Here is the latest news from the ARRL North Texas Section.
NTX ARES Section Notice LAURA-0827-01 (27AUG20 0900 CDT)
SECTION STATUS:
MODIFIED STANDBY
Districts 1- 6 Emergency Coordinators, Emergency Coordinators are asked to stand down their teams.
Districts 7-9 asked to remain on STANDBY.
A “a temporary waiver to permit amateur data transmissions at a higher symbol rate than currently is permitted by section 97.307(f) of the Commission’s rules, in order to facilitate hurricane relief communications within the continental United States” has been granted.
Hurricane Laura made landfall as a Major Hurricane in Louisiana/Texas and continues to move North in Louisiana. Initial rescue efforts have begun along the Louisiana and Texas Gulf Coast areas.
Maintain Situational Awareness by frequently checking local Weather Office and the National Hurricane Center.
Weather Offices:
National Hurricane Center – Tropical Storm Laura:
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at3.shtml?start#contents
Texas State Operations Center:
Level II
Texas Department of Emergency Management:
20-0013 August Tropical Weather SITREP 4 082720
Federal Emergency Declaration request for Public Assistance Category B (Emergency Protective Measures) granted 8/24
Mandatory and Voluntary Evacuations have been ordered along the Gulf Coast
Texas Hurricane Center: Evacuation / Reception Information
https://gov.texas.gov/hurricane
Ennis and Mesquite are Reception Centers in the North Texas Section for Evacuees.
Evacuees are being placed in hotels throughout the section.
North Texas Section ARES Information:
ICS-217 RMS Packet Stations
ICS-205 North Texas Section
North Texas Section ARES Emergency Net Activations:
The NTX Net is continuing operations on 3860 LSB for nighttime (2030 hrs) and 7277.5 daytime (0830 hrs)
The NTX Section All-Star Hub 51407 is active
The NTX National Traffic System (NTS) Traffic Net on 7290 is operating daily from 0900 – 1600
Please include Greg Evans, K5GTX (SEC@ARRLNTX.ORG) and Steve Lott, KG5VK (KG5VK@ARRL.ORG) on ARES activities INCLUDING Activation Requests, Staging, Deployment, Assistance and Demobilization.
This is a rapidly changing situation. All members need to maintain situational awareness and be safe! Do not deploy unless directed to by your Emergency Coordinator or District Emergency Coordinator.
As always, thank you for your support and your efforts!
73,
STAY PREPARED,
STAY READY,
STAY SAFE!
Greg Evans, K5GTX
North Texas ARES
Section Emergency Coordinator
Mobile: 713-410-2376
Email: sec@arrlntx.org
Winlink: ARES-NTXSEC
815 Wind Elm Dr.
Allen, TX 75002
Traffic system continuing to RESPOND
The traffic system continues to RESPOND to Hurricane Laura as it approaches the Texas/Louisiana coast.
I have been monitoring traffic and hurricane nets today, and expect that we will see more storm-related activity tomorrow versus what we saw today. Bringing things online before we need them allows for key entities to get equipment set up and verify functionality. For example, the Texas State Operations Center checked in and was monitoring one of our traffic nets today along with other Emergency Operations Center resources.
As of right now the 7290 Traffic Net is the only net that has informed me of extended operating hours, including plans to run extended hours through Saturday with more days possible based on need. 7290 is also not relaying routine traffic at this time.
With Laura now close to the coastline, I have added radar imagery to the dashboard to help provide further quick situational awareness on things. I’ve also added the National Hurricane Center’s Audio Briefings feed and you can now play the latest briefing directly from the dashboard.
General guidance to traffic handlers
- Traffic handlers in the Section should refrain from originating non-storm related traffic (a.k.a. routine traffic) until after the hurricane has weakened and storm-related traffic winds down.
- Welfare and other traffic headed into affected areas should be avoided at this time – the focus is on traffic leaving affected areas.
Unless breaking information comes up, my next update will be tomorrow evening around this time. In the meantime, please focus traffic handling on storm-related traffic for the moment. And, my thanks to the many traffic handlers in and outside our area who are already responding to Hurricane Laura.
73,
Aaron | K8AMH
NTX ARES Monitor Notice LAURA-0826-01 (26AUG20 0800 CDT)
SECTION STATUS:
STANDBY
All District Emergency Coordinators, Emergency Coordinators are asked to place their teams on Standby.
Tropical Storm Laura is strengthening and projection models indicate landfall as a Major Hurricane in Louisiana/Texas within the next 24 hours. Maintain Situational Awareness by frequently checking local Weather Office and the National Hurricane Center.
Weather Offices:
National Hurricane Center – Tropical Storm Laura:
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at3.shtml?start#contents
Texas State Operations Center:
Level II
Texas Department of Emergency Management:
20-0013 August Tropical Weather SITREP 3 082620
Federal Emergency Declaration request for Public Assistance Category B (Emergency Protective Measures) granted 8/24
Mandatory and Voluntary Evacuations have been ordered along the Gulf Coast
Texas Hurricane Center: Evacuation / Reception Information
https://gov.texas.gov/hurricane
Ennis and Mesquite are Reception Centers in the North Texas Section for Evacuees.
Evacuees are being placed in hotels throughout the section.
North Texas Section ARES Information:
ICS-217 RMS Packet Stations
ICS-205 North Texas Section
North Texas Section ARES Emergency Net Activations:
The NTX Net will begin operations at 1800 CDT on 26 August 2020 on 3860 LSB for nighttime (2030 hrs) and 7277.5 daytime (0830 hrs)
The NTX Section All-Star Hub 51407 will be activated at 1800 CDT on 26 August 2020
The NTX National Traffic System (NTS) Traffic Net on 7290 will being operations daily from 0900 – 1600 starting 26 August 2020
Please include Greg Evans, K5GTX (SEC@ARRLNTX.ORG) and Steve Lott, KG5VK (KG5VK@ARRL.ORG) on ARES activities INCLUDING Activation Requests, Staging, Deployment, Assistance and Demobilization.
This is a rapidly changing situation. All members need to maintain situational awareness and be safe! Do not deploy unless directed to by your Emergency Coordinator or District Emergency Coordinator.
As always, thank you for your support and your efforts!
73
STAY PREPARED,
STAY READY,
STAY SAFE!
Greg Evans, K5GTX
North Texas ARES
Section Emergency Coordinator
Mobile: 713-410-2376
Email: sec@arrlntx.org
Winlink: ARES-NTXSEC
815 Wind Elm Dr.
Allen, TX 75002
Traffic System status updated to RESPONDING
Relay stations in the North Texas Section are now actively RESPONDING to Hurricane Laura, including monitoring traffic and hurricane nets, and operating extended net hours to relay storm-related traffic.
As the National Traffic System is an emergency communications resource and a component of the North Texas Section ARES Incident Radio Communication Plan, traffic handlers in the Section should refrain from originating non-storm related traffic until after the hurricane has weakened and storm-related traffic winds down. Even if we are not seeing storm-related traffic at a particular moment, the potential for storm-related traffic must be kept in mind as it may come in at a moment’s notice, and while traffic is categorized as emergency, priority, welfare, or routine and this precedence dictates the order things are relayed in, minimizing routine traffic allows for better focus on other traffic categories.
I also ask that stations outside of the Texas/Louisiana area hold off on originating traffic headed to this region so that area and regional HF traffic nets serving Texas and Louisiana can focus on storm-related traffic coming out of affected areas.
You may hear stations relaying storm-related traffic originating from areas affected by Hurricane Laura. Please treat these communications with your highest regard, especially if they are EMERGENCY traffic.
In my NTS trainings I mention that once the disaster begins the time to prepare ends. If you have not practiced traffic handling before, please know that while I appreciate your willingness to help, please allow our expert traffic handlers to manage relaying storm-related traffic, and consider attending an NTS training session and participating in traffic nets after the hurricane has dissipated so that you can build your skillset ahead of the next incident.
Per the Hurricane Laura Public Advisory from the National Hurricane Center, updated at 1:00 am Central Daylight Time (0600 UTC), Hurricane Laura should approach the Upper Texas and southwest Louisiana coasts on Wednesday evening and move inland near those areas Wednesday night or Thursday morning.
Data from an Air Force Reserve Unit reconnaissance aircraft found that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 105 miles per hour with higher gusts. Laura is expected to strengthen significantly during the next 24 hours, making landfall as a major hurricane with 110+ MPH winds, and then weakening rapidly afterwards.
Once this weakening occurs and storm-related traffic winds down (which may or may not be close timewise), the traffic system status for the Section will change to STANDDOWN, indicating that the incident is concluding and we can resume normal traffic relaying, before returning to Normal Operation for day-to-day traffic relaying and continuous practice.
I will continue to update the Dashboard as this progresses.
>> Click here to visit the NTS Status dashboard <<
Please feel free to contact me at k8amh@arrl.net if you have any questions.
73,
Aaron | K8AMH
Update on Hurricane Laura, NTS Trivia suspension
This is an update regarding the traffic system and Hurricane Laura.
Please avoid sending traffic to affected areas
As we move from the planning phase into the response phase, the primary focus is relaying traffic out of affected areas, and only relaying traffic back in when it is related to requests, such as a response to a request for supplies. Traffic going into affected areas should be avoided at this time.
NTS Status dashboard
Throughout the day I have revised and added information to the NTS Status dashboard, including the status of traffic nets operating extended hours, NWS warnings, satellite imagery, and more. It will continue to serve as the hub for the latest traffic-related information as part of responding to Hurricane Laura.
The latest storm forecast continues to indicate Hurricane Laura will make landfall along the Texas/Louisiana border, ETA Wednesday evening with 110+ MPH sustained winds. Numerous hurricane warnings and evacuation orders are in effect in this area. You can find the latest forecast images at the NTS Status dashboard.
The 7290 Traffic Net will now operate extended hours, as noted on the dashboard.
DO NOT GO TO THIS AREA UNLESS REQUESTED AS PART OF AN ORGANIZED RESPONSE
Your safety is the number one priority. If you are part of a response program, such as Civil Air Patrol, Community Emergency Response Team, Red Cross, Medical Reserve Corps, Amateur Radio Emergency Service, or other similar organization, you should wait for instructions from your appropriate organization. If you travel to these areas without being requested, personnel on scene are not expecting you – they will not have a function for you to perform, nor food or shelter supplies for you. Please, do not travel to the affected area unless requested as part of an organization you serve.
NTS Trivia suspended
To help the traffic system focus on storm-related traffic, the NTS Trivia program that operates out of our Section has suspended issuing new questions until the hurricane has passed and storm-related traffic is winding down.
ARES Status: STANDBY
The ARES NTX Section Status remains at STANDBY and ICS-205 and ICS-217 documents are now available. See this NTX ARES Monitor Notice for more information.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at k8amh@arrl.net.
73,
Aaron | K8AMH
NTX ARES Monitor Notice LAURA-0825-02 (25AUG20 2200 CDT)
SECTION STATUS:
STANDBY
All District Emergency Coordinators, Emergency Coordinators are asked to place their teams on Standby.
Tropical Storm Laura is strengthening and projection models indicate landfall as a Major Hurricane in Louisiana/Texas within the next 24-48 hours.
National Hurricane Center – Tropical Storm Laura:
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at3.shtml?start#contents
Texas State Operations Center:
Level II
Texas Department of Emergency Management:
20-0013 August Tropical Weather SITREP 2 082520
Federal Emergency Declaration request for Public Assistance Category B (Emergency Protective Measures) granted 8/24
Mandatory Evacuations have been ordered for Jefferson and Orange Counties
Voluntary Evacuations have been ordered for Chambers County, City of Galveston, City of Nassau Bay, and City of Seabrook
Texas Hurricane Center: Evacuation / Reception Information
https://gov.texas.gov/hurricane
Ennis and Mesquite are Reception Centers in the North Texas Section for Evacuees.
Evacuees are being placed in hotels throughout the section.
North Texas Section ARES Information:
ICS-217 RMS Packet Stations
ICS-205 North Texas Section
North Texas Section ARES Emergency Net Activations:
The NTX Net will begin operations at 1800 CDT on 26 August 2020 on 3860 LSB for daytime (0800 hrs) and 7277.5 night time (2000 hrs)
The NTX Section All-Star Hub 51407 will be activated at 1800 CDT on 26 August 2020
The NTX National Traffic System (NTS) Traffic Net on 7290 will being operations daily from 0900 – 1600 starting 26 August 2020
Please include Greg Evans, K5GTX (SEC@ARRLNTX.ORG) and Steve Lott, KG5VK (KG5VK@ARRL.ORG) on ARES activities INCLUDING Activation Requests, Staging, Deployment, Assistance and Demobilization.
This is a rapidly changing situation. All members need to maintain situational awareness and be safe! Do not deploy unless directed to by your Emergency Coordinator or District Emergency Coordinator.
As always, thank you for your support and your efforts!
73,
STAY PREPARED,
STAY READY,
STAY SAFE!
Greg Evans, K5GTX
North Texas ARES
Section Emergency Coordinator
Mobile: 713-410-2376
Email: sec@arrlntx.org
Winlink: ARES-NTXSEC
815 Wind Elm Dr.
Allen, TX 75002
NTS Status Dashboard, Update on Hurricane Laura
This is an update regarding the traffic system and Hurricane Laura, and a dashboard I have put together to provide the latest traffic-related information to you in a centralized location.
We in the ARRL North Texas Section Leadership Team are continuing to monitor the ever-changing forecast for Hurricane Laura. As of right now the forecast has Laura making landfall somewhere near the Texas/Louisiana border in the Wednesday/Thursday overnight hours. Both mandatory and voluntary evacuations have been ordered for counties in the forecast area.
Here is the latest forecast map from the National Hurricane Center.
The National Traffic System and traffic nets in our Section are continuing to stand by to assist should we be needed. The 7290 Traffic Net will begin operating extended net sessions starting tomorrow, running from 0900 hours to 1600 hours (9:00 am to 4:00 pm). Additional hours will be added should they be needed. All other traffic nets in the section are operating during their normally scheduled hours at this time.
Given the ever-evolving conditions of this hurricane, I have put together a NTS Status Dashboard to provide the latest information via a single resource, including news from net managers in the Section regarding their operations, as well as my email updates. As this is a new dashboard, its layout and content will evolve as we move forward.
I will also note that Greg Evans (K5GTX) our Section Emergency Coordinator has upgraded the ARES Section Status to STANDBY. All District Emergency Coordinators and Emergency Coordinators are asked to place their steams on Standby. If you have any questions, please contact your local ARES Emergency Coordinator for more information.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask me on the air, or to email me at k8amh@arrl.net.
73,
Aaron | K8AMH
NTX ARES Monitor Notice LAURA-0825-01 (25AUG20 0800 CDT)
SECTION STATUS:
STANDBY
All District Emergency Coordinators, Emergency Coordinators are asked to place their teams on Standby.
Tropical Storm Laura is strengthening and projection models indicate landfall as a Major Hurricane in Louisiana/Texas win the next 48 hours.
National Hurricane Center – Tropical Storm Laura:
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at3.shtml?start#contents
Texas State Operations Center:
Level II
Texas Department of Emergency Management:
20-0013 August Tropical Weather SITREP 2 082520
Federal Emergency Declaration request for Public Assistance Category B (Emergency Protective Measures) granted 8/24
Mandatory Evacuations have been ordered for Jefferson and Orange Counties
Voluntary Evacuations have been ordered for Chambers County, City of Galveston, City of Nassau Bay, and City of Seabrook
Please include Greg Evans, K5GTX (SEC@ARRLNTX.ORG) and Steve Lott, KG5VK (KG5VK@ARRL.ORG) on ARES activities.
This is a rapidly changing situation. All members need to maintain situational awareness and be safe! Do not deploy unless directed to by your Emergency Coordinator or District Emergency Coordinator.
As always, thank you for your support and your efforts!
73,
STAY PREPARED,
STAY READY,
STAY SAFE!
Greg Evans, K5GTX
North Texas ARES
Section Emergency Coordinator
Mobile: 713-410-2376
Email: sec@arrlntx.org
Winlink: ARES-NTXSEC
815 Wind Elm Dr.
Allen, TX 75002
Update on Tropical Storm Laura and Hurricane Marco
This is an update regarding the traffic system, Tropical Storm Laura, and Hurricane Marco.
The forecast cones continue to change as new data comes in. Hurricane Marco is now expected to make landfall late Monday in Southeast Louisiana, turning west, and following the coast before moving inland to the South Texas Section as a tropical depression. Here is the latest forecast cone for Hurricane Marco.
Tropical Storm Laura will make landfall late Wednesday in Southwest Louisiana, moving north until reaching the Louisiana/Arkansas border as a tropical storm, and then turn northeast. Here is the latest forecast cone for Tropical Storm Laura.
Warnings have been issued for the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts related to Hurricane Marco. No warnings have been issued related to Tropical Storm Laura at this time.
Today I again met with net managers and official relay stations in our Section to review these developments and our action plan should we see storm-related traffic. Information has also been sent to net control stations discussing these plans and how additional information will be provided should any actions outside of normal net operations be needed from them during traffic nets. The traffic system already categorizes traffic based on whether it is Emergency, Priority, Welfare, or Routine (general) traffic, and we will treat any storm-related Emergency, Priority, and Welfare traffic coming from affected areas with significant regard.
I have also heard back from other Section Traffic Managers, including Helen Straughn, WC4FSU, the Section Traffic Manager for the ARRL Northern Florida Section, who has offered her assistance to us given how these newer storm forecasts have them moving into our area instead of Florida.
Based on how these forecasts have evolved and the intensity these storms are expected to have when making landfall, we do not expect a large influx of storm-related traffic. However, if the need does arise, the traffic system is standing by and ready to assist.
Also worth noting, Greg Evans (K5GTX) our Section Emergency Coordinator has updated the Amateur Radio Emergency Service section status to Readiness Review. Just as I have asked traffic handlers to prepare for and monitor these storms, Greg asks that all ARES members check their equipment and readiness, including verifying their go-kits are well stocked and that batteries are charged. If ARES members have any questions, please reach out to your ARES Emergency Coordinator for more information.
Given the Traffic System, both inside our Section and in surrounding Sections, has reviewed these storms and is now standing by for any storm-related traffic, this will be my last update for now. Should we see large amounts of storm-related traffic come from affected areas, I will provide further updates on our activities, and net managers will update their teams with new information.
And as always, my thanks to traffic handlers and net managers here in our Section for working to move traffic on a daily basis as part of practicing and preparing for emergencies, and for working so diligently to prepare ahead of these storms. We are ready to help!
If you have any questions, feel free to ask me on the air, or to email me at k8amh@arrl.net.
NTX ARES Monitor Notice MARCO/LAURA-0823-01 (23AUG20 0800 CDT)
SECTION STATUS:
Readiness Review
Good day,
We are continuing to monitor the information on Tropical Storm Marco and Tropical Storm Laura both of which are expected to impact the Central/Western Gulf Coast Area.
Please refer to the National Hurricane Center website for updated information at www.nhc.noaa.gov. Note that we will always refer to NHC’s website in discussions as these storms status and projected tracts are updates frequently.
Section Status: Readiness Review
At this time, the I ask that all ARES members and units check their equipment and readiness. Ensure you have your go-kits updated including:
- Fresh Battery Supplies
- Updated Medical and Contact Information
- Recharged backup batteries
- Fuel
- First Aid Supplies
As always, thank you for your support and your efforts!
73,
STAY PREPARED,
STAY READY,
STAY SAFE!
Greg Evans, K5GTX
North Texas ARES
Section Emergency Coordinator
Mobile: 713-410-2376
Email: sec@arrlntx.org
Winlink: ARES-NTXSEC
815 Wind Elm Dr.
Allen, TX 75002