Special Announcement: WX4NHC Annual Station Test Event Report – Saturday May 27th, 2017
Hello to all…
The Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, WX4NHC, Annual station test report has been received from Julio Ripoll-WD4R, Assistant WX4NHC Coordinator. His report is posted below. Pictures from the station event are posted on the WX1BOX Facebook page. We appreciate everyone who checked into the Annual station test whether it be via Echolink/IRLP or HF, VHF and the many other modes used in the station test. Below is the WX4NHC Annual Station Test Event Report from Assistant WX4NHC Coordinator, WD4R-Julio Ripoll:
WX4NHC Annual Station Test Event Report – Saturday May 27th, 2017
We had a very successful WX4NHC Radio Station Test yesterday (Saturday May 27th, 2017). All of our radio and computer equipment and new main HF Dipole antenna worked well. We feel that our equipment will perform well if needed during this hurricane season.
We logged a total of 196 communications contacts throughout the US, Canada, Caribbean and Europe. Total time on-the-air was about 8 hours and we used all of the communications modes available at our station; HF, VHF, UHF, several digital radio modes (EchoLink, IRLP, DMR, D-Star, D-RATS) and digital HF messaging (Winlink).
We tested the Florida Statewide SARNet network which connects more than 26 VHF/UHF Repeaters and EOC Offices. Our UHF Repeater at FIU campus is part of the SARNet system, that is sponsored by the State of Florida DOT. We contacted Several stations throughout all parts of Florida from Miami, Tampa to Tallahassee State EOC.
Some of our interesting contacts:
Canadian Hurricane Center VE1MBR (Bob Robichaud), Halifax, Nova Scotia, where it was 50F; it was 93F in Miami at that time. Bob sends many thanks for the great cooperation between the Hurricane Centers and WX4NHC during Hurricane Season. Lafayette, LA EOC, Slidell NWS, San Juan PR EOC, and as far as Germany and Tel Aviv Israel.
Rob KD1CY operated Net Control for the VoIP Hurricane Net from WA1EMA at Acushnet, Mass Emergency Management Agency. The Asst. Director of Acushnet EMA (Ed KA1RSY) also took time to make a contact and send his cool regards (it was 64F up there and we were still hot in Miami).
Many of our contacts were with individual Amateur Radio Operators that volunteer as Skywarn Spotters for their local NWS offices and also participate in the Hurricane Watch Net on HF during hurricanes. One of them “Debbie” WX9VOR from Aurora, IL was very active relaying surface reports during Hurricane Mathew last year.
Thanks again to everyone that participated in our annual WX4NHC Pre-Hurricane Season station test.
We hope our services are not needed during this hurricane season. But if needed, we are ready to provide NHC backup communications and ready to receive those important Surface Reports from stations inside the hurricane.
Your Surface Report or your Relay can make a big difference.
73, Julio – WD4R
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Julio Ripoll Architect WD4R
WX4NHC Amateur Radio Asst. Coordinator
www.wx4nhc.org
Celebrating 37 years at the
National Hurricane Center
www.nhc.noaa.gov
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Respectfully Submitted,
Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
http://beta.wx1box.org
Like us on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/wx1box
Hello to all…
The Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, WX4NHC, Annual station test report has been received from Julio Ripoll-WD4R, Assistant WX4NHC Coordinator. His report is posted below. Pictures from the station event are posted on the WX1BOX Facebook page. We appreciate everyone who checked into the Annual station test whether it be via Echolink/IRLP or HF, VHF and the many other modes used in the station test. Below is the WX4NHC Annual Station Test Event Report from Assistant WX4NHC Coordinator, WD4R-Julio Ripoll:
WX4NHC Annual Station Test Event Report – Saturday May 27th, 2017
We had a very successful WX4NHC Radio Station Test yesterday (Saturday May 27th, 2017). All of our radio and computer equipment and new main HF Dipole antenna worked well. We feel that our equipment will perform well if needed during this hurricane season.
We logged a total of 196 communications contacts throughout the US, Canada, Caribbean and Europe. Total time on-the-air was about 8 hours and we used all of the communications modes available at our station; HF, VHF, UHF, several digital radio modes (EchoLink, IRLP, DMR, D-Star, D-RATS) and digital HF messaging (Winlink).
We tested the Florida Statewide SARNet network which connects more than 26 VHF/UHF Repeaters and EOC Offices. Our UHF Repeater at FIU campus is part of the SARNet system, that is sponsored by the State of Florida DOT. We contacted Several stations throughout all parts of Florida from Miami, Tampa to Tallahassee State EOC.
Some of our interesting contacts:
Canadian Hurricane Center VE1MBR (Bob Robichaud), Halifax, Nova Scotia, where it was 50F; it was 93F in Miami at that time. Bob sends many thanks for the great cooperation between the Hurricane Centers and WX4NHC during Hurricane Season. Lafayette, LA EOC, Slidell NWS, San Juan PR EOC, and as far as Germany and Tel Aviv Israel.
Rob KD1CY operated Net Control for the VoIP Hurricane Net from WA1EMA at Acushnet, Mass Emergency Management Agency. The Asst. Director of Acushnet EMA (Ed KA1RSY) also took time to make a contact and send his cool regards (it was 64F up there and we were still hot in Miami).
Many of our contacts were with individual Amateur Radio Operators that volunteer as Skywarn Spotters for their local NWS offices and also participate in the Hurricane Watch Net on HF during hurricanes. One of them “Debbie” WX9VOR from Aurora, IL was very active relaying surface reports during Hurricane Mathew last year.
Thanks again to everyone that participated in our annual WX4NHC Pre-Hurricane Season station test.
We hope our services are not needed during this hurricane season. But if needed, we are ready to provide NHC backup communications and ready to receive those important Surface Reports from stations inside the hurricane.
Your Surface Report or your Relay can make a big difference.
73, Julio – WD4R
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Julio Ripoll Architect WD4R
WX4NHC Amateur Radio Asst. Coordinator
www.wx4nhc.org
Celebrating 37 years at the
National Hurricane Center
www.nhc.noaa.gov
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Respectfully Submitted,
Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
http://beta.wx1box.org
Like us on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/wx1box