS portion of the radio.

Hams Monitor FRS to Help Find Missing Kids

 

Some hams with sharp ears helped police in Idaho find two young boys who had gone missing while (fortunately) playing with a pair of Family Radio Service (FRS) handhelds. Also fortunate was that the Post Falls, Idaho, police officer put in charge of the search was a ham, Detective Neil Uhrig, K7NJU. 

While trying to set up his amateur handheld to monitor FRS Channel 1, which the two boys were thought to be using, Uhrig came across the NorthWest Traffic Net, sponsored by the Kootenai Amateur Radio Society, on a local repeater. The ARRL Letter reports that Uhrig explained the situation to the net control station and asked anyone in the Post Falls area with FRS capability to listen for the kids, ages 9 and 11. 

The Letter then reports that abou a half hour later, Jim Hager, KJ7OTD, heard children talking on Channel 1 and reported it to Uhrig. Uhrig came to Hager's house, heard the kids for himself and organized searchers in that vicinity, which was a considerable distance away from the area initially being searched. The children were soon found, safe and sound, thanks to Hager and the Northwest Traffic Net.

Hurricane Watch Net to Activate in Advance of Hurricane Delta

The following is from the Hurricane Watch Net - Please keep HWN frequencies clear when the net is active, and please listen before transmitting on other frequencies to be sure you are not interfering with emergency traffic.

Thursday, October 8, 2020 @ 12:00 PM CDT (1700 UTC)

The information contained in this email is going to numerous amateur radio nets, government and non-government agencies, as various amateur news outlets.

Looking at the latest satellite imagery, Hurricane Delta appears to be forming its first eyewall since becoming a hurricane.  This indicates the storm is getting better organized and strengthening. NHC is already forecasting Delta to be a Cat 3 Hurricane later today.  I would not be surprised at all if Delta intensified into a Cat 4 Hurricane once again.  Two Hurricane Hunter Aircraft – a USAF C-130H Hercules, and a NOAA P-3 Orion – will be investigating Hurricane Delta later this afternoon, so we shall see.

We will activate this afternoon at 4:00 PM CDT (2100) UTC on both 14.325.00 MHz and 7.268.00 MHz. We will plan to operate for as long as 20-meters is open and will plan to suspend operations at 7:00 PM CDT (0000 UTC). The primary purpose of today's activation is to line-up reporting stations.  Most of the affected area was hit last month by Hurricane Laura.

We will resume operations Friday morning at 7:00 AM EDT (1200 UTC) on 14.325.00 MHz. Operations on 7.268.00 MHz will resume at the conclusion of the Waterway Net. Once active, we will remain in full operation on both 20 and 40-meters through for as long as propagation permits – which will probably be somewhere around midnight CDT.

Key Messages from the Discussion package of Advisory 16 issued at 10:00 AM CDT (1500 UTC):

1.     Life-threatening storm surge is expected near and east of where Delta makes landfall on Friday, and a Storm Surge Warning is in effect from High Island, Texas, to Ocean Springs, Mississippi. The highest inundation of 7 to 11 feet is expected somewhere between Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge and Port Fourchon, Louisiana. Residents in the warning area should promptly follow advice given by local officials. The storm surge risk remains high despite the forecast decrease in intensity before landfall since Delta is expected to grow in size.

2.     Hurricane-force winds are expected Friday afternoon and evening somewhere within the Hurricane Warning area between High Island, Texas, and Morgan City, Louisiana. Hurricane-force winds will also spread inland across portions of southern Louisiana near the path of Deltas center Friday evening and Friday night.

3.     Significant flash flooding and minor to moderate river flooding are likely in parts of Louisiana Friday and Saturday, with additional flooding in portions of the central Gulf Coast into the Lower Mississippi Valley.

As with any net activation, we request observed ground-truth data from those in the affected area (Wind Speed, Wind Gust, Wind Direction, Barometric Pressure – if available, Rainfall, Damage, and Storm Surge). Measured weather data is always appreciated but we do accept estimated.

We are also available to provide backup communications to official agencies such as Emergency Operations Centers, Red Cross officials, and Storm Shelters in the affected area.  We will also be interested to collect and report significant damage assessment data back to FEMA officials stationed in the National Hurricane Center.

As always, we are praying and hoping for the best yet preparing for the worst.

Sincerely,

Bobby Graves - KB5HAV
Hurricane Watch Net
Net Manager
www.hwn.org 

 

Hurricane Watch Net Secures (for Now)

 The Hurricane Watch Net has secured operations for Hurricanes Paulette and Sally. The net frequencies of 14.325 and 7.268 MHz are now available for normal amateur use. 

The following update is from Hurricane Watch Net Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV:

(Update: Thursday, September 16, 2020 @ 10:30 AM EDT – 1430 UTC)


The Hurricane Watch Net has completed another mini-marathon session…71 continuous hours. Seems like these long activations are coming around all too often. I suppose Mother Nature hasn’t been getting the attention she desires.

During this activation, we worked 2 hurricanes – Paulette and Sally. Sally was an unusual storm. Unusual in the sense that it all but stalled and meandered 100 miles offshore for a while before finally moving towards the shore. This makes planning for an activation a nightmare. One never knows when a storm will stall, slow, or speed up.

We activated Sunday at 5:00 PM EDT (2100 UTC) using both 14.325.00 MHz and 7.268.00 MHz. During the opening hours, we lined up reporting stations on the island and made sure we had good propagation to Bermuda as Hurricane Paulette was heading their direction.

Hurricane Paulette made landfall Monday morning, September 14^th on the island of Bermuda around 5:00 AM AST (0900 UTC) as a Cat 1 Hurricane with sustained winds of 90 mph. We received numerous reports of widespread power and internet outages along with minor damage.

Once we completed operations for Hurricane Paulette, we quickly shifted our focus to what was soon to be Hurricane Sally. And within an hour of shifting our focus Sally was upgraded to a Cat 1 Hurricane with sustained winds of 90 mph.6

Sally was a forecasting nightmare with regards as to where it was headed. On Sunday, the forecast called for Tuesday landfall southeast of New Orleans. Then the track would shift to Bay Saint Louis on Tuesday evening. As time went on, the track kept shifting more to the east. Of course, Sally finally made landfall at Gulf Shores, AL Wednesday morning around 4:45 AM CDT (0945 UTC) as a strong Cat 2 Hurricane with sustained winds of 105 mph.

After landfall and Sally was downgraded to a Tropical Storm, we began calling for stations with reports of damage, storm surge, and flooding. The Net officially secured operations for Sally at 3:00 PM CDT (2000 UTC).

We are now keeping a close eye on Hurricane Teddy. Bermuda could be affected by another Hurricane by late Sunday night or early Monday morning. Also, we are keeping a close eye on a system that seems to be getting better organized in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico.

As a side note, the next storm to be named will be Wilfred. After that, we start using the Greek Alphabet in which the first name will be Alpha. If we reach Alpha, it will be the 2^nd time in history to use that name…the first was in 2005.

As always, our most sincere thanks to all who normally use 14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz for their daily Nets and rag-chews. Having a clear frequency helps us with our mission and I know those in the Affected Area greatly appreciate it as well!

And lastly, please keep all who have been affected in your prayers.

Sincerely,
Bobby Graves - KB5HAV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Northern Florida ARES Requests Clear Frequencies for HF Nets for Sally

The following is from ARRL:

Northern Florida Section Emergency Coordinator Karl Martin, K4HBN, is requesting that stations not directly involved in the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) response to Hurricane Sally please avoid 3.950 MHz (primary) and 7.242 MHz (backup).

ARES has activated in four Northern Florida counties. Shelters are open, and power and  telecommunications outages are widespread, Martin reports.

5-MHz Interoperability Channels Designated for Wildfires and Hurricane Sally Response

The following is from the ARRL:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced that two 60-meter channels have been made available, as necessary, for interoperability between US Government stations and US amateur radio stations involved in emergency communications related to the wildland firefighting response in California, Oregon, and Washington, and to Hurricane Sally. These interoperability channels will remain active until the need for these channels no longer exists:


*  Channel 1 - primary voice traffic 5332 kHz channel center, 5330.5 kHz USB voice.

*  Channel 2 - digital traffic 5348 kHz channel center, 5346.5 kHz USB with 1.5-kHz offset to center of digital waveform.

Frequencies may be modified or added to by FEMA Region 10 for their area or operations due to existing 5-MHz/60-meter interoperability plans for their region.

Amateur radio is secondary on the 5-MHz band and should yield to operational traffic related to wildland firefighting and hurricane response. Although the intended use for these channels is interoperability between federal government stations and licensed US amateur radio stations, federal government stations are primary users and amateurs are secondary users.

The Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS - https://netcom.army.mil/mars/ ) is following FEMA's lead on the interoperability channel designations for the wildfire and hurricane response. Army MARS Program Manager Paul English, WD8DBY, says he has alerted all MARS members of the FEMA channel designations and MARS members are prepared to support response efforts as needed.

Hurricane Watch Net Activated for Sally

The Hurricane Watch Net (www.hwn.org) has been activated for Hurricane Sally as the storm - packing potentially historic flooding - approaches the coastlines of Mississippi and Alabama. It is also continuing to collect damage reports from Bermuda, which was just hit by Hurricane Paulette.

The net is active on 14.325.00 MHz & 7.268.00 MHz. All amateurs without hurricane-related traffic are asked to keep these frequencies clear.

FCC to Hams: That'll be $50, Please

The FCC is proposing a $50 fee for all amateur radio license applications, 

modifications and upgrades, under terms of a law passed by Congress in 2018. It would not include administrative updates such as address changes, but according to the ARRL Letter, the proposed fee would also apply to requests for printed licenses. Over a 10-year license term, the fee would be the equivalent of $5 per year. Hams have had to pay fees as high as $70 in the past for vanity licenses, but licenses with sequentially-issued call signs were exempted. The FCC eliminated all fees for amateur licenses several years ago. The fee proposal is contained in a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) in MD Docket 20-270. The full NPRM is at <https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-20-116A1.pdf>. Comments were being accepted for 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.