Just like the attention of all people, the attention of radio amateurs has been focused on the land of the rising sun since Friday, March 11, 2011. Japan is facing the worst disaster in history and the amateur radio hobby has once again shown its meaning and significance, albeit unfortunately in such a sad event. In many prefectures, almost all modern communication networks and, of course, electricity were down, and amateur radio stations powered by backup sources proved to be the only usable ones. As told to ARRL Icko, JA1BPA from Tokyo, phone and internet lines are more or less fine for the JA1 area, but the JA7 area, which includes Miyagi, Fukushima and Iwate prefectures, has been hit hard by the earthquake and he can't even contact his own brother. On March 14, Japan's Ministry of the Interior and Telecommunications issued a 3-point appeal to all Japanese radio amateurs to use radio amateurs if necessary. HQ station JA1RL has also been active in coordinating aid since Friday.
For IARU region 3, where Japan belongs, are reserved emergency frequencies: 3.600, 7.110, 7.130, 14.230, 14.300, 18.160, 21.230, 21.360 MHz. Other frequencies currently used in Japan for emergencies are: 3.525, 7.030, 7.043, 7.075 MHz, therefore in the early evening and hours up to approximately 22 UTC, which is over an hour after sunrise in Japan, we should avoid these frequencies for normal operation. Another safety net SATERN which is primarily created in times of tsunami is on 14265 kHz.
Further information on current events can be found on the website of the Japanese amateur organization: www.jarl.or.jp or on twitter: http://Twitter.com/arrl_emcomm
TNX info OM1XQ