Hello to all….

….Felix downgraded to a Tropical Storm in the 8 PM EDT Tuesday/0000 UTC Wednesday Advisory. VoIP Hurricane Net Activation Secured at this time….
….Web Site Graphic will reflect not_activated in the next couple of hours….

We have secured operations of the VoIP Hurricane Net at 8 PM EDT/0000 UTC today as Felix has weakened to a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 60 MPH. Felix should continue to degenerate to a remant low by Wednesday. Major River and Stream Flooding is now the main threat for Nicaragua and portions of Honduras.

The VoIP Hurricane Net wishes to thank all of its net controls for their support for this catastrophic system. Special thanks also goes out to NP3OD-Fransisco and the IRESC, International Radio Emergency Support Coalition for translating the local TV feed from Nicaragua and Nicaragua web sites. Special thanks also to Carlos-XE2WCG from Tampico, Mexico for his support in translating reports from Spanish to English and relaying reports from the 40 Meter Nicaragua Emergency Net to our net.

The ARRL has been following the story of the VoIP Hurricane Net and our activation. See link below for the latest article:
VoIP Hurricane Net Active as Hurricane Felix Makes Landfall in Northeastern Nicaragua

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net
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Hello to all….

…VoIP Hurricane Net Activation to Commence at 4 AM EDT/0800 UTC Tuesday September 4th, 2007 for Potentially Catastrophic Hurricane Felix’s impact to Nicaragua, Honduras and Belize as we attempt to get contacts in the affected area of Felix in Honduras. Activation timeframe sped up due to the speed of motion of Felix…
….Additional Net Activations are Possibly but less likely than the previous notice. Activation may be continuous into Wednesday but the net maybe able to secure some time late Tuesday or Wednesday if the current track scenario verifies….

The VoIP Hurricane Net in coordination with WX4NHC will be activating at 4 AM EDT/0800 UTC Tuesday September 4th, 2007 to support WX4NHC with surface/meterological reports from stations in the affected area on *WX-TALK* node: 7203/IRLP reflector 9219. Impact to Nicaragua and Honduras is expected Tuesday with impact to Belize later Tuesday into Wednesday. It now appears that activation past Wednesday is less likely per the current track guidance but this is subject to change and the activation notice will be updated as needed pending Felix’s track.

As of 5PM EDT Monday Evening/ 21:00 UTC, A Hurricane Warning is in effect from Puerto Cabezas Nicaragua Northward to the Honduras/Nicaragua border and for Honduras from Limon eastward to the Honduras/Nicaragua border. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Honduras west of Limon, the Caribbean coast of Guatemala and the entire coast of Belize. Felix, fluctuating betweeen Category 4 and Category 5 intensity, is expected to pass near the Nicaragua/Honduras border and into Honduras on Tuesday. We are currently making contact with Amateurs and other folks in Honduras, Nicaragua and Belize or with any Amateurs who have contact with Amatuers or other people in these areas. Any stations with contacts in that area are urged to assist us by relaying reports from those contacts in the affected area wherever possible.

The reporting criteria and activation policy for our net during hurricane net activations can be found on our web site at http://www.voipwx.net

Listen Only IRLP/EchoLink capability include the following systems:

IRLP:
Reflector 9508 Sydney Australia Reflector channel 8.
Reflector 9129 New England Reflector channel 9.
Reflector 9058 Northeast Reflector channel 8.

EchoLink:
*KC4QLP-C* Node: 290251
*VKEMCOMM* Node: 270177
*N5API* Node: 77433
*NCPENN* Node: 137634

We have the following streaming audio capability up and running for the VoIP Hurricane Net:

KA4EPS Streaming Audio Feed

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net
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Hello to all….

Hurricane Felix is a Category 2 Hurricane as of the 11 AM EDT adivsory with maximum sustained winds of 105 MPH. Further strengthening is likely and Felix is expected to become a major hurricane later today.

On the current track, Felix is expected to make a close pass to the Eastern part of Honduras on Tuesday possibly spreading hurricane force conditions to that area. This may prompt activation of the VoIP Hurricane Net for much of the day Tuesday into early Wednesday unless Felix’s track is adjusted further north away from Honduras.

By Wednesday, Felix is currently tracked to make landfall in Belize and may also affect the Southern part of Mexico bordering Belize. This may prompt another activation of the VoIP Hurricane Net from Wednesday Morning through Thursday Afternoon assuming no changes to the track guidance.

Felix may then emerge in the Bay of Campeche and could possibly affect mainland Mexico late Friday or Saturday. It may also maintain hurricane status throughout this timeframe. Please note track and intensity guidance several days out is prone to large errors.

The VoIP Hurricane Net Management team is attempting to make contact with Amateurs in the affected area. Those Amateurs with contacts in the affected area that are either Amateur Operators or personal friends are asked to assist by letting those people know about Felix and that we would like to gather weather and damage informastion from them if possible. The reporting we are looking for is listed off the Main Menu of the VoIP Hurricane Net web site at http://www.voipwx.net under Reporting Criteria.

The next update on Felix will be posted on Monday. It will either be an update similar to this one if activation plans get pushed back due to a change in the track of Felix or it will be an activation notice if our net activates on Tuesday. Activation decisions are based on the plans of WX4NHC and the eventual track of Felix along with contact with the affected area.

For latest advisory information, you can go to the VoIP Hurricane Net web site and click Atlantic Tropical Products from the Main Menu and click the links provided on information for Felix. You can also go to the National Hurricane Center web site at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov for the latest information as well.

Thanks to all for their continued support of the VoIP Hurricane Net!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net
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Hello to all….

Dennis Dura-K2DCD, Manager of Emergency Communications and Preparedness of the ARRL and Assistant Director for VoIP Hurricane Net Operations, presnted at the Global Amateur Radio Emergency Conference (GAREC) 2007 Conference on EchoLink and IRLP technologies and how the VoIP Hurricane Net uses those technologies. This was featured on the ARRL web site and on Amateur Radio Newsline. Links to that information appear below:

GAREC 2007 Article on the ARRL Web Site

GAREC 2007 Amateur Radio Newsline Article

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net
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Hello to all….

The VoIP Hurricane Net in Action During Hurricanes section has been updated with Hurricane Dean Audio clips from the various land areas affected. It features reports and information being disseminated via the net during the various activations for land areas that were affected by Hurricane Dean. To get to the audio clips go to http://www.voipwx.net and on the Main Menu click VoIP Hurricane Net in Action during hurricanes and you’ll receive a web page with links to the various audio clips.

In addition, Lu Vencl-KA4EPS has provided the entire audio clips in both high and low audio formats. The high audio format is 200 Meg and the low audio format is 70 Meg. They can be obtained via his web site at the following link:

http://www.ka4eps.com/audio

This completes all the follow-up work from Hurricane Dean. The Net Management Team’s attention will now turn to Hurricane Felix and potential impact to Honduras, Belize and Mexico. Thanks to all for their continued support of the VoIP Hurricane Net!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net

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Hello to all….

The VoIP Hurricane Net efforts for Hurricane Dean were featured on Amateur Radio Newsline reports from both August 24th and August 31st, 2007. The clips featuring the VoIP Hurricane Net can be heard by clicking VoIP Hurricane Net in Amateur Radio News and scrolling to the bottom of the page for the Amateur Radio Newsline audio clips. It includes some audio of the net in action. They can also be heard directly through the links below:

Amateur Radio Newsline Audio Article featuring VoIP Hurricane Net Efforts During Hurricane Dean from the 8/24/07 Newsline Report

Amateur Radio Newsline Audio Article featuring VoIP Hurricane Net Efforts Dring Hurricane Dean from the 8/31/07 Newsline Report

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net
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Hello to all….

At 5 AM EDT, Tropical Depression 6 became Tropical Storm Felix and Felix intensified slightly further in the 8 AM advisory. Felix is bringing tropical storm force conditions to parts of the Southern Windward Islands. Julien-9Z4FZ reports flooding of a street in Tobago with heavy rain and some strong winds over the area as well as Grenada.

Felix is expected to intensify into a hurricane over the next couple days and could potentially affect Belize and parts of Mexico in the Yucatan Peninsula area in 3-4 days. Some of these areas are the same parts to be affected by Hurricane Dean a few weeks ago.

The VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team will continue to closely monitor the progress of Felix over the next few days. There is the potential for additional tropical systems to develop as we approach the peak of hurricane season in mid-September.

Thanks to all for their continued support of the VoIP Hurricane Net!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net
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Hello to all….

I hope everyone has an enjoyable Labor Day Weekend. Unfortunately, the tropics are picking the holiday weekend to get active.

Tropical Depression-6 (TD-6) has formed in the Atlantic about 180 miles east-southeast of the Windward Islands. TD-6 is expected to strengthen and if it does as forecast it would be named Felix. This system is expected to potentially bring tropical storm force conditions to Tobago, Grenada and its dependecies and potentially other parts of the Southern Windward islands and the Northern Coast of Venezuela.

TD-6 has the potential to reach hurricane strength in 4-5 days with it reaching the Belize coast near that timeframe but it is noted that hurricane intensity and track forecasts 4-5 days out are particularly problematic and can be prone to large errors. The VoIP Hurricane Net management team will continue to closely monitor the progress of TD-6.

Thanks to all for their continued support of the VoIP Hurricane Net!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net
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Hello to all….

The VoIP Hurricane Net has had several noteworthy news segments over the past two weeks as the net activated for Hurricane Flossie over Hawaii and several times for Hurricane Dean over the Caribbean islands, Jamaica, the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and Belize and mainland Mexico. Below are links to those articles:

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/08/23/100/?nc=1
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/08/17/100/?nc=1
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/08/15/100/?nc=1

We’d like to again thank all the stations who relayed reports to our net and all stations who provided relayed reports. We’d also like to thank our Net Controls who did much work over the span of these two activations and our Net Controls from Puerto Rico who provided translation services as Dean churned through Mexico.

These links have been added to the VoIP Hurricane Net in Amateur Radio News section. Additional items from Hurricane Dean will be posted later this week.

Thanks to all for their continued support of the VoIP Hurricane Net!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net
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Hello to all….

At 5 PM EDT/2100 UTC Wednesday August 22nd, 2007, the VoIP Hurricane Net has secured as Dean has been downgraded to a tropical storm. Dean will rapidly weaken inland over Mexico. Heavy Rain and flooding will be the main threats.

It has been a very long week as we’ve dealt with this extremely dangerous hurricane and impact to multiple land areas. I wish to take this opportunity to thank all of the Net Controls, Spanish translators, stations in the affected area and stations who relayed reports from the affected area to our net and found other means to acquire information from the affected area. Some of the reports when Dean was over Jamaica were utilized in the advisory update that was given at 8 PM Sunday Evening. Those reports wouldn’t have been received if it wasn’t for everyone’s efforts. The Coordinators of the National Hurricane Center are very pleased with the efforts of our net.

I also would like to thank the many EchoLink PC users, links and repeaters and IRLP nodes and repeaters that connected to our system. On Sunday, I saw over 150 connections between EchoLink *WX-TALK*/IRLP 9219 and the listen only IRLP reflectors and conferences. I also wish to thank those conference and reflector owners who provided listen-only capability for the net.

In the next few days, I will try and send out some material and Frequently Asked Questions about our net as we’ve had an influx of over 40 new people to the VoIP-WXNet email list. Many of you may have questions and haven’t asked them so hopefully the Frequently Asked Questions document will answer some of those items. We are also working PR for the net’s efforts for Dean and hopefully that will be seen in the next few days.

Its now time to get some rest before the next potential hurricane strikes as we approach the peak of Hurricane Season in mid-September. Thanks to all for their continued support of the VoIP Hurricane Net!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net
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