NEWINGTON, CT, Dec 27, 2004--Here is an update on the current
situation in India, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Sri Lanka, with
thanks to The Daily DX, courtesy of its editor Bernie McClenny, W3UR, and
from Horey Majumdar, VU2HFR: News agencies now report estimates of
more than 21,000 feared dead from the tsunamis (tidal waves) that took place
in the Bay of Bengal December 26. The estimated death toll in the Andaman
and Nicobar Islands ranges from 2000 to 5000. VU2HFR reports that radio
amateurs in India are handling hundreds of pieces of health and welfare traffic
regarding people missing and from relatives of those living in Andaman and
Nicobar Islands, which are closer to the earthquake's epicenter.

"There is presently no communication from Nicobar Islands," Majumdar
reports, noting that Nicobar received more damage than Andaman. McClenny
says the VU4RBI/VU4NRO DXpedition team continues to pass traffic and
occasionally hand out QSOs. C. K. "Ram" Raman, VU3DJQ, reports he was
in contact with Sarath, 4S7SW, a physician operating from the vicinity of a
hospital in Mathara, Sri Lanka, which also was heavily hit by the tsunamis. "He
is requesting food, clothing and medicines for relief," Raman reported. "He
will be listening 14.195 and 21.295." Telephones are not working there, he
said.

McClenny and Majumdar agree that it was fortuitous that the
VU4RBI/VU4NRO DXpedition was under way when the disaster struck. "If
there is a positive aspect to this disaster, it may very well be that the Indian

government--and others--realize the ability of Amateur Radio during these
difficult times," McClenny observed.

The initial earthquake off the Indonesian Island of Sumatra just before 0100 UTC
on December 26 now has
been upgraded to 9.0 on the Richter scale. Since then, the National Earthquake
Information Center has
reported some 18 aftershocks split between the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The
most recent, just before
0100 UTC today, registered 6.1 on the Richter scale.

Sandeep Baruah, VU2MUE, reports two emergency frequencies have been established.
VU4NRO, the team at
Port Blair, will be QRV on or near 14.190 MHz. The club station VU2NRO in
Hyderabad on the mainland will
relay traffic to and from Port Blair.

Other emergency traffic frequencies being reported include 14.193 and 14.160 MHz
in the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands, 7.050 MHz in South India, 7.055 MHz in Indonesia and 7.075 in
Thailand, where stations from
4S7, VU2 and 9M2 were reportedly heard.

D.V.R.K. Murthy, VU2DVO,and Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, are now in Port Blair. Reports
indicate that some
telephone lines are now working, but there still is no water or electricity at
the Hotel Sinclair, where the VU4
DXpedition was headquartered.

In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the most devastated area is Car Nicobar,
which has been totally cut off. It
is possible that Amateur Radio operators may travel to this area after obtaining
clearance from local
authorities. Club station VU2NCT and VU2MUE in Calcutta all are helping with the
efforts to pass emergency
traffic to Port Blair.

Baruah is operating club station VU2NCT in coordination with the National
Disaster Control, New Delhi. The
Calcutta VHF Amateur Radio Society has set up a control station from Calcutta.
Majumdar is operating that
station and has been in touch with VU4RBI in the Andamans.

Charly Harpole, K4VUD, who had been visiting the VU4RBI/VU4NRO operation and
filing regular reports via
The Daily DX now is reported back on the Indian mainland.

Majumdar also tells ARRL that hams from Bangalore and Chennai on the Indian
mainland are moving toward
Nagapattinam to set up ham radio disaster communication stations at Nagapattinam
in Tamil Nadu--the
worst-affected areas on the mainland. The Indian Army is assisting stations on
Andaman by providing logistics
and backup batteries.

Majumdar says radio amateurs from Bangalore, Chennai and other parts of South
India are trying to set up
stations in the affected areas of Tamil Nadu.

James Brooks, 9V1YC, provided additional information via The Daily DX. He says
Andaman and Nicobar
Islands authorities have asked the DXpedition team for relief communications
help. They have requested one
station at the deputy commissioner's office in Port Blair and another on the
remote Nicobar Islands. VU2RSB
will be manning the station at the deputy commissioner's office in Port Blair,
and VU2RSI will staff the station at
the current DXpedition site until further notice.

He reports the Indian Army will be flying VU2MYH and VU2DVO out to the Nicobar
Islands with three days' food,
a rig, batteries and an inverted V.

The VU4RBI/VU4NOR team was allowed back into the damaged hotel building and
Bharathi Prasad, VU2RBI,
"is bravely operating on the fifth floor using the Yagi" despite continued
aftershocks. Telephones in the building
are also working again.

Commercial power is returning slowly, but the DXpedition team continues to use
battery power most of the
time.

The DXpedition has been suspended, but VU2RBI still is promising to hand out the
contacts once emergency
communications work is finished. The team has asked authorities for an extension
of the DXpedition, but so far
this has not been granted. "This decision may change, due to the relief
communications work they are
supplying," Brooks said. Bharathi Prasad, VU2RBI, will be leaving on January 1
regardless, he reports, and if
any time extension is granted VU2RSB and VU2MYH will remain for an additional
week, possibly longer.

Here in the US, the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) has
been monitoring HF
frequencies for news and information in an attempt to assist with emergency
communications as
needed.--additional information from K2FF, VA3ORI and WA6KAH
(Via ARRL)
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dxAce
Michigan
USA