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)
==============================================

dxAce
Michigan
USA

Thank You Steve

In article , dxAce
wrote:

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)

My neighbor left last week for Thailand. She was supposed to stick to
the northern area of the country. I sure hope she stuck to that plan and
did not head south to the normally beautiful southern coasts. Especially
the westward one.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/4126019.stm

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

In article ,
Telamon wrote:
In article , dxAce
wrote:

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)

My neighbor left last week for Thailand. She was supposed to stick to
the northern area of the country. I sure hope she stuck to that plan and
did not head south to the normally beautiful southern coasts. Especially
the westward one.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/4126019.stm

--
Telamon
Ventura, California


Coverage on NPR radio a few minutes ago said the Pentagon figured out
there was going big wave pretty quickly and gave a heads up to every
military base. They said the word went out in just a few minutes.

--

a d y k e s @ p a n i x . c o m

Don't blame me. I voted for Gore.

"Al Dykes" wrote
Coverage on NPR radio a few minutes ago said the Pentagon figured out
there was going big wave pretty quickly and gave a heads up to every
military base. They said the word went out in just a few minutes.

Yep. There's a conclusion that took multi-billion $ computers to arrive at:
A 9.0 earthquake in an area with a history of earthquakes and tsunamis -
might mean a wave is coming.....this is called THINKING.

And the affected countries are complaining they were not warned? What more
warning could they get than instant radio and television news of a major
earthquake? What difference could it have made if moments before it arrived,
their governments had said "yes, as predicted by the 9.0 earthquake an hour
ago, a tidal-wave is here"? Worldwide news gets stories like a major
earthquake out immediately. What people do with that news is up to them.
Therefore the governments of various S.E. Asian countries complaining that
no one "gave" them sophisticated tsunami-warning equipment is a pantload of
crap from irresponsible officials who share the blame for high death tolls
because they failed to get the word out immediately after the earthquake.

Jack Painter
Virginia Beach Virginia

Jack Painter wrote:

"Al Dykes" wrote

Coverage on NPR radio a few minutes ago said the Pentagon figured out
there was going big wave pretty quickly and gave a heads up to every
military base. They said the word went out in just a few minutes.


Yep. There's a conclusion that took multi-billion $ computers to arrive at:
A 9.0 earthquake in an area with a history of earthquakes and tsunamis -
might mean a wave is coming.....this is called THINKING

A history of tsunamis? Tsunamis are rare in this region.

"Another no-name" wrote
Jack Painter wrote:

"Al Dykes" wrote

Coverage on NPR radio a few minutes ago said the Pentagon figured out
there was going big wave pretty quickly and gave a heads up to every
military base. They said the word went out in just a few minutes.


Yep. There's a conclusion that took multi-billion $ computers to arrive
at:
A 9.0 earthquake in an area with a history of earthquakes and tsunamis -
might mean a wave is coming.....this is called THINKING

A history of tsunamis? Tsunamis are rare in this region.

Tsunamis of the magnitude that just occurred are rare anywhere. They have
occurred in this very region, killing many thousands of people. Anywhere in
the pacific rim is considered a possible area for their occurrence, and
especially in Indonesia. So stop acting like a geologist when you can't
remember history you should have learned in high school.

Jack Painter

"dxAce" wrote in message
...
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.


Just received from a ham friend:

This is a report from friends of ours from the Bahamas that have been
sailing around the world since the fall of 1999. We have been e-mailing each
other at least once a month. The e-mail below was received this evening.

Regards,
Gilda and Mike

It was both appalling and fascinating. Appalling in the thousands to die in
minutes and fascinating in the power of nature.
We decided to take Perky out of the marina and anchor in the bay of Nai Harn

on the south west side of Phuket along with some 70 other cruisers for a
Christmas BBQ on the beach. We awoke the following morning and were having
coffee in the cockpit when I commented on the low tide ashore. The tide
continued to go out......fast. Then Perky swung her stern shoreward and the
knot meter registered 4 knots. I started the engine and Carolyn ran for the
windlass. We watched a wave we guessed at 30 feet crash on shore and when it

receded the beach had no beach chairs, umbrellas, food stalls or people. We
raised the anchor and started heading out of the bay when the second wave
entered. It roared ashore, way higher than the first and left disaster in
its wake. Cars were swept into the ocean along with buildings and trees
along the road lining the shore. We motored to the 100 foot contour and hung

around there for hours listening to panic on the VHF radio. Reports of
horror were pouring in. Boats way up in land, the entire bay of Au Chalong
drying out prior to the tidal waves coming in, complete towns being washed
out to sea. The ocean was a dump. Litter covered every square inch for miles

offshore. Yachties were rescuing deck chairs and furniture and coolers
washed from restaurants. Someone reported a mannequin completely attired in
a bikini floating eerily out there. News reports from VOA told of marinas we

had visited being no longer there along with the yachts moored in them. The
entire Malaysian coast has been altered. The origin of the tsunami was from
the largest earth quake to hit in a century. 9.0 on the Richter scale. Over
100 times stronger than the San Francisco earthquake. The epicenter was only

230 miles to the south west of us but we were fortunately spared the brunt
of the tidal waves as the epicenter was on the south side of Sumatra.
Nevertheless the damage is enormous. No doubt you all have more news,
including pictures, than us. We unwittingly chose the safest bay to anchor
in and no lives or boats were lost here we think it was because it is the
deepest bay in the area. We were anchored in 50 foot of water. Patong which
is shallow and the neighboring bay, only a mile or two north of us, has
boats way inland and the town is in a state of absolute devastation. The
rest of Phuket is reportedly a disaster with many deaths. Mostly tourists
sunbathing on the beaches. We will spend the next few days helping the
locals put their lives back together.

Even if you Could get the word out to the people on the beach that a Tidal wave
was coming, half of the people
would go down to the waters edge to watch..
& then ...

- On the other hand, if there WAS a warning system,
the tests of same would lull people into a false sense of
" AH! just another test".

Beach front businesses would complain about it scaring away tourists
Etc.
& there probably won't be another one for a generation or so ..




"Al Dykes" wrote
Coverage on NPR radio a few minutes ago said the Pentagon figured out
there was going big wave pretty quickly and gave a heads up to every
military base. They said the word went out in just a few minutes.

Yep. There's a conclusion that took multi-billion $ computers to arrive at:
A 9.0 earthquake in an area with a history of earthquakes and tsunamis -
might mean a wave is coming.....this is called THINKING.

And the affected countries are complaining they were not warned? What more
warning could they get than instant radio and television news of a major
earthquake? What difference could it have made if moments before it arrived,
their governments had said "yes, as predicted by the 9.0 earthquake an hour
ago, a tidal-wave is here"? Worldwide news gets stories like a major
earthquake out immediately. What people do with that news is up to them.
Therefore the governments of various S.E. Asian countries complaining that
no one "gave" them sophisticated tsunami-warning equipment is a pantload of
crap from irresponsible officials who share the blame for high death tolls
because they failed to get the word out immediately after the earthquake.

Jack Painter
Virginia Beach Virginia

Jack Painter wrote:

A history of tsunamis? Tsunamis are rare in this region.


Tsunamis of the magnitude that just occurred are rare anywhere. They have
occurred in this very region, killing many thousands of people. Anywhere in
the pacific rim is considered a possible area for their occurrence, and
especially in Indonesia. So stop acting like a geologist when you can't
remember history you should have learned in high school.

Jack Painter


Please list the tsunamis that have hit this region in the last hundred
years. This is the first time in recorded history that India has been
hit by a tsunami. So stop acting like an idiot and do a little reading,
assuming you know how.