Hurricane net activates for Hurricane Jeanne

As Amateur Radio support for the Hurricane Ivan relief and recovery in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi wound down this week, the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) found itself on alert for yet another storm.

The HWN activated September 24 on 14.325 MHz as Hurricane Jeanne continued on a course that could again send damaging wind and rain into the already storm-battered Florida Coast.

The National Hurricane Center - home of WX4NHC, which typically activates with the HWN - has urged interests on the Florida peninsula to "closely monitor the progress" of Hurricane Jeanne, now a Category 2 storm.

"It is anticipated hurricane Jeanne will cross Great Abaco Island and Grand Bahamas and then will be along the Atlantic Coast of Florida sometime Saturday night," said HWN Manager Mike Pilgrim, K5MP. He said the HWN would remain active September 24 until the band closes, reactivating the next day at 1200 UTC until band closing, then repeating the cycle as required beyond that.

At week's end, a hurricane warning was in effect for the northwestern Bahamas. A hurricane watch was in effect along the east coast of Florida from Florida City to St Augustine, including Lake Okeechobee. Many Florida
communities are still cleaning up and recovering from the devastation of previous storms during what's turning into a very active hurricane season.

When the HWN took to the air, Hurricane Jeanne was some 250 miles east of Great Abaco Island, moving toward the west at nearly 12 MPH and packing maximum sustained winds of nearly 100 MPH with higher gusts. The NHC said
rainfall totals of from 5 to 10 inches were possible along its track.

During hurricanes, the HWN works hand in hand with WX4NHC to gather ground-level weather data and damage reports from Amateur Radio volunteers in a storm's path. The net relays these to forecasters via WX4NHC, which
regularly checks into the net and also disseminates weather updates.

Meanwhile, the former Hurricane Ivan - a tropical depression by week's end - continued to cause trouble this week. ARRL South Texas Section Manager Ray Taylor, N5NAV, reported September 23 that the Texas Office of Emergency Management had requested activation of the Amateur Radio
Emergency Service Net (7285 kHz days/3873 kHz evenings) in anticipation of Ivan. The main threat was flooding, some of which did occur, Taylor said.
There were some evacuations as well, he added, and some tree damage. "We had a great turn out of hams to help," he added.

After spreading rain across several sections of the Eastern US, the apparently tenacious storm eventually weakened over southeastern Texas.
The National Hurricane Center once before attempted to close the book on Ivan, which rejuvenated after coming ashore in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle a week earlier.

The Hurricane Watch Net Web site includes comprehensive hurricane and tropical storm forecasts, graphics and other information.

Source: ARRL Letter - courtesy of The American Radio Relay League

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