08/30/2023 ããÿARRLÿ The National Association for Amateur Radio[1]¨ has received approvalãfrom the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for an emergency waiver toãfacilitate amateur radio emergency communications for hurricane relief.ããThe request, filed by the ARRL Washington DC Counsel on August 29, 2023, seeksãa waiver of HF symbol rate restrictions.ããTrained radio amateurs involved with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES)ãand other communications support groups are working with federal, state, andãlocal emergency management officials and relief organizations to assist withãdisaster relief communications in anticipation of the arrival of HurricaneãIdalia at the Florida coast. Their equipment includes radio modems andãcomputers that are capable of data transmissions that exceed the regulatoryãbaud symbol rate limit yet use the same or less bandwidth as slower-speedãprotocols that are permitted. The higher data rates are critical to sending theãanticipated relief communications, including lists of needed and distributedãsupplies, etc. Many other amateur stations involved in disaster reliefãcommunications are able to use the higher-speed emissions from their stationsãinside and outside the anticipated landfall area or involved areas to assist inãthe communication efforts.ããThe waiver, which was granted August 30, is for a 60-day relief period from theãrules, based upon the immediate need related to the threat of Hurricane Idalia.ãIt would cover use directly related to any additional hurricanes that mayãdevelop within the 60-day period. Only messages related to these hurricanesãwould be permitted to be sent via the higher-speed modes, and only publiclyãdocumented modes would be allowed.ããRead the waiver[2] (PDF)ããARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, said the rateãincrease will help response abilities. "The increased symbol rate provides forãfaster more efficient message transmissions for digital communications. Theseãmodes such as WINLINK are used to send forms for served agencies and other dataãthat can be vital during a disaster," he said.ããJohnston and volunteers of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service¨ (ARES¨) areãclosely coordinating with ARRL Sections in Florida. The ARRL Northern FloridaãSection is activated in preparation for Hurricane Idalia. ARES volunteers areãstaffing the auxiliary communications position at the Florida EmergencyãOperations Center, which was activated at 7:00 AM on August 29.ããSeveral other hurricane-related amateur radio nets were active ahead of theãstorm. Hurricane Idalia strengthened into a category 4 storm briefly in theãovernight hours of Wednesday, August 30 before being downgraded to category 3.ãThe storm made landfall in the Great Bend region of Florida's Gulf Coast withãsustained winds of 120 miles per hour. See ARRL's previous news story for moreãdetails: Idalia Prompts Amateur Radio Activations[3] (8/28/2023).ããAbout Amateur Radio and ARRLÿÿããAmateur Radio Service licensees use their training, skills, and equipment toãpractice radio communications and develop radio technology. Amateur RadioãOperators volunteer their qualifications and equipment for communications dutyãin public service and during emergencies. Amateur Radio also provides a basisãfor hands-on STEM education and pathways to careers.ÿÿããARRLÿ The National Association for Amateur Radio[4]¨ was founded in 1914 as TheãAmerican Radio Relay League, and is a noncommercial organization of RadioãAmateurs. ARRL numbers within its ranks the vast majority of active RadioãAmateurs (or "hams") in the US and has a proud history of achievement as theãstandard-bearer in promoting and protecting Amateur Radio. For more informationãabout ARRL and Amateur Radio, visitÿwww.arrl.org[5].ÿããAbout ARES¨ÿÿããAmateur Radio Operators, or "hams," have a long history of serving theirãcommunities when storms or other disasters damage critical communicationãinfrastructure, such as cell phone towers and fiber optic networks. Amateurãradio functions completely independently of the internet and phone systems, andãa ham radio station can be set up almost anywhere in minutes. Amateurs canãquickly raise a wire antenna in a tree or on a mast, connect it to a radio andãpower source, and communicate effectively with others.ÿÿããThe ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service¨ (ARES¨ÿwww.arrl.org/ares[6]) consistsãof hams who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment withãtheir local ARES leadership for communications duty in the public service whenãdisaster strikes. They use their training, skills, and equipment to prepare forãand provide communications during emergencies When All Else Fails¨.ããã[1] https://www.arrl.org/aresã[2] http://arrl.org/files/file/Public%20Service/Hurricanes/2023/Idalia/FCC%2060-day%20waiver%20DA%2023-784%2008_30_2023.pdfã[3] https://www.arrl.org/news/idalia-prompts-amateur-radio-activationsã[4] https://www.arrl.org/ã[5] https://www.arrl.org/ã[6] http://www.arrl.org/aresãã---ã þ Synchronet þ Whiskey Lover's Amateur Radio BBSã