Hello to all…

The following is updated SKYWARN Training information with a couple additional classes for the month of June in Acushnet and Walpole MA.

Additional SKYWARN Training classes are in planning. This includes the following locations:

Northeast HamXposition in Marlborough, Mass (Late August 2023)
Gardner MA
Tolland CT

The following is the latest 2023 NWS Boston/Norton SKYWARN Training Class Schedule for the early Summer season. Please distribute widely to anyone interested in becoming a SKYWARN Spotter and we will update as additional classes are confirmed!

Saturday June 10th, 2023 – 1000 AM-1230 PM:
Acushnet Council on Aging
59 1/2 South Main Street
Acushnet, MA 02743
Taught by: Amateur Radio Coordinator
Co-sponsored by: Acushnet Office of Emergency Management
Registration is required via Eventbrite at the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/skywarn-weather-spotter-training-tickets-618421905567

Tuesday June 13th, 2023 – 630 PM-830 PM:
Walpole Town Hall – Select Board Meeting Room
135 School Street
Walpole, MA 02081
Taught by: Amateur Radio Coordinator
Co-sponsored by: Walpole Emergency Management Agency
Registration is required via Eventbrite at the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/skywarn-weather-spotter-training-tickets-645313117907

Again, we will provide updates when new SKYWARN training classes are added to the schedule. Also, if specific groups are interested in a live or virtual class, the Amateur Radio Coordinator team would be able to support those groups as needed. Thanks to all for their 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
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
https://ares.ema.arrl.org
https://www.wx1box.org
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Hello to all…

On Saturday May 13th, 2023, the virtual SKYWARN training class was held and recorded. This has been uploaded to the WX1BOX YouTube Channel. The recording link is listed below:

2023 SKYWARN Virtual Class Recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19AQfzxO648

Those that would like to review the class material are encouraged to use the link above and those that are looking to refresh their training and can take the online quiz which can be found off of the wx1box.org web site under the SKYWARN Training Resources menu selection.

Also, we encourage folks to check our our storm recap, prior year’s virtual SKYWARN Training and other videos on the WX1BOX channel and we encourage folks to subscribe to our channel. The YouTube channel information is listed below:

WX1BOX NWS Boston-Norton Amateur Radio SKYWARN YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@wx1box-nwsboston-amateur-radio

Also, at the turn of the year, NWS Boston/Norton posted a Prevailing Winds Newsletter. That edition of the newsletter and an archive of prior Prevailing Newsletters can be seen at the following NWS Boston/Norton and wx1box.org links:

NWS Boston/Norton Prevailing Winds Newsletter – December 2022 Edition:
https://www.weather.gov/media/box/prevailing_winds/2022_12_prevailing_winds.pdf

NWS Boston/Norton Prevailing Winds Newsletter Archive:
https://www.weather.gov/box/prevailing_winds

WX1BOX Prevailing Winds Newsletter – December 2022 Edition:
https://wx1box.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2022_12_prevailing_winds.pdf

WX1BOX Prevailing Winds Newsletter Archive:
https://wx1box.org/prevailing-winds-newsletter-archive/

We hope this information is useful to all and thanks for your 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
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
https://ares.ema.arrl.org
https://www.wx1box.org
Like us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter – https://twitter.com/wx1box
Subscribe on Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/@wx1box-nwsboston-amateur-radio

Hello to all…

Earlier this year, NWS Boston/Norton issued Public Information Statements with information for Flood Safety Awareness Week during the week of 3/13/23-3/17/23 and Severe Weather Preparedness Week from 4/24/23-4/28/23. Below are links to those Public Information Statements with safety and other information to make people aware of these weather hazards:

NWS Boston/Norton – Severe Weather Preparedness Week – Public Information Statements:
https://wx1box.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/PNS_severe_weather_preparedness_week_4_24_23_4_28_23.pdf

NWS Boston/Norton – Flood Safety Awareness Week – Public Information Statements:
https://wx1box.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/PNS_flood_safety_awareness_week_3_13_23-3_17_23.pdf

We hope all of you find this information helpful as we enter the spring/summer severe weather season. 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
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
https://ares.ema.arrl.org
https://www.wx1box.org
Like us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter – https://twitter.com/wx1box

Hello to all…

WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center will be holding its annual Communications Test, Saturday May 27th, 2023 from 9 AM-5 PM EDT over a variety of modes and bands. The Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center will be operational for this event as mentioned in the purpose of this event section of the announcement. We hope Amateur Radio Operators can participate in this test via the variety of modes available and additional details on test operations are listed below:

Announcement from WX4NHC
Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, Miami Florida
WX4NHC will be On-The-Air for the Annual Communications Test
Saturday May 27th, 2023 from 9AM – 5 PM EDT (1300z-2100z)

The amateur radio station of the National Hurricane Center, WX4NHC (NHC), located on the campus of Florida International University in Miami, will conduct their on-the-air Annual Communications Test on Saturday, May 27, 2023, from 9 AM – 5 PM EDT (1300z- 2100z).

This is the NHC’s 43rd year of public service. NHC Amateur Radio Assistant Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R/WX4NHC, reports that the purpose of this event is to test amateur radio equipment and antennas at the NHC as well as operators’ home equipment, antennas, and computers prior to this year’s hurricane season. The 2023 hurricane season begins June 1 and runs through November 30.

This event is good practice for amateur radio operators worldwide to practice amateur radio communications during times of severe weather.

Ripoll said WX4NHC will be on HF, VHF, UHF, 2- and 30-meter APRS, and Winlink, To contact the NHC’s amateur radio station send an email to wx4nhc@winlink.org. The subject of the email must contain //WL2K.

The Hurricane Watch Net will try to stay on 14.325 MHz for most of the time, as well as 7.268 MHz depending on propagation. They may also change frequencies due to potential QRM.

You may be able to find WX4NHC on HF by using one of the DX spotting networks, such as the DX Summit website at http://www.dxsummit.fi.

The VoIP Hurricane Net will also be active from 4 PM – 5 PM EDT (2000-2100z), IRLP node 9219/EchoLink WX-TALK Conference node 7203. Visit their website for more information.

WX4NHC will also make a few contacts on local VHF and UHF repeaters, as well as the Florida Statewide Amateur Radio Network (SARnet) system to test station equipment.

QSL cards are available via WD4R with a self-addressed stamped envelope. More information about the NHC is available at their website.

Thank you for your participation in the WX4NHC Annual Station Test event.

73, Julio – WX4NHC/WD4R

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Julio Ripoll Architect WD4R
WX4NHC Amateur Radio Asst. Coordinator
www.wx4nhc.org
Celebrating 43 years at the
National Hurricane Center
www.nhc.noaa.gov
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
https://ares.ema.arrl.org
https://www.wx1box.org
Like us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter – https://twitter.com/wx1box

Hello to all…

Members of the WX1BOX Amateur Radio Team supported the Amateur Radio Workshop at the 2023 National Hurricane Conference in New Orleans Louisiana, which was back to the traditional live format format at the conference with livestream and video recording completed. The following is a complete 3 hour and 10 minute recording of the 2023 National Hurricane Conference Amateur Radio Workshop from Monday April 3rd, 2023 uploaded via YouTube:

2023 Amateur Radio Workshop – National Hurricane Conference – New Orleans Louisiana Video Recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTpRE0PriJU

Here are the start timeframes for each of the workshop topics (Note: this information is not listed in the Youtube listing):
00:00 Opening Remarks – KD1CY-Rob Macedo – Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net
00:30 Canadian Hurricane Centre (CHC) – Hurricane Fiona Impacts and Hurricane Meteorological Topics – VE1MBR-Bob Robichaud – CHC Warning Preparedness Meteorologist
32:58 WX4NHC Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center Overview & Hurricane Watch Net Overview -WD4R-Julio Ripoll – WX4NHC Assistant NHC Coordinator
1:26:57 Importance of Amateur Radio Surface Reports with Q&A – Dan Brown – National Hurricane Center Senior Hurricane Specialist
1:43:50 VoIP Hurricane Net Overview & Best Practices in SKYWARN for Tropical Systems – KD1CY-Rob Macedo – Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net
2:14:01 SATERN Presentation – WB8BZH-Bill Feist, SATERN Southern Territory Coordinator
2:41:43 ARRL/ARES Update – KE5MHV-Josh Johnston, ARRL HQ – Director of Emergency Management
2:57:58 Louisiana Hurricane Ida Response & ARES Update – KD5KNZ-Matt Anderson – Louisiana ARRL Assistant Section Manager

We appreciate everyone who attended the workshop live (30-45 people in the room and about 70+ people on the livestream about half of which remained on until the end despite livestream technical difficulties) and we hope many more will view the video presentation recording via YouTube. There have already been close to 500 views of the video recording to date.

Thanks to all for their continued support of the Amateur Radio Hurricane program led by WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Watch Net, VoIP Hurricane Net, SATERN, ARRL, National Hurricane Center and Canadian Hurricane Center as well as all the local regional SKYWARN/CANWARN programs in the United States and Canada and the various local groups that support us internationally. Also, 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
https://ares.ema.arrl.org
https://www.wx1box.org
Like us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/wx1box
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Hello to all…

..Beneficial rainfall expected for Southern New England later Saturday Morning through early Sunday Morning as a storm system from the south interacts with a cold front but amounts maybe heavy enough for portions of Southern New England where urban and poor drainage flooding could occur particularly if amounts of 3-4″ of rain or more fall over urban and poor drainage areas. Wind Gusts of 30-40 MPH are possible in any heavier downpours later Saturday Afternoon and Saturday Night..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor for any rain gauge, flooding, measure wind gusts 40 MPH or greater, wind damage reports later Saturday Morning through early Sunday Morning. This will be the only coordination message on this situation unless a significant upgrade occurs and time allows for an update. Below is the NWS Boston/Norton Area Forecast Discussion, Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook and Rainfall Map..

NWS Boston/Norton Area Forecast Discussion:
https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=BOX&product=AFD&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1&highlight=off

NWS Boston/Norton Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook:
https://www.weather.gov/erh/ghwo?wfo=box

NWS Boston/Norton Rainfall Graphic:
https://wx1box.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/NWS_Boston_Norton_Rainfall_Graphic_5_20_23_5_21_23.jpg

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
https://ares.ema.arrl.org
https://www.wx1box.org
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/wx1box