Eastern MA Amateurs Attend 2024 National Hurricane Conference, Orlando FL, March 26, 2024

 

Amateur Radio will again be represented at the 2024 National Hurricane Conference which will be held this year in Orlando Florida (https://www.hurricanemeeting.com). This year, the workshop will be done both live at the conference and over a livestream so this will be a “hybrid workshop”.  The conference theme is to improve hurricane preparedness as it has been in past years. After the workshop is completed, the Amateur Radio Workshop will be uploaded to Youtube for those that can’t attend the sessions live. For 2024, all the Amateur Radio sessions will be on Tuesday March 26th, 2024 from 130-300 PM EDT and from 330-500 PM EDT.  Here is the session breakdown:

NHC Session #1 – 130 PM-300 PM EDT: John Cangialosi, Senior Hurricane Specialist, from the National Hurricane Center will also present on the importance of Amateur Radio surface reporting. Bob Robichaud-VE1MBR from the Canadian Hurricane Centre will provide a video on a Canadian Hurricane Centre Overview and a few meteorological topics via a video recording. Julio Ripoll-WD4R will present WX4NHC Operations and Bobby Graves-KB5HAV will present an overview on the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN).

NHC Session #2: 330 PM-500 PM EDT: Rob Macedo-KD1CY will present on the VoIP Hurricane Net and best practices in SKYWARN Tropical Systems presentation, Joe Bassett-W1WCN will provide a SATERN (Salvation Army Team Emergency Response Radio Network) overview video. Josh Johnston-KE5MHV will give an ARRL update and K1CE-Rick Palm will present on his personal Hurricane Idalia experience. This will be followed by a Q & A session and raffle prizes will be offered.

Amateur Radio presentations will be recorded and posted to Youtube after the workshop within the month of April. The Amateur Radio presentations will also be livestreamed via Youtube as a best effort. It is noted that Internet connectivity can be a challenge at hotel locations for livestreaming but we will do our best to livestream the workshop but please note technical difficulties could affect the livestream so please be patient if you watch the livestream and we will have recordings available post workshop. The YouTube livestream link is: https://www.youtube.com/live/-43X6wVrqwA?si=xK5F6F2I6m1Vu1dQ.

2024 National Hurricane Conference Presenters and Moderator:
•    Moderator: Rob Macedo, KD1CY, VoIP Hurricane Net
•    John Cangialosi, Senior Hurricane Specialist, National Hurricane Center
•    Special guest speaker Bob Robichaud, VE1MBR, Canadian Hurricane Center
•    Special guest speaker Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, Director of Emergency Management, ARRL HQ
•    Julio Ripoll, WD4R, WX4NHC Assistant Amateur Radio Station Coordinator
•    Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) Manager
•    Joe Bassett, W1WCN, SATERN, Salvation Army Team Emergency Response Radio Network
•    Rick Palm, K1CE, ARRL ARES E-Letter Editor/Public Service Columnist
•    Rob Macedo, KD1CY, Director of Operations, VoIP Hurricane Net & ARRL ARES Eastern Mass SEC
•    Jim Palmer, KB1KQW, VoIP Hurricane Net (Videographer)

Detailed Schedule Outline – All Times (Eastern Daylight Time):
130-135 PM:  Opening Remarks
135-210 PM:  Hurricane Surface Reports and 2023 Season Review (John Cangialosi)
210-220 PM:  Canadian Hurricane Centre Overview and Meteorological Topics Video (VE1MBR-Bob R)
220-250 PM:  WX4NHC Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center (WD4R)
250-310 PM:  HWN Overview (KB5HAV)
310-330 PM:  Break
330-400 PM:  VoIP Hurricane Net Overview & Best Practices in SKYWARN for Tropical Systems (KD1CY)
400-410 PM:  SATERN – Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network Overview Video (W1WCN)
410-430 PM: ARRL Update (KE5MHV)
430-450 PM: Florida Hurricane Response & His Personal Hurricane Idalia Story (K1CE)
450-500 PM: Moderated Q & A session and Panel Discussion (All)
500-510 PM: Door Prizes (All)