Rob Macedo, KD1CY, writes:SKYWARN Recognition Day 2020 will occur this year but modified due to COVID19 and the fact NWS offices are not allowed to have volunteer Amateur Radio Operators at any NWS office due to COVID. In addition, a social media component will be added to engage non-Amateur Radio SKYWARN Spotters more with 2020’SRD. This initial announcement gives information on 2020 SRD and the plan for further updates.
Due to COVID19, typical WX1BOX Amateur Radio Operations will not occur at NWS Boston/Norton. The WX1BOX Amateur Radio team will be operating remotely via their home stations. In addition, the Boston Amateur Radio Club has cancelled their operations from Blue Hill for 2020. The NWS Gray Maine office cannot be active at the office due to the same restrictions on volunteers at NWS offices nationwide but will likely have some form of SRD operation for 2020.
For WX1BOX Amateur Radio operations, we will cover the typical SKYWARN repeaters on VHF/UHF as well as simplex and be on HF via the various remote home stations along with our WX1BOX social media pages. In addition, contacts with other Amateur Radio SKYWARN stations will count towards NWS certificates. Further, there will be a social media component to engage non-Amateur Radio and Amateur Radio SKYWARN spotter alike. The current set of information is available and additional information will be made available on the SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) web site via the following link:
There is also a SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) Facebook group open to all SKYWARN Spotters and Amateur Radio Operators. The Facebook group link is listed below:
On the web, the following link on the WX1BOX home page will feature all SRD updates for WX1BOX operations as well as social media efforts that can include SKYWARN Spotters and Amateur Radio Operators alike:
We are working through the details of the VHF/UHF repeater and simplex schedule. It will likely be similar to prior years but there could be some changes based on remote operator availability and how their home station can cover the area repeaters and simplex. The schedule will be published in another update issued over the weekend.
The VoIP Operations on the *WX_TALK* Echolink conference node: 7203/IRLP 9219 system will still take place for 2020’SRD. An update on the stations participating will also be posted in the next SRD update for this weekend.
The next update on SRD’2020 operations will be posted no later than Sunday Evening 11/29/20. Thanks to all for their continued support of the NWS Boston/Norton SKYWARN program!