[UPDATED 2016-08-03@1812 UTC] The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) will activate Wednesday, August 3, at 1500 UTC in response to Tropical Storm Earl, which is forecast to become a hurricane later today. As  of 1200 UTC, Earl was located 120 miles east of Roatan, Honduras, and about 265 east-southeast of Belize City, Belize, with sustained winds of 70 mph. Watches and warnings are in effect.

Due to poor propagation on 20 meters due to an ongoing geomagnetic storm, the Hurricane Watch Net will operate simultaneously on both its primary frequency of 14.325 MHz and its backup frequency of 7.268 MHz until Earl is no longer a threat.

IARU Region 2 Area C Emergency Coordinator Area C Arnie Coro, CO2KK, has requested that radio amateur keep free the following frequencies due to the imminent arrival of Tropical Storm Earl:  7.060 MHz where Mexico’s National Emergency Network meets, and 7.075 MHz where Guatemala’s National Emergency Network operates -- as well as any other frequency handling emergency traffic.

Residents in the path of this storm should take every precaution to protect people and property. For more information and updates to the Net’s activation plans, visit the HWN website. — Thanks to Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, HWN Net Manager