EMA Amateurs will participate in an upcoming hurricane test on May 30, 2004. According to ARES SKYWARN Coordinator Rob Macedo, KD1CY, he and Rick Cabral, W1RJC will operate in the 2004 National Hurricane Center (NHC) On-The-Air Station Test. “We will be volunteering as Net Controls for the Echolink/IRLP net. We will also attempt to make contact with the National Hurricane Center via the HF Station from the Southeast MA Amateur Radio Association (SEMARA) station.”
Macedo invites interested hams to visit the SEMARA club shack during the May 30 drill. Coffee and donuts will be served.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for the SEMARA Club and Eastern Massachusetts ARES to get national visibility in communicating to the National Hurricane Center … it exemplifies a special kind of public service that only a club with the resources [SEMARA has] can do,” KD1CY notes. “We hope to get wide participation across all the applicable bands and modes from Southern New England and surrounding areas.”
Additional information about the net participants can be found on-line. Here is the original announcement concerning the NHC On-The-Air Station Test:
Announcement from WX4NHC (fka: W4EHW) Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center
WX4NHC Hurricane Season 2004 On-The-Air Station Test
Sunday, May 30th, 2004 from 9am-6pm EST (1300z-2200z)
We will use our Callsign WX4NHC.
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. A few new operators will receive hands-on training.
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 would also appreciate your posting in a DX Spot. Select under “DX-Spots” Heading – “Send Your Own”
We will also be on IRLP and Echolink South Florida area VHF & UHF Repeaters & 146.52 simplex & 144.200 ssb
Report your Callsign, Signal Report, Location & 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.fiu.edu/orgs/w4ehw/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