7290Kc - Hurricane

[WA3VJB]

Friday afternoon 17 Aug 2007
Texas Gov. Rick Perry has declared Hurricane Dean an "imminent threat" to his state, a move that spools up some preparedness measures in case the storm continues a path that could strike the Gulf Coast sometime next week.

For AM activity underway on and around 7290Kc, remember that the FCC several years ago discontinued pre-emptive declarations of a "communications emergency" on 40 meters, including those requested for hurricane drills before any actual need was established.

This means routine communications of a non-essential nature have an equal basis for using this part of the dial.

The FCC was responsive at that time to complaints that some of the pre-emptive declarations were unwarranted, and were prompted by certain self-important Gulf Coast "net control" operators.

The FCC subsequently underscored the recommended alternative of using 60 meters for emergency drills, readiness and actual traffic when and if that were to occur. 

The use of the 60 meter band for hurricane traffic is in keeping with part of the basis the ARRL and others used in establishing why amateurs should have those channels available.

For those of us who coordinate AM activity around 7285-7295 to minimize friction with incompatible modes and activities, it remains a polite and reasonable action for us to remind others of the 60 meter preference regarding hurricane-related, but non-emergency, radio chatter.

This may help blunt any unseemly claims to an area where a conversation is established.

FCC Enforcement Counsel Riley Hollingsworth, in a response Friday to an email I sent summarizing this scenario and my understand of the agency's position, reminded me that emergency preparedness is an essential underpinning of the Amateur service. 

From my perspective, this was never in question, and his response suggested I have it correctly regarding his stance on the preferred use of 60 meters for hurricane-related communications, emergency or routine.

Inexplicably, the ham station at the National Hurricane Center in Florida does not have 60 meter capability, preferring its traditional use of frequencies on the 75, 40 and 20 meter bands. The station has never requested a declaration of "communications emergency," but has asked (with all justification) for a clear frequency when emergency traffic is actually being passed.

I cannot find any listings among Gulf Coast "net control" stations regarding their capabilities on 60 meters, in order for them to be in compliance with FCC policy as preparedness for hurricane-related communications.

07285.0  LSB  Texas ARES Emergency (day)
07290.0  LSB  Central Gulf Coast Hurricane
07290.0  LSB  Gulf Coast Wx
07290.0  LSB  Texas ARES (health & welfare)
07290.0  LSB  Louisiana ARES (health & welfare) (day)
07290.0  LSB  Texas ARES (health & welfare)
07290.0  LSB  Mississippi ARES (health & welfare)

http://www.hurricanefrequencies.com/

by KR4WM on June 30, 2005 on eham.net   
The original purpose of the 60M band (as advertised) was for hurricane communications between the southeast and the carribean. If it gets used for other purposes while there are no hurricanes, that's great.

from: http://www.iaru.org/ac-spec02.html

In April 1999, ARRL received an experimental license for 15 stations to conduct SSB and digital data contacts in the band 5100 -- 5450 kHz. The objectives of this project were to demonstrate 1) propagation differences between the 80, 60 and 40-metre bands to learn if the 60-metre band would enhance public service communications in this region of the spectrum, and 2) interference to the primary services will not be caused. The tests showed that a 60-metre band would provide communications when the neither the 80-metre nor 40-metre bands are reliable and that no interference was caused to incumbent licensees.

from: Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Plan, 06 Mar 2003 (Gary Wilson, K2GW
Jean Priestley, KA2YKN Section Emergency Coordinator, ARRL)

If interference to actual emergency operations becomes particularly grievous and
there is no alternative solution, an EC may request the SM, the SEC or the State RACES
Officer to request the FCC declare a Communications Emergency under FCC Rule
97.401. The SM, SEC or State RACES Officer will make this request through the
District Director of the FCC Philadelphia Field Office at 1-888-225-5322 (CALL-FCC).
The initial request should include the name and phone number of an Emergency
Management or Disaster Relief official who believes the declaration is essential to relief
operations, the necessary frequencies, desired start time, and estimated end time of the
declaration.

From: www.ncarrl.org/ares/ncep.pdf

(c) FCC Declaration of Communications Emergency
i. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) policy provides that when a disaster disrupts
normal communication systems in a particular area, the FCC may declare a temporary state
of communication emergency. The declaration will set forth any special conditions and special
rules to be observed by stations during the communication emergency.
ii. The SEC may request an FCC Declaration of Communications Emergency if needed to facil-
itate communications on HF nets. The SM may also make the request in the absence of the
SEC.
iii. Such a declaration request should only be made if there is ongoing interference to HF nets
that will severely impact our ability to handle traffic.
iv. The FCC will not issue preemptive declarations in anticipation of a disaster.
v. The FCC favors the use of 60 meters or VHF in such declarations.

[KF1Z]

All well and good....
But with an output power limitation of 50 watts E.R.P.  ....
I doubt very much the station (wx4nhs?), and those stations regularly involved, would willingly utilize the 60 meter frequencies.

It does make for a good spot for non-emergency traffic though...

At least here in the north-east... it's usually very quiet.

[Jim, W5JO]

Picked this up today from another group.


http://www.hurricanefrequencies.com/

[WQ9E]

I really do hate to be controversial but there are very few "hurricane events" and having vintage operators identified as being the cause of interference to a potentially rather important activity is not the sort of publicity we need.  I will admit I am somewhat biased having grown up on the MS Gulf Coast and I went through Camille in '69 and Elena in '85 along with other more minor storms.  The number of amateurs with 60 meter gear is still somewhat limited and one of the major strengths of ham radio is our frequency agility in being able to use the band we need in order to cover the communication distance needed.  I would respectfully suggest that after this hurricane season it might be fruitful to have discussions with some of these nets about a shift in frequency for next year but as for myself I can forgo 40 meter AM for a few days while Dean and his fellow travelers are traveling through the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.

In the last 3 years almost all of my operating is on AM with the remainder being CW and I own around 180 pieces of vintage gear so I consider myself I very dedicated AM operator.  But I am also a professor of marketing and I am very familiar with the lasting damage from adverse publicity.

Rodger WQ9E

[WA3VJB]

Rodger I entirely agree with you as to how important it is to avoid putting oneself in a position of being a liability rather than an asset. In fact, Riley's email included the quote "don't shoot yourself in the foot" in trying to press the point I've accurately portrayed.

What seems to get less attention is the problem that started the chance for confrontation in the first place: The selection of a frequency for SSB activity of potentially great importance, but which is at odds with other coordinated activity whose operators may or may not be paying attention to an incompatible mode encountered.

Adding to that recipe for friction is the documented series of incidents that prompted the FCC to discontinue pre-emptive declarations of a communications emergency.

It is vital to create a responsible environment where such comms take place. The FCC and licensees eventually rejected the ego trips that certain Gulf Coast "net control" stations tried to take with self-important calls to FCC field engineers pleading for relief from interference that never actually took place.

I enjoy taking part in and refining my proficiency in emergency communications.¹ The purpose of my posting is to illustrate the need for responsible net control operations, that all of us shall gladly make way for when and if the time comes.

If you are in contact with any folks in that region, please pass along this concern.  Ideally, future planning should include the selection of a frequency in an area of the band where SSB is more likely to be found. Since I have this sort of concern, I'll take you up on your suggestion, and thank you for making it.

I would respectfully suggest that after this hurricane season it might be fruitful to have discussions with some of these nets about a shift in frequency for next year

¹Including monitoring for Rita and Katrina traffic, seen below.

[WV Hoopie]

I'll first comment that if the frequency was in use by a net for emergency coms, I'd QSY.

But the thought of a SSB net on an ARRL suggested AM calling frequency is like p*ssing into the wind, tugging on Super Man's cape, taking the mask off of the Lone Ranger. Someone is looking for a fight, stupid idea.

Who tossed common sense out of the window?

Craig,

[WA3VJB]

Craig the group in Newington, itself, violates its "Considerate Operators Guide" by running automated W1AW voice recordings on 7290Kc.  They are using a mode incompatible with their suggested use.

As for QSY'ing when an emergency net is active, I am having trouble making it clear that this is exactly what I too would do.

The issue, straight and basic, is when there is no emergency, no traffic, and no interference, just a combative "net control" or two who has it out for anyone who dares not to pay homage to their self-perceived importance.

Fortunately, the FCC's decision against pre-emptive declarations knocked such egos down a few pegs.  I hope never to hear the kind of confrontation I have heard in years past, where "declarations" were used mostly as a tool against AM than on behalf of any bona-fide emergency communications by anyone's definition.

[WQ9E]

Hi Paul,

I agree with your comments and I think you are being very reasonable.

Unfortunately I don't have much contact with the folks "down south" anymore.  I left the coast for a Ph.D. program in Lubbock in 1986 and I have lived in central IL since 1989 where our major emergency traffic consists of weather spotting during tornado season.  However I will put out some feelers to some friends I have in the coastal area to see if I can spur some conversation.  Having nets on 7290 seems like a very bad choice though they have probably been there since the days of link coupled outputs and were probably actually full carrier AM themselves at one time though I doubt the current members are aware of that historical footnote.

The hurricane net types around the coastal area have always been pretty high involvement, the NCS for the gulf coast hurricane net was Norm Feehan W5JHS when I was a novice back in '74 and apparently prior to retirement he would close his business for an hour or so every day so he could go home and run the net-a bit excessive in my opinion.  He did have a very neat National set-up with the NCX-5, the matching external VFO with the net frequency in the xtal oscillator position, and the NCL-2000 amp.  I wish I had acquired that from his estate!  In his later years I think his only operation was on the net.

I am glad that you brought this up Paul since those of us running high power, high level AM are likely putting out much more robust signals than many people on the "emergency" nets.  Propagation has also been very odd on the low bands lately.  I was acting as temporary net control for the Midwest Classic Radio Net Saturday morning and after doing a quick transmitter change during the first couple of minutes of the net (a switching issue with my Ranger/Desk KW) I ended up with a cold Viking 500 on 3888 which caused interference to a 5 land net on 3890.  I quickly moved back where I belonged but typically there shouldn't be much propagation from 9 land to 5 land on 75 during the sunny part of the day.

Rodger WQ9E

[WQ9E]

Hi Craig,

To go with your lyrics, common sense died a bit before Jim Croce did.

Unfortunately instead of taking a systems or holistic view of the situation the league in recent years seems to cater to the loudest special interest group.  I guess we need to start experimenting with some of the "super modulation" techniques from the 60's so we can be the loudest

[k4kyv]

I think the habitual choice of 7290 for emergency traffic in that part of the country is partly related to the "No-Traffic" net that operates all day long from 5-land on that frequency.  Some of those operators will jump at any chance to actually pass some "traffic" for a change.

But apparently, Riley gave that group a dose of reality as a result of their recent flap with Ashtabula Bill.  I have noticed lately, when there is a pre-existing AM QSO on 7290, instead of starting up right on top of the AM group and then complaining about the interference, they move a few kHz down the band and carry on their net with little or no mutual interference with the AM QSO on frequency.  When the AM QSO clears, then they QSY back to 7290.

[WV Hoopie]

Just more sad commentary of the efforts from the ARRL and others to drive a wedge between different modes used by radio amateurs.

Before the Katrinia disaster/event and well after; here in the Pacific Northwest SSB stations were trying to discourage AM use on 7.290MHz, citing emergency net usage because of Katrinia. Of course those SSB stations failed or refused to ID.

73's
wd8kdg
Craig

[AF9J]

I agree with what everybody says.  In a nutshell, treat operation on the freq., like we do the 2m repeaters, when there's a chance of severe weather (which is pretty common in this part of the country as Rodger will also attest to) - realize that if severe weather occurs (or in the case of 7290, a hurricane), normal operations stop, and the severe weather net takes over until the weather event is over with.  We do it all of the time, and seldom have issues.  We are in direct contact with hams at the NWS offices, so as their on the ground observers, provide them with weather observations that are of value.  Most operators with half a brain should realize this.  Of course, this same courteous behavior should also hold true for net control ops.   I can see them calling the net to standby, but then let normal communications continue until the emergency is real.  Still, as Rodger said, all too often those who are your enemies (in this case anti-AMers) will look for any opportunity/information they can use to bash AM.

73,
Ellen - AF9J 

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

I have noticed lately, when there is a pre-existing AM QSO on 7290, instead of starting up right on top of the AM group and then complaining about the interference, they move a few kHz down the band and carry on their net with little or no mutual interference with the AM QSO on frequency.  When the AM QSO clears, then they QSY back to 7290.

Huh, someone actually using their VFO and tuning it to a clear frequency. What a radical concept.

[W1DAN]

Paul:

Being born and raised in New Orleans, hurricanes are very important events for me. My opinion is that we (as a group, say from AMfone or AMI) should let the ARRL and Riley know that in the event of a hurricane net during a hurricane event all of us AM'ers will vacate 7290 and provide any requested assistance. In normal times, we will use it in a non-interferning basis.

This should be a practice that the whole AM community knows and abides by.

Thoughts?

Dan
W1DAN/4

[W1DAN]

Hi Mack:

I'll just re-direct the hurricane up to Ohio!;-)

Dan

[W1DAN]

Mack:

No, No!

I meant a Hurricane drink from Pat O'Brien's in New Orleans.

Or...

They should just have the hurricane net in AM!

73,
Dan
W1DAN/4 Huntsville, AL

[WA3VJB]

Hi Dan,

Your background from being in the region carries weight with me, but as I said,

As for QSY'ing when an emergency net is active, I am having trouble making it clear that this is exactly what I too would do.

What is your approach when arrogant, self-important "net controls" with no traffic, no interference, and no bonafide emergency declare they own the frequency?

Do you offer the same deference ?

I do not agree.

[W1DAN]

Hi Paul:

I did see that line in your original message and was not disagreeing. When I think about hurricane nets, I am thinjking of something productive like an ARES or NTS net, not something like the Marconi Net. To me informal nets that are not performing any health and welfare job should have the fequency on a first come first served basis. As you said, if there is an offical NTS hurricane net(or anyone with any true emergency), yup they got the frequency.

In the end, I am agreeing with you, but I do not get the feeling that our individual verbal/email support of formal hurricane nets are loud enough or in unity as a large AM community to the ARRL and Riley. So that is why I was wondering if some formal letter from AMI or some AM representative group would help.

BTW, thanks for bringing this subject up.

Thoughts?

73
Dan
W1DAN/4

[The Slab Bacon]

Welcome to the net that is a net that is a net that is a net. The net where everyone has value! The gourmet spot in amateur radio, the net that always asks and many times answers that age old burning question....................  Whatz fa dinnah!!!! 

                                                  the Slab Bacon

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

The biggest issue for some seems to be knowing the difference between a possible emergency event and an actual emergency.

I was the State RACES director for a decade and never had any issues of interference, etc as described. The only hassles we ever had were (oddly enough) from the ARES people. They really seemed to have a woody for wearing badges and other decorations, and for seizing even the remotest possibility to be turned into a cataclysmic event. Their attitude created more problems for emergency comms in the state than anything or anyone else.

This is likely the problem here as well. As others have mentioned, it's never an issue of vacating a frequency for an emergency. Using the 'possibility of traffic' or anything else as an excuse to interrupt communications or claim ownership is another matter, of course.

BTW, WB3FAU, myself, and a few others rode 7290 pretty hard for a few hours yesterday. The 'No Traffic' gang appeared to be down around 7283.

[The Slab Bacon]

this whole scenario reminds me so much of an incident that happened many years ago to me.

This was during the last "gas crunch" back in the late 70s. Some people are just hyperactive zealots!! I was the mechanic in a local service station about 1 mile from my home. Since I was a big burley S.O.B. back then I was always asked to be the one who went out and put the "last car" sign on the car that would be the last car of the day. As that car pulled up to the pumps for his fill up another car pulled up behind him. We pointed to the sign on the car in front of him as we turned the pumps off.

This A.H. flipped out at me (bad move) and went nuts. He informed us that he was in the national guard. I looked at him and said, So??
He then went wacko and said "I need gas, I only have half of a tank, what if a war breaks out". I looked at hin with a smug grin and said: "Well, I guess you'll be late gettin there". He proceded to flip out totally!

He then went to his trunk and pulled out a rifle and pointed it at me.
I told him to put it away, or I would put it somewhere that he would have to have it "surgically removed". (Meanwhile everyone else at the shop was laughing at him and deciding how bad we were going to mess him up) All the while this was going on his wife was in the car.
She saw that we were just about ready to pounce on this idiot and got out of the car and got 'er done for us. She took the rifle away from him, slapped the szht out of him, and pushed him back into the car and drove away. We all were cracking up laughing by then!!

The moral of the story is, always be ready for an emergency if it comes, but dont make up one that doesnt exist yet!! You dont necessarily have to act important to be important. Too many people use this stuff as an extension of their ego (and other things)

                                             the Slab Bacon

[W2JBL]

relax guys. the real emergency traffic is being handled by K1MAN on 14.272 and 14.275. IARN has been activated! this is not a drill... he's back again. i also get sick and tired of reading all the Chicken Little Sky Is Falling paranoia and Emcomm crap every time a storm develops offshore. 674 future illegal aliens get swept out to sea by a hurricane? big deal. when is it time to really worry about a storm? how about when the whitecaps are breaking 6 feet from your house and you have a boat tied to the back porch so you can get out. that's the way it is where i grew up. let's see how those Emcomm weenies would handle THAT scenario instead of sitting in a dry hamshack 500 miles from the real storm. i bet it's pretty hard to navigate a mobility cart in seven feet of flood tide. and while i'm venting on here- a big Bronx Cheer to those loser sidebanders who think they own 7.290! there- i'm done. have a nice day.
DE W2JBL

[WA3VJB]

From Frank's excellent story about the gas line Rifleman I took a lesson that may have been unintended -- have I created a "scenario" that does not exist?

I still believe in the point I made that there is no legitimacy in a frequency claim made only by a puffed-up ego and the supplicants who may follow him.  But I have not encountered such egos in the present day, except for Don's point about the no-traffic net that invariably tries to establish itself on 7290.

Maybe I should have waited until and unless there's a confrontation during the ramp-up to a bonafide hurricane, and not reacted as I've done to the approaching storm itself.

Well anyway, I am having a difficult time convincing Riley of the merits of taking an even-handed approach to frequency management.  He has further written back to me citing his comments made at the Dayton hamfest suggesting that others should simply make way when there's an event that causes disruption of ordinary activity.

He has failed to address the clearly-stated scenario of how to address a bogus claim to such a frequency, where the merit is not established and cannot be judged by a reasonable person to have any special value over any other activity.

There are two things that disturb me about his response: 1., it's okay to interfere with others if your activity is deemed important enough, with contesting and pre-emergency radio chatter being two examples he has offered 2., others who don't wish to participate should simply forego the radio that day or that frequency or that band or whatever the circumstances are that prevent the victim from working around the problem.

I'm trying next to draft a diplomatic response asking him to reconsider his position, which I suspect encourages bad behavior in the two models he cites. For contestors who already have felt enabled by the organizing magazines that sponsor them, they now have the FCC's enforcement counsel's support to embolden them against outsiders who question their interference. For pre-emergency whackers, they may now feel they indeed have a special claim to "practice" being a whacker far ahead of when there's any real need to push others out of the way.

It's a disheartening situation, and one I did not expect to find myself in as I communicate with the guy who has said he supports efforts for all people to get along on shared frequencies.

This approach he has outlined does not do that.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Well, the current/projected storm path would seem to illustrate just how pointless the 'pre-emergency' declaration is with respect at least to amateur radio. It makes sense for staging supplies and such, but not disrupting communications. Since we're always supposed to be prepared, and since it doesn't take a lot to get one of the new 'plug-n-play-then-throw-away' radios online, the answer seems obvious.

Many of us have seen first hand what egos can do to the hobby aspect of amateur radio. Considering that emergency communication is perhaps the main reason for our continuing existence, it worries me what damage the ham-sexy/bloated ego gang could do.

Ah, well - there's always Botany!   

[WA3VJB]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Riley Hollingsworth
Date: Aug 20, 2007 9:29 AM
Subject: RE: hurricane traffic
To: Paul Courson


If more operators assumed Roger's attitude, the entire service would
immediately benefit.  Please read my Dayton speech, especially regarding
letting contesters alone.  Why is AM operation, or any other operation,
so critical that you all have to get argumentative about standing down a
day or two until a  hurricane passes? Why do you have to base it upon
your OWN judgment of the importance of the communications? It's a pretty
sad state of affairs if you ask me, and THAT, more that any operating
violations, is what will probably bring about its demise.  But I hope it
doesn't happen in my lifetime, because I rather enjoy Amateur radio and
I am not wedded or limited to any particular frequency or mode. Amateurs
have thousands upon thousands of frequencies, more than any other
service on the planet, and pretty near any mode they want, and they
still bitch and fight.  Some would bitch about winning the lottery. I
can hear it now: "I wanted $10,000 a week, not $40,000 a month. This
sucks."  And you can post this if you want.

~~~~~~

Riley,

Rodger, WQ9E has corresponded with me in much the same vein as yourself.
I have to agree with the premise of expressing a willingness to make
way, and that was never in doubt.

Here's what he had to say:
"I really do hate to be controversial but there are very few "hurricane
events" and having vintage operators identified as being the cause of
interference to a potentially rather important activity is not the sort
of publicity we need.  I will admit I am somewhat biased having grown up
on the MS Gulf Coast and I went through Camille in '69 and Elena in '85
along with other more minor storms.  The number of amateurs with 60
meter gear is still somewhat limited and one of the major strengths of
ham radio is our frequency agility in being able to use the band we need
in order to cover the communication distance needed.  I would
respectfully suggest that after this hurricane season it might be
fruitful to have discussions with some of these nets about a shift in
frequency for next year but as for myself I can forgo 40 meter AM for a
few days while Dean and his fellow travelers are traveling through the
warm waters of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico."

~~~~~