Please note the following news announcement on the ARRL Web that was posted today (Saturday, January 23).

The referenced link:

http://www.arrl.org/?artid=9397

Haitian Officials Announce Contact Information for Amateurs going to Haiti to Provide Disaster Relief

CONATEL (Haitian Telecomm regulator) has setup temporary offices and has released a public notice which may address it.  Amateurs wishing to operate in Haiti to assist with disaster relief need to formally contact CONATEL to get formal reciprocal operating clearance.

The text of the CONATEL public notice is as follows:

CONATEL NOTICE

The National Council of Telecommunications (CONATEL) hereby notifies the general public, and those particularly impacted, that, following the widespread damage caused by the violent earthquake of January 12th, 2010, a satellite office of CONATEL was installed at the Number 97 of the Avenue Panaméricaine in Pétion-Ville with the goal of assuring the continuity of its work.  This arrangement will allow, among other things, better coordination for establishing a temporary emergency telecommunications network in Haiti .

Consequently, all concerned are asked to contact CONATEL at the above mentioned address between 9 AM and 1 PM and throughout the day at the following telephone numbers (509) 3454-0541 - on 2516-0000 - 3702-1414 or at the electronic addresses : techommunication@yahoo.fr - info@conatel.gouv.ht, before any use of telecommunications equipment or the spectrum resources, in hopes of avoiding the problems of interferences and possible conflicts between the incumbent operators established in Haiti and those who are newly operating in this unusual circumstance.

The National Council of Telecommunications (CONATEL), while thanking the telecommunications service providers for all their efforts to keep their networks operational, despite the widespread damage that has been noted, CONATEL takes this opportunity to offer its sympathies to the families of the victims of the earthquake.

Port-au-Prince , January 20th, 2010

Montaigne Marcelin
Directeur Général

=========================

Thank you for your attention.

73,

Steve Ewald, WV1X

Supervisor, Field Organization Team

ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio™

860-594-0265

sewald@arrl.org 

I am once again, after a year or two off, coordinating communications for the Bay Area Ultra Runners’ Dick Collins Firetrails 50. This is a 50 mile race run (mostly over East Bay Regional Parks land) from Castro Valley (Lake Chabot Marina) to Berkeley (Lone Oak picnic area in Tilden park) AND BACK. There’s also a “mere” marathon run concurrently. The event is coming up fast and we need help again. This is a great chance to work with a terrific communications team to support a truly class event. (You can read all about FT50 at http://www.firetrails50.net/ ) It never fails to be a learning experience, even for those of us who have been doing public service and emergency communications for years.

This is a before-dawn to after-dark event (though only the insane work all those hours.) There are posts where a hand-held easily does the job, and others where some laws of physics must be strained to secure communications. Most posts can be driven to. One is a hike, or a run, or a bike ride. There’s something for everybody!

There will be further mailings, but if you want to get in on the fun please let me know as soon as possible. If you already know where/when you want to work, tell me. If you have time/travel restrictions, tell me that. If you need more information, tell me that. Please respond to ft50communications@sbcglobal.net.

Neil Fullagar, K6NCX
for 2009 Firetrails 50 & Golden Hills Marathon Communications
Alameda County Sheriff’s Communications Team

Please contact Mike Pompa, KP6MP, directly at mpompa@inbox.com if interested in supporting the following event:

The Cruella Challenge Century bicycling ride is asking for communications support on Saturday, October 24. The main route travels around Mt Diablo, going through Concord, Pleasant Hill, Lafayette, Orinda, the 3 bears, Berkeley, Oakland, Moraga, Alamo and Danville.

I’ve just agreed to coordinate communications, and I expect the jobs to be similar. Logistics will be simpler - only 2 routes. Start/finish will be at Oak Hill Park in Danville.

Looking for net control, SAG drivers, aid station comm and shadows. You know the story. If you can’t work the full day, but can do half, I’ll work it out.

This event is just 2 months away, so let me know ASAP.

Mike KB6MP

Jack Burris, K6JEB has found it necessary to resign as East Bay Section Public Information Coordinator (PIC) for both personal and family reasons. I appreciate all Jack has done for the Section and he will be missed as our PIC. Jack will continue to host the East Bay Section web site (http://www.eastbaysectionarrl.org/) and will be involved in other ways as his time and responsibilities allow.

I am looking for a replacement for Jack and will accept applications beginning immediately. The ARRL Public Information Coordinator (PIC) is a section-level official appointed by and reports to the Section Manager (SM) as the section’s expert on public information and public relations matters. The PIC is responsible for organizing, training, guiding and coordinating the activities of the Public Information Officers (PIOs) within the section.   The Public Information Coordinator must be a Full member of the ARRL and, preferably, have professional public relations or journalism experience or a significantly related background in dealing with the public media. 

For more detailed information on the roles and responsibilities of the position, go to http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/org/pic.html. Please contact me directly if you are interested in this section level appointment.

Earlier this week, the ARRL received a request from the FCC asking that ARRL members to provide technical educational assistance to their communities concerning the FCC-mandated digital television (DTV) conversion scheduled for February 17, 2009.

According to ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Allen Pitts, W1AGP, Amateur Radio clubs across the country are being asked to develop and implement plans to provide information throughout January and February about the DTV conversion in their areas. The FCC is leaving it up to the clubs to decide how to do this, as local groups understand the communities in ways that the FCC does not. Each community is a little different, Pitts said, so plans carried out by the clubs will vary from community to community. Interested groups should contact their ARRL Section Manager.

Pitts stressed that hams should not make “house calls,” sell any equipment or do actual installations; the request is only to distribute technical information and FCC materials. He commented: “As we all know, some folks just never get the message until too late. Materials for presentations, education and many other activities are available online. Beginning early January, FCC staff will contact Section Managers and leaders of interested clubs and, where possible, arrange to meet to share even more information, audio, visual and printed materials, as well as and training aids, with the clubs involved this effort. We know the time is short, but your aid in this now will be appreciated.”

In early January, Pitts said that the FCC will ask Section Managers for the names and contact information of the volunteering groups. The FCC staff will then make contact with the groups, learn their plans and provide them with the media, brochures or other materials groups may need in this effort. Materials also can be downloaded from the DTV Conversion Web site. FCC regional staff members may even come and visit with larger groups to aid in implementation of the group’s plans.

“I really appreciate the willingness of the ARRL to actively participate in helping Americans with the transition to DTV and your helpful suggestions,” said George Dillon, FCC Deputy Bureau Chief for Field Operations. “The DTV transition will be an historic moment in the evolution of TV. Broadcast television stations can offer viewers improved picture and sound quality and new programming choices. All-digital broadcasting also will allow us to significantly improve public safety communications and will usher in a new era of advanced wireless services such as the widespread deployment of wireless broadband. Our goal is to engage the amateur community on a cooperative basis to help with the DTV outreach and to educate consumers.”

Dillon continued that local Amateur Radio clubs might consider offering technical advice to consumers via telephone to those consumers who may encounter difficulty with the installation and setting up of their converter box. “Any assistance…will greatly help in the efforts of the FCC to ensure a smooth transition to DTV on February 17, 2009.”

Pitts advises interested groups to keep in mind that they are to provide technical educational help only: “At no time should the hams enter someone else’s home or install equipment. They should not broker or sell conversion boxes in any way. Clubs can provide such things as a call-in telephone number for technical help, make presentations at meetings, do demonstrations at malls or give talks to other groups — whatever works in their community.”