WD4R-Julio Ripoll – Founder & Coordinator of National Hurricane Center Amatuer Radio Station – WX4NHC Receives Prestigious Dayton Hamvention Special Achievement Award

Hello to all…

On Saturday Evening, May 17th, 2025, WD4R-Julio Ripoll, Founder and Coordinator of WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, received the prestigious Dayton Hamvention (a national Amateur Radio Convention), Special Achievement Award for 45 years of service to the National Hurricane Center and for founding the Amateur Radio station in 1980.

Julio announced at the 2025 National Hurricane Conference Amateur Radio Workshop in New Orleans, Louisiana that he will be retiring as the coordinator for the station at the end of the 2025 Hurricane Season. He will continue on for some time after 2025 to support the operation as an Amateur Radio Operator. On hand from the VoIP Hurricane Net to be present in this award presentation was VoIP Hurricane Net National Hurricane Conference videographer, KB1KQW-Jim Palmer, who also took a photo of Julio and the Awards Committee that presented this award to Julio. Picture attached to this web post.

The VoIP Hurricane Net Management team congratulates Julio on this award and we look forward to working with him in the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Julio has been a tremendous partner to the VoIP Hurricane Net realizing the value it can provide during landfalling hurricanes including are all encompassing approach to bring online weather stations including APRS/CWOP weather stations, public safety, social media and Amateur Radio reporting through our net. We appreciate his support and the WX4NHC Amateur Radio team support over so many years. We also appreciate all of you that support the VoIP Hurricane Net!

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