[RTTY] RTTY Interference to Hurricane Rita Ops

[Raymond M. Burns]

Hello Don,

Saturday, September 24, 2005, 12:22:55 AM, you wrote:

DHA> I'm sorry you didn't get my point.
 
DHA> And I don't think you want to get into a discussion about attitude with me right
DHA> now.  More than half my roof damaged and half my
DHA> possessions damaged and working
DHA> 16 hours a day trying to save what I have left.
 
DHA> I offered to help and this is the response I get?
 
DHA> Don Hill AA5AU
DHA> Harvey, LA
 

DHA>   _____  

DHA> From: James Wades [mailto:wb8siw at charter.net] 
DHA> Sent: Friday, September 23, 2005 10:28 PM
DHA> To: 'Don Hill AA5AU'
DHA> Cc: k9sz at wittmer.us; rtty at contesing.com; Riley.Hollingsworth at fcc.gov;
DHA> w1aw at arrl.org
DHA> Subject: RE: RTTY Interference to Hurricane Rita Ops


DHA> Hi Don:
 
DHA> I'm saddened by your response.  Since when was one mode less worthy of
DHA> protection under Part 97 than another?  What ever happened to basic operating
DHA> courtesies, such as checking a frequency with a receiver before transmitting?
DHA> Do such courtesies go out the window when a contest starts?
 
DHA> I have to admit, I resent the implication that I couldn't be heard.  We had been
DHA> communicating with other SATERN and NREN stations throughout North America on
DHA> several bands all night.  Perhaps I couldn't be heard because I was running 150
DHA> watts instead of 1500 (???).
 
DHA> Your suggestion that we use Phone is laughable.  Our partnership with SATERN
DHA> grew out of the fact that during Hurricane Rita, the phone nets were overloaded
DHA> with excess demand on circuit capacity and inefficiency was degraded by
DHA> inexperienced operators.  Our net regularly handles an average of 3.75 times
DHA> more traffic than voice nets per hour.   By the way, this statistic was compiled
DHA> over a period of four years working with a major State EMA, which independently
DHA> compared Amateur voice, CW, and data circuits.  So, to answer your question,
DHA> "what the heck mode are you using on 40-meters?"  We're using CW, and we have
DHA> every right to do so.
 
DHA> While I do appreciate your willingness to pass on my "plea" to your fellow RTTY
DHA> contesters, and while I recognize that you did not directly interfere with our
DHA> net, I am saddened by your attitude and the lack of respect it shows for your
DHA> fellow radio amateurs.
 
DHA> 73,
 
 
 
DHA> James Wades 
DHA> General Manager, Michigan Net, QMN
DHA> National Radio Emergency Net
DHA> P.O. Box 457
DHA> Allegan, MI.  49010
 
DHA> Telephone:  269-978-2787
DHA> FAX:  269-978-1906
DHA>   _____  

DHA> From: Don Hill AA5AU [mailto:aa5au at bellsouth.net] 
DHA> Sent: Friday, September 23, 2005 9:49 PM
DHA> To: 'James Wades'
DHA> Cc: k9sz at wittmer.us; rtty at contesing.com; Riley.Hollingsworth at fcc.gov;
DHA> w1aw at arrl.org
DHA> Subject: RE: RTTY Interference to Hurricane Rita Ops
 
DHA> Yes, I run RTTY and I am in the contest on 40 meters.
 
DHA> Jim, what the heck mode are you trying to run a net on between 7047 and 7053 Khz
DHA> during the largest RTTY contest of the year?  I might suggest that you run the
DHA> net on phone.  I understand your predicament but the contest has already started
DHA> and the RTTY ops have no way of knowing you are there if they can't hear you.  I
DHA> can't hear you!
 
DHA> I lost most my roof during Katrina.  I put 12 tarps on in the last two week and
DHA> today in 40 mph wind and driving rain I had to put on 4 more tarps as water
DHA> keeps finding ways to come in.
 
DHA> I've copied the RTTY reflector but there is no way to get the word out now, it's
DHA> simply too late.
 
DHA> If you move to phone, let me know.  I'd like to join in and help if I can.  Both
DHA> my towers were blown down by Katrina, but I took my HF2 vertical down before the
DHA> storm and that is the only HF antenna I have a present.
 
DHA> Don AA5AU
 
DHA>   _____  

DHA> From: James Wades [mailto:wb8siw at charter.net] 
DHA> Sent: Friday, September 23, 2005 8:21 PM
DHA> To: aa5au at bellsouth.net
DHA> Cc: k9sz at wittmer.us; rtty at cqww.com;
DHA> Riley.Hollingsworth at fcc.gov; w1aw at arrl.org
DHA> Subject: RTTY Interference to Hurricane Rita Ops
DHA> Hi Don:
 
DHA> I am writing this letter to you because I understand your are active in the RTTY
DHA> community.  If I am mistaken, please disregard.  Otherwise, I earnestly solicit
DHA> your help with the following problem:
 
DHA> It is 900 PM EDT on the evening of Friday, September 24.  The National Radio
DHA> Emergency Network, in cooperation with the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio
DHA> Network is in the process of gearing up our response to Hurricane Rita.  Our net
DHA> on 7050 khz was operating normally until the start of the CQ WW RTTY contest.
DHA> This contest has now "consumed" and disrupted our primary nighttime frequency
DHA> with high power RTTY signals.  These stations fail to recognize the standard
DHA> "QRL" signal or other requests to move.  They have interfered with official
DHA> communications related to the Hurricane Rita response.  
 
DHA> It is furthermore important that our operations were in progress before the
DHA> start of the RTTY contest.  We had control of the frequency and it was taken
DHA> away from us improperly.  The General class portion of this sub-band is now
DHA> packed with RTTY signals leaving no room for our operations.
 
DHA> Could you please, please, please get the word out on the RTTY reflectors and
DHA> similar lists respectfully requesting that they avoid the segment between 7047
DHA> and 7053 KHz due to interference with SATERN and NREN operations in response to
DHA> Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  PLEASE.
 
DHA> Unfortunately, I am also forwarding a copy of this message to Riley
DHA> Hollingsworth asking for official FCC protection on the above stated
DHA> frequencies.
 
DHA> Thank you!
 
DHA> James Wades, PEM
DHA> General Manager, Michigan Net, QMN
DHA> National Radio Emergency Net
DHA> P.O. Box 457
DHA> Allegan,  MI.  49010
 
DHA> Office Numbers:
DHA>      Kalamazoo, MI:  269-978-2787  (FAX: 269-978-1906)
DHA>      Franklin, TN:  615-261-8242
 
 
DHA> _______________________________________________
DHA> RTTY mailing list
DHA> RTTY at contesting.com
DHA> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rtty

You go guy , I'm with you

-- 
Best regards,
 Ray WB2MLY                            mailto:rburns2548 at charter.net