[SkyHub] Question for the groupe

Wed Jun 17 02:11:31 EDT 2026

Wow! who knew there could be such excitement over the Weather net. For
those of you, including Bruce, who were offended please read this entire
message as a courtesy.

It seems clear to me this question would not have been brought up if I
hadn't run the net on Monday. I'm sorry my words were choppy, sometimes out
of sync, at times frustrating to listen to and annoying. I have worked on
ways to improve the dissemination of information in a more pleasant manner.
I take full responsibility for my actions as it was my first net, full of
complications such as trying to read a document that contained
superfluous information,
losing my place as I switched to the app governing key up and key down of
the repeater system, trying to monitor a clock to ensure the repeaters
didn't time out, keeping track of over-the-air checkins, learn how to
pronounce the names of the warning locations, all while listening to a
screen reader read the document in its entirety while speaking on the air.
The challenge was slowing it down enough to shadow the speech comfortably
without losing continuity as it contained repetitive definitions, summarize
a stream of text that is useless like, "a 60-Kt jet, (a river of air moving
through the atmosphere that steers weather patterns) extends slightly east
of the location." etc. The TTS that I use was reading that text and I did
not want to speak it, so, I unnaturally paused while it read the text and
then I had to form the sentence using proper diction. If I were in a
broadcast booth preparing it, I could either use scissors or a razor blade
to cut tape diagonally and tape it, or, a more modern digital approach.

Now consider if you are looking at the copy. You could easily skim over
with your eyes the words in parenthesis and form the sentences. I did not
have that luxury and some of the definitions were long and complicated.
Sometimes I would want to describe the definition, like say for mixing
subsidence or FROPA, other times I would want to skip it.
I didn't have the luxury of in-place editing a live event and was surprised
at the complexity of all that was ongoing along with a certain amount of
nervousness and wanting to do a good job to some-what represent the quality
Gary, NC2WX, has provided.
I worked with him to understand the materials, performed the research,
automated a script generation and read through it. It all looked good, but
throwing it all together was the challenge.

I found it disquieting to see a note in my inbox about the net and
replacing it with an automated voice. There was no getting around it. The
first net sucked and I take full responsibility for that.

Now some of you may be unaware of all of this because you didn't hear the
net, but we continue tomorrow, Wednesday. I am working with seasoned net
control operators to ensure the experience improves.
So in my mind, especially after thinking about it some as this thread and
others dragged on and on, it was clear to me this is not simply about an AI
or automation reading. Please, let's put aside the emotion of the moment,
get on with inventing new ways to solve challenging problems, and have fun.
We're supposed to be having fun and learning.

Nobody's going to replace Gary, I know that. I was simply stepping up with
the goal of keeping the Weather Net alive to promote awareness and safety.
It's still my goal because at the end of the day if somebody hears the
content on the net, prepares because of it and their life is saved, we did
our job. It sounds dramatic, but one day one person just might need your
help and the willingness to put aside differences, maximize our strengths
and cover one another's weaknesses will be the ingredient AI will never
provide. Yes, AI gives you information, yes it craves contact and
connection for its reasons, and yes it needs to be managed just like any
other child. AI is a tool, not a person or an entity worth fighting for. It
won't love you no matter what you say, but a station operator will go to
the ends of the Earth to save you if something is ongoing and they can help.
So yes, synthesized voice is used in our every day lives, AI provides us
help on how to perform a task, it even helps me understand some of the
weather jargon so I can explain it better in human terms.

I might get it right, I might get it wrong, but I'm guaranteed to learn
something and my goal is for all of the participants, including me, to
learn and grow. That is what pioneered our hobby and that is why I joined
in the first place.
So if I offended you in such a way that you wanted to discuss it in a
public forum, then let me apologize in that same forum. I am only trying to
help take the load from Gary and the team that has worked tirelessly for
years. I want the weather net to survive and eventually achieve the level
it was on last Friday. I'm not going to get there overnight and I'm not
going to expect perfection on day 1.
I appreciate your patience and apologize because I know that was a
substandard net and I will do better.

Thank you for your time in reading this.

Sincerely
Jeremy - KF0KKT

P.S. If you would like to help with the net or help with net logging, I
would greatly appreciate it. Trying to manage Net Logger, which crashes my
computer when Voice Over is on, or Telegram, along with the on-air
checkins seems overwhelming to me. If you're willing to help run the
digital online presence or read the checkins at the end, two separate
tasks, please let me know. If you are at work, for example, and can't talk
on the air, you could help run the Telegram and NetLogger environments. If
you don't mind helping read a few names at the end of the net that would be
greatly appreciated.
I have no idea how Gary did all this!

On Tue, Jun 16, 2026 at 4:52 PM Skyler Fennell via SkyHub <
skyhub at mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> I didn’t mean to shut down the idea of it sounded like I did, I’m still
> willing to try pending board vote. If someone can help:
>
> -Need to TTS our weather script .txt file (which is generated with a
> python script that Jon N5RR I think wrote
>
> -convert them into chunks less than 3 minutes each
> - convert to ULAW (raw header less 8KHz sample rate 16 bit)
> -issue asterisk playback command sequentially, listen for key ups in
> between, hold off until unkey. -Use asterisk event management subsystem for
> detecting key ups to bash script
>
> Shouldn’t be too bad tbh
>
>
> On Tue, Jun 16, 2026 at 3:16 PM Burness Ansell via SkyHub <
> skyhub at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>
>> My question: How is doing a weather broadcast any different than
>> stations/clubs rebroadcasting the Amateur Radio Newsline broadcast on a
>> weekly basis? No interaction between amateurs, just a broadcast of a
>> recording, done all the time, every week, over hundreds of repeater systems
>> across the nation. AI is just another extension of how amateur radio can be
>> used provided it is used properly according to FCC rules and regs.
>> Burness
>> KI0AR
>>
>> On Jun 16, 2026, at 6:35 AM, Skyler Fennell via SkyHub <
>> skyhub at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>>
>> 
>>
>> All,
>>
>> Debate aside, something like this would have to go through technical team
>> and voted on among board members. Even if it was determined legal and a
>> vote were to go through for it, the tech team is swamped with other
>> critical projects that have to get done, and simply would not have time to
>> develop this.
>>
>> If this is something someone is really passionate about, I would suggest
>> developing a solution on your own personal test AllStarLink node before
>> pitching your idea to the SkyHubLink board.
>>
>> Thanks
>> Skyler
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Jun 15, 2026 at 2:38 PM Bruce Hofer via SkyHub <
>> skyhub at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Just wondering …for the weather Net …( please don’t take this wrong and
>>> it’s not intended to offend anyone ) …my question would be if the regional
>>> forecast couldn’t be read via AI generated speech ???? ..
>>>
>>> Please …someone check on that as an option …and like I stated not to
>>> offend or degrade anyone with my question for the group… 73’ all
>>>
>>> Bruce
>>>
>>> De:Kc0efs
>>> Sent from …
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