Hello to all…

WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, secured operations at approximately 10 PM EDT Wednesday Evening 10/10/18. The VoIP Hurricane Net secured operations with the 11 PM EDT Hurricane Michael Public Advisory Wednesday Evening. Through various relays, the net gathered a number of wind measurement reports in excess of 100 MPH across the Florida Panhandle with other wind gust reports further inland between 50 and 90 MPH. Damage within 45 miles of the center of Michael is catastrophic particularly to the northeast side of the center and the wind speeds observed were that of EF1 to EF2 tornado strength and there were likely higher wind gusts that were not recorded. Significant structural damage has occurred in portions of Panama City Beach extending into Callaway and Mexico Beach Florida. It is quite likely the extent of the structural damage closest to the center is not known yet due to the extreme nature of the winds.

To see a list of the reports gathered from the net, please look at our VoIP Hurricane Net Report Viewer at the following link:
http://report.voipwx.net/qilan/nhcwx/list_VOIP_records?auth=OK

We appreciate all the stations that monitored the VoIP Hurricane Net, all those that provided livestream and listen-only capabilities and those who checked in directly to give reports as well as those who relayed reports into our net for relay into WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center. Assistant WX4NHC Coordinator, WD4R-Julio Ripoll, reports that National Hurricane Center Director Ken Graham WX4KEG expressed his thanks to all the Ham Operators for their dedication to public service and to the NHC. Thanks to all for their support of the VoIP Hurricane Net!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net

Hello to all..

**VoIP Hurricane Net will activate starting at 5 AM EDT Wednesday Morning through early Thursday Morning for Hurricane Michael across the Florida Panhandle, Southern Alabama and South-Central Georgia.**
**WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, will activate at 900 AM EDT Wednesday 10/10/18 for Dangerous Hurricane Michael**

Here are the VoIP Hurricane Net and WX4NHC Activation Plans for Michael as of Tuesday Evening 10/9/18 at 615 PM EDT/2225 UTC:

The VoIP Hurricane Net will activate starting at 500 AM EDT Wednesday Morning through early Thursday Morning for Dangerous Hurricane Michael’s impacts to the Florida Panhandle, Southern Alabama and South-Central Georgia. WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, will activate at 900 AM EDT Wednesday 10/10/18. Michael is expected to be a dangerous major hurricane as it makes landfall in the Florida panhandle and spreads those conditions across South-Central Georgia.

Any Amateur Radio Operators in the affected area of Hurricane Michael or with relays into the affected area of Michael are asked to provide surface and damage reports into the VoIP Hurricane Net for relay into WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center. We appreciate any and all support from Amateur Operators in the affected area or Amateur Operators with relays into the affected area. We are looking for reports based on the National Weather Service SKYWARN Reporting criteria. This can be seen on the VoIP Hurricane Net web site at the following link:
https://voipwx.net/voip-hurricane-net-reporting-criteria/

Any pictures or videos of wind damage, river/stream/urban/storm surge flooding etc. can be sent to the following email address: pics@nsradio.org and credit will be given to the Amateur Radio Operator, weather spotter or individual that took the photos and media and be shared with the Amateur Radio team at the National Hurricane Center and other agencies and outlets.

Advisories on Hurricane Michael can be seen off of the Atlantic Tropical Products menu selection on the voipwxnet web site, via our Facebook and Twitter feeds, and off the National Hurricane Center web site via the following link:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

Reports as obtained via the VoIP Hurricane Net from Amateur Radio Operators in the affected area, relays from the affected area or from APRS/CWOP Weather Station feeds and other social media outlets can be found at the following link:
http://report.voipwx.net/qilan/nhcwx/list_VOIP_records?auth=OK

In addition to our typical Echolink/IRLP resources, we will be maintaining a monitoring watch on the following modes of communication using DSTAR/DMR and APRS:

D-STAR Smart Groups:

WXNET1 in New York – Login command WXNET1, Logoff command WXNET1 T

WXNET2 in California – Login command WXNET2, Logoff command WXNET2 T

D-STAR Reflectors:

XLX307W in Wyoming – Link commands XRF307WL, DCS307WL or REF307WL

XLX735W in New York – Link commands XRF735WL, DCS735WL or REF735WL

DMR BM 31680

APRS KC5FM-9

Winlink: KC5FM

Stations outside the affected area who would like to listen into the VoIP Hurricane Net can use any of the following systems for listen-only purposes and can connect on either Echolink or IRLP:
*NEW-ENG3* Echolink conference node: 9123/IRLP 9123

Stations outside the affected area who would like to listen into the VoIP Hurricane Net can use any of the following systems for listen-only purposes on Echolink:
*KA1AAA* Echolink conference node: 4439
*WX5FWD* Echolink conference node: 372418
*ARERT* Echolink conference node: 902723

Stations outside the affected area who would like to listen into the VoIP Hurricane Net can use any of the following systems for listen-only purposes on All-Star by dialing *33009123.
The KC5FM All-Star Node will be connected to the VoIP Hurricane Net and can be connected to by doing *328848.

We will have an audio livestream setup through the efforts of AI6YR-Benjamin Kuo at the following link:
http://wd6eby.actusa.net:8000/hurricane.mp3

The VoIP Hurricane Net Management team continues to closely watch Hurricane Michael. Thanks to all for their continued support of the VoIP Hurricane Net!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net

Hello to all…

Tropical Storm Michael formed in the Northwest Caribbean Sea and is nearing hurricane strength. Michael is expected to become a hurricane today and could become a Category-2 hurricane on Tuesday with potential landfall in the Florida panhandle on Wednesday. It is possible that Michael may reach major hurricane strength. WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center, has already planned to activate at 9 AM EDT Wednesday Morning. The VoIP Hurricane Net will also activate at 9 AM EDT Wednesday 10/10/18 if not slightly earlier for Michael and his projected landfall as a hurricane in the Florida panhandle. Additional details on activation plans, listen-only feeds etc. will be posted late tonight or Tuesday Morning. Advisories on Michael can be seen off the Atlantic Tropical Products menu on the VoIP Hurricane Net web site, via the voipwxnet social media feeds and via the National Hurricane Center web site at the following link:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

The VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team is closely monitoring the progress of Michael. Thanks to all for their continued support of the VoIP Hurricane Net!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net