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US Designates two 60m channels for wildfire and hurricane sally

ZCZC AG22QST de W1AWARRL Bulletin 22 ARLB022From ARRL HeadquartersNewington CT September 16, 2020

To all radio amateurs SB QST ARL

ARLB022ARLB022 5-MHz Interoperability Channels Designated for Wildfires andHurricane Sally Response The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced thattwo 60-meter channels have been made available, as necessary, for interoperability between US Government stations and US amateur radio stations involved in emergency communications related to the wildland firefighting response in California, Oregon, and Washington, and to Hurricane Sally. These interoperability channels will remain active until the need for these channels no longerexists: 

* Channel 1 – primary voice traffic 5332 kHz channel center, 5330.5kHz USB voice. 

* Channel 2 – digital traffic 5348 kHz channel center, 5346.5 kHzUSB with 1.5-kHz offset to center of digital waveform. Frequencies may be modified or added to by FEMA Region 10 for their area or operations due to existing 5-MHz/60-meter interoperability plans for their region. Amateur radio is secondary on the 5-MHz band and should yield to operational traffic related to wildland firefighting and hurricane response. Although the intended use for these channels is interoperability between federal government stations and licensed USamateur radio stations, federal government stations are primary users and amateurs are secondary users. 

The Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS –https://eur05.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnetcom.army.mil%2Fmars%2F&data=02%7C01%7C%7C1f01690dc41b4074654808d85a510cf4%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637358651434179038&sdata=rfvYaGGQEGKJuU9aTyyg6eohPuXZnhQrzHVqdiCY9S4%3D&reserved=0 )

is following FEMA’s lead on theinteroperability channel designations for the wildfire and hurricaneresponse. Army MARS Program Manager Paul English, WD8DBY, says hehas alerted all MARS members of the FEMA channel designations andMARS members are prepared to support response efforts as needed.
Any Questions contact the ARRL and reference this bulletin or Contact the Mars Program.