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@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@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@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@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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