FCC Declares Communication Emergency
The FCC has declared a Communication Emergency for the Texas Coast. Please see story by clicking link in lower left hand column, or the “read more” link.FCC declares communications emergency for Texas coast (Jul 14, 2003) — The Federal Communications Commission, in cooperation with ARRL South Texas Section Manager Ray Taylor, N5NAV, has declared a general communications emergency for the Texas coastal area due to Tropical Storm Claudette. The FCC Enforcement Bureau issued the declaration under the authority of §97.401 of the FCC rules. Effective immediately, the FCC said, the frequencies 7285 kHz (days) and 3873 kHz (nights) require protection. “Amateurs are required to refrain from using those frequencies, plus or minus 3 kHz, unless they are taking part in the handling of emergency traffic,” said the declaration from James Daily, Chief of Homeland Security within the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau. The declaration remains in effect until it’s rescinded.
Hurricane Watch Net secures operations for Claudette: (Jul 11, 2003) — The Hurricane Watch Net secured operations on 14.325 MHz at 0130 UTC on July 11 for Tropical Storm Claudette. The storm had been predicted to reach hurricane status, but it is now diminishing in strength over the Yucatan Peninsula. The activation for Claudette at 1800 UTC on July 10 was the first of the 2003 hurricane season. HWN members share storm information with forecasters via WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Net Manager Mike Pilgrim, K5MP, has cautioned that once the storm clears the Yucatan and heads into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, it again could become a major threat to Gulf Coast communities. “We will continue to monitor progress of this storm and will advise if activation of the Hurricane Watch Net might again be called for,” Pilgrim said. “In the meantime, interested parties should access the weather advisories available at on the Net’s Web site or otherwise monitor the Maritime Mobile Service Net on 14.300 MHz for frequent updates of the tropical weather outlook.” At 1200 UTC, Claudette was reported heading north-northwest at 12 MPH with maximum sustained winds of 55 MPH. Meanwhile, Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) National Coordinator Pat McPherson, WW9E, is asking SATERN personnel in its Southern Territory to remain alert to further activation of the Hurricane Watch Net and to support net activities by monitoring and relaying if needed. “If Claudette becomes a hurricane and makes landfall, it is likely that SATERN will activate to pass emergency traffic and handle health and welfare,” McPherson said. The SATERN net operates on 14.265 kHz.
Dave Armbrust, 
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July 7—ARRL Headquarters is experiencing problems with its ARRL.NET email aliases for members’ use. (Note: this is a different problem than the one reported on July 3, in which a large internet service provider, Comcast, began blocking all mail from arrl.net addresses as “spam.”)
Kevin Paetzold, K1KWP wrote on CEMARC-list:
Bill, KB1IUB wrote on CEMARC-list:
Jim Evans, N1HTS wrote on BARS-list:
WA1R wrote:
July 4—Early this morning, lightning struck the internet service provider that hosts the ema.arrl.org server. Internet connectivity via the T1 line was down until approximately noon time today. 
Field Day 
BEDFORD—”The thrumming of power generators echoed throughout the cavernous parking garage at the Bedford campus of MITRE Corp. this weekend.