Hello to all..

The Skywarn Recognition Day event was confirmed with EchoLink and IRLP are just a couple of modes people can utilize to contact NWS offices during SKYWARN Recognition Day. Many NWS offices
will be on 2 Meters, 440 MHz, HF and other VHF/UHF bands. Additional
details on SKYWARN Recognition Day can be found via the following
link:
http://hamradio.noaa.gov

As in past years, the EchoLink *WX_TALK* Node: 7203/IRLP reflector
9219 system will be scheduling time for NWS offices 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 runs out of contacts and there are
other NWS offices on the system, the NWS office 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.

We'd like to ask NWS offices to do their best to adhere to the
schedule. Sometimes this is difficult due to the number of contacts
received by NWS offices. We ask for everyone's patience and working
cooperatively to respect the time slot schedule.

Below is the SRD schedule from last year. We would like to know if NWS
offices would like to keep their time slot or change time slots. A
couple of NWS offices have already asked to keep their time slot. See
the list of NWS offices below:

Time in UTC NWS Office Call-Sign
0000-0100: WX0GLD (Time slot from last year)
0100-0200: WX1GYX (Time slot from last year)
0200-0300: WX4MLB (Time slot from last year)
0300-0400: W0ABR  (Time slot from last year)
0400-0500: WX1BOX (Confirmed to keep the time slot but can swap if needed)
0500-0600: WX9GRB (Time slot from last year)
0600-0700: WX4HUN (Time slot from last year)
0700-0800: N0NWS  (Time slot from last year)
0800-0900: KL7FWX (Time slot from last year. Will Show Up on Echolink
as KL2GS - NWS Fairbanks AL)
0900-1000: KL7FWX (Time slot from last year. Will Show Up on Echolink
as KL2GS - NWS Fairbanks AL)
1000-1100: KL7FWX (Time slot from last year. Will Show Up on Echolink
as KL2GS - NWS Fairbanks AL)
1100-1200: WX7PHX (Time slot from last year)
1200-1300: W7NWS  (Time slot from last year)
1300-1400: KL7FWX (Time slot from last year. Will Show Up on Echolink
as KL2GS - NWS Fairbanks AL)
1400-1500: WX4HUN (Time slot from last year)
1500-1600: WX1BOX (Confirmed to keep the time slot but can swap if needed)
1600-1800: WX4NC  (Confirmed to keep the time slot, 2 hour time slot
and time slot is from last year)
1800-1900: WX6MTR (Time slot from last year)
1900-2000: K0MPX  (Time slot from last year)
2000-2100: WX4MLB (Time slot from last year)
2100-2300: WX4NHC (Time slot from last year)
2300-2400: N6NWS  (Time slot from last 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-ENG* 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 on reflector 9250 and have its gateway system on IRLP
9258/EchoLink Conference *NV-GATE* Node: 125266 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-ENG* 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!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator for NWS Taunton Massachusetts
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator

This weekend is Field Day.  That's the ONE most operated event on the amateur radio calendar.

In the League's own words:  ARRL Field Day is the single most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada.  Each year over 35,000 amateurs gather with their clubs, friends or simply by themselves to operate.

In times past, the desire for operating has conflicted with the devotion to Jesus.  

Some clubs overcome that challenge, sadly, by ignoring Jesus.  Some clubs honor His presence with a Sunday morning devotion.  Yet others have their Field Day operation so close to a church building that the operators and guests can walk over.

Regardless, remember Jesus this Field Day and the 364 days until the next one. 

If you think the original "See Something; Say Something" came from Homeland Security, please think again.

That honor belongs to the brave souls connected to the local Skywarn program.

This handy program, born out of the National Weather Services in the 70s, has been the stimulus for local spotter groups and the StormReady program.

Today, the Skywarn program is a volunteer program with nearly 290,000 trained severe weather spotters.

These individuals give their reports to their local emergency management official who relays them to the National Weather Service or they give their reports to the National Weather Service who relays them to the local emergency management office.  Either way, spotters provide essential information for all types of weather hazards.

 If you see a logo that looks like this, chances are the spotter has been to the required training provided by the National Weather Service.  This is annual training required by so many emergency managers across the USA.

If this logo is on a personal vehicle, you can be assured that the owner of the vehicle uses their OWN gas, tires, windshield wipers, oil, RainEX, etc. while you remain safe at home watching TV for the report that the spotter is giving to the weather service.  In other words, they train and report at no cost to the government OR the Citizens they serve.

These are NOT chasers with expensive vehicles they allow to have videotaped (sometimes even by themselves) being operated in a dangerous manner.  These individuals use their own vehicles.  If they break the law, they get a ticket.  They know that.  Their insurance goes up as a result.

Skywarn is the original "See something; SAY something".

Likewise, as already noted, the 10-meter band is one of my favorites. By extension, this is one of my favorite contests.

When the sunspots are really going, this band can be, 24-hours per day, a worldwide band.

Look for me around the Ten-Ten frequencies of 28.380 and 28.880, the Straight Key Century Club frequency of 28.050, and on 29.6 FM simplex.

Don't forget to check out the map at
http://vhfdx.net/spots/map.php?Lan=E&Frec=28&Map=NA&mycall=&myloc=&freq=∝= and add your spots as appropriate.

Check out the article regarding 10 meters elsewhere on the blog.

Hope to see you on 10.

Sent to you by KC5FM via Google Reader:

10M QRV?

via QRZ Forums by N8CPA on 12/6/09

As 160M winds down, it's time to start thinking about the other end of HF. The 10M Contest is next weekend.

Unlike the 160M, Phone and CW may be used, locators are states and provinces, rather than sections. And all license classes now have some 10M privileges. So it presents an opportunity to all to get a taste of why contesting is so popular. And you learn a bit about the vagaries of near VHF propagation, Sporadic E, etc.

I will have a few hours to participate, from time to time, at least. And when I do, I'll be in the bottom of the band, CW only. Hope to work you there.
http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2009/10-meters.html

Contest ravers and ragers, you know what to do! ;):D

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Since one works on one side of the State and the Wife lives on the other side of the State, commuting has taken an adventure with High Frequency Radio.

Back in the 70's, when we were dating, the trip, every other week, was made with a Webster BandSpanner and a Swan 350. During those trips, HF CW (Morse Code) was done. Can't say there will be an HF CW effort in the near future. The Government's already talking about making folks hang up their cell, even with Bluetooth. Lets not give them anything else to think about.

At Twitter, one can follow the announced frequencies for the travels. There should also be a link to follow on Automatic Position Reporting System.

Nevertheless, HF mobile operations seems to be fun. Recent contacts have been made with Wyoming, Tennessee, Florida, Kansas, Arkansas, Texas, and Indiana, just to name a few, on 20, 40, 60, and 75 meter bands.

Come join the fun on HF. One never knows which interesting person will chat next.

73