All posts by NC4VA

SKYWARN RECOGNITION DAY 2023

SKYWARN Spotters get ready! SKYWARN Recognition Day 2023 officially takes place Saturday, December 2, from 0000-2400 UTC. During this 24-hour period, SKYWARN operators and NWS offices will contact other radio operators across the world.

This annual event was originally developed in 1999 by the National Weather Service and the American Radio Relay League to celebrate the contributions that SKYWARN™ amateur radio volunteers make to the NWS mission of protecting life and property. Amateur radio operators also provide vital communication between the NWS and emergency management when normal communications become inoperative.

Central Carolina SKYWARN and the Raleigh National Weather Service, operating under the call sign WX4NC, will join in the fun on Friday night (December 1) from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, making contacts on the K4ITL 145.210 repeater, WB4TQD 146.88 repeater, the K4ITL 147.105 repeater, the K4ITL 147.135 repeater, the Carolina 440 UHF Link System, IRLP (AllStar Node 28848 from 1600-1700 UTC), and HF (SSB & FT8). We will rotate through the repeaters so listen for us. To find the specific HF frequencies at any time, look for WX4NC on http://dxsummit.fi/#/.  

We will also make contacts via Winlink this year; our Winlink address is WX4NC@winlink.org. Please use the Local Weather Report template under Mapping-GIS Forms. If you are not familiar with this form, you may send a regular message via Winlink.

Radio operators will exchange names, call signs, locations, signal reports, and a 1 or 2-word weather report such as “windy”, “sunny”, or the current temperature.

If you wish to register for this event, please visit https://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarnrecognition. However, we still want your contact even if you do not register! You may also spot yourself on a map.

There will be a special event certificate from the National Weather Service! Certificates will be electronic and printable from https://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarncert.

For further details on operating procedures and log submissions, please visit https://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarn_operating_procedures.

Hope to get you in the log!

SKYWARN Recognition Day 2022

SKYWARN Spotters get ready! SKYWARN Recognition Day 2022 officially takes place Saturday, December 3, from 0000-2400 UTC. During this 24-hour period, SKYWARN operators and NWS offices will contact other radio operators across the world.

This annual event was originally developed in 1999 by the National Weather Service and the American Radio Relay League to celebrate the contributions that SKYWARN™ amateur radio volunteers make to the NWS mission of protecting life and property. Amateur radio operators also provide vital communication between the NWS and emergency management when normal communications become inoperative.

Central Carolina SKYWARN and the Raleigh National Weather Service, operating under the call sign WX4NC, will join in the fun on Friday night (December 2) from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, making contacts on the K4ITL 145.210 repeater, WB4TQD 146.88 repeater, the K4ITL 147.105 repeater, the K4ITL 147.135 repeater, the W4BAD linked system, the Carolina 440 UHF Link System, IRLP, and HF (SSB & FT8). We will rotate through the repeaters so listen for us. To find the specific HF frequencies at any time, look for WX4NC on http://dxsummit.fi/#/.  

We will also make contacts via Winlink this year; our Winlink address is WX4NC@winlink.org. Please use the Local Weather Report template under Mapping-GIS Forms.

Radio operators will exchange names, call signs, locations, signal reports, and a 1 or 2-word weather report such as “windy”, “sunny”, or the current temperature and SRD Number if the station has one.

If you wish to register for this event and receive a spotter SRD event number, please visit https://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarnrecognition. However, we still want your contact even if you do not register!

There will be a special event certificate from the National Weather Service! Certificates will be electronic and printable from https://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarncert.

For further details on operating procedures and log submissions, please visit https://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarn_operating_procedures. Hope to get you in the log!

SKYWARN ACTIVATION

The Raleigh National Weather Service has directed Central Carolina SKYWARN to activate a Winter Weather Net at 9:00 AM on the 145.210 repeater on Saturday, January 19, to collect measured snowfall accumulation totals.

Spotter reports should include the following:

*Callsign and name

*Location – Street/Cross street, city & county or lat/long.

*Measured snowfall accumulation and time of measurement.

Spotters may also make reports on the Central Carolina SKYWARN Facebook page. You do not have to be an amateur radio operator to post a report on our Facebook page. All reports are very much appreciated!

Thank you and stay warm!

SKYWARN RECOGNITION DAY

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Weather Spotters get ready! SKYWARN Recognition Day 2021 officially takes place Saturday, December 4, from 0000-2400 UTC. During this 24-hour period, SKYWARN operators and NWS offices will contact other radio operators across the world.

This annual event was originally developed in 1999 by the National Weather Service and the American Radio Relay League to celebrate the contributions that SKYWARN™ amateur radio volunteers make to the NWS mission of protecting life and property. Amateur radio operators also provide vital communication between the NWS and emergency management when normal communications become inoperative.

Central Carolina SKYWARN and the Raleigh National Weather Service, operating under the call sign WX4NC, will join in the fun on Friday night (December 3) from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, making contacts on the K4ITL 145.210 repeater, WB4TQD 146.88 repeater, the K4ITL 147.105 repeater, the K4ITL 147.135 repeater, the Carolina 440 UHF Link System, the W4BAD linked system, IRLP, and HF (80, 40, 30, 20, 15, and 10 meters SSB & FT8). We will rotate through the repeaters so listen for us. To find the specific HF frequencies at any time, look for WX4NC on http://dxsummit.fi/#/.

Radio operators will exchange names, call signs, locations, signal reports, and a 1 or 2-word weather report such as “windy”, “sunny”, or the current temperature.

If you wish to register for this event and receive a spotter SRD event number, please visit https://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarnrecognition. However, we still want your contact even if you do not register!

There will be a special event certificate from the National Weather Service! Certificates will be electronic and printable from https://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarnrecognition.

Due to Covid-19, the Raleigh NWS will be unable to accommodate visitors to its facility for tours this year.

Hope to get you in the log!

NC Annual Statewide Tornado Drill, March 10, 2021 at 9:30 AM

North Carolina’s annual statewide tornado drill for 2021 will take place on Wednesday, March 10, at 9:30 AM EST. Every school, business, work place, and family across the state is strongly encouraged to participate in the statewide tornado drill.

Here are some key points to remember about the drill:

  • The drill will be broadcast on NOAA Weather Radio and the Emergency Alert System via the Required Monthly Test (RMT).  There will not be an actual Tornado Warning issued.
  • This drill and RMT will take the place of the usual weekly NOAA Weather Radio Alert test (RWT).  That is, there will not be a weekly radio test done between 11 AM and Noon on that day.
  • Most NOAA Weather Radio receivers (including the Midland WR-100 that many schools have) do not sound an audible alert for the RMT product, but instead, may have a blinking light on the display to indicate that an RMT was received.  As such, when the RMT for the statewide tornado drill is initiated at 9:30 AM on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, there’s a good chance that your NOAA Weather Radio will not sound an alarm. 
  • Since your NOAA Weather Radio may not sound an alarm at the time the RMT is issued, you will want to do one of the following:  simply plan to start your tornado drill own your own at 9:30 AM; or, you can manually turn on your NOAA Weather Radio receiver around 9:25 AM, and simply listen to the audio broadcast to hear when the RMT is issued, which will mark the beginning of the statewide tornado drill.
  • There will be no followup statements issued by the NWS to mark the end of the statewide tornado drill.   It will simply be over when your group, school, business, organization, or family feel that you have adequately practiced your tornado shelter procedures.
  • If there is actual severe weather occurring on the morning of March 10, 2021, the statewide tornado drill will be postponed.  The alternate date for the drill is Friday, March 12, 2021 at 9:30 AM EST.

Virtual SKYWARN Spotter Training Classes

The Raleigh National Weather Service is offering two virtual Basic SKYWARN Spotter Training classes. One is Tuesday, February 16, at 6:00 PM, and the other is Wednesday, February 24, at 2:00 PM. Both are 90-minute classes. Both are open to the public. Registration is required.If you have never had spotter training, consider taking one of these classes.

Spotter certification is good for 3 years; at the end of 3 years, you will need to renew your certification.

For more details about these classes, please visit www.weather.gov/raleigh/skywarn