Special Announcement: SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) 2020 Friday Evening 12/4/20 700 PM ET to Saturday Evening 12/5/20 700 PM ET and Changes for COVID19
Hello to all..
**SKYWARN Recognition Day 2020 will occur this year but modified due to COVID19 and the fact NWS offices are not allowed to have volunteer Amateur Radio Operators at any NWS office due to COVID. In addition, a social media component will be added to engage non-Amateur Radio SKYWARN Spotters more with 2020’SRD. This is the final detailed announcement.**
**We apologize for not doing an earlier SRD post earlier this week. This was due to the significant storm system that affected the region Monday Afternoon into Tuesday Morning and the upcoming storm system for Saturday into Saturday Night**
**Please note due to the significant winter storm expected for Saturday, we will be actively looking for reports of measured snowfall, rainfall, and storm damage from wet snow and damaging winds. This could take priority over SRD operations causing some schedule misses for SRD from a repeater perspective. We are going to make a best effort to do both efforts in parallel**
Due to COVID19, typical WX1BOX Amateur Radio Operations will not occur at NWS Boston/Norton. The WX1BOX Amateur Radio team will be operating remotely via their home stations. In addition, the Boston Amateur Radio Club has cancelled their operations from Blue Hill for 2020 but will operate remotely. The NWS Gray Maine office cannot be active at the office due to the same restrictions on volunteers at NWS offices nationwide but will have remote SRD operation for 2020.
For WX1BOX Amateur Radio operations, we will cover the typical SKYWARN repeaters on VHF/UHF as well as simplex and be on HF via the various remote home stations along with our WX1BOX social media pages. In addition, contacts with other Amateur Radio SKYWARN stations will count towards NWS certificates. Further, there will be a social media component to engage non-Amateur Radio and Amateur Radio SKYWARN spotter alike. The current set of information is available and additional information will be made available on the SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) web site via the following link:
https://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarnrecognition
Also, all participants are welcome to register on the SRD web site. They can obtain a SRD number. The SRD Number for this year is part of the qso exchange but is not a requirement. It is something new for this year so as always there will likely be some glitches and delays in getting the SRD number but if you register and obtain your SRD number, please feel free to add that to your exchange.
There is also a SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) Facebook group open to all SKYWARN Spotters and Amateur Radio Operators. The Facebook group link is listed below:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/skywarnrecognitionday
On the web, the following link on the WX1BOX home page will feature all SRD updates for WX1BOX operations as well as social media efforts that can include SKYWARN Spotters and Amateur Radio Operators alike:
https://wx1box.org/2020/11/27/srd20/
Here is the SRD Schedule for 2020 for local repeater operation and this will be covered by various Amateurs from home stations using WX1BOX portable and then their personal call-sign:
Friday December 4th, 2020:
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: 146.790-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: 145.470-Danvers, MA Repeater (PL: 136.5 Hz)
10:30-11:00 PM: 146.640-Waltham Repeater (PL: 136.5 Hz)
11:00-11:30 PM: KA1RCI Repeater System
11:30 PM-12:00 AM: 146.955-Barnstable, MA Repeater PL: 88.5 or 147.375-Falmouth Repeater PL: 110.9
**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 5th 2020:
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: We 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: 131.8 Hz)
2:30-3:00 PM: 145.170-Cumberland, RI Repeater (PL: 67.0 Hz) Part of the KA1RCI Network
3:00-3:30 PM: 146.970-Paxton Repeater (PL: 114.8 Hz)
3:30-4:00 PM: 146.955-Westford Repeater (PL: 74.4 Hz)
4:00-4:30 PM: 146.955-Barnstable (PL: 88.5 Hz) or 147.375-Falmouth Repeater (PL: 110.9 Hz)
4:30-5:00 PM: 145.170-Cumberland, RI Repeater (PL: 67.0 Hz) Part of the KA1RCI Network
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)
The VoIP Operations on the *WX_TALK* Echolink conference node: 7203/IRLP 9219 system will still take place for 2020’SRD. Here is the info regarding Echolink/IRLP operations:
Due to COVID19, volunteer Amateur Radio Operators are not allowed to be at NWS Forecast Offices. Forecast offices will be represented by Amateur Radio Operators at home and possibly by some NWS employees from actual NWS offices.
As in past years, the EchoLink *WX_TALK* Node: 7203/IRLP reflector 9219 system will be scheduling time for NWS offices and due to COVID, Amateur Operators who typically are at weather service hours, in 1-2 hour time slots to act as a net control to make contacts with spotters that are on the system. If a NWS office/SKYWARN NWS Operator runs out of contacts and there are other NWS offices on the system, the NWS office/SKYWARN Operator acting as net control can turn it over to a different NWS office to act as a net control on the system at their discretion. Also, for this year, we will have the following modes connected in through the efforts of KC5FM-Lloyd Colston and VK3JED-Tony Langdon. They are as follows:
Allstar 28848
Hamshack Hotline 94032
IRLP 9550
AllStar 27154
DMR BM TG 50535
P25 TG 50535
YSF reflector 50535 (narrow mode only)
D-STAR XLX432 D (DCS432 D)
Below is the 2020 SRD Schedule with the time slots confirmed so far for 2020 and those time slots relinquished by NWS offices/SKYWARN NWS Office Amateurs. See the list of NWS offices run by SKYWARN NWS Office Amateurs below:
Time in UTC NWS Office Call-Sign
0000-0100: N0NWS (Confirmed time slot from last year)
0100-0200: WX1GYX (Confirmed time slot from last year)
0200-0300: WX7SLC (Confirmed time slot from last year)
0300-0400: WX9GRB
0400-0500: WX1BOX (Confirmed Time slot from last year)
0500-0600: WX9LOT (Confirmed Time slot from last year)
0600-0700: WX4HUN (Confirmed time slot from last year)
0700-0800: WX8APX (Confirmed time slot from last year)
0800-0900: WX8APX (Confirmed time slot from last year)
0900-1000: Open
1000-1100: WX7SLC (Confirmed time slot from last year)
1100-1200: Open (WX7SLC relinquished this time slot for this year for the 1300-1400z time slot)
1200-1300: W7NWS
1300-1400: WX7SLC (New time slot for this year)
1400-1500: WX1AW
1500-1600: WX1BOX (Confirmed time slot from last year)
1600-1700: WX4NC (Confirmed time slot from last year)
1700-1800: WX4JKL (New NWS office for this year)
1800-1900: WX6LOX
1900-2000: K0MPX
2000-2100: WX4JKL (New NWS office for this year)
2100-2300: WX4NHC (Confirmed time slot from last year)
2300-2400: Open (Time slot relinquished in 2020 by WX6NWS)
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 Boston/Norton, 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, Allstar 28848 along with DMR/DSTAR and other modes provided by VK3JED-Tony, New England Reflector Gateway system and Western Reflector system. Thanks to all for their support!
Thanks to all for their continued support of the NWS Boston/Norton SKYWARN program!
Respectfully Submitted,
Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES 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
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