[LeArc] Annual SKYWARN Recognition Day is December 7

[learc@mailman.qth.net]

Annual SKYWARN Recognition Day is December 7

NEWINGTON, CT, Nov 16, 2002--The fourth annual SKYWARN Recognition Day
(SRD) takes place December 7 (UTC). This is the day that Amateur Radio
operators set up stations at National Weather Service (NWS) offices and
contact other operators around the world. The event is sponsored by the
ARRL and the National Weather Service.

"The purpose of the event is to recognize the vital public service
contribution that Amateur Radio operators make during National Weather
Service severe weather warning operations," said David Floyd, N5DBZ,
warning coordination meteorologist, at the NWS Goodland, Kansas, office.
"It also strengthens the bond between Amateur Radio operators and the local
National Weather Service office."

For several decades now, hams have assisted the NWS by providing real-time
reports of severe weather and storm evolution. 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 radio operators located near a storm can provide plays a
key role in aiding forecasters. Just this month, SKYWARN operators in
several states activated to spot and track an outbreak of severe
thunderstorms and tornadoes November 10.

SKYWARN Recognition Day will take place December 7 from 0000 UTC to 2400
UTC. Scott Mentzer, N0QE, who's the meteorologist-in-charge of the NWS
office in Goodland, Kansas, is the creator and annual organizer of SRD.
"There are currently 92 stations officially registered to participate,"
Mentzer said this week, adding that he expects the number to rise to at
least 96. That's up from the 80 NWS sites that participated during last
year's event. In previous years, participating operators have communicated
with stations in Chile, South Korea, New Zealand, The Philippines, Denmark,
Croatia, South Africa and Japan.

Most participating NWS stations will operate on 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, and 2
meters using SSB and FM. Some sites will employ other modes, however,
including PSK31, packet and CW. The use of repeaters is allowed. All
contacts will be made utilizing the General or Novice portion of the bands.
Stations will exchange signal report, location and a one-word description
of the current weather at their respective locations ("sunny," "partly
cloudy," "windy," etc).

This is not a contest, so no scoring will be computed.

Since SRD is being held on Pearl Harbor Day, each NWS office will transmit
a special message from approximately 1800 to 1900 UTC--approximately the
time of the Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, attack on December 7, 1941--to honor the
World War II veterans. Operators working the NWS office in Honolulu during
the SRD plus any NWS office between 1800 and 1900 UTC during this year's
SRD will earn a special endorsement.

Mentzer says the digital mode endorsement will be eliminated this year,
however. "There simply haven't been too many people who have qualified for
this in past SRDs," he said. The digital endorsement may be replaced by an
endorsement for working stations having a WX prefix. A full endorsement
list will be available on the SRD Web site.

In another twist, Mentzer says, a number of NWS offices will be equipped to
support Internet Radio Linking Project stations.

The deadline to register an NWS site is December 1. Contact Mentzer to
register.

The NWS offers participation and endorsement certificates to Amateur Radio
operators who request one along with their log sheet(s). To obtain your
certificate, submit a list of all NWS SRD stations that you worked and
indicate any endorsement applied for. Enclose a self-addressed, stamped
envelope and mail it National Weather Service, 920 Armory Rd, Goodland, KS
67735.

Complete information is available on the 2002 SKYWARN Recognition Day Web
site.

Joseph L. Rossmiller  CET III
Illinois State Police
P.O. Box 483
Macomb, IL  61455

(309) 833-4046  ext 240