Luzerne County Amateur Radio Emergency Service - ARES

Save the Date!

Sunday Morning HF Nets!

If you have an interest in getting your Amateur Radio License...Or, if you already have a license and you're interested in volunteering your skill set to serve your community, please send a dm. We are always looking for willing volunteers!

The 1st day of National Hurricane Preparedness Week is tomorrow! Stay tuned this week for content on how to be prepared for tropical systems when they make their way towards the region. You can also check out more now at https://www.noaa.gov/hurricane-prep!

Radio pioneer Murgas honored by Wilkes-Barre, Scranton WILKES-BARRE — King’s College and The University of Scranton came together on Saturday afternoon to recognize the accomplishments of the Rev. Joseph Murgas, a Slovakian priest whose work in wireless telegraphy was based in Northeast Pennsylvania.

120th anniversary of historic radio transmission on November 15th.

Murgas Amateur Radio Club, King’s College, and The University of Scranton Celebrate 120th Anniversary of Historic Radio Transmission on November 15 On Nov 15, 2025, the presidents of King’s College and The University of Scranton will join the mayors of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre to celebrate Rev. Joseph Murgas—the local priest, artist, botanist, and scientist who pioneered the initial stages of wireless communication—and the 50th anniversa...

THE HURRICANE WATCH NET IS IN FULL OPERATION
(UPDATE) Monday, October 27, 2025 @ 12:30 PM EDT (1730 UTC)

The Hurricane Watch Net went into Full Operation Monday, October 27 at 10:00 AM EDT (1400 UTC). We will remain in continuous around-the-clock operations for the next few days.

HWN Activation Plans – Monday
• 20 m – 14.325 MHz (USB): Operate until evening propagation loss.
• 40 m – 7.268 MHz (LSB): Start at 7:00 PM EDT (2300 UTC); continue overnight as propagation allows.

If 40m conditions hold through the night, operations will pause at 7:00 AM EDT Tuesday for the Waterway Net, then resume afterward as needed.

Tuesday through Friday (as needed):
• 20 m – 14.325 MHz (USB): Resume at 8:00 AM EDT (1200 UTC)
• 40 m – 7.268 MHz (LSB): Resume at 7:00 PM EDT (2300 UTC)

Both bands may operate simultaneously if conditions warrant.

Storm Overview – Hurricane Melissa
As of Monday, October 27, 2025 – 11:00 AM EDT (1500 UTC):
• Location: ~145 miles southwest of Kingston, Jamaica
• Movement: West at ~3 mph
• Intensity: Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of ~165 mph

Forecast Summary:
• Rainfall:
Southern Hispaniola & Jamaica: 15–30 inches, locally up to 40 inches
Eastern Cuba: 15–20 inches with higher amounts
Catastrophic flooding and landslides are likely across southern Hispaniola & Jamaica.

• Storm Surge:
South coast of Jamaica: 9–13 feet late Monday through Tuesday, with destructive waves
Southeast Cuba: significant surge potential Tuesday–Wednesday

• Potential Impacts:
Jamaica: Catastrophic flash flooding, landslides, major infrastructure damage, long-term
power & communications outages
Haiti: Life-threatening flooding and landslides, especially southwest
Dominican Republic: Severe flooding/landslides possible through mid-week
Eastern Cuba, SE Bahamas, Turks & Caicos: Rising risk of storm surge, damaging winds, and
flash flooding

Forward Operations
Once Melissa clears Jamaica, HWN will focus on collecting weather and damage reports from Cuba, the Bahamas, and the Turks & Caicos Islands. After each region passes, HWN will handle Emergency, Priority, Medical, and Health & Welfare traffic, with SATERN assisting as needed.

Reporting & Support
During activations, HWN collects and relays real-time or estimated weather data to the National Hurricane Center, including:
• Maximum sustained winds and gusts
• Wind direction and barometric pressure
• Rainfall amounts and duration
• Storm surge
• Damage assessments

HWN also provides Health and Welfare Traffic, and backup communications for Emergency Operations Centers, Red Cross shelters, and other agencies, sharing critical damage assessment information as requested.

Other Nets Operating
• WX4NHC – NHC amateur station, 14.325 & 7.268 MHz
Website: http://wx4nhc.org/
• VoIP Hurricane Net – IRLP Node 9219 / EchoLink WX-TALK Conference Node 7203
Website: http://www.voipwx.net/

Updates and changes to operational plans will be posted on www.hwn.org and HWN social media including Facebook and X.

A special thanks to the amateur radio community and nets maintaining clear frequencies on 14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz – your cooperation is vital in helping us serve those in harm’s way.

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

ACTIVATION PLANS
(UPDATE) Sunday, October 26, 2025 @ 3:00 PM EDT (1900 UTC)

Hurricane Watch Net Preparing to Activate – Hurricane Melissa

What a strange hurricane season this has been – and Hurricane Melissa is unlike any storm we’ve seen in a very long time.

The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) is preparing to fully activate in response to this extremely dangerous system.

Activation will begin Monday morning, 10:00 AM EDT (1400 UTC). Once on the air, operations will continue around the clock until stand down is called.

HWN Activation Plan – Monday Morning
• 20 m – 14.325 MHz (USB): Start at 10:00 AM EDT (1400 UTC); operate until evening propagation loss.
• 40 m – 7.268 MHz (LSB): Start at 7:00 PM EDT (2300 UTC); continue overnight as propagation allows.

If 40m conditions hold through the night, operations will pause at 7:00 AM EDT Tuesday for the Waterway Net, then resume afterward as needed.

Tuesday through Friday (as needed):
• 20 m: Resume at 8:00 AM EDT (1200 UTC)
• 40 m: Resume at 7:00 PM EDT (2300 UTC)

Both bands may operate simultaneously if conditions warrant. Should the storm veer toward land earlier than forecast, HWN will shift to immediate activation.

Storm Overview – Hurricane Melissa
As of Sunday, October 26, 2025 – 3:00 PM EDT (1900 UTC):
• Location: ~110 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica
• Movement: West at ~5 mph
• Intensity: Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of ~140 mph

Forecast Summary:
• Rainfall:
Southern Hispaniola & Jamaica: 15–30 inches, locally up to 40 inches
Eastern Cuba: 6–12 inches, locally up to 18 inches
Catastrophic flooding and landslides are likely across southern Hispaniola & Jamaica.

• Storm Surge:
South coast of Jamaica: 9–13 feet late Monday through Tuesday, with destructive waves
Southeast Cuba: significant surge potential Tuesday–Wednesday

• Potential Impacts:
Jamaica: Catastrophic flash flooding, landslides, major infrastructure damage, long-term
power & communications outages
Haiti: Life-threatening flooding and landslides, especially southwest
Dominican Republic: Severe flooding/landslides possible through mid-week
Eastern Cuba, SE Bahamas, Turks & Caicos: Rising risk of storm surge, damaging winds, and
flash flooding

Forward Operations
Once Melissa clears Jamaica, HWN will focus on collecting weather and damage reports from Cuba, the Bahamas, and the Turks & Caicos Islands. After each region passes, HWN will handle Emergency, Priority, Medical, and Health & Welfare traffic, with SATERN assisting as needed.

Reporting & Support
During activations, HWN collects and relays real-time or estimated weather data to the National Hurricane Center, including:
• Maximum sustained winds and gusts
• Wind direction and barometric pressure
• Rainfall amounts and duration
• Storm surge
• Damage assessments

HWN also provides Health and Welfare Traffic, and backup communications for Emergency Operations Centers, Red Cross shelters, and other agencies, sharing critical damage assessment information as requested.

Other Nets Operating
• WX4NHC – NHC amateur station, 14.325 & 7.268 MHz
Website: http://wx4nhc.org/
• VoIP Hurricane Net – IRLP Node 9219 / EchoLink WX-TALK Conference Node 7203
Website: http://www.voipwx.net/

Updates and changes to operational plans will be posted on www.hwn.org and HWN social media including Facebook and X.

A special thanks to the amateur radio community and nets maintaining clear frequencies on 14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz – your cooperation is vital in helping us serve those in harm’s way.

Kind Regards & God Bless,
Bobby Graves
KB5HAV
Net Manager
Hurricane Watch VoIP Hurricane Net

The Hurricane Watch Net is currently on the air on both 14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz for hurricane Milton

The Hurricane Watch Net The Hurricane Watch Net, Amateur Radio Serving the National Hurricane Center and Mankind Since 1965. The HWN provides up to date tropical weather information for the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific. Subscribe for tropical weather email.

We have been asked to send additional ambulances to the East Coast to assist with hurricane operations. Any EMTs or Paramedics looking to deploy should email [email protected] for more information.