Hurricane Watch Net, VoIP Hurricane Net, WX4NHC Stand Down from Maria Activations

The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) stood down on September 20 after 60 hours of activation for Hurricane Maria as did the VoIP Hurricane Net and WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center. The International Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) SSB Net will be in extended monitoring mode through Friday.

“The latest storm track is very good news for the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic,” the Assistant HWN Manager Mike Webb, KC0YHM, said on Wednesday. “We will watch the storm as it progresses...just in case.” The net wrapped up its activation by gathering damage reports and offering health-and-welfare guidance.

The VoIP Hurricane Net stood down as of Wednesday night after activating on September 19 as Hurricane Maria affected Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The VoIP Hurricane Net also was active on Monday, September 18, gathering numerous reports of severe and catastrophic damage from the island nation of Dominica. A recorded summary of reports received and a complete list of reports received from all media available to the net are available.

SATERN was active on Wednesday as stations from the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico began to check in following Hurricane Maria’s passage.

“Although the US Virgin Islands were heavily damaged, it was apparent that they had some limited communications capabilities and other resources,” said SATERN National Liaison Bill Feist, WB8BZH. “All of the Puerto Rican operators reported that there was an island-wide power and communications blackout. It was reported that Amateur Radio seemed to be the only communications that were operational, and that was somewhat limited as many 2-meter repeater systems were still not operational. There is no operational public water system and many local roads are impassable although some major roads have been cleared.”

International SATERN SSB Net Manager Ken Gilliland, AG6SV, relayed a report from N8PR in Florida that Amateur Radio operators on Dominica have set up an e-mail link to handle individually identified health-and-welfare messages. Feist said SATERN will continue to be in Delta II (extended monitoring) status from 1400 until 2300 UTC, continuing this schedule at least through Friday, September 22.

The American Red Cross Safe and Well website is a free public reunification tool that allows individuals and organizations to register and post messages to indicate that they are safe, or to search for loved ones. The site is always available and open to the public and available in English and Spanish. Registrations and searches can be done directly on the website.