[SFDXA] ARRL - WX4NHC Announces Communications Test in Advance of 2017 Hurricane Season

[Bill]

    WX4NHC Announces Communications Test in Advance of 2017 Hurricane Season

05/26/2017

Now in its 37th year, *WX4NHC* <http://www.wx4nhc.org> at the National 
Hurricane Center (*NHC* <http://www.nhc.noaa.gov>) in Miami, will take 
to the airwaves on Saturday, May 27, for the annual NHC Station Test. 
The event will begin at 1300 UTC and wrap up at 2100 UTC. The exercise, 
which involves several bands and modes, serves to test Amateur Radio 
Station equipment, antennas, and computer systems prior to this year’s 
Hurricane Season, which starts June 1 and runs through November 30.

The annual Station Test is /not/ a contest or simulated hurricane 
exercise but a practice run for operators to get familiar with Amateur 
Radio communication modes available during severe weather events. WX4NHC 
typically uses the annual station test to train its operators. “We will 
be making brief contacts on many frequencies and modes, exchanging 
signal reports and basic weather data exchange — ‘sunny,’ ‘rain,’ etc. — 
with any station in any location,” said Assistant WX4NHC Amateur Radio 
Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R

Ripoll said WX4NHC will operate on HF, VHF, UHF, 2 meter 30 meter APRS, 
and available via and *WinLink* <mailto:wx4nhc at winlink.org> (subject 
line must contain “//WL2K”).

“We will try to stay on the recognized Hurricane Watch Net frequency of 
14.325 MHz most of the time and announce when we QSY,” Ripoll said. Due 
to space and equipment limitations, WX4NHC will deploy only up to two 
operators per shift, so the station will not be on every band and mode 
simultaneously. Ripoll suggested using one of the DX spotting networks, 
such as such as *DX Summit* <http://www.dxsummit.fi/Search.aspx>, to see 
where WX4NHC is at any given time.

WX4NHC also plans to be on the *VoIP Hurricane Net* 
<http://www.voipwx.net/> from 2000 until 2100 UTC (IRLP node 9219; 
EchoLink WX-TALK Conference node 7203). In addition, the station will be 
active on South Florida VHF and UHF repeaters.

QSL cards are available to participating stations via *WD4R* 
<http://www.qrz.com/db/WD4R>; include a self-addressed stamped envelope. 
Do not send cards to the National Hurricane Center.

Due to security measures, no visitors will be allowed into the NHC 
without prior clearance. Only WX4NHC operators on the approved operating 
schedule will be allowed entry.

Full Article: 
http://www.arrl.org/news/wx4nhc-announces-communications-test-in-advance-of-2017-hurricane-season