Mark Duff, KB1EKN writes:
For the third year in a row, the Boston Amateur Radio Club will participate in Skywarn Recognition Day (SRD) at the Blue Hill Observatory in Milton, MA. We will be operating on Saturday December 3rd from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM on both HF and VHF.
SRD consists of Amateur Radio operators who set up at the National Weather Service (NWS) offices and other weather related locations and contact similar stations around the world. Many NWS Offices including NWS Taunton have permanently installed Amateur Radio equipment. Hams have assisted the National Weather Service by providing real-time reports of severe weather and storm conditions.
We recently played a key role by providing communications during the hurricanes that affected the Gulf. Although the NWS operates a network of 120 Doppler radars to track severe storms, at greater ranges weather radar has a difficult time sampling conditions close to the ground. The information we provide plays a key role in aiding forecasters.
Stations will exchange signal reports, location and a brief description of the current weather at their respective locations (“sunny,” “partly cloudy,” “windy,” etc). This is a great opportunity for members to operate the club’s Yaesu 897 and make some DX contacts.
If you are interested in participating please, contact me directly at emgmgt@comcast.net. We are looking for assistance on Friday, December 2nd with setup, and operators on Saturday, December 3rd.
[See also: CQ Snow, and Boston ARC To Operate From Blue Hill Observatory During SKYWARN Recognition Day]