a field organization of the National Association for Amateur Radio®
All,
This is just a brief note, written shortly after tonight’s 60-meter trial closed, to thank everyone who participated and to especially thank WA1FIA, Chat, for his work, and AA2T, Jerry, for his work.
Other stations who deserve a note of thanks include: W1UD and, Tom, N1CPE, at WC1MA.
Thanks all for the help tonight. Now I just have to put the report together. 73 and have a good night.
Marc, WA1R
You\’ve probably seen the ARRL news by now, but here\’s direct details.
The major change outside of the widely anticipated Morse Code and 40m issues is third party traffic, which will no longer require bilateral agreement; if both national authorities permit third party traffic, that\’s enough. This doesn\’t remove the basic problem of monopoly telcos seeing us as a bigger threat than the internet ;-), but it\’s a start.
Online you can read the full IARU news release (signed by ARRL\’s own K1ZZ) and ham interpretation of the ITU WRC-03 results.
Links above are courtesy of CQ Magazine newsletter mailing list via Ontario DXA mailing list [archives for members only]. CQ\’s news releases are informative, there are 3 bulletins from ITU results there now, worth a read.
73 de Bill N1VUX
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.”)
I noticed intermittent problems with bouncing email saying “Unknown user” Saturday, then late Sunday night. The problem exists for a number of mail servers sending to various aliases @arrl.net. Headquarters is aware of the problem, and is currently working with their internet service provider to resolve it.
-Phil, K9HI
Kevin Paetzold, K1KWP wrote on CEMARC-list:
The MMRA has resumed summertime foxhunts on Tuesdays at 6PM on the input of the Marlborough 147.270 repeater (i.e.. fox transmits on 147.870). The rules are that the fox must be stationary, must be able to be heard by the repeater, and must be within 20 miles of the repeater site (which in this case in more or less on I495 in Marlborough.
All are welcome to join and signal reports from “non hunting” stations are appreciated.
73,
K1KWP
Bill, KB1IUB wrote on CEMARC-list:
The South Shore FoxHunters are conducting their weekly foxhunt on Saturday July 10, 2003 at 1000 hours EST. The South Shore FoxHunters is sponsored by the Massasoit Area Radio Association and the Whitman Amateur Radio Club. We welcome new participants and all area hams are welcome to join.
The hunt consists of locating the fox, whom transmits on 146.565 MHz within the boundaries. The Fox must hide between Route 138, Route 3, and Route 44. Fox Hunters use the Bridgewater repeater (147.180 MHz PL 67) for coordination and relay of beam headings.
Fox Hunting can be conducted using body fading with a handheld. Directional antennas cut for 146 MHz would be a valuable asset.
Check out www.homingin.com for ARDF information. You can build a simple 2 meter tape beam in record time to hunt for the fox this weekend in about one hour or less.
Bill
KB1IUB
Member of WA1NPO, W1MV, K1USN
Jim Evans, N1HTS wrote on BARS-list:
Here is a nice conference within driving distance for one day.
jim
—– Original Message —–
From: “Bruce Wood” bdwood@erols.com
To: vhf@w6yx.stanford.edu; packrats@mailman.qth.net;
newsvhf@mailman.qth.net;
wsvhf@mailman.qth.net;
microwave@wa1mba.org
Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2003 8:08 PM
Subject: [NEWSVHF] Re: [VHF] 2003 EASTERN VHF/UHF CONFERENCE
Please see the NEWS WEB site for further info and to download registration forms.
http://www.newsvhf.com
Please register early.
29th ANNUAL EASTERN VHF/UHF CONFERENCE
Date: August 22, 23 & 24, 2003
Location: Radison Hotel
1 Brightmeadow Boulevard
Enfield, CT 06082
Phone: (860) 741-2211
This years conference will kick off with a Friday evening Hospitality suite followed on Saturday with Technical Sessions, Band Rap Sessions, Lab Sessions, homebrew equipment displays and a small vendor display area. The evening will culminate with a banquet dinner, trivia quiz and door prize drawings. Sunday will begin bright and early with an outdoor flea market and antenna measuring session.
A block of hotel rooms is reserved under the “NEWS GROUP” for Friday and Saturday nights, call (860) 741-2211 for room reservations. Double rooms rates are the same $89 rate as a single room, non smoking rooms are available upon request. Conference registration is $25 and includes a Conference
Proceedings and flea market admission for either a buyer or seller. Banquet dinner is $26.
Flea market entrance for those not registered for the Conference is $5 for buyers and $10 for sellers. Bring your own tables if required, no electricity available.
Registration forms will be mailed shortly and are available for downloading on the NEWS GROUP WEB site www.newsvhf.com.
Volunteers are needed to help with all aspects of the conference.
See you there – Bruce Wood – N2LIV
WA1R wrote:
Please help the Mass. State RACES HF Net test the new 60-Meter allocation Monday night at 2100 hours (9pm). We are looking for any stations equipped with HF and 60 Meter capability to check in to a special session of the net from 2100 to 2130. The purpose, as noted, is to begin testing the capability and propagation characteristics of the new allocations. We will be meeting on the first channel 5332 MHz. Everyone is invited to participate.
Also, please note that we would like your assistance with some observations. Please let us know how you hear us and your observations of propagation. A simple email listing the location of your station, the S-signal strength reading, and your antenna setup is all you need.
As a reminder, we are limited to 50 watts into a dipole (unity gain). We must run USB and set our dials 1.5 kHz lower than the frequency listed. This will put us on what the FCC considers the center frequency so to work 5332, you would set your vfo to 5330.5.
Please email your results to wa1r@arrl.net.
Thanks and 73,
Marc, WA1R
RACES HF NCS
ARRL.NET Traffic Blocked by Comcast (Jul 3, 2003) — League members with Comcast.net Internet service are currently having their arrl.net e-mail forwarding service blocked by Comcast. As a result of Comcast’s recent acquisition of AT&T Broadband, those with attbi.com e-mail addresses may also be affected. Several thousand ARRL members are affected by this action. [Full story]
Field Day photos from 18 different sites, taken by K9HI, W1MPN and others have been posted to the web site for your viewing pleasure.
BEDFORD—”The thrumming of power generators echoed throughout the cavernous parking garage at the Bedford campus of MITRE Corp. this weekend.
“It was a sound that mingled with that of crackling voices from far away, and the sounds of laughter, jokes, and the tap-tap-tapping of a device not often heard these days – a Morse code paddle. For the 40 or so ham radio operators hunkered down here over the weekend, the occasion -the annual Amateur Radio Field Day – was serious business. It was also serious fun.” [Full story] K1WD photo
The EMA FD Homepage now has the staff/leadership tour list and map. Our Tourists were, in rough rank of mileage,
Phil K9HI and Mike W1MPN carried the two copies of the Proclamation with them. Expect picture links to appear on EMA ARRL, ARES, and FD pages soon.
Our ARRL Staff resident at a FD site included (with some overlap(*))
See the tour list and map for more details.
From K1CHC:
Hi Mike,
I wanted to let you know that the Ipswich Public Safety/Emergency Management Dept as of 1500 hrs this date has a 2 meter repeater up and running. It will be available for all amateurs on a 24/7 basis unless it is needed for emergency ops. It is set up on 145.490/144.890 with a tone of 131.8 in and out. It is located at our main public safety repeater site and should offer excellent coverage. Please feel free to pass the word. This freq was coordinated thru NESMC so hopefully it will work out w/o any interference problems.
Charles Cooper K1CHC
Kevin, K1KWP wrote on CEMARC-list:
I ran across this on a TAPR mail list of all places….
73,
K1KWP
Subject: Operation ON-TARGET
From: Bob Bruninga
Date: Sun, 29 Jun 2003 00:01:11 -0400 (EDT)
X-Message-Number: 4
Scouts all over the USA (near mountains) will be climbing to the top of
hills and mountains in 3 weeks to use flashing signal mirrors (and HAM
radio) to communicate from mountain-top-to-mountain top or anywhere they
can. Many will use HAM radio and many will use FRS. Some may even use
APRS.
If you like to DO things with HAM radio, contact you scout troop and have
fun! On July 19th. de WB4APR
———- Forwarded message ———-
Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2003 21:34:29 -0600
From: n7tek
Subject: [Scoutradio] Operation On Target is 3 weeks away (Sat.,
7/19/2003)! Have you registered yet?
Greetings!
Operation On Target is 3 weeks away (Sat., 7/19/2003)! Have you registered
for a peak (or some other point)? If you haven’t go to the following
Operation On Target webpage and click on the “Registration” link in the
header:
http://www.ontargetbsa.org/
I’ve provided the following link to see the list of 33 peaks (so far) that
have been registered for:
http://www.xmission.com/~uarc/ontarget/peak.php
Amateur Radio (HAM) operators that want to volunteer to help may learn more
about this event and signup to help at the following webpage:
http://www.ontargetbsa.org/HAM_main.htm
You may have noticed that there are many teams that have signed up that
don’t have a HAM with them and we are encouraging HAMs to contact these
teams directly to offer their services. Some HAMs have already volunteered
to help and are listed on the webpage at the link below:
http://www.xmission.com/~uarc/ontarget/hamops.php
Teams please put them to use!
Mike Nielson, wmnielson9@bigplanet.com, will be finalizing and posting the
simplex frequencies and some of the repeater frequencies that will be used
for this event on the “bsa_on_target@yahoogroups.com” group. Please
register for this group if you are not already a member by going to the
following webpage:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bsa_on_target
Don’t assume that you have to be on a peak to signal with mirrors and by
radio (or cell phone). We realize that some may not want to climb a peak OR
you may not have any mountains or hills in your area. We would love to have
people organize there own version of On Target in your area perhaps
signaling from building to building, elevated structure, or even along
highways. Also we would love to have HAMs in the valley signal teams on
peaks in there areas.
This could be a great after Field Day event for the Amateur Radio community
to get involved in. We would love to see HF radio and other modes used to
coordinate and provide communications between states and areas. We would
also love to see chains of contacts created from coast to coast and from
Canada to Mexico (and perhaps beyond) in North America. I suppose the same
could be done in England and Europe. Each area could tailor the event to
fit their needs and their geography.
Thank you,
John Blackham
_____________________________________________________________
John Blackham, N7TEK
HOME: 384 North 75 East, North Salt Lake, UT, USA 84054-2320
PHONE: (H) 801-295-3036 E-MAIL: n7tek@networld.com
Eastern Mass SEC and DEC’s completed a tour of Field Day sites during this past weekend. Additionally, SEC, W1MPN, showed club members the Amateur Radio Day Proclamation signed by Governor Mitt Romney.
Photos now available on the Section Website at 
href=http://ema.arrl.org/mod/gallery />http://ema.arrl.org/mod/gallery! And, while you’re there, please view the field day site page for some wrap up maps and statistics!
N1BDA arriving at PART Field Day site after touring. Click on photo to enlarge.
(photo courtesy W1MPN)
FRAMINGHAM —”Imagine that six meters is open and you have 100 watts and a beam at 125 feet to play with!”
“If that hypothetical from the Framingham Amateur Radio Association newsletter fails to excite you, or even make sense to you, you are not alone. FARA treasurer Peter Simpson, of Holliston, jokes that ham radio has always been something of a geek hobby, practiced by an enthusiastic few using a language of their own.” [Full story] Metro West Daily News
KD1CY writes on http://ares.ema.arrl.org:
“Since there will be many Amateurs out this weekend setting up these stations, many of which outdoors, we would like to briefly discuss the weather for Field Day weekend.
“At this time, the threat for thunderstorms and the potential for at least scattered severe weather is confined to Friday Afternoon and Friday Night from roughly Noon-9 PM. There is the potential for at least scattered severe weather tomorrow with at the very least pulse type activity. In any event, thunderstorms are a good bet for much of the region. Any Field Day sites planning to do setup on Friday should pay close attention to the weather and if threatening weather approaches seek safe shelter immediately.
“Even if severe weather does not occur at your specific site setup, lightning is one of the biggest threats to setup of these sites. Do NOT take chances. If thunderstorms approach, stop setup work and seek safe shelter. Lightning can strike as much as 20 miles away from the parent thunderstorm. Also, if you have antennas setup make sure they are properly grounded to avoid the loss of antenna equipment as best as possible. The current forecast now has the Saturday and Sunday dry with no threat of thunderstorms. [Full story]
Current weather models suggest that Tropo-Ducting and Tropo-Enhancement conditions will persist after the Friday cold front into Field Day weekend, through the normal end of contest 18Z Sunday (as opposed to official end 21Z for late starters). 146.550 FM Simplex, the 2m SSB calling, and 220/440 are worth trying for DX. There may even be 6m Tropo openings.
Bill N1VUX
[Article contributed by our SKYWARN Coordinator, Rob, KD1CY]
Hello to all….
Since there will be many Amateurs out this weekend setting up these stations, many of which outdoors, we would like to briefly discuss the weather for Field Day weekend. At this time, the threat for thunderstorms and the potential for at least scattered severe weather is confined to Friday Afternoon and Friday Night from roughly Noon-9 PM. There is the potential for at least scattered severe weather tomorrow with at the very least pulse type activity. In any event, thunderstorms are a good bet for much of the region. Any Field Day sites planning to do setup on Friday should pay close attention to the weather and if threatening weather approaches seek safe shelter immediately. Even if severe weather does not occur at your specific site setup, lightning is one of the biggest threats to setup of these sites. Do NOT take chances. If thunderstorms approach, stop setup work and seek safe shelter. Lightning can strike as much as 20 miles away from the parent thunderstorm. Also, if you have antennas setup make sure they are properly grounded to avoid the loss of antenna equipment as best as possible. The current forecast now has the Saturday and Sunday dry with no threat of thunderstorms.
SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Taunton are possible to even likely for Friday. Amateur Radio Operators involved with Field Day setup tomorrow should have a way to stay in contact with their local SKYWARN Repeater where SKYWARN Net Controls and perhaps even our Ops at NWS Taunton will be on the air looking for reports and we can higlight location of the storms for all concerned. For Saturday and Sunday, no thunderstorms are expected but if the forecast changes, Field Day sites should make an effort to monitor their local SKYWARN repeater. Severe Weather Coordination messsages for severe thunderstorm potential on Friday will most likely be issued this evening if conditions look the same as they do this morning.
This week is also lightning safety awareness week nationwide. Information on lightning safety can be obtained from the following web-site:
Also, local NWS Forecast offices are issuing statements on lightning safety. Below are the last 4 statements issued by NWS Taunton for lightning safety awareness week:NOUS41 KBOX 231348
PNSBOX
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
945 AM EDT MON JUN 23 2003
…NATIONAL LIGHTNING SAFETY PREPAREDNESS WEEK…
…PART ONE – LIGHTNING SAFETY OUTDOORS…
EACH YEAR ABOUT 400 CHILDREN AND ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING WHILE WORKING OUTSIDE…AT SPORTS EVENTS…ON
THE BEACH…MOUNTAIN CLIMBING…MOWING THE LAWN…OR DURING OTHER
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. ABOUT 80 PEOPLE ARE KILLED AND SEVERAL HUNDRED
MORE ARE LEFT TO COPE WITH PERMANENT DISABILITIES. MANY OF THESE
TRAGEDIES CAN BE AVOIDED. FINISHING THE GAME…GETTING A TAN…OR
COMPLETING A WORK SHIFT ARE NOT WORTH DEATH OR CRIPPLING INJURY.
LIGHTNING OFTEN STRIKES AS MUCH AS 10 MILES AWAY FROM ANY RAINFALL.
THERE HAS EVEN BEEN A DOCUMENTED CASE OF LIGHTNING STRIKING 34 MILES
AWAY FROM THE RAIN IN THE THUNDERSTORM. AT LEAST 10 PERCENT OF
LIGHTNING OCCURS WITHOUT ANY VISIBLE CLOUDS IN THE SKY…JUST BLUE
SKY. MANY OF THE LIGHTNING FATALITIES OCCUR AHEAD OF THE STORM
BECAUSE PEOPLE TRY AND WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE BEFORE SEEKING
SHELTER. YOU ARE IN DANGER IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER…THAT MEANS
THAT LIGHTNING IS CLOSE ENOUGH THAT IT COULD STRIKE YOUR LOCATION AT
ANY MOMENT.
ON AVERAGE 20 PERCENT OF LIGHTNING STRIKE VICTIMS DIE…80 PERCENT
SURVIVE BUT 70 PERCENT OF THEM SUFFER SERIOUS LONG-TERM EFFECTS.
HERE ARE SOME SAFETY RULES…MORE DETAILED INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE
ON THE WEB AT WWW.LIGHTNINGSAFETY.NOAA.GOV
1. POSTPONE ACTIVITIES PROMPTLY AND DON/T WAIT FOR THE RAIN. GO
QUICKLY INSIDE A COMPLETELY ENCLOSED BUILDING…NOT A CARPORT…OPEN
GARAGE…OR COVERED PATIO. IF NO ENCLOSED BUILDING IS AVAILABLE…
GET INSIDE A HARD-TOPPED METAL VEHICLE. THE STEEL FRAME OF THE
VEHICLE PROVIDES PROTECTION IF YOU ARE NOT TOUCHING METAL.
2. BE THE LOWEST POINT. LIGHTNING LIKES TO STRIKE THE TALLEST
OBJECTS. IF HIKING IN THE MOUNTAINS AND ABOVE THE TREELINE…YOU
ARE THE TALLEST OBJECT. QUICKLY GET BELOW TREELINE AND GET INTO A
GROVE OF SMALL TREES. ASIDE FROM THIS SITUATION HOWEVER…YOU
SHOULD AVOID TREES. IF YOU ARE IN AN OPEN FIELD…LIKE A FARM OR A
BASEBALL OR SOCCER FIELD…YOU ARE THE TALLEST OBJECT. DUGOUTS OR
GAZEBOS AFFORD LITTLE PROTECTION. IF YOU CANNOT GET TO AN ENCLOSED
BUILDING OR VEHICLE…CROUCH DOWN ON THE BALLS OF YOUR FEET.
3. KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY FOR DARKENING CLOUDS AND LISTEN FOR
THUNDER. IF YOU CAN HEAR IT…GO TO A SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.
4. GET OFF BICYCLES…MOTORCYCLES…AND DO NOT LEAN ON VEHICLES.
5. WATER IS A GREAT CONDUCTOR OF ELECTRICITY. GET OUT OF THE WATER
IF BOATING OR SWIMMING. GET OFF THE BEACH. DO NOT STAND IN
PUDDLES…EVEN IF WEARING RUBBER BOOTS.
6. AVOID METAL. DO NOT HOLD GOLF CLUBS…FISHING RODS…TENNIS
RACQUETS…OR TOOLS. LARGE METAL OBJECTS CAN CONDUCT LIGHTNING.
SMALL METAL OBJECTS…SUCH AS BELT BUCKLES…CAN CAUSE BURNS.
7. STAY SEVERAL YARDS AWAY FROM OTHER PEOPLE. DO NOT SHARE A
BLEACHER BENCH OR HUDDLE IN A GROUP.
8. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO…FIRST TO FIND OUT IF THUNDERSTORMS
ARE IN THE FORECAST. NEXT TO HEAR ANY SHORT TERM FORECASTS ABOUT
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. ALSO…TO HEAR IF THE WARNING ALARM TONE IS
ACTIVATED FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WHICH PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND
LARGE HAIL IN ADDITION TO LIGHTNING STRIKES.
$$
GAF
NOUS41 KBOX 241858
PNSBOX
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
257 PM EDT TUE JUN 24 2003
…NATIONAL LIGHTNING SAFETY PREPAREDNESS WEEK…
…PART TWO – LIGHTNING SAFETY FOR BOATERS…
SMALL BOATS ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO LIGHTNING STRIKES AND
ALSO TO STRONG WAVE ACTION. OBVIOUSLY…THE BEST THING TO DO IS NOT
TO VENTURE FAR FROM PORT WHEN BAD WEATHER IS IN THE FORECAST AND TO
RETURN TO PORT IF BILLOWING CUMULUS CLOUDS…SOON TO BE
THUNDERSTORMS…ARE SEEN IN THE DISTANCE. IF YOU ENCOUNTER STRONG
CHOPPY WAVES ON THE WAY BACK TO SHORE…YOU SHOULD ATTEMPT TO
QUARTER THE WAVES. IN OTHER WORDS…DO NOT CUT ACROSS THEM
PERPENDICULARLY…RATHER CUT ACROSS THE WAVES AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE.
IF UNABLE TO RETURN TO SHORE BEFORE THE STORM STRIKES…SOME
RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE…
…STAY LOW IN THE CENTER OF THE BOAT. DO NOT BE A STAND-UP HUMAN
LIGHTNING MAST.
…SHORTEN THE SAILS.
…KEEP ARMS AND LEGS IN THE BOAT. DO NOT DANGLE THEM IN THE WATER.
…DISCONNECT AND DO NOT TOUCH MAJOR ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT…SUCH AS
THE RADIO…UNTIL THE STORM HAS COMPLETELY PASSED. REMEMBER THAT
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE AHEAD OF OR BEHIND THE STORM BY AS MUCH AS 10
OR MORE MILES AWAY FROM THE RAIN AREA.
IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO ALWAYS HAVE INDIVIDUALS ON BOARD WHO ARE
COMPETENT IN CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION (CPR) AND FIRST AID.
A LIGHTNING PROTECTIVE MAST CAN BE PURCHASED. THESE GENERALLY
DIVERT A DIRECT LIGHTNING STRIKE WITHIN A CONE-SHAPED RADIUS TWO
TIMES THE HEIGHT OF THE MAST. THEREFORE…THE MAST MUST BE PLACED
SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO PLACE ALL PARTS OF THE BOAT UNDER THIS
CONE-SHAPED ZONE OF PROTECTION. IN ADDITION…PORTABLE LIGHTNING
PROTECTION SYSTEMS EXIST. THESE CONSIST OF MASTS AS JUST
DESCRIBED…CONNECTED BY A FLEXIBLE COPPER CABLE TO A SUBMERGED
GROUND PLATE OF AT LEAST ONE SQUARE FOOT. THE MAST IS MOUNTED NEAR
THE BOW AND THE GROUND PLATE IS DROPPED OVERBOARD. THE CONNECTING
COPPER CABLE SHOULD BE FULLY EXTENDED AND STRAIGHT. THE BOATERS
SHOULD STAY LOW IN THE MIDDLE OR AFT PORTION OF THE BOAT.
SOME OF THE PRECEDING MESSAGE WAS EXCERPTED FROM A PAPER WRITTEN BY
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH.
$$
MCJ
NOUS41 KBOX 251239
PNSBOX
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
840 AM EDT WED JUN 25 2003
…NATIONAL LIGHTNING SAFETY PREPAREDNESS WEEK…
…PART THREE – THE SCIENCE OF A LIGHTNING STRIKE…
AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT THERE ARE 1800 THUNDERSTORMS IN PROGRESS
SOMEWHERE ON THE EARTH…WHICH AMOUNTS TO 16 MILLION THUNDERSTORMS
EACH YEAR! LIGHTNING RESEARCHERS HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING TODAY
OF THE PROCESS THAT PRODUCES LIGHTNING…BUT THERE IS STILL MUCH TO
LEARN ABOUT THE ROLE OF SOLAR FLARES IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE…THE
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD OF THE EARTH…AND ICE IN STORMS. WE KNOW THE
CLOUD CONDITIONS NEEDED TO PRODUCE LIGHTNING BUT CANNOT FORECAST THE
LOCATION OR TIME OF THE NEXT STROKE OF LIGHTNING.
LIGHTNING OCCURS IN VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS…INTENSE FOREST FIRES…
SURFACE NUCLEAR DETONATIONS…HEAVY SNOWSTORMS…AND LARGE
HURRICANES…BUT IT IS MOST OFTEN SEEN IN THUNDERSTORMS.
THUNDERSTORMS FORM IN AIR THAT IS MOIST…UNSTABLE…AND HAS A
TRIGGER THAT CAUSES THE AIR TO RISE…SUCH AS A COLD FRONT. RISING
MOTIONS IN THE STORM BUILD THE CLOUD TO AS HIGH AS 6 TO 10 MILES
ABOVE SEA LEVEL. ICE FORMS IN THE HIGHER PARTS OF THE CLOUD.
THE ICE PARTICLES VARY FROM SMALL ICE CRYSTALS TO LARGE HAILSTONES.
THERE ARE A LOT OF COLLISIONS BETWEEN THE PARTICLES WHICH CAUSES A
SEPARATION OF ELECTRICAL CHARGES. POSITIVELY CHARGED ICE CRYSTALS
RISE TO THE TOP OF THE STORM AND NEGATIVELY CHARGED PARTICLES AND
HAILSTONES DROP TO THE MIDDLE AND LOWER PARTS OF THE STORM.
ENORMOUS CHARGE DIFFERENCES DEVELOP.
A MOVING THUNDERSTORM GATHERS ANOTHER POOL OF POSITIVELY CHARGED
PARTICLES ALONG THE GROUND THAT TRAVEL WITH THE STORM. POSITIVELY
CHARGED PARTICLES RISE UP TALLER OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES…HOUSES…
AND TELEPHONE POLES. THE PARTICLES CAN EVEN MOVE UP YOU…HAVE YOU
EVER BEEN UNDER A THUNDERSTORM AND HAD YOUR HAIR STAND UP? IF SO…
YOU MAY BE THE LIGHTNING TARGET.
THE NEGATIVELY CHARGED AREA IN THE STORM SENDS OUT A CHARGE TOWARD
THE GROUND CALLED A STEPPED LEADER. IT IS INVISIBLE TO THE HUMAN
EYE. WHEN IT GETS CLOSE TO THE GROUND…IT IS ATTRACTED BY ALL OF
THESE POSITIVELY CHARGED OBJECTS AND A CHANNEL DEVELOPS. YOU SEE
THE ELECTRICAL TRANSFER IN THIS CHANNEL AS LIGHTNING. THERE MAY BE
SEVERAL RETURN STROKES OF ELECTRICITY WITHIN THE ESTABLISHED CHANNEL
THAT YOU WILL SEE AS FLICKERING LIGHTNING. THE LIGHTNING CHANNEL
HEATS RAPIDLY TO 30,000 OR MORE AND THE RAPID EXPANSION OF HEATED
AIR CAUSES THE THUNDER. SINCE LIGHT TRAVELS FASTER THAN SOUND IN
THE ATMOSPHERE…THE SOUND IS HEARD AFTER THE LIGHTNING. IF YOU SEE
LIGHTNING AND HEAR THUNDER AT ALMOST THE SAME TIME…THE LIGHTNING
IS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD!
NOT ALL LIGHTNING FORMS IN THE NEGATIVELY CHARGED AREA LOW IN THE
THUNDERSTORM CLOUD. SOME ORIGINATES IN THE CIRRUS ANVIL AT THE TOP
OF THE STORM WHERE THERE IS A LARGE POSITIVE CHARGE. A STRIKE
ORIGINATING IN THIS AREA IS CALLED A POSITIVE FLASH. IT IS
PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS FOR SEVERAL REASONS. IT FREQUENTLY STRIKES
AHEAD OF OR BEHIND A THUNDERSTORM…AWAY FROM THE RAIN AREA…THUS
CATCHING PEOPLE BY SURPRISE…LIKE A BOLT FROM THE BLUE. POSITIVE
STRIKES TYPICALLY LAST LONGER…SO FIRES ARE MORE EASILY IGNITED.
ALSO…THEY USUALLY CARRY A HIGH PEAK ELECTRICAL CURRENT WHICH
INCREASES THE LIGHTNING RISK TO AN INDIVIDUAL.
$$
FIELD
NOUS41 KBOX 261218
PNSBOX
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
1000 AM EDT THU JUN 26 2003
…NATIONAL LIGHTNING SAFETY PREPAREDNESS WEEK…
…PART FOUR – MEDICAL ASPECTS OF LIGHTNING…
THE UNITED STATES AVERAGES 73 REPORTED LIGHTNING DEATHS PER
YEAR…WHICH MAKES IT THE SECOND LARGEST STORM RELATED
KILLER…EXCEEDED ONLY BY FLASH FLOODS. A LIGHTNING STRIKE CAN
RESULT IN CARDIAC ARREST AT THE TIME OF THE INJURY…BUT SOME DEATHS
CAN OCCUR A FEW DAYS LATER IF THE PERSON IS RESUSCITATED BUT
SUFFERED IRREVERSIBLE BRAIN DAMAGE. BECAUSE THIS MAY OCCUR DAYS
LATER…THE NEWS STORY MAY NOT MAKE THE NEWSPAPER OR OTHER MEDIA
OUTLETS. THUS…THERE IS AN UNDER REPORTING OF INJURIES AND DEATHS
FROM LIGHTNING. THE FIGURES MORE REALISTICALLY ARE ABOUT 100 DEATHS
PER YEAR NATIONWIDE.
HOW DO LIGHTNING INJURIES AFFECT PEOPLE? LIGHTNING TENDS TO BE A
NERVOUS SYSTEM INJURY AND MAY AFFECT THE BRAIN AND BOTH AUTONOMIC
AND PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEMS. WHEN THE BRAIN IS AFFECTED…THE
PERSON OFTEN HAS DIFFICULTY WITH SHORT-TERM MEMORY…MULTI-TASKING…
AND CAN BE IRRITABLE…EASILY DISTRACTED…AND HAVE A PERSONALITY
CHANGE. SURVIVORS INITIALLY MAY COMPLAIN OF INTENSE HEADACHES…
RINGING IN THE EARS…DIZZINESS…NAUSEA…VOMITING…OR OTHER
POST-CONCUSSION TYPES OF SYMPTOMS. IRREGULAR SLEEP PATTERNS MAY
OCCUR. SEIZURE-LIKE ACTIVITY MAY OCCUR WEEKS TO MONTHS AFTER THE
INJURY.
PEOPLE WHO WAKE UP AFTER THE INJURY OFTEN DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO
EXPRESS WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEM AND MAY BECOME EMBARRASSED WHEN THEY
CANNOT CARRY ON A CONVERSATION. AS A RESULT THEY MAY ISOLATE
THEMSELVES AND BECOME EASY TO ANGER. DEPRESSION BECOMES A BIG
PROBLEM. SURVIVORS OFTEN BECOME EXHAUSTED AFTER ONLY A FEW HOURS OF
WORK AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLETE ALL REQUIRED JOB TASKS.
ANOTHER COMMON…OFTEN DELAYED…PROBLEM FOR SOME SURVIVORS IS
INTENSE PAIN. THE PAIN MAY NOT BE FROM HEADACHES BUT IN THE
BACK…PERHAPS FROM COMPRESSION AND DISC INJURY FROM THE INTENSE
MUSCLE CONTRACTIONS WHICH MAY THROW A PERSON SEVERAL YARDS AT THE
TIME OF THE INJURY. THE PAIN MAY ALSO OCCUR IN AN EXTREMITY…AS
NERVES BEGIN TO SLOWLY REGENERATE. DECREASED LIBIDO AND IMPOTENCE
OFTEN ARE REPORTED.
ANATOMIC TESTING…SUCH AS AN X-RAY…CT SCAN…MRI…OR BLOOD TEST
OFTEN SHOW UP AS NORMAL. SOMETIMES FUNCTIONAL TESTS ORDERED ARE
TESTING THE WRONG THING. AN ELECTROMYOGRAM…OR EMG…MEASURES ONLY
THE MOTOR FIBERS…WHICH ARE SELDOM AFFECTED BY LIGHTNING INJURY.
SMALLER PAIN CARRYING NERVE FIBERS ARE NOT TESTED BY EMG. THUS A
NORMAL EMG RESULT CAN MEAN LITTLE FOR SOMEONE WITH PAIN. LIKEWISE…
THE STANDARD EEG PRIMARILY MEASURES SURFACE READINGS OF THE BRAIN
AND MISSES SEIZURE ACTIVITY IN SEVERAL DEEPER REGIONS.
MORE USEFUL IS A FUNCTIONAL TEST OF HOW A PERSON/S BRAIN IS
WORKING…NEUROCOGNITIVE OR NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING. THESE TESTS
ARE ADMINISTERED BY A NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST FAMILIAR WITH LITERATURE IN
THIS AREA…NOT BY A PSYCHIATRIST. THESE ARE PEN AND PAPER TESTS
LASTING 6 TO 8 HOURS AND TEST MEMORY…IQ…ORGANIZATIONAL ABILITY…
ETC. LIGHTNING STRIKE SURVIVORS USUALLY HAVE A CHARACTERISTIC
PATTERN OF DEFICITS.
HELP DOES EXIST FOR LIGHTNING STRIKE SURVIVORS AND PHYSICIANS
ALIKE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE WEB…GO TO WWW.LIGHTNING-STRIKE.ORG
OR CALL 1-910-346-4708.
$$
FIELD
Respectfully Submitted,
Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Southeast Massachusetts ARES District Emergency Coordinator
SEMARA ARES Emergency Coordinator
Pager #: (508) 354-3142
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 1-800-445-2588 Ext.: 72929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://users.rcn.com/rmacedo
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.