SKYWARN Newsletter #225

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Hello to all...

Welcome Newcomers to the SKYWARN Newsletter Email List...

SKYWARN Training Winding Down, One Remaining Session in Brockton, Mass....

Newsletter Dedicated to Hurricane Preparedness...

Massachusetts Statewide Amateur Radio Hurricane Drill Monday June 6th, 2005 7-9 PM....

Dr. Gray Increases Number of Hurricanes For Active 2005 Hurricane Season...

NOAA Hurricane Outlook Concurs with Dr. Gray on Active 2005 Hurricane Season...

NOAA Issues Statement on Aircraft Recon Data Responsibilities and Timeliness....

National Hurricane Center Hurricane Awareness Week May 15th-21st, 2005...

Eastern Massachusetts ARES Supports VoIP Hurricane Net for Hurricane Adrian....

ARRL Web Article: Hurricane Watch Net and the VoIP Hurricane Net Activates for Hurricane Adrian....

WX4NHC, National Hurricane Center Communications Test Saturday June 4th, 2005....

***Newsletter Issued: 6/2/05.

Welcome Newcomers to the SKYWARN Newsletter Email List....

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome newcomers from this

year's SKYWARN training to the SKYWARN Newsletter email list and hope

that you will find this a very useful tool in keeping you informed

on potentially dangerous weather as well as keep you updated on

items happening in the NWS Taunton SKYWARN program. It is noted

that there were numerous people from the 2004 SKYWARN training

schedule that were not added to the email list due to the paperwork

being lost at NWS. The paperwork was found and those email addresses

have now been added to the email list. Please contact Rob Macedo for

any questions or concerns on the email list at rmacedo@rcn.com

SKYWARN Training Winding Down, One Remaining Session in Brockton, Mass....

SKYWARN Training for 2005 is winding down but there is one last opportunity

to get SKYWARN training and that is in Brockton, Massachusetts on Saturday

June 11th, 2005 from Noon-3 PM. For more information, see the following

links:

http://www.erh.noaa.gov/box/skywarnTraining2005.shtml

http://users.rcn.com/rmacedo/trsched.htm

Details on how many new spotters were trained and reviews of the various

SKYWARN training sessions will follow in a later newsletter.

Newsletter Dedicated to Hurricane Preparedness...

This newsletter will be dedicated to hurricane preparedness with information

on forecasts for the 2005 Hurricane Season, opportunities for Amateur Radio

Operators to test their equipment in the upcoming National Hurricane

Center Communications Test and the Massachusetts Statewide Hurricane Drill.

With 2005 expected to be a very active year, the proximity of where the

systems form in relation to land will be critical in determining impact

to the East and Gulf Coast of the United States as well as Caribbean

locations.

Massachusetts Statewide Amateur Radio Hurricane Drill Monday June 6th, 2005 7-9 PM....

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather

Service in Taunton Massachuetts will conduct an Amateur Radio Hurricane

Drill on Monday June 6th, 2005 from 7-9 PM. RACES (Radio Amateur Civil

Emergency Services) will be active with each regional headquarters as

well as the Massachusetts State EOC operational for the drill. Various

city and town EOC's will be active with the drill. The National Weather

Service in Taunton Massachusetts will be active during the drill timeframe

as well. In addition, we are proud to announce that Julio Ripoll-WD4R,

Assistant National Hurricane Center Coordinator will man the National

Hurricane Center in Miami Florida and participate by connecting with

the drill utilizing Voice over Internet communications via EchoLink

and IRLP. The EchoLink WX-TALK conference node and IRLP Reflector 9219

linked system will be used to host the command net for this hurricane drill.

Massachusetts ARES, the Amateur Radio Emergency Services, will be active

with this drill supporting EOC's where needed and sending mock message

traffic wherever possible. SKYWARN Spotters who are Amateur Radio

Operators are also urged to participate via their local SKYWARN

repeater to provide mock data to Net Controls so that the data can

then be sent to National Weather Service via various command nets on HF,

6 Meters and on the EchoLink/IRLP system. The National Weather Service

Taunton Ham station will also rove local SKYWARN, ARES and RACES Nets

to obtain reports just like in real time SKYWARN activations.

The goal is to generate as much activity as possible to try and stress

the various radio systems from local nets to the command nets. The drill

scenario is a secretive one that will be revealed to EOC's through

sealed envelops and Net Controls will announce the messages in the

Hurricane Drill scenario at the time intervals specified so that

all Amateurs can participate by providing realistic mock reports

of what would happen if a hurricane struck the region. A plan

for ARES and SKYWARN can be seen at the following link:

Brief Article on the Massachusetts Statewide Hurricane Drill:

http://ares.ema.arrl.org/article.php?sid=235

Massachusetts Statewide Hurricane Sophia Drill Document:

http://ares.ema.arrl.org/mod.php?mod=userpage&menu=310711&page_id=87

Please contact Rob Macedo-KD1CY at kd1cy@comcast.net for any questions

from either an ARES-SKYWARN perspective or Eastern Massachusetts

ARES perspective, Tom Kinahan-N1CPE at n1cpe@amsat.org with questions

from a Massachusetts RACES perspective or Dennis Zonia-K1VSG at

zoniavsg@aol.com with questions from a Western Massachusetts ARES

perspective.

Dr. Gray Increases Number of Hurricanes For Active 2005 Hurricane Season...

Dr. Gray's latest Hurricane forecast has increased the number of named

systems and hurricanes for the 2005 Hurricane season with higher than

normal probabilities of hurricane landfall along the US East and Gulf

Coast than normal. This has been a continued trend from Dr. Gray's

earlier forecasts.

As stated previously, While the number of systems doesn't always matter as much

as the proximity of systems to the US and Caribbean coast line, Dr. Gray's

forecasts, along with forecasts provided by NOAA can provide a great

scope on how active a hurricane season will be and if activity is indeed

close to land, it could be another busy year for Hurricanes in the US and

Caribbean.

Links to Dr. Gray's archived and current forecasts are listed below:

http://hurricane.atmos.colostate.edu/forecasts/

http://hurricane.atmos.colostate.edu/forecasts/2005/april2005/

NOAA Hurricane Outlook Concurs with Dr. Gray on Active 2005 Hurricane Season...

During the National Hurricane Center's Hurricane Awareness Week, NOAA issued

their outlook for the 2005 Hurricane Season. That outlook corresponded well

with Dr. Gray's forecast for an above average year of named storms and

hurricanes. The complete outlook is available on the web and can be found

at the following link:

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/outlooks/hurricane.html

NOAA Issues Statement on Aircraft Recon Data Responsibilities and Timeliness....

There has been confusion on the responsibilities as well as the timeliness of

aircraft reconnaissance and surveillance data. Given that confusion, NOAA

has issued a statement to address the confusion as well as the timeliness

of the data. Below is a link to that information:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutrecon.shtml

National Hurricane Center Hurricane Awareness Week May 15th-21st, 2005....

The National Hurricane Center had Hurricane Awareness Week on May 15th-21st

2005 with a presidential declaration and a whole data set of information on

the National Hurricane Center on safety and mitigation planning and

preparedness. Links to that information appear below:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/intro.shtml

Eastern Massachusetts ARES Supports VoIP Hurricane Net for Hurricane Adrian....

As Hurricane Adrian threatened the Pacific coast of El Salvador, Eastern

Massachusetts ARES swung into action to support the VoIP Hurricane Net working

with net control stations from across the United States and Australia to

try and make contact with the area to warn them of the danger and to obtain

data that the National Hurricane Center was looking for from the affected area.

WP4US-charlos Wharton worked with a team of Amateurs from a Spanish Net held

via EchoLink to attempt to provide contacts into the affected area and Spanish

interpreters if necessary. There were lookups done on what stations may be

on the air over EchoLink from El Salvador as there were no IRLP nodes in the

affected area. Spanish translators from his team and also from N1TKK-Hector

Cintron, who formerly lived in Connecticut and now lives in Puerto Rico,

also had Spanish translators prepared to assist the net in case the Hams

that checked into the VoIP Hurricane Net did not speak English.

WX4NHC activated their Ham Station on Thursday May 19th, 2005 at 9 AM and

the VoIP Hurricane Net and Hurricane Watch Net swung into action. The Hurricane

Watch Net received numerous reports from mariners off the coast of El Salvador

as well as stations from the affected area.

Meantime on VoIP, YS1JBL-Jose in San Salvador, El Salvador became the net's

lifeline to information from the affected area. Jose reported flooding,

tree and power line damage and gave particulars on the situation in San Salvador

and other parts of the El Salvador coast line. He informed the net of concerns

about a major lake could damage a dam in the region and cause massive flooding

if breeched. He also was able to obtain a report from the Comalapa International

Airport, which is right along the coast of El Salvador of a 130 Km/Hour Wind

Gust which equates to an 81 MPH wind gust. It was the only measured hurricane

force wind gust received from the region and the report was used in a

public advisory from the National Hurricane Center. Many of these reports

came during the afternoon and evening hours where Denyse-K4DAW from Cary

North Carolina, and KE5CQF-Matt Kuhl, a young Amateur from Crockett Texas who

also knew Spanish and could translate assisted the net and was key in making

contact with Jose. KD4CLJ-David Bodman, now living in Merrimack New

Hampshire and KD1CY-Rob Macedo assisted the net during the evening hours and

obtained numerous reports from YS1JBL during their timeframe as net control

in the evening hours. It was also noted that Karl-K8ARL from Tiffin, Ohio

was able to get K5SIV-Bob Botik from the Hurricane Watch Net to monitor

the system for a time that evening as well.

Jose went off the air around 10 PM EDT due to a loss of power. Once he was

off the air, the net into an informal mode to monitor for him in case he

returned. During the overnight hours east coast time, Connie-NH7IE from

Hawaii and Tony-VK3JED from Australia monitored the system and sure

enough, Jose-YS1JBL returned to the system and reported minimal damage

in his immediate local area and that he was safe.

A huge thank you to Amateurs in Eastern Massachusetts ARES and across the

United States and Australia who assisted in this activation. Special thanks

to Carlos-WP4US for making contacts with Spanish translators and for his

attempts to reach the affected area of Hurricane Adrian. Julio Ripoll-WD4R,

Assistant Coordinator for the National Hurricane Center was very pleased

to see the effort put forth by Amateurs over the VoIP system as well

as the Hurricane Watch Net.

ARRL Web Article: Hurricane Watch Net and VoIP Hurricane Net Activates for Hurricane Adrian....

From the ARRL Web Site, the Hurricane Watch Net and the VoIP Hurricane Net get

coverage over the League's newsletter. See article below:

Hurricane Watch Net, WX4NHC Activate for Early-Season Storm

NEWINGTON, CT, May 20, 2005--The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) on 14.325 MHz

and Amateur Radio Station WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center

activated May 19 around midday UTC as Tropical Storm Adrian approached

the Pacific Coast of Central America. Eventually gaining hurricane strength,

the storm raked El Salvador before crossing over the isthmus into the

Caribbean. Adrian was the first named storm of the 2005 hurricane

season, which does not officially begin until June 1.

"After 15 hours of operation in support of Hurricane Adrian on the

Pacific shores of El Salvador, the Hurricane Watch Net secured

operations at 0345 UTC," HWN Manager Mike Pilgrim, K5MP, reported May 20.

"Many thanks to all of you who helped to route interested parties to our

net frequency and otherwise provided your silent support while we

performed our duties."

The HWN and WX4NHC work hand-in-hand to gather and disseminate ground-level

observed and/or measured weather data from radio amateurs and weather

watchers within a storm's path. The information collected helps National

Hurricane Center forecasters to better predict a given storm's behavior.

In addition to monitoring the HWN, WX4NHC also keeps an ear on EchoLink

and IRLP systems via the WX_TALK Conference Room.

The storm left two people dead in a mudslide in Guatemala. Flooding and

additional mudslides prompted by heavy rains were considered continuing

dangers in Adrian's wake. The storm resurrected memories of the

devastating Hurricane Mitch, which struck Central and South America

several years ago wreaking extensive damage.

As of 1500 UTC, the National Hurricane Center reported that Adrian,

now a tropical depression, was dissipating over Honduras but still

producing heavy rains. The storm's center was inland over western

Honduras, moving northeasterly at about 17 MPH. Maximum sustained winds

remain near 30 MPH with higher gusts.

"Adrian is expected to produce additional rain accumulations of

4 to 6 inches over Honduras during the next 24 hours," the NHC said,

adding that isolated maximum storm totals of 20 inches were possible

in mountainous regions.

Adrian made landfall early May 20 in El Salvador where more than

20,000 evacuees reportedly took refuge in emergency shelters. There

was some wind damage in the capital city of San Salvador as well as

in other localities of the tiny country. The US Department of State

issued a warning to travelers in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras,

Belize and Nicaragua.

The NHC predicts up to 15 tropical storms this season in the

eastern Pacific, with six to eight expected to gain hurricane strength.

WX4NHC, National Hurricane Center Communications Test Saturday June 4th, 2005....

The National Hurricane Center station, WX4NHC, will be conducting its

Communications Test over HF, VHF/UHF, Echolink and IRLP on Saturday June 4th,

2005. The purpose of the test is for the Hams at WX4NHC to test out their

equipment and make sure it is in proper working order by making contacts

over a variety of HF, VHF, UHF and over the EchoLink and IRLP system.

Amateurs in Eastern Massachusetts and North Carolina will be assisting the

National Hurricane Center with the test on VoIP by providing support where

stations will act as net controls funneling lists of stations into WX4NHC

so that there are not too many double keys and total loss of any control

over the system. The National Hurricane Center will be on the WX-TALK

EchoLink and 9219 IRLP linked system from 1700-1900 UTC which is 1-3 PM EDT.

There are numerous ways via EchoLink and IRLP to connect into the system.

Please see the following links for more information on nodes and

links in your area:

http://www.echolink.org

http://www.irlp.net

http://status.irlp.net

A smaller list of links and liaison frequencies for VoIP can be seen at the

following link:

http://users.rcn.com/rmacedo/freq.htm

The link above lists various repeaters that can be utilized to link into

the system and are typically used during SKYWARN Activations but does not

represent a complete list of EchoLink and IRLP nodes in the region.

Below is the actual press release on the Communications Test from the National

Hurricane Center:

Announcement from WX4NHC, Amateur Radio Station

at the National Hurricane Center

WX4NHC Hurricane Season 2005 On-The-Air Station Test

Saturday, June 4th, 2005 from 9am-6pm EST (1300z-2200z)

This is not a Contest or Hurricane Exercise.

The purpose of this annual Station Test is to test all of our radio

equipment, computers and antennas using as many modes

and frequencies as possible.

RFI monitoring is also done to NOAA & NHC equipment.

We will also be testing some new antennas and equipment that

are being installed for this coming season.

Some operator training will also be conducted.

Remember this is just an equipment and operator test, we are not

activating any "nets"

WX4NHC will be On-The-Air on HF, VHF, UHF and 2 & 30 meter APRS

We plan on using the following phone frequencies ± QRM

7.268mhz, 14.325mhz, 21.325mhz, 28.525mhz.

CW will be on 14.035, 21.035 and 28.035. PSK31 on 14.070.

Need to find us on HF, try using the DX Summit Web Site:

http://oh2aq.kolumbus.com/dxs/

Select "DX-Spots" 50, 250 or 1,000

or select "Spot Database Search".

We will also be on VoIP Hurricane Net 1pm-3pm EDT (1700z-1900z)

(IRLP node 9219 / Echolink WX-TALK Conference).

http://www.voipwx.net/

South Florida area VHF & UHF Repeaters & 146.52 simplex & 144.200 SSB

Report your Callsign, Signal Report, Location and name.

Short Weather Report ("Sunny", or "Rain", etc.)

Non-Hams are invited to submit their actual weather using the

On-Line Hurricane Report Form at

http://www.wx4nhc.org/WX-form1.html

Thank you for your participation in this TEST.

QSL Cards are available via W4VBQ. Please S.A.S.E.

Due to security measures,

NO VISITORS will be allowed at NHC during this test.

Please forward this announcement to appropriate recipients.

73,

John McHugh K4AG, Amateur Radio Coord. National Hurricane Center

Julio Ripoll WD4R, Asst. Amateur Radio Coord. National Hurricane Center

WX4NHC Home Page: http://www.wx4nhc.org

That's all for this edition of the SKYWARN Newsletter!

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)

ARES SKYWARN Coordinator

Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator

Pager #: (508) 354-3142

Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)

Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)

Work Phone #: 1-800-445-2588 Ext.: 72929 (8 AM-5 PM)

Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com

http://users.rcn.com/rmacedo

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