I just received this as a forward,
from my hometown/Manassas, VA,
Ole Virginia Hams, Amateur Radio Club <[log in to unmask]>
Because I'm subscribed to their Reflector.
Danny Dyer, Wb4idu, Toccoa, GA.
Subject: FYI
Radio hams flee Haitiafter convoy fired on
Eight radio amateurs from Radio Club Dominicano (RCD) whowere operating
under the callsign HI8RCD/HH have had to abort theiroperations after
the convoy they were travelling in was fired on.
EB9GF, who is integrated in the Spanish Red Cross contingent, was able
tocontact the colleagues from the Radio Club Dominicano (RCD).
The RCD has currently two VHF repeaters in use for operations:
- 146.970 (-600), CTCSS 100 Hz. Placed in the Dominican Republic.
Please note that the old frequency 147.970 seems to be wrong.
- 145.350 (-600), CTCSS 100 Hz. New repeater active near the border
with Haiti.
RCD initially reported that their team crossed the Haitian border at
10:50hours Haitian time arriving at the Dominican Embassy in Haiti at
14:29 hourswhen they started installing and testing their equipment.
Within a few hours though, reports via the RCD Facebook page confirmed
by along telephone conversation between Hugo Ramón HI8VRS and Ramon
Sanyoyo V,XE1KK reported that the HI8RCD team of eight amateurs, were
back in the bordertown of Jimani (Dominican Republic).
Their convoy, which included other non related Dominicans, was
assaulted andone person reported dead.
The Radio Amateurs were uninjured but decided to leave the capital for
safetyand return to the border unescorted. They report the situation as
extremelyunsafe and scary.
The repeaters they have installed remain in service linking the Haitian
andDominican capitals, and are being used by the Red Cross and Civil
Defense sincethere is no other way to communicate. The station at the
Embassy in Haiti couldnot be activated though.
To confirm, all members of the HCD team are safe and have returned to
Jimanjiin the Dominican Republic.
In other reports, John Henault HH6JH who is engaged in Missionary work
withhomeless children in Port au Prince continues to make contacts on
20m usingpower from a neighbour's generator and very pleased that
amateur radio enabledhim to let his friends in the USA know he was
alive.
Another radio amateur in the country, Pierre Petry HH2/HB9AMO who works
for theUN food program is also safe. However nothing is known at this
stage of aboutanother ten hams in Haiti.
Thanks to Ismael EA4FSI, Cesar HR2P and Jim VK3PC for their reports.
IARU Region 1 website
http://www.iaru-r1.org/
Haiti - Radio Club Dominicano Facebook Group
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/jan...n_response.htm
|
