Hurricane Katrina puts Amsat Symposium in doubt

I've received many panicked phone calls and e-mails today regarding the upcoming AMSAT Annual meeting, which also includes a Board of Directors meeting before the Symposium and IARU and Eagle Team meetings afterwards.

Some of you have tried to call the hotel without success. Others have realized that their decision to fly to New Orleans and drive was flawed as the airport is under water only to find the airlines gouging you with high fees to change a "non-refundable ticket" that they can't honor anyway.

The hotel is 100 miles West of New Orleans and therefore was spared the brunt of the storm and the resultant devastation. However, refugees are filling up hotels up to 300 miles away and many will not be returning any time soon. I fear that our Symposium may be doomed but I do not know for sure.

Over the next several days AMSAT officials will be evaluating the situation in Lafayette LA and will be considering alternatives. We have already had one offer to try to host the Symposium in Dayton Ohio. Moving the symposium and associated meetings at this late date would be a Herculean task and may cost everyone significant extra air fare fees. The airlines have added major fuel cost surcharges and are sticking with the extra fees for exchanging tickets.

Please do not change or cash in tickets yet. The hotel is no longer accepting any reservations, even at the national 800 number.

If there are any other volunteers willing to try to host this event with no time to prepare and thousands of details to manage please contact our VP of Marketing and User Services, Barry Baines WD4ASW at wd4asw@amsat.org or AMSAT's Manager, Martha Saragovitz at martha@amsat.org.

Remember, we don't know for sure that we must change anything so wait until there is a final announcement before making any changes.

Rick Hambly
W2GPS

AMSAT President

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