1. A Report on ARES in Hong Kong & Pearl River Delta VR2UNG Farid VR2KY Alan ARES 25 August, 2009

2. Table of Contents 1.Introduction 2.Regional Drill 3.Workshop 4.Field day 5.Emergency Operation Centre (E.O.C.) 6.Conclusion 7.Outlook

3. Introduction The Hong Kong Amateur Radio Transmitting Society (HARTS) is the member of IARU in Hong Kong, representing local ham for more than 70 years. Southern part of China is an industrial, agricultural, logistical and financial hub. Hong Kong is very densely populated with over 7 million people. The total population within the Pearl River Delta is approaching 50 million. Geographically, the region is at the border of earth quark and typhoon zones. The region is impacted by natural disasters regularly.

4. Regional Drill Pearl River Delta ARES Drill was successfully carried out in 2005. In 2007, the ARES Work Group coordinated with the Pearl River Delta Region to test the emergency communications network. Covering area 10,000 square Km included Hong Kong, Macau, Guangzhou, Foshan, Zhongshan, Dongguan, Jiangmen, Zhuhai and Shenzhen.

5. Workshop 24 August, 2007

6. Workshop 11 November, 2007

7. Field day VR10HK - operated from 0800 until the end (20 hams manned this station). The station was running on battery and portable generators. Another 10 ham @ VR10HK QTH in Kowloon Bay were running on mains.

8. Field day 1.QSO-500 (Pearl river regions) VR10HK = 100 QSO (VR2 only) 2.Total 200 ham in Pearl River Delta Region attended. 3.@ Tai Mo Shan 700m handy QTH & back up by 30 VR2 stations. 4.20 Emergency messages relayed within 2 hours & recognition certificates were presented to participants 5.Amateur radio emergency services network was successfully TESTED for coverage Pearl River Delta within Macau, Guangzhou & HK sub-E.O.C.

9. Emergency Operation Centre VR10HK EOC-A Car Park @600M altitude EOC-B Tai Mo Shan Car Park @700M

10. E.O.C. BA7JA Guangzhou

11. Ham operate on field

12. Conclusion Emergency network was set up within 2 hours. Cross check in 3 main E.O.C., 6 other E.O.C, & ham at fixed, portable and mobile stations. VHF, UHF,6m,10m & 20m pre-arrangement was organized & functioning. There were 500 QSO recorded. More than 200 participating ham within the Pearl River Delta demonstrated emergency communication network covering 50 million population in the region. Regular practices to train and strengthen the effectiveness of the emergency network in need.

13. Outlook for Hong Kong 1.Drill for local and regional ARES 2.Plan for the worst 3.Find out the best practice from other countries 4.Derive Guide book for ARES for Hong Kong 5.Consider data communication for ARES 6.Promote ARES to local regulator. 7.Coordinate with other rescue agencies.

14. TNX & Best 73 VR2UNG HARTS ARES Hong Kong, China