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![Previous (earlier) Story](/images/sty-down.gif "ARRL Spells Out "Ham Aid" Reimbursement Procedures"){kind=small} Previous: ARRL Spells Out "Ham Aid" Reimbursement Procedures |  Next: Amateur Radio Equipment Donations Making a Difference in Gulf Region |
NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 13, 2005--Now that Ophelia once again is a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 MPH, the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) has reaffirmed its plans to reactivate on 14.325 MHz Wednesday, September 14, at 1300 UTC. The storm continues to meander off the South Carolina shore some 100 miles east of Charleston. Joining the HWN will be WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami. The net will convene to gather observed and measured ground-level weather data from stations in the affected area.
"Ophelia inches toward the coastline," said the NHC's 0000 UTC September 14 forecast. "A hurricane warning remains in effect from the South Santee River, South Carolina, to Oregon Inlet, North Carolina, including Pamlico Sound."
HWN Manager Mike Pilgrim, K5MP, asked members of the nets that meet on 14.300 MHz to advise their members in the affected area to visit the HWN on 14.325 MHz with their reports. "Throughout this event, we remind everyone that we are also available to provide backup communications facilities to official agencies such as emergency operations centers and Red Cross officials in the affected area," the HWN noted on its Web site earlier today. "We will also be interested to collect and report significant damage assessment data back to FEMA officials stationed in the National Hurricane Center."
The HWN requests that stations not check into the net unless specifically requested to do so.
The National Hurricane Center says Ophelia is moving north-northwesterly at near 3 MPH, "and this general motion is expected to continue tonight." A turn to the north is anticipated on September 14, however. The NHC says Ophelia is likely to continue its erratic motion.
The NHC says maximum coastal storm surge flooding of 5 to 7 feet above normal tide levels, along with large and dangerous battering waves, can be expected in areas of onshore flow. A storm surge of 8 to 10 feet is possible at the heads of bays and rivers.
Authorities in North Carolina have already issued mandatory evacuation orders for a half-dozen counties. Voluntary evacuation requests have been issued for another eight counties. More than two dozen shelters already have been opened in eastern North Carolina.
The HWN activated September 13 to gather a roster of potential reporting stations, but Pilgrim called the band conditions "very unstable."
In addition to the HWN's 14.325 MHz frequency, WX4NHC will monitor VoIP-WX EchoLink WX-Talk Conference Room and IRLP node 9219.
| Previous: ARRL Spells Out "Ham Aid" Reimbursement Procedures | Next: Amateur Radio Equipment Donations Making a Difference in Gulf Region |
