SB QST @ ARL $ARLB031   
   ARLB031 Radio Amateurs in Mexico Prepare as Powerful Hurricane Patricia Nears   
   Landfall   
      
   ZCZC AG31   
   QST de W1AW   
   ARRL Bulletin 31  ARLB031   
   > From ARRL Headquarters   
   Newington CT  October 23, 2015   
   To all radio amateurs   
      
   SB QST ARL ARLB031   
   ARLB031 Radio Amateurs in Mexico Prepare as Powerful Hurricane Patricia Nears   
   Landfall   
      
   An emergency net has been established on 7060 kHz (LSB) from Manzanillo in the   
   Mexican state of Colima, in anticipation of the powerful Hurricane Patricia,   
   which is threatening Mexico's Pacific Coast. According to Zian Aguirre,   
   XE1ATZ, the emergency net will also be using 14,120 and 21,120 kHz, and he   
   asked the Amateur Radio community to keep all three frequencies clear for   
   emergency traffic. States of emergency are in effect for three Mexican states.   
      
   Omar Alvarez, XE1AO, a faculty member at the University of Colima, initially   
   activated the net on 7060 kHz from the University, which has its own amateur   
   station. He said other stations had checked in from the capital city of Colima.   
      
   "We don't have any damage at the moment, just rain since yesterday evening,"   
   Alvarez told ARRL. "We are expecting the first effects at 1500 local time. Now   
   I am at home. In the last hour I have had nine stations report in on HF and   
   three on VHF, but without any emergency reports."   
      
   He further reported that major grocery outlets in Manzanillo were closing this   
   morning, although they would remain open in Colima, where other economic   
   activity has been shut down. After 1300 local time, the water supply in   
   Manzanillo would shut down as well. "Most of the tourists were evacuated from   
   all the coastal hotels," he said.   
      
   The National Hurricane Center in Miami is calling the Category 5 storm   
   "potentially catastrophic," as it heads toward landfall in southwestern   
   Mexico. As of 1500 UTC, the storm was located about 125 miles southwest of   
   Manzanillo and 195 miles south of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico. Evacuation of some   
   60,000 residents in the storm's path is under way.   
      
   The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 2 Area C Emergency   
   Coordinator Arnie Coro, CO2KK, has alerted emergency coordinators within   
   Amateur Radio range of Mexico that Hurricane Patricia is packing winds of up   
   to 200 MPH. "Preparations to deal with the huge storm should be completed by   
   now," he said. "I expect Mexican radio amateurs to be operating in the area of   
   40 meters used for emergency traffic. Please be on the alert in the frequency   
   range between 7050 and 7100 kHz for possible emergency related traffic from   
   Mexico."   
      
   The National Hurricane Center said in its 1500 UTC summary, "On the forecast   
   track, the center of Patricia should cross the coast in the hurricane warning   
   area late this afternoon or early this evening. After landfall, the center of   
   Patricia is expected to move quickly north-northeastward across western and   
   northern Mexico."   
      
   Hurricane Patricia is the most powerful storm ever recorded by the National   
   Hurricane Center. The storm is expected to generate torrential rains and   
   flooding. The storm is moving to the north at about 10 MPH. The National   
   Hurricane Center has reported that the minimum central barometric pressure is   
   at an extraordinary 25.99 inches.   
      
   NNNN   
   /EX   
      
   )\/(ark   
      
   ... Advisor: The guy who told you how to screw up.   
   ---   
    * Origin:  (1:3634/12.73)