Hurricane Watch Net Activation Plans

Tuesday, October 8, 2024 @ 12:00 PM EDT (1600 UTC)

Overnight, Milton completed an eyewall replacement cycle. The storm is once again intensifying. How strong will this storm become windwise? Let’s not let that be our focus. A real danger we must consider is going to extreme Storm Surge!

The Hurricane Watch Net will Activate this afternoon for Hurricane Milton as planned. There are a few minor changes.

Due to the timing and location of Hurricane Milton, we will operate until 11:00 PM EDT (0300 UTC). Once we’ve read the latest Advisory on Milton, we will suspend operations until 8:00 AM EDT (1200 UTC) at which time we will resume operations on 14.325.00 MHz. We will resume operations on 7.268.00 MHz at 8:30 AM EDT (1230 UTC) or at the conclusion of the Waterway Net. The remainder of our plans remain unchanged.

Activation Plans:
Tuesday, October 8 – (Line Up Reporting Stations, EOCs, Storm Shelters)
• 20 meters: 14.325 MHz (USB) at 5:00 PM EDT (2100 UTC) until 11:00 PM EDT (0300 UTC).
• 40 meters: 7.268 MHz (LSB) at 5:00 PM EDT (2100 UTC) until 11:00 PM EDT (0300 UTC).

Wednesday, October 9 — (Landfall Day)
• 20 meters: we will resume operations on 14.325 MHz at 8:00 AM EDT (1200 UTC) and remain active until we lose propagation at night.
• 40 meters: we will resume operations on 7.268 MHz at 8:30 AM EDT (1230 UTC). We will remain active on this frequency throughout the day and overnight for as long as propagation allows. If propagation allows us to operate all night, we will suspend operations at 7:30 AM EDT Thursday to allow the Waterway Net to conduct their daily Net.

Thursday, October 10 — (Post Storm Reports, Emergency Traffic, Health & Welfare Traffic)
• 20 meters: we will resume operations on 14.325 MHz at 7:00 AM EDT (1100 UTC).
• 40 meters: we will resume operations on 7.268 MHz at 8:30 AM EDT (1230 UTC).

Any change to these plans will be posted here, our website, www.hwn.org, and our social media pages.

To everyone in the path of this storm. Do NOT focus on the forecast track of the center of this storm. This will be a very powerful and deadly storm. While high wind is a concern, we must consider the very deadly and possibly historic Storm Surge to take place. Please, take all necessary precautions to protect yourself and your family.

If you have to evacuate to a Storm Shelter, if you have a portable HF station (a Go-Kit), please ask your shelter if you can set it up there. If so, please check in with us. We can help you keep up with the storm and help you with any traffic you may have.

As a reminder, once Hurricane Milton has exited the state into the Atlantic, the Hurricane Watch Net will remain active on both frequencies, listed above, to assist with Emergency Traffic, Health & Welfare Traffic with assistance from SATERN, and to collect and forward post-storm reports to the National Hurricane Center. We will remain active until our services are no longer required.

To all official agencies such as Emergency Operations Centers, Red Cross officials, and Storm Shelters in the affected area, we are available to provide backup communications. We also collect and forward significant damage assessment data to government and non-government officials requesting such.

We greatly appreciate the daily users and various nets who use 14.325.00 MHz and 7.268.00 MHz for allowing us a clear frequency. It certainly makes our job easier and I know those in the affected area appreciate it as well.

Kind Regards and God Bless,
Bobby Graves – KB5HAV
Hurricane Watch Net
Net Manager