Hello to all..

**Happy Thanksgiving to All SKYWARN Spotters and Amateur Radio Operators involved in the SKYWARN program. On behalf of the NWS Taunton forecasters and the entire WX1BOX Amateur Radio Team and Amateur Radio SKYWARN Spotters in the field, we are fortunate to have such a strong and vibrant program with the support of all of you in the field and we appreciate another tremendous of year of service in weather spotting for the community. Thanks for all you do for us and the community!**
**Below is the annual Special Announcement on SKYWARN Recognition Day 2017.**

The following is a special announcement on SKYWARN Recognition Day 2017. This announcement will be updated either Thursday Evening 11/30/17 or Friday Morning 12/1/17. This announcement also appears on the WX1BOX home page via the following link:

http://beta.wx1box.org/node/3997

Announcement text is listed below:

The National Weather Service in Taunton Amateur Radio Station, WX1BOX, will once again be active for SKYWARN Recognition Day 2016. In addition, for the eleventh straight year, the National Weather Service Gray, Maine Office will also be active under call-sign, WX1GYX. The Boston Amateur Radio Club will also be active as they have been over the past several years at the NWS Blue Hill Observatory under call-sign WX1BHO from 9 AM-3 PM Saturday December 2nd, 2017.

This will be the 19th year of SKYWARN Recognition Day and its anticipated that 80-100 NWS Forecast Offices will be participating once again this year. A Web link to information on SKYWARN Recognition Day can be seen at the following link:

http://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarnrecognition

Again this year, the ARRL will be hosting a Webinar on SKYWARN Recognition Day 2017 on Monday November 27th, 2017 at 800 PM. The Press Release for this webinar can be seen at the following link:
http://www.arrl.org/news/skywarn-recognition-day-webinar-set-for-november-27

To sign-up for this webinar, go to the following link:
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5263200920866289410

WX1BOX will be monitoring the *NEW-ENG3* conference node 9123/IRLP 9123 system throughout the SRD event from 7 PM-12 AM Friday Evening 12/2/16 and from 7 AM-7 PM Saturday 12/3/16. Our HF station will be active on the various HF bands during the same time period. What bands/modes we operate on will be dependent on propagation and operator availability. We will attempt to announce the different HF frequencies will be on via our Facebook and Twitter feeds as well as on the DX Spotter/cluster system dxsummit.fi for people that wish to contact us on HF.

The following is a schedule of repeaters that will be utilized along with simplex being utilized during certain timeframes on Friday Evening 7 PM-12 AM and Saturday 7 AM-7 PM at WX1BOX. We hope Amateurs will utilize this schedule and try and work WX1BOX during these various timeframes. If you don’t hear NWS, feel free to call for WX1BOX and if the office is monitoring, a response will be given. When you make contact, give your current sky condition and temperature as required. Below is the tentative schedule of operations:

Friday December 1st, 2017:
7:00-7:30 PM: 146.970-Paxton Repeater (PL: 114.8 Hz)
7:30-8:00 PM: 147.180-Bridgewater Repeater (PL: 67.0 Hz)
8:00-8:30 PM: 147.000-Dartmouth Repeater (PL: 67.0 Hz)
8:30-9:00 PM: 146.955-Westford Repeater (PL: 74.4 Hz)
9:00-9:30 PM: 146.79-Vernon, CT Repeater (PL: 82.5 Hz) (linked via IRLP.)
9:30-10:00 PM: 147.225-Killingly, CT Repeater (PL: 156.7 Hz)
10:00-10:30 PM: KA1RCI Repeater System (Primary) 146.760-Scituate, RI Repeater (PL: 67.0 Hz) (Alternate)
10:30-11:00 PM: 145.470-Danvers, MA Repeater (PL: 136.5 Hz)
11:00-11:30 PM: 146.955-Barnstable, MA Repeater PL: 88.5 or 147.375-Falmouth Repeater PL: 110.9
11:30 PM-12:00 AM: 146.640-Waltham Repeater (PL: 136.5 Hz)

**Will Attempt to monitor both the New England Network and the *WX-TALK*/IRLP Reflector 9219 systems during this entire timeframe.
**It is possible we may switch off to different repeaters or simplex during time slots if we run out of contacts.

Saturday December 2nd, 2017:
7:00-8:30 AM: 146.595 Simplex
8:30-9:00 AM: Litchfield County Linked System via KB1AEV repeater system
9:00-9:30 AM: 145.230-Boston Repeater (PL: 88.5 Hz)
9:30-10:00 AM: 146.640-Waltham Repeater (PL: 67.0 Hz)
10:00-11:00 AM: NWS Taunton will participate in the Eastern Massachusetts Hospital Net
11:00-11:30 AM: 146.895-Walpole Repeater (PL: 123.0 Hz)
11:30-12:00 PM: 147.225-Killingly, CT Repeater (PL: 156.7 Hz)
12:00-12:30 PM: 145.470-Danvers Repeater (PL: 136.5 Hz)
12:30-100 PM: 146.790-Vernon, CT Repeater (Linked via IRLP.)
1:00-1:30 PM: 146.595 Simplex
1:30-2:00 PM: 145.37-Gardner/145.45-Fitchburg/147.39 Repeaters via IRLP 9122
2:00-2:30 PM: 146.685-Plymouth Repeater (PL: 82.5 Hz)
2:30-3:00 PM: KA1RCI Repeater System
3:00-3:30 PM: 146.955-Barnstable (PL: 88.5 Hz) or 147.375-Falmouth Repeater (PL: 110.9 Hz)
3:30-4:00 PM: 146.955-Westford Repeater (PL: 74.4 Hz)
4:00-4:30 PM: 146.970-Paxton Repeater (PL: 114.8 Hz)
4:30-5:00 PM: 145.370-Coventry, RI Repeater (PL: 67.0 Hz)
5:00-5:30 PM: 146.760-Scituate, RI Repeater (PL: 67.0 Hz)
5:30-6:00 PM: 147.000-Dartmouth Repeater (PL: 67.0 Hz)
6:00-6:30 PM: 147.180-Bridgewater Repeater (PL: 67.0 Hz)
6:30-7:00 PM: 147.225-Whitman Repeater (PL: 67.0 Hz)

**Will Attempt to monitor both the New England Network and the *WX-TALK*/IRLP Reflector 9219 systems during this entire timeframe.
**It is possible we may switch off to different repeaters or simplex during time slots if we run out of contacts.

For this year, we will not actively rove 6m repeaters. We may check-in periodically on the 53.31-Mount Wachusett Repeater and the 53.17 Portsmouth, RI KA1RCI Repeater systems.

The following is information EchoLink/IRLP operations during SKYWARN Recognition Day on the *WX_TALK* Echolink Conference node: 7203/IRLP 9219 system. Further updates to follow as we get closer to the event. See the list of NWS offices below:

Time in UTC NWS Office Call-Sign
0000-0100: KL7FWX (Confirmed new time slot for this year – WX0GLD relinquished this time slot)
0100-0200: WX1GYX (Confirmed time slot for this year)
0200-0300: WX4MLB (Confirmed time slot for this year)
0300-0400: WX1BOX (Confirmed time slot for this year)
0400-0500: WX9GRB (Time slot from last year)
0500-0600: KL7FWX (Confirmed time slot for this year)
0600-0700: WX4HUN (Confirmed time slot for this year)
0700-0800: Open (KL7FWX has relinquished this time slot from this year)
0800-0900: WX9LOT (Time slot from last year)
0900-1000: Open
1000-1100: Open
1100-1200: Open
1200-1300: W7NWS  (Confirmed time slot for this year)
1300-1400: WX2PHI (Time slot from last year)
1400-1500: W1AW   (Time slot from last year)
1500-1600: WX1BOX (Confirmed time slot for this year)
1600-1700: WX4NC  (Confirmed time slot for this year)
1700-1800: WX2PHI (Time slot from last year)
1800-1900: Open (WX6MTR relinquished this time slot)
1900-2000: K0MPX  (Confirmed time slot for this year)
2000-2100: WX4MLB (Confirmed time slot for this year)
2100-2300: WX4NHC (Confirmed time slot for this year)
2300-2400: WX6NWS (Confirmed time slot for this year)

There will be other conference systems utilized for SKYWARN Recognition Day. They are as follows:

The New England Reflector Gateway System will be utilized by the NWS Taunton, Mass. and NWS Gray, Maine offices from 0000-0500 UTC and 1200-2400 UTC. The New England Gateway system is on EchoLink Conference server *NEW-ENG3* Node: 9123, IRLP reflector 9123. If other NWS offices would like to join the system, they are welcome to do so and participants in SKYWARN Recognition Day can also use that system to make contact with various NWS offices. This is a great place to move off the *WX_TALK* Node: 7203/IRLP 9219 system after your scheduled time if other Amateurs or NWS offices whish to make contact with you.

Also, the Western Reflector will be having NWS offices calling CQ as in past years and have multiple reflector channels and Echolink conferences available. There is reflector 9250/Echolink Conference *HI-GATE* node: 357564, IRLP 9251 and the *WORLD* Echolink Conference node: 479886, IRLP 9257/*DCF-ARC* Echolink Conference node: 336037 and IRLP 9258/EchoLink Conference *NV-GATE* Node: 152566 open for NWS offices. Please contact Kent-W7AOR for additional information on the Western Reflector.

A few technical reminders for folks interested in making contacts with the NWS Forecast Offices on the *WX-TALK* Node: 7203/IRLP 9219 and New England Reflector Gateway IRLP 9123/*NEW-ENG3* Echolink Node: 9123 systems:

-The system allows both EchoLink and IRLP connections. For EchoLink users, you connect to the *WX-TALK* Node: 7203 conference system. For IRLP users, you would connect to IRLP reflector 9219.

-If you are using EchoLink, the RF node or PC that you’re using must have EchoLink conferencing disabled. If it is not disabled, the system will automatically kick the node or PC off of the system. The reason this occurs is to prevent unintentional interference from a conferencing station that may not know the node is connected somewhere else. This will keep traffic moving on the net and reduce interference considerably.

For more information on VoIP Technical Configuration Tips, please go to our web site at http://www.voipwx.net where we have a link to that information on the main menu of the web site. This announcement will also be on the web site.

We are looking forward to another fun SKYWARN Recognition Day on the *WX-TALK* Node: 7203/IRLP reflector 9219 system, New England Reflector Gateway system and Western Reflector system. Thanks to all for their support!

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
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Hello to all…

..Strong storm system will bring a period of heavy rainfall with the potential of urban and poor drainage flooding and two period of strong to damaging winds, one round with and ahead of the heavy rainfall and a possible fine line of strong thunderstorms and then behind the storm system as it intensifies in Northern New England..
..A High Wind Warning is in effect from 1 to 10 AM Sunday for sustained winds of 20-30 MPH with gusts to 55-60 MPH for all of South Coastal Massachusetts and Rhode Island including Cape Cod and the Islands. These winds will be capable of isolated to scattered pockets of tree and wire damage and isolated to scattered power outages..
..A Wind Advisory is in effect from 11 PM Saturday Night through 10 PM Sunday Night for sustained winds of 15-25 MPH with gusts to 50-55 MPH for Northern-Central Bristol, North-Central Plymouth Counties of Massachusetts and Bristol, Kent and Southeast Providence Counties. These winds will be capable of isolated to scattered pockets of tree and wire damage and isolated power outages..
..A Wind Advisory is in effect from Noon to 10 PM Sunday for the remainder of the NWS Taunton Coverage area for sustained winds of 10-20 MPH with gusts to 50 MPH. These winds will be capable of isolated pockets of tree and wire damage and isolated power outages..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor for any heavy rainfall and urban/poor drainage flooding issues overnight and the strong to damaging wind potential overnight through Sunday Evening. This will be the only coordination message on this system unless a significant upgrade to the situation occurs. Below is the NWS Taunton High Wind Warning/Wind Advisory Statement, Hazardous Weather Outlook and Experimental Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook..

NWS Taunton High Wind Warning/Wind Advisory Statement:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.wwus71.KBOX.html

NWS Taunton Hazardous Weather Outlook:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.flus41.KBOX.html

NWS Taunton Experimental Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook:
https://www.weather.gov/box/ehwo

NWS Taunton Facebook Infographics:
https://www.facebook.com/NWSBoston/photos/pcb.1541746915919674/1541746575919708/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/NWSBoston/photos/pcb.1541746915919674/1541746859253013/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/NWSBoston/photos/pcb.1541746915919674/1541746862586346/?type=3&theater

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

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Hello to all…

..Strong storm system will cause a 6-8 hour period of heavy rainfall with the possibility of urban and poor drainage flooding and strong to damaging winds in portions of Southern New England late this morning through early evening..
..A Wind Advisory is in effect from 10 AM Thursday Morning through 8 PM Thursday Evening for South Coastal Massachusetts and Rhode Island and Cape Cod and the Islands for sustained winds of 20-30 MPH with gusts to 45 MPH and higher wind gusts in any convective showers and thunderstorms. These winds could cause isolated pockets of tree and wire damage and power outages..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor storm conditions for late Thursday Morning through early evening. This will be the only coordination message for this system unless a significant upgrade to the situation occurs and time allows for an update. Below is the NWS Taunton Wind Advisory Statement, Hazardous Weather Outlook and Experimental Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook..

NWS Taunton Wind Advisory Statement:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.wwus71.KBOX.html

NWS Taunton Hazardous Weather Outlook:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.flus41.KBOX.html

NWS Taunton Experimental Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook:
https://www.weather.gov/box/ehwo

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

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Hello to all…

With the late October Coastal Storm and all the post storm work done after the event and still ongoing, we’d like to get caught up on several key items that have been posted over the last couple of weeks.

NWS Taunton has posted the Prevailing Winds SKYWARN Newsletter and the Southern New England Cocorahs Newsletter. The links below will bring you to these newsletters for your reading pleasure:

NWS Taunton Prevailing Winds SKYWARN Newsletter:
https://www.weather.gov/media/box/PrevailingWindsFall2017.pdf
http://beta.wx1box.org/local/Issue7_volume_2_PrevailingWindsFall2017.pdf

Southern New England Cocorahs Newsletter:
https://www.weather.gov/media/box/officePrograms/cocorahs/Nov2017SNEWeb.pdf

Also the week of October 30th-November 3rd 2017 was Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Southern New England and NWS Taunton posted 5 Public Information Statements and Infographics on Winter Weather Safety Information as well as winter weather hazard simplification. The links below have all of this information:

NWS Taunton Public Information Statements – Winter Weather Preparedness Week:
http://beta.wx1box.org/local/PNS_Winter_Weather_Preparedness_Week_2017.txt

NWS Taunton Winter Weather Preparedness Week Facebook Infographics:
https://www.facebook.com/NWSBoston/photos/a.178319238929122.42608.122106561217057/1524280350999664/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/NWSBoston/photos/a.178319238929122.42608.122106561217057/1525083480919351/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/NWSBoston/photos/a.178319238929122.42608.122106561217057/1525970987497267/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/NWSBoston/photos/a.178319238929122.42608.122106561217057/1526876417406724/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/NWSBoston/photos/a.178319238929122.42608.122106561217057/1527704783990554/?type=3&theater

We hope everyone finds this information useful regarding updates to the SKYWARN and Cocorahs programs and the Winter Weather Safety tips and changes to the winter weather hazard watch and warning information.

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

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Hello to all…

..Strong Cold Front will bring in the coldest air this winter season and strong winds with isolated pockets of tree and wire damage and power outages..
..A Wind Advisory is in effect through 600 PM Friday Evening for the entire NWS Taunton Coverage Area for sustained winds of 15-25 MPH with gusts to 40-45 MPH and possibly isolated gusts. These winds will be capable of of isolated pockets of tree and wire damage and isolated power outages..
..A Freeze Warning is in effect from 7 PM Friday to 8 AM Saturday for Cape Cod and the Islands. This will mark the end of the growing season for this area..
..The strong winds and cold air will combine to produce wind chills in the single digits and teens with wind chill indices near zero in the higher terrain of Southern New England. This will be quite a change from the mild fall conditions over the last several weeks..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor for strong winds and isolated wind damage in the area Friday Morning through early Friday Evening. This will be the only coordination message unless a significant upgrade to the situation to occurs. Below is the NWS Taunton Wind Advisory/Freeze Warning Statement, Special Weather Statement on Bitter Cold Wind Chills, Hazardous Weather Outlook and Experimental Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook..

NWS Taunton Wind Advisory/Freeze Warning Statement:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.wwus71.KBOX.html

NWS Taunton Special Weather Statement – Bitter Cold Wind Chills:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.wwus81.KBOX.html

NWS Taunton Hazardous Weather Outlook:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.flus41.KBOX.html

NWS Taunton Experimental Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook:
https://www.weather.gov/box/ehwo

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

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Hello to all…

..Major Coastal Storm caused numerous pockets of wind damage, wind gusts in the 50-80 MPH range with isolated higher wind gusts Sunday Evening 10/29/17 through Monday 10/30/17, significant rainfall of 2-5″ across Southern New England which led to urban and poor drainage flooding as well as flash flooding and a number of boats were run aground from area beaches in the South Coast of Massachusetts from high winds and waves. At the height of the storm 320,000 people were without power in Massachusetts and over a 1 Million people across New England. Most power has been restored at least in Southern New England..
..Photos and/or videos of wind damage, flooding, road washouts and coastal impacts can be sent over the WX1BOX Social Media, as a reply to this email or via the email address alias of pics@nsradio.org. Credit will be given to the SKYWARN Spotter/Amateur Radio Operator for providing the pictures and video..
..One more update to this post coordination message will be posted by Sunday Evening 11/5/17. Below is the NWS Taunton Local Storm Report, Public Information Statement, WX1BOX Facebook Album and partial WX1BOX Amateur Radio Log..

NWS Taunton Local Storm Report:
http://beta.wx1box.org/local/LSR_10_30_17.txt

NWS Taunton Public Information Statement:
http://beta.wx1box.org/local/PNS_10_30_17.txt

WX1BOX Facebook Photo Album:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/wx1box/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1738841039483240

WX1BOX Report Log (Partial Listing):
http://beta.wx1box.org/local/reports_10_29_17.txt

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

Read more