Welcome to Tropical band

To most people the phrase "tropical bands" bring a pretty clear picture to mind - a bunch of shirtless guys playing calypso music. But to experienced shortwave DXers those two little words express the most challenging and enjoyable part of the radio hobby. The phrase kindles memories of a DXer's best catches and favorite QSLs, of exotic stations, music and of early morning listening sessions. (Don Moore)
I like the "Tropical band" name for new 60m allocation. (OK1RP)

Effective from 1st Jan 2017 please paper QSL via OM-bureau only.


Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Upcoming DXpeditions...

Hi all,

there are the upcoming DXpeditions possible to find them also on 60m...

CT9 - Madeira island Sept 17 -27

Burkina Faso - XT2AW BY DF2WO, Sept. 29, to Oct. 30. QSL to M0OXO

H40 - TEMOTU PROVINCE H40GC Sept 30, to Oct. 30

KG4 - Guantanamo Bay Oct 6 for 2 weeks

3Y0 - BOUVET ISLAND: From their website

The January-February, 2018 3Y0Z Bouvet Island DXpedition team has posted a propagation page on their website (http://www.bouvetdx.org). It has videos showing propagation predictions for that early 2018 timeframe. The tab for the propagation is in the header menu. You can choose time, frequency and signal strength for your QTH. This is based on the average sunspot numbers forecast for January, 2018.


More information can be found here by Joe, W8GEX.


73 - Petr, OK1RP
.../-.-

Sunday, September 10, 2017

ARES Teams in Three West Central Florida Section Counties Ready to Support Shelters

ARES Teams in Three West Central Florida Section Counties Ready to Support Shelters

As Hurricane Irma moves closer to the Florida Peninsula, ARRL West Central Florida Section Manager Darrell Davis, KT4WX, reports that Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) teams have been requested to provide communication support at evacuation shelters in Highlands, Hillsborough, and Polk counties.

“Other counties in the West Central Florida Section are considering shelter operations,” Davis said. “Therefore, in support of these activations or planned activations, West Central Florida Section ARES is going to a Level 2 activation to provide any needed support for these activations, either current or planned.”


As of 1500 UTC, Hurricane Irma was about 75 miles east-northeast of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and about 120 miles southeast of Grand Turk Island. Maximum sustained winds have abated somewhat to 175 MPH. The storms present movement is west-northwest at 16 MPH.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC), has issued a hurricane watch for the Florida peninsula from Jupiter Inlet southward and around the peninsula to Bonita Beach, including the Florida Keys, Lake Okeechobee, and Florida Bay. A storm surge watch has been issued for the Florida peninsula from Jupiter Inlet southward and around the peninsula to Bonita Beach, including the Florida Keys.

A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds — conditions that make outdoor preparations difficult or dangerous.
Davis called on all ARES, ACS, and CERT personnel to continue closely monitoring National Hurricane Center advisories on Hurricane Irma and to be in communication with their respective leadership, in case their assistance with communication support is needed.

Davis said a special session of the ARRL West Central Florida Section ARES Net was being planned.
Source:
ARRL

73 - Petr, OK1RP
.../-.-

Carribean Emergency Response – Update [ IARU ]

Carribean Emergency Response – Update [ IARU ]

Hurricane Irma is currently progressing through the USA state of Florida and Hurricane Jose is still threatening the Carribean. At the same time Mexico is still dealing with the after effects of the Earthquake which affected that country earlier this week and the remains of Hurricane Katia. To add to the problems, an X8.2 solar flare is causing a major HF blackout in the Americas which will potentially affect communications until Monday (UTC).
As Hurricane Irma progresses through Florida there will be more HF frequencies in use by local ARES groups but these will lie mostly outside the IARU Region 1 band allocations ( West Central Florida planning to use 3940, 3950 and 7247 kHz for example ). More information on this should come from the ARRL .
Updates to frequencies in use are;


Mexico
7060 and 7080 kHz to deal with the Earthquake and Hurricane Katia


St. Maarten
14290 and 7190 kHz ( Voice or PACTOR )


US Wide Area traffic handling
14115, 7115 and if necessary 10115 kHz ( all CW )


Carribean Emergency and Weather Net ( CEWN )
3815, 7188 and possibly 7162 kHz


FNRASEC in France are reaching out to French speaking areas in the Carribean on 14132kHz.


As Irma moves away from the Carribean islands, Radio Amateurs are entering the area to help. The Red Cross asked for assistance on Sint Maarten where communications had been badly affected. Tom Braam PJ2DD volunteered for this task and left September 8th on one of the first relief flights to Sint Maarten with a Pactor HF station and 9 VHF/UHF handheld radios to start providing communications. Frequencies in use are as above.
Enquiries about persons in the affected areas should be referred to the various Red Cross websites set up for this purpose. ‘Welfare’ messages from outside the area are not expected to be handled for at least three days, with thousands of displaced people, locating them for message delivery is difficult.
As always, please listen carefully and avoid causing QRM to frequencies in use for distress and emergency traffic. The operators in the affected areas already have a difficult job, please give them as much room as possible to work.
Source:IARU

http://www.tcpalm.com/story/weather/hurricanes/2017/09/10/responsibility-large-but-rewarding-indian-river-county-ham-radio-operators/651819001/

http://qrznow.com/ae4fh-checking-into-the-hurricane-watch-net-and-giving-a-report/

As we are worrying about all of our mates from Caribbean isles and close to FLA, GA... please let us know how you survived Irma hurricanes and if you and relates are ok!

Please let me/us know if we can help somehow! Do not hesitate to ask for help or support by email or ham radio...!


73 - Petr, OK1RP
.../-.-

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

FEMA Announces Regions that Could Activate on 60-Meters for Hurricane Irma !

FEMA Announces Regions that Could Activate on 60-Meters for Hurricane Irma

The below listed Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Regions, including call signs, could be activating the 5 MHz/60-meter band frequencies in support of a possible response to Hurricane Irma on September 5.
  • Region 1 — KF1EMA
  • Region 2 — KF2EMA (includes Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands)
  • Region 3 — KF3EMA
  • Region 4 — KF4EMA
  • Region 6 — KF6EMA
  • Maynard MERS — NF1EMA
  • Thomasville MERS — NF4EMA
  • Denton MERS — NF6EMA

The following suppressed-carrier reference frequencies, also known as dial frequencies or window frequencies, 5330.5 kHz, 5346.5 kHz, 5357.0 kHz, 5371.5 kHz, and 5403.5 kHz, may be used as part of the event. FEMA POC:

KG4BIR, FEMA Spectrum Manager, (540) 272-4605.


73 - Petr, OK1RP
.../-.-