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Newington CT  January 13, 2010
To all radio amateurs=20

SB SPCL ARL ARLX002
ARLX002 IARU Region 2 Requests Frequencies Be Kept Clear After
Massive Earthquake Strikes Haiti

On Tuesday, January 12 at 4:53 PM Haiti time (2153 UTC), a magnitude
7.0 earthquake hit 10 miles (15 kilometers) west of Port-au-Prince,
the island nation's capital. Communications in and out of Haiti have
been disrupted. No word has been received as of yet from any of
Haitian Amateur Radio operators. The ARRL encourages US amateurs to
be aware of the emergency operations on the following frequencies:
7.045 and 3.720 MHz (IARU Region 2 nets), 14.265, 7.265 and 3.977
MHz (SATERN nets), and 14.300 MHz (Intercontinental Assistance and
Traffic Net).  The International Radio Emergency Support Coalition
(IRESC) is also active on EchoLink node 278173.

IARU Region 2 Area C Emergency Coordinator, Arnie Coro, CO2KK, is
coordinating a multi-national response by hams. There are organized
nets on 7.045 and 3.720 MHz; amateurs are asked to monitor the
frequencies, but to also keep them clear of non-essential traffic.
Amateur Radio operators should also be aware that emergency traffic
pertaining to the Haitian earthquake is expected on the SATERN
frequencies of 14.265 MHz, 7.265 MHz and 3977 MHz, according to
SATERN's leader, Major Pat McPherson. The Salvation Army is
accepting health and welfare traffic requests on its Web site.

"As late as 9:45 PM local time (0245 UTC), we have not been able to
contact any amateur or emergency services stations in Haiti," Coro
said in an e-mail. "Amateurs from Cuba, the Dominican Republic,
Puerto Rico and Venezuela are monitoring the 40 meter band
frequency. We are still keeping watch on 7.045 MHz, hoping that
someone in Haiti may have access to a transceiver and at least a car
battery to run it," but so far. no HH stations have checked in.

Tuesday's quake was felt in the Dominican Republic, which shares the
island of Hispaniola with Haiti, and in Eastern Cuba, but no major
damage was reported in either place.

The January 13 edition of The Daily DX reported that the Rev John
Henault, HH6JH, made contact late Wednesday morning with the
Intercontinental Assistance and Traffic Net (IATN) on 14.300 MHz;
this is the IARU Global Center of Activity frequency for emergency
communications. He said that he was safe, but had no power and no
phone service. He was operating on battery power and hoping to get a
generator running later in the day. The edition also noted that
Pierre Petry, HH2/HB9AMO -- who was in Cap Haitien (about 140 km
north of Port-au-Prince) is "okay"; Petry is in Haiti working for
the United Nations World Food Program. Later today, he will be
traveling to the capital.

The UN's 9000 peacekeepers in Haiti -- many of whom are from Brazil
-- were distracted from aid efforts by their own tragedy: Many spent
the night hunting for survivors in the ruins of their headquarters.
"It would appear that everyone who was in the building, including my
friend Hedi Annabi, the United Nations' Secretary General's special
envoy, and everyone with him and around him, are dead," French
Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said Wednesday, speaking on French
radio. UN peacekeeping chief Alain Le Roy would not confirm that
Annabi was dead, but said he was among more than 100 people missing
in the rubble of its headquarters. He said only about 10 people had
been pulled out, many of them badly injured. Fewer than five bodies
had been pulled from the rubble, he said.

The United Nations said the capital's main airport was "fully
operational" and that relief flights would begin on Wednesday,
January 13.

The situation in Haiti is still chaotic. More information will be
posted as soon as possible. Information is being validated and
shared between many amateur groups and news sources as it unfolds.
NNNN
/EX
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