TZUTC: -0500   
   MSGID: 251.fidonet-ls_arrl@1:2320/33 2792f5f5   
   PID: Synchronet 3.19c-Win32 master/ff3826fc0 Sep 16 2022 MSC 1929   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.15-Win32 master/ff3826fc0 Sep 16 2022 MSC 1929   
   BBSID: TBOLT   
   CHRS: ASCII 1   
   SB SPCL @ ARL $ARLX009   
   ARLX009 Amateur Radio Operators Track Hurricane Fiona   
      
   ZCZC AX09   
   QST de W1AW    
   Special Bulletin 9  ARLX009   
   From ARRL Headquarters    
   Newington CT  September 23, 2022   
   To all radio amateurs   
      
   SB SPCL ARL ARLX009   
   ARLX009 Amateur Radio Operators Track Hurricane Fiona   
      
   The National Hurricane Center (NHC), the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN),   
   the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Hurricane Net, and the   
   Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) all have been   
   engaged in tracking Hurricane Fiona.   
      
   Amateur radio operators have been reporting weather conditions since   
   Monday, September 19, 2022, and have received positive feedback on   
   their assistance. The VoIP Hurricane Net was active for 14   
   continuous hours on Sunday, September 18, for Hurricane Fiona, as it   
   pummeled the southern and southwestern portions of Puerto Rico with   
   catastrophic rainfall and flooding with hurricane-force conditions.   
      
   In the ARRL Puerto Rico Section, Public Information Coordinator   
   (PIC) Angel L. Santana-Diaz, WP3GW, who lives in Trujillo Alto,   
   reported a widespread blackout as the hurricane made landfall on the   
   island. Still, he explained, there were ham radio repeaters that   
   remained on the air with amateurs sharing reports of damage,   
   including downed trees and power poles, and roofs ripped from homes.   
   ARRL Member Pedro S. Labayen, KP4DKE, of Utuado, was mentioned in a   
   Miami Herald article for reporting the significant damage to his   
   rural and mountainous region of the island.   
      
   The NHC has issued advisories for Hurricane Fiona and Tropical Storm   
   Gaston. Marine warnings are also in effect for the Caribbean and the   
   Southwest Atlantic. As of 2:00 PM EDT (1800 UTC) on Thursday,   
   September 22, the NHC reported that Hurricane Fiona is forecast to   
   pass just west of Bermuda by late Thursday evening, approach Nova   
   Scotia on Friday, and move across Nova Scotia and into the Gulf of   
   St. Lawrence on Saturday. Fiona is a category 4 hurricane with   
   maximum sustained winds near 130 mph (215 km/h) with higher gusts.   
      
   In advance of the hurricane, the Radio Society of Bermuda activated   
   their Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) on Wednesday, September   
   21, at 1:43 PM ET and plans to have 14 active amateurs monitoring   
   the hurricane network. Plans are to use local repeaters, unless   
   there's a power loss, then they'll switch to simplex. They're   
   currently monitoring 14.283 MHz and will continue to monitor that   
   frequency.   
      
   The HWN will be activated on Thursday, September 22, at 5:00 PM   
   EDT/AST (2100 UTC) on the primary frequency of 14.325 MHz.   
   Activation for the 40-meter net on 7.268 MHz will be at 7:00 PM   
   EDT/AST (2300 UTC). The net will be on 20 meters for as long as   
   propagation will allow and will remain active on 40 meters until   
   it's no longer required, or propagation goes away.   
      
   However, should Hurricane Fiona make direct landfall, operations   
   will resume on Friday, September 23, at 9:00 AM EDT/AST (1300 UTC)   
   to assist with post-storm reports and any outgoing health and   
   welfare traffic, which would be directed toward SATERN.   
      
   HWN Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, offered some suggestions for   
   amateur radio operators contacting the net.   
      
   "We look for reporting stations that can provide us with any   
   measured or estimated weather information that we can relay directly   
   to the forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Such   
   weather information we look for is maximum sustained winds, wind   
   gusts, wind direction, barometric pressure, and rainfall amount --   
   how much over x-amount of time, storm surge, and damage," Graves   
   said. "Also, should you have any outgoing health and welfare traffic   
   before, during, or after this event, we are happy to assist as we   
   work closely with the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network."   
      
   Graves also said, as a reminder, the HWN is available to provide   
   backup communications to official agencies, such as Emergency   
   Operations Centers, American Red Cross officials, and storm shelters   
   in the affected area. They also collect and forward significant   
   damage assessment data to government and non-government officials.   
      
   Amateur radio operators who want to monitor or participate in the   
   hurricane nets should visit these two useful and informative links:   
      
   The Hurricane Watch Net - Useful Links:   
      
   https://hwn.org/tools/useful-links.html   
      
   VoIP Hurricane Net:   
      
   https://voipwx.net/   
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