Japan Emergency Communication by JARLgoing on - latest update

INFORMATION FROM QRZ.COM FORUM

It has been 24 hours since the worst earthquake for 140 years hit off north-eastern Sendai registering 8.9 on the Richter scale and triggering a tsunami.

The Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL) Secretary Ken Yamamoto JA1CJP reports that the disaster appears to have resulted in more than 1,300 people killed or missing.

JARL Regional HQ station JA7RL is now involved in emergency communication to support rescue and disaster relief coordination.

Ken JA1CJP said they are using 7 MHz SSB, 144 MHz SSB/FM and 430 MHz SSB/FM.

The freqency 7043 controlled by JR3QHQ the Osaka branch manager of JARL.

He is gathering incident information on radio and forwarding this information on the internet.

The channel 7075 is operated by JL3YSP in Wakayama occasionally. While 7030 kHz is the JARL emergency communication frequency in their bandplan is in use by JA7RL (JARL regional HQ station).

Japan has 1.3 million hams and is not in need of emergency communication help externally, although this has been kindly offered.

Ken JA1CJP said basically the efforts being made are purely voluntary. No organised emergency communication has been arranged.

Television coverage includes the heartbreaking stories of the quake hitting and the tsunami that swept away coastal towns and felt throughout the Pacific.

Occurring late afternoon on Friday, disrupting plans for travel, it was the worst in Japan for 140 years.

Caught up in the drama was IARU Regional 3 Chairman Michael Owen VK3KI who had earlier attended an IARU conference. He's safe and well, and hopeful of being on a flight home.

Jim Linton, VK3PC
Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee.

(Rajesh Chandwani via delhihams list)

Radio brings the details of the Japan earthquake

The devastating earthquake that struck off the coast of Japan was recorded as the 5th strongest on record, and sent a tsunami wave over 20 feet high over parts of Japan, and traveled to Hawaii and the South American Pacific coast. News of the quake has taken over radio reports. Japan's NHK Radio is providing around-the-clock coverage .....

More at :
http://www.radio-info.com/news/radio-brings-the-details-of-the-japan-earthquake

When Ham radio, social networks provided the connect

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/article1532157.ece?homepage=true

Major earthquake hits Japan

Another earthquake with magnitude of 8.9 tremor hit off the coast of Honshu, Japan today at around 1446 local time (0546 GMT), a sequence of major tremors was initiated - six of them within an hour-and-a-quarter that were all bigger than or all equal to last month's quake in Christchurch, New Zealand (6.3). The largest of the aftershocks was a 7.1.

The US-run Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said amplitudes of up 7.3m were recorded on the coast of Japan. Even out in the deep ocean, the specialist tsunami warning buoys were recording wave amplitudes of a metre, which is considerable.

Japanese defence aircraft on 6727 and 6751 kHz USB at 0830z, very busy and probably related to earthquake.

Additional comms on 5690 USB.

Rick Barton from Arizona informs :

Major earthquake hit Japan with Tsunami reported. Tsunami warning ALL of Pacific region, including Hawaii, wher evacuations underway. (quake measured at 8.9).

Am hearing R. Nikkei normally with piano music. Radio Australia giving extensive coverage on international outlets. while monitoring from 1130-1245 UTC, all 3 NTs are coming in well here in Arizona on 2310, 2325, and 2485, but not with quake coverage heard on 6020, 9560, 9580, and 9590. 6020 and 9560 getting some co-channel QRM. the others are heard very well here atm.