Solar activity remains quiet, but on May 16 the daily sunspot number reached 212. I had to keep searching further and further back in the records to find a higher sunspot number. One year, six months and one week earlier -- November 9, 2011 -- the sunspot number was almost that high, at 208. Going back seven years, 10 months and 12 days to July 4, 2005, it was 192. To find activity beating the ...

There will be no ARRL Audio News on Thursday, May 30. The ARRL Letter will be distributed on its usual schedule. The Audio News will return on Thursday, June 6.

By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor

This week, Surfin’ checks out a ham who is developing a handheld radio that’s a cross between a smart phone and an SDR.

The Dayton Hamvention® was last weekend and I drove 735 miles to attend the event for the 25th time. Kudos go out to my smart phone and its map apps for getting me to Hamvention and back without error, as well as getting me around those...

Posted by: Tony Robinson, Regional Administrator, FEMA Region 6

As you have seen on TV, a tornado leaves behind large amounts of wreckage and debris.  Unfortunately, that debris is generally made up of people’s homes, community buildings, cars, trees, and all sorts of things that a tornado may destroy with winds that can exceed 200 MPH. In order for disaster survivors to even think about rebuilding their homes or their schools or hospitals the debris needs to be picked up and removed.  FEMA and the federal government can assist by helping to pay debris removal costs.


Moore, Okla., May 22, 2013 -- Residents look at the place their home stood after a tornado struck the community of Moore, Oklahoma on May 20th. Andrea Booher/FEMA

Local and tribal officials such as mayors, county commissioners, school superintendents, and emergency management officials ultimately make the decisions about how debris gets picked up, where it goes, and who does the work. Generally speaking, they have several options. They can have their own employees do the work, local volunteers and organizations can help, the town could hire a company with heavy equipment, or they could request assistance from the state who can ask the federal government to help if necessary. At this point local officials in Oklahoma are deciding which of these options they will use to go about getting all the debris picked up.

At FEMA, our role is very much a support role by joining the whole community team of local, state and tribal officials, disaster relief organizations, volunteers, and disaster survivors. One of our most valuable contributions to the mission is in the form of funding. As the debris left by the storm is being picked up, FEMA works with the state, local, and tribal officials to provide federal reimbursement for the removal costs. If you’re interested in what FEMA can fund, you can look at our Debris Management Guide.


Moore, Okla., May 22, 2013 -- FEMA Urban Search and Rescue (Nebraska Task Force 1) team members search house to house for survivors in a tornado devastated neighborhood. Andrea Booher/FEMA

We can also assist the state with technical experts from FEMA or the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who can offer assistance to local and tribal officials on debris management. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency may also provide guidance on how to safely handle hazardous waste debris. In Oklahoma, FEMA will be providing additional funding above our normal 75 percent cost share funding for debris that is quickly picked up through a new pilot program.  Remember, the quicker the debris is picked up, the faster people can rebuild their homes.

Local and tribal officials may ask disaster survivors to help with debris removal by bringing debris from their property to the curb or by helping to sort the debris into different categories. If you try to move debris please be careful. The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality published guidance on debris management for residents, including how to handle chemicals and other hazardous debris.

All of the debris typically doesn’t just end up in the landfill. It is often sorted before being picked up or taken to a staging site where it is sorted. Just like taking your garbage out on a normal day, items should be recycled and used again helping the environment and in some cases being sold, such as precious metals like cooper, for money.  With FEMA’s new pilot program, your local or tribal government may be able to use proceeds they earn from the recycling of debris for other debris removal or emergency management needs.

The removal of debris is a big job, but FEMA remains committed to assisting state, tribal and local officials and helping their communities in the recovery effort. If you would like to join the team and help those who were affected by the Oklahoma tornado, we have some information on our website, or you can visit the Oklahoma Strong webpage.

Moore, Okla., May 22, 2013 -- Moore resident looks at home destruction caused by an F5 tornado that struck on May 20. Andrea Booher/FEMA

On May 9, the daily mean concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of Mauna Loa, Hawaii, surpassed 400 parts per million for the first time since measurements began in 1958. It marks an important milestone because Mauna Loa, as the oldest continuous carbon dioxide (CO2) measurement station in the world, is the primary global benchmark site for monitoring the increase of this potent heat-trapping gas.

Now that the Morse code requirement no longer exists, those who held a Technician class license before March 21, 1987, having already passed the General theory exam, can upgrade to General class without further testing

Read More

Posted by: Lars Anderson, Director, Public Affairs


Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families and communities affected by the tornadoes in Central Oklahoma.  We continue to coordinate the federal response efforts in supporting our state, local, and tribal partners on the ground.  Here are a few quick updates on what’s happening now:

• We’re encouraging those impacted by the storms to apply for FEMA assistance at disasterassistance.gov on their computer or phone, or by calling 800-621-3362.  So far, over 2,200 Oklahomans have applied for disaster assistance.
• Three Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are on the ground helping survivors register for FEMA assistance.  These teams are using internet-enabled tablets to register people as quickly as possible, as well as to record any unmet needs that affected individuals or communities are experiencing.
• Two disaster recovery centers are open near damaged areas so those affected by the tornadoes can speak face-to-face to staff from FEMA and the state.  At the centers, staff answer questions about the disaster assistance process or what help may be available. 

In addition to the items above, more than 127,000 liters of water and nearly 30,000 meals have been delivered to the state at a Federal Staging Area in Oklahoma City in support of the local response efforts.  There are many other actions our federal, state, local, and tribal partners are taking and you can find the latest at fema.gov/OKtornadoes.

We’ve seen an outpouring of support for those impacted by the deadly storms, so if you’re outside of the impacted area and are looking for ways to help those that have been affected, check out fema.gov/howtohelp.  It has information on donating and volunteering responsibly – by doing things like donating only through trusted organizations, volunteering through established channels, and sending cash (not goods) to organizations providing relief.

As we often say at FEMA, responding to emergencies takes a team effort.  Minutes after the tornadoes struck, this team moved into action, including first responders, federal, state, local, and tribal governments, first responders, non-profit organizations, volunteer groups, and members of the public.  There have been a lot of stories of heroism amidst this tragic tornado, so I wanted to share a few visuals and updates from how the emergency management team is helping on the ground.

Texas Task Force 1, Urban Search and Rescue


Nebraska Task Force 1





Oklahoma National Guard


American Red Cross





Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services



Feed the Children
Watch what we were doing in the first 48 hours & what you can do to help here in Oklahoma! Video: bit.ly/1abdLOs
— Feed The Children (@FeedTheChildren) May 23, 2013
Oklahoma Humane Society
 

In its 2013 Atlantic hurricane season outlook issued today, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is forecasting an active or extremely active season this year.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center announced today that a below-normal hurricane season is most likely for the Eastern Pacific this year. The outlook calls for a 55 percent probability of a below-normal season, a 35 percent probability of a near-normal season and a 10 percent probability of an above-normal season.

Desde: Lars Anderson, FEMA



Nuestros pensamientos y nuestras oraciones están con las familias y comunidades afectadas por los tornados que azotaron el centro de Oklahoma. Continuamos ofreciendo los recursos federales a nuestros colaboradores estatales, locales y tribales del área. A continuación un resumen de lo que está pasando ahora:

• Exhortamos a todos los afectados por las tormentas a solicitar asistencia por desastre de FEMA visitando www.disasterassistance.gov/es desde sus computadores o teléfono móvil. También pueden solicitar llamando al 800-621-3362. Más de 2,200 sobrevivientes ya se han inscrito para solicitar asistencia.
• Tres Equipos de Asistencia por Desastre para Sobrevivientes están ofreciendo ayuda a los sobrevivientes de desastre para inscribirse con FEMA y solicitar asistencia. Estos se encuentran equipados con tabletas para poder inscribir a las personas con la mayor rapidez posible mientras toman nota de las necesidades de la comunidad.
• Se han abierto dos centros de recuperación por desastre cerca de las áreas afectadas para que las personas afectadas por los tornados puedan reunirse en persona con representantes de FEMA y el estado. En los centros, los representantes podrán responder a preguntas sobre el proceso de asistencia por desastres y proveer información sobre los tipos de asistencia disponible.

Además, más de 127,000 litros de agua y alrededor de 30,000 comidas han sido distribuidas a Oklahoma City para apoyar los esfuerzos de respuesta locales. Nuestros colaboradores federales, estatales, locales y tribales están tomando otras acciones. Para mantenerse al día, visite http://www.fema.gov/es/disaster/4117.

Hemos visto una gran demostración de apoyo para aquellos afectados por las tormentas, así que si usted se encuentra fuera del área afectada pero desea ayudar, visite http://www.fema.gov/es/donar-y-ser-voluntario. Aquí encontrará información sobre cómo donar y ser voluntario – incluyendo cómo donar a una organización confiable, servir como voluntario, y donar dinero (no artículos o productos) a las organizaciones benéficas ofreciendo servicios de emergencia.

Cómo solemos decir en FEMA, responder a emergencias requiere trabajo en equipo. Tan solo minutos después de la tormenta este equipo – compuesto de personal de primera respuesta, los gobiernos federal, estatal, local y tribal, y organizaciones sin fines de lucro y benéficas, y los miembros de la comunidad – tomaron acción. Hemos oído varias historias de demostraciones de heroísmo durante la tragedia. A continuación comparto con ustedes algunas fotos y actualizaciones del trabajo que están desempeñando los equipos para el manejo de emergencias.

Equipo de trabajo de Texas 1, Búsqueda y rescate urbano


Equipo de trabajo de Nebraska 1




Guardia Nacional de Oklahoma


Cruz Roja Americana




Servicios de Emergencia por Desastre del Ejército de Salvación



Feed the Children
Esté al tanto de lo que estamos haciendo durante las primeras 48 horas, y cómo usted puede ayudar. Video: bit.ly/1abdLOs
— Feed The Children (@FeedTheChildren) 23 de mayo de 2013
Sociedad Humanitaria de Oklahoma

After an EF5 tornado swept through Oklahoma on May 20, radio amateurs in that state assisted the American Red Cross with its communications efforts. “Amateur Radio operators were asked to support voice communications from the American Red Cross Oklahoma City Chapter Headquarters to their feeding station at the Incident Command Post located in Moore,” explained ARRL Oklahoma Section Emergency Co...

Get the latest forecast, watches and warnings from NOAA's National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center, http://www.spc.noaa.gov.

NOAA’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center today announced that climate conditions point to a below-normal season in the Central Pacific Basin this year.

This spring, the ARRL held two balloted elections for Section Manager. ARRL members in Nebraska elected a new Section Manager, while members in Utah -- faced with a three-way race -- voted to keep their Section Manager. In addition, ARRL members in New Hampshire and Wisconsin will each get a new Section Manager, and Section Managers in seven Sections ran unopposed and were declared elected for ...

The annual WX4NHC On-the-Air Station Test from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami will take place Saturday, June 1, 1300-2100 UTC (9 AM-5 PM EDT). “The purpose of this annual station test is to test all of our radio equipment, computers and antennas using as many modes and frequencies as possible in preparation for this year’s hurricane season,” said WX4NHC Assistant Amateur Radio Vol...

Get late-breaking weather information, and your local forecast, at http://www.weather.gov.

Posted by: Lars Anderson, Director, Public Affairs

Yesterday evening a large tornado touched down near Moore, Oklahoma, leaving massive destruction in its path. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families and communities affected by the tornadoes.



At the direction of the President, Administrator Fugate is in Oklahoma to ensure all Federal resources are supporting our state, local, and tribal partners in life saving and safety operations, including ongoing search and rescue.  Yesterday, President Obama declared a major disaster for the State of Oklahoma, making federal funding available to support affected individuals and families in the counties of Cleveland, Lincoln, McClain, Oklahoma, and Pottawatomie.
Federal assistance has been made available to support immediate response and recovery efforts, including:

• Preliminary damage assessment teams, comprised of representatives from the state, FEMA and the Small Business Administration, are on the ground and will begin assessments today, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed.
• Three national Urban Search and Rescue Teams (Texas Task Force 1, Nebraska Task Force 1 and Tennessee Task Force 1) and an Incident Support Team have been deployed to support the immediate response efforts.
• One national and two regional Incident Management Assistance Teams are deployed to the state emergency operations center in Oklahoma City to coordinate with state and local officials in support of recovery operations.
• Two Mobile Emergency Response Support Teams are in Oklahoma to provide self-sustaining telecommunications, logistics, and operations support elements, to assist in the immediate response needs and additional teams are being deployed.
• Three Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are scheduled to arrive later today into communities to perform the Assess, Inform, and Report (AIR) Missions, a tool to help federal, state, local, tribal and territorial partners gather detailed information on the affected areas during the critical first hours, days and weeks after a disaster strikes. DSATs will address immediate and emerging needs of disaster survivors including: on-site registration, applicant status checks, on-the-spot needs assessments, and access to partners offering survivor services.
• FEMA activated the National Response Coordination Center in Washington, D.C., a multi-agency coordination center that provides overall coordination of the federal response to natural disasters and emergencies, to support state requests for assistance, and FEMA’s Region VI Response Coordination Centers (RRCC) located in Denton, Texas remains activated.

In addition to sharing the role of FEMA and our federal partners, I also wanted to share tips for those in the Oklahoma City area or looking to help survivors:

• If you’re in the affected area: We encourage residents in declared counties to register for FEMA assistance online or on your smartphone at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).  Disaster applicants with a speech disability or hearing loss but use a TTY device, should instead call 1-800-462-7585 directly.
  
  Follow the instructions from local officials and take the recommended protective measures to safeguard life and property while response efforts continue. Roads are very likely to be damaged or blocked by debris, and traffic jams slow emergency managers and first responders as they attempt to reach hard-hit areas.
• If you’re trying to get in touch with friends/family in the impacted area: Use the American Red Cross Safe & Well website (or mobile site), text messaging, and social media accounts to check-in with friends & family.  After a disaster, phone lines may be congested, so using other communication methods can be more successful.
• If you’re not in the affected area, but are looking to help: For those looking for ways to help tornado survivors, remember: go through trusted organizations and only send goods that have been requested by local authorities.  If you’re considering donating money, cash donations are often the best way to help. The National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters has a list of organizations that you can feel confident in making a donation to. You can also follow NVOAD on Facebook and on Twitter @NationalVOAD.
  
  For more information on helping survivors after a disaster, visit fema.gov/howtohelp and www.ok.gov/okstrong.

As President Obama said this morning, we will continue to bring all available resources to bear as we support those impacted by the deadly tornado. For ongoing updates on FEMA’s response efforts, follow @FEMA and @FEMAregion6 on Twitter or visit the Oklahoma tornado disaster page.

With the departure of Chairman Julius Genachowski and Commissioner Robert McDowell this past weekend, the FCC now only has three of its full complement of five Commissioners. Pending the Senate confirmation hearings for Tom Wheeler, President Obama’s pick to head the FCC, Obama has named Mignon Clyburn, the FCC’s ranking Democrat, to serve as Acting Chairwoman. The three remaining Commissioners...

Desde: Lars Anderson, FEMA

Anoche, un gigantesco tornado azotó cerca de Moore, Oklahoma, dejando a su paso un camino de destrucción. Nuestros pensamientos y oraciones con las familias y comunidades que han sido afectadas por los tornados.



Siguiendo las instrucciones del Presidente, el Administrador Fugate ha viajado a Oklahoma para garantizar que todos los recursos federales estén disponibles para asistir al gobierno estatal, tribal y local en los esfuerzos para salvar vidas y garantizar la seguridad, entre estos incluidos los esfuerzos de búsqueda y rescate. Ayer, el Presidente Obama declaró un desastre mayor para el estado de Oklahoma, haciendo disponible fondos de asistencia federal a los individuos y familias en los condados de Cleveland, Lincoln, McClain, Oklahoma, y Pottawatomie.

Los fondos de asistencia federal se han hecho disponible para apoyar los esfuerzos de respuesta y recuperación, incluyendo:

• Equipos de evaluaciones preliminares de daños, compuestos por representantes del estado, FEMA y la Administración de Pequeños Negocios, que se encuentran en el campo y comenzarán a realizar evaluaciones hoy. Puede que se añadan más condados o formas de asistencia una vez finalicen las evaluaciones.
• Tres equipos de Búsqueda y Rescate Urbano (grupo de trabajo de Texas 1, grupo de trabajo de Nebraska 1 y grupo de trabajo de Tennessee 1) y un equipo de apoyo ante incidentes han sido desplegados para apoyar los esfuerzos de respuesta al desastre.
• Un equipo nacional y dos equipos regionales de asistencia para el manejo de incidentes han sido desplegados para el centro de operaciones de emergencia del estado, localizado en Oklahoma City, para dar apoyo a las autoridades estatales y locales.
• Dos equipos de apoyo móvil se encuentran en Oklahoma para ofrecer apoyo logístico, operacional, y en telecomunicaciones a los esfuerzos de respuesta. Más equipos también están siendo desplegados.
• Tres equipos de asistencia para sobrevivientes de desastre también llegarán al área. Estos realizarán la misión de evaluar, notificar y preparar un informe (AIR, por sus siglas en inglés) para ayudar a los colaboradores federales, estatales, locales, tribales y territoriales recaudar información sobre las áreas afectadas durante las primeras horas, días y semanas después del desastre. Estos equipos podrán responder a las necesidades inmediatas y posibles futuras necesidades que surjan para los sobrevivientes: como ayudarles a solicitar asistencia, verificar el estatus de su solicitud, evaluar sus necesidades, y referirlos a colaboradores que ofrezcan servicios de apoyo a sobrevivientes.
• FEMA también activó al Centro de Coordinación de Respuesta Nacional, localizado en Washington, DC. Este centro promueve la cooperación entre varias agencias y coordina la respuesta federal ante desastres naturales y emergencias, para apoyar las solicitudes de asistencia de los estados. Los centros de coordinación de respuesta de la Región VI (RRCC, por sus siglas en inglés), localizados en Denton, Texas, también permanecen activados.

También quiero compartir algunas sugerencias para aquellos que se encuentren en el área de Oklahoma City o aquellos interesados en ayudar a los sobrevivientes:

• Si usted se encuentra en el área afectada: Exhortamos a todos los residentes de los condados incluidos en la declaración de desastre a solicitar asistencia de FEMA. Pueden solicitar asistencia por internet o desde su teléfono móvil visitando www.DisasterAssistance.gov/es o llamando al 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).  Los solicitantes con discapacidades auditivas o del habla pueden llamar al 1-800-462-7585.
  
  Siga las instrucciones de las autoridades locales y tome las precauciones de seguridad necesarias para permanecer seguro y mantener su propiedad segura mientras se llevan a cabo los esfuerzos de recuperación. Es probable que las carreteras estén dañadas o llenas de escombros. Los tapones de tránsito complicarán la labor del personal de emergencia y primera respuesta según estos hacen su camino a las áreas afectadas.
• Si está tratando de comunicarse con familia o amigos en el área afectada: La página de Sano y Salvo de la Cruz Roja Americana (o su sitio móvil), mensajes de texto, y los medios sociales son buenos recursos para dejarle saber a sus amigos y familia que está a salvo. Es probable que no haya servicio telefónico después de un desastre, por lo que estos métodos pueden resultar más eficaces.
• Si usted no se encuentra en el área afectada, pero quiere ayudar: Aquellos buscando maneras de ayudar a los sobrevivientes del tornado, recuerden: donar o ser voluntarios con organizaciones reconocidas. Solo haga donaciones que hayan sido solicitadas por las autoridades locales. Para donar dinero, las mejores donaciones son en efectivo. En el sitio web de las Organizaciones Voluntarias Activas en Desastres  (NVOAD, por sus siglas en inglés) encontrará una lista de organizaciones confiables a las que puede realizar donaciones. Siga a NVOAD en Facebook y Twitter @NationalVOAD.
  
  Para más información sobre cómo ayudar a los sobrevivientes de desastre, visite http://m.fema.gov/es/get-involved y www.ok.gov/okstrong.

Como dijo el Presidente Obama esta mañana, continuaremos apoyando los esfuerzos de respuesta y recuperación con todos los recursos a nuestra disposición para ayudar a los afectados por el tornado. Para mantenerse informado de los esfuerzos, síganos @FEMA and @FEMAregion6 en Twitter o visite la página del desastre de Oklahoma.