10/10/2024

Thursday, October 10, 2024 1:00 PM Eastern Update:

The hurricane nets have each suspended operations as the focus shifts from
response to recovery.ÿ

More information to come via ARRL News and in The ARRL Letter.ÿ



Thursday, October 10, 2024 9:30 AM Eastern Update:

Amateur radio operators are in service across the State of Florida. The Florida
SARNET has been placedÿin a restricted net condition to ensure traffic can flow
as needed. The net is limited for agency/EOC and emergency traffic only. ARRL
member-volunteers are serving with the state emergency operations center, as
well in local shelters and county EOCs across the state.

The Hurricane Watch Net is Active on 14.325.00 MHz (USB) and 7.268.00 MHz
(LSB), and the VoIP Hurricane Netÿis active until at least Thursday afternoon.

Hurricane Miltonÿmade landfall on Florida's west coast at 8:30 Wednesday night
as a Category 3 hurricane. The storm moved ashore with life-threatening storm
surge, powerful winds, and flooding rains.

ÿ

The National Hurricane Center reports the center of the storm is pulling away
from the Florida's east coast with 85 mile per hour winds and heavy rainfall.
More than 3 million residents are without power.



Wednesday, October 9, 2024 1:30 PM Eastern Update:

Amateur radio operators are in service across the State of Florida ahead of
Hurricane Milton's landfall.

The Hurricane Watch Net is active on 14.325.00 MHz (USB) and 7.268.00 MHz
(LSB). The VoIP Hurricane Net is active on *WX_TALK* Echolink conference node:
7203/IRLP 9219 system and other VoIP radio systems via the KC5FM-R node is
supporting WX4NHC, the amateur radio station at the National Hurricane Center
in Miami Florida.ÿ

The Florida SARNET has been placedÿin a restricted net condition to ensure
traffic can flow as needed. The net is limited for for agency/EOC and emergency
traffic only.

ARRL member-volunteers are serving with the state emergency operations center,
as well in local shelters and county EOCs across the state.ÿ

National Hurricane Center reports that Hurricane Milton's wind speeds have
slightly decreased, but it remains a Category 5 storm now 170 miles southwest
of Tampa, Florida at 17 miles per hour.



ÿ

Tuesday, October 8, 2024 3:45 PM Eastern Update:

Winlink[1] officials are requesting that all non-essential Winlink traffic
(weekly nets, testing, etc.) be postponed until after hurricane Milton has
moved on and response efforts have turned to recovery.

"There is still a lot of traffic in the aftermath of Helene, and we expect
Milton will add significantly to that. We need to keep the gateways clear for
that traffic," they asked in an email.ÿ

Winlink is a system that allows for emails to be sent over a hybrid amateur
radio/internet network. It is used extensively in emergency communications and
disaster recovery.ÿ



Tuesday, October 8, 2024 12:00 PM Eastern Update:ÿ

The following information was received from the Hurricane Watch Net:

The Hurricane Watch Net will Activate this afternoon for Hurricane Milton as
planned. There is one minor change. Due to the timing and location of Hurricane
Milton, we will operate until 11:00 PM EDT (0300 UTC). Once we've read the
latest Advisory on Milton, we will suspend operations until 8:00 AM EDT (1200
UTC) at which time we will resume operations on 14.325.00 MHz. We will resume
operations on 7.268.00 MHz at 8:30 AM EDT (1230 UTC) or at the conclusion of
the Waterway Net. The remainder of our plans remain unchanged.ÿ

Activation Plans:

Tuesday, October 8ÿ -ÿ (Line Up Reporting Stations, EOCs, Storm Shelters)

úÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ20 meters:ÿ14.325 MHz (USB) at 5:00 PM EDT (2100 UTC) until 11:00 PM
EDT (0300 UTC).

úÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ40 meters:ÿ7.268 MHz (LSB) at 5:00 PM EDT (2100 UTC) until 11:00 PM EDT
(0300 UTC).ÿ

Wednesday, October 9ÿ -ÿ (Landfall Day)

ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ20 meters:ÿwe will resume operations on 14.325 MHz at 8:00 AM EDT (1200
UTC) and remain active until we lose propagation at night.

ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ40 meters:ÿwe will resume operations on 7.268 MHz at 8:30 AM EDT (1230
UTC). We will remain active on this frequency throughout the day and overnight
for as long as propagation allows. If propagation allows us to operate all
night, we will suspend operations at 7:30 AM EDT Thursday to allow the Waterway
Net to conduct their daily Net.ÿ

Thursday, October 10ÿ -ÿ (Post Storm Reports, Emergency Traffic, Health &
Welfare Traffic)

úÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ20 meters:ÿwe will resume operations on 14.325 MHz at 7:00 AM EDT (1100
UTC).

úÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ40 meters:ÿwe will resume operations on 7.268 MHz at 8:30 AM EDT (1230
UTC).ÿ

Any change to these plans will be posted here, our website,ÿwww.hwn.org[2], and
our social media pages.ÿ

Overnight, Milton completed an eyewall replacement cycle. The storm is once
again intensifying. How strong will this storm become windwise? Let's not let
that be our focus. A real danger we must consider is going to extreme Storm
Surge!

As a reminder, once Hurricane Milton has exited the state into the Atlantic,
the Hurricane Watch Net will remain active on both frequencies, listed above,
to assist with Emergency Traffic, Health & Welfare Traffic with assistance from
SATERN, and to collect and forward post-storm reports to the National Hurricane
Center. We will remain active until our services are no longer required.

To all official agencies such as Emergency Operations Centers, Red Cross
officials, and Storm Shelters in the affected area, we are available to provide
backup communications. We also collect and forward significant damage
assessment data to government and non-government officials requesting such.

We greatly appreciate the daily users and various nets who use 14.325.00 MHz
and 7.268.00 MHz for allowing us a clear frequency. It certainly makes our job
easier and I know those in the affected area appreciate it as well.ÿ



Sunday, October 6, 2024 9:00 PM Eastern Update:

Hurricane Milton was located just over 300 milesÿwest-northeast of Progreso,
Mexico, and 835 miles west-southwest of Tampa, Florida with winds of 100 miles
per hour. Hurricane Milton was moving in an east-southeast direction at 6 mph
and is forecasted to arrive near Tampa, Florida on Wednesday as at least a
Category 3.

The Hurricane Watch Net is making tentative plans to activate on Tuesday
afternoon for Hurricane Milton. The current forecast, issued at 5:00 PM EDT
Sunday is calling for Milton to become a powerful Category 4 Hurricane with
sustained winds of 145 miles per hour. This is the same strength Helene was at
landfall a week ago. Additionally, Milton is expected to be at least a Cat 2
Hurricane after crossing Florida and entering the Atlantic Ocean. Those in
Bermuda need to keep a close eye on Milton as this storm could possibly affect
the island on Saturday.ÿ

Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) Tentative Activation Plans:

Tuesday (Line Up Reporting Stations, EOCs, Storm Shelters)

úÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ20 meters:ÿ14.325 MHz (USB) at 5:00 PM EDT (2100 UTC) until we lose
propagation at night.

úÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ40 meters:ÿ7.268 MHz (LSB) at 5:00 PM EDT (2100 UTC). We will remain
active on this frequency throughout the day and overnight for as long as
propagation allows. If propagation allows us to operate all night, we will
suspend operations at 7:30 AM EDT Wednesday to allow the Waterway Net to
conduct their daily Net.ÿ

Wednesday (Landfall Day)

úÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ20 meters:ÿwe will resume operations on 14.325 MHz at 7:00 AM EDT (1100
UTC) and remain active until we lose propagation at night.

úÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ40 meters:ÿwe will resume operations on 7.268 MHz at 8:30 AM EDT (1230
UTC). We will remain active on this frequency throughout the day and overnight
for as long as propagation allows. If propagation allows us to operate all
night, we will suspend operations at 7:30 AM EDT Thursday to allow the Waterway
Net to conduct their daily Net.ÿ

Thursday (Post Storm Reports, Emergency Traffic, Health & Welfare Traffic.

úÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ20 meters:ÿwe will resume operations on 14.325 MHz at 7:00 AM EDT (1100
UTC).

úÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ40 meters:ÿwe will resume operations on 7.268 MHz at 8:30 AM EDT (1230
UTC).ÿ

Any change to these plans will be posted onÿÿwww.hwn.org[3], and the HWN social
media pages.ÿ

As with any Net Activation, if you are to be in the affected area of Milton,
please take all necessary precautions to protect your family and yourself! If
are in a position to safely do so, we would love to have check in with us and
provide your observed weather information. While we greatly appreciate measured
data, we gladly accept estimated weather data as well. We relay that data to
the National Hurricane Center in Miami. This information is extremely important
to the forecasters as it gives them more information as to what the storm is or
is not doing. It also helps them to provide a more accurate forecast!

On Sunday October 6, 2024, at 700 AM CDT (1200 UTC), the center of Tropical
Storm Milton was located by NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft near latitude 22.6
North, longitude 94.9 West. Milton has been moving slowly eastward ÿovernight,
and an eastward to east-northeastward motion is forecast during the next couple
of days, followed by a faster northeastward motion.

On the forecast track, Milton is forecast to move across the Gulf of Mexico and
approach the west coast of the Florida Peninsula by midweek.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 60 miles per hour (MPH) with
higher gusts. Steady to rapid strengthening is forecast during the next few
days.

Milton could become a major hurricane while it moves across the central and
eastern Gulf of Mexico. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 35
miles from the center.

Rainfall amounts of 5 to 8 inches, with localized totals up to 12 inches, are
expected across portions of the Florida Peninsula and the Keys through
Wednesday night. This rainfall brings he risk of flash, urban, and areal
flooding, along with minor to moderate river flooding.

In addition to Milton, the NHC is also watching Hurricane Kirk and Hurricane
Leslie, strong storms that could have additional impact in the Gulf of Mexico
and the west coast of Florida.

Amateur radio operators will also be ready as these storms move quickly towards
landfall.ÿ


[1] https://www.winlink.org

[2] http://www.hwn.org/

[3] http://www.hwn.org/


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