Hello to all…

My sincerest apologies for the delay on this post as it was delayed due to me being ill for a good portion of the month of March. Below are all the details including livestream information for the 2023 National Hurricane Conference in New Orleans, LA:

Amateur Radio will again be represented at the 2023 National Hurricane Conference which will be held this year in New Orleans, Louisiana (http://www.hurricanemeeting.com). This year, the workshop will be done both live at the conference and over YouTube livestream so this will be a “hybrid workshop”. The conference theme is to improve hurricane preparedness as it has been in past years. After the workshop is completed, the Amateur Radio Workshop will be uploaded to Youtube for those that can’t attend the sessions live. For 2023, all the Amateur Radio sessions will be on Monday April 3rd, 2023 from 830 AM-1020 AM CDT (930 AM-1120 AM EDT) and from 1030 AM-1210 PM CDT (1130 AM-110 PM EDT) with door prizes completed between 1210-1220 PM CDT (110-120 PM EDT). Each presenter will not only give an overview of their respective group but also how their group handled the significant hurricanes over the past year. Here is the session breakdown:

NHC Session #1 – 830 AM-1020 AM CDT (930 AM-1120 AM EDT): Bob Robichaud-VE1MBR from the Canadian Hurricane Centre will present on Hurricane Meteorological topics including the last 2 years in review and the forecast for 2023. He will also provide a brief overview of Canadian Hurricane Centre Operations. Julio Ripoll-WD4R will present WX4NHC Operations and an overview on the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN). A representative from the National Hurricane Center will also present on the importance of Amateur Radio surface reporting.

NHC Session #2: 1030 AM-1210 PM CDT (1130 AM-110 PM EDT): Rob Macedo-KD1CY will present on the VoIP Hurricane Net and best practices in SKYWARN Tropical Systems presentation, Bill Feist-WB8BZH will present a SATERN (Salvation Army Team Emergency Response Radio Network) overview. Josh Johnston-KE5MHV will give an ARRL update and KD5KNZ-Matt Anderson will give out an update on a local response update for Amateur Radio Operators in Louisiana. This will be followed by a Q & A session and raffle prizes will be offered.

Amateur Radio presentations will be recorded and posted to Youtube after the workshop within the month of April. The Amateur Radio presentations will also be livestreamed via Youtube as a best effort. It is noted that Internet connectivity can be a challenge at hotel locations for livestreaming but we will do our best to livestream the workshop but please note technical difficulties could affect the livestream so please be patient if you watch the livestream and we will have recordings available post workshop. The YouTube livestream link is listed below:

2023 National Hurricane Conference Presenters and Moderator:

• Moderator: Rob Macedo, KD1CY, VoIP Hurricane Net
• Special guest speaker (Need name from NHC), National Hurricane Center
• Special guest speaker Bob Robichaud, VE1MBR, Canadian Hurricane Center
• Special guest speaker Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, Director of Emergency Management, ARRL HQ
• John McHugh, K4AG, WX4NHC Amateur Radio Station Coordinator
• Julio Ripoll, WD4R, WX4NHC Assistant Amateur Radio Station Coordinator
• Bill Feist, WB8BZH, SATERN, Salvation Army Team Emergency Response Radio Network
• Matt Anderson, KD5KNZ, Louisiana ARRL Assistant Section Manager
• Rob Macedo, KD1CY, Director of Operations, VoIP Hurricane Net & ARRL ARES Eastern Mass SEC
• Jim Palmer, KB1KQW, VoIP Hurricane Net (Videographer)

Detailed Schedule Outline – All Times (Central Daylight Time):
830-835 AM: Opening Remarks
835-915 AM: Canadian Hurricane Centre and Hurricane Meteorological Topics (VE1MBR-Bob R) 915-1000 AM: WX4NHC Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center & HWN Overview (WD4R)
1000-1020 AM: Importance of Amateur Radio Surface Reports (NHC)
1020-1030 AM: Break
1030-1050 AM: VoIP Hurricane Net Overview & Best Practices in SKYWARN for Tropical Systems (KD1CY)
1050-1110 AM: SATERN – Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network Overview (WB8BZH)
1110-1130 AM: ARRL Update (KE5MHV)
1130-1150 AM: Louisiana Hurricane Response Update (KD5KNZ)
1150-1210 PM: Moderated Q & A session and Panel Discussion (All)
1210-1220 PM: Door Prizes (All)

We hope folks can attend the conference live and in person for those in and around the New Orleans LA area or attending the conference and that those outside of the area can participate in the livestream. For those can’t see it live, the workshop video will be posted online via Youtube within a week or two after the conference if not sooner.

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..

SKYWARN Recognition Day is Saturday December 3rd, 2022 from 0000-2400 UTC (Friday Evening 12/2/22 from 700 PM ET-Saturday Evening 12/2/22 at 700 PM ET) and Echolink and IRLP will be playing a role in SRD as it has in past years. SKYWARN Recognition Day is an opportunity for National Weather Service Forecast Offices across the United States to thank SKYWARN Spotters for their efforts in obtaining timely severe weather reporting for the protection of life and property. This is the SKYWARN program’s main mission.

EchoLink and IRLP are just a couple of modes people can utilize to contact NWS offices during SKYWARN Recognition Day. Many NWS offices will be on 2 Meters, 440 MHz, HF and other VHF/UHF bands.

For 2022 SRD, more NWS offices will be on the air live from their local NWS offices but it will still be somewhat different than pre-COVID years and there maybe a virtual/hybrid component where offices may be active at their actual office as well as from home/other locations at different times or simultaneously. Similar to the last couple of years, you can operate with your personal call-sign as NWS coordinator or some may elect to use the NWS Call-Sign and state they are portable.

EchoLink and IRLP are just a couple of modes people can utilize to contact NWS offices during SKYWARN Recognition Day. Many NWS offices will be on 2 Meters, 440 MHz, HF and other VHF/UHF bands. Additional details on SKYWARN Recognition Day including a registration link opened up to all Amateurs given the new SRD format can be found via the following link:
https://www.weather.gov/crh/skywarnrecognition

This year’s Google registration form also auto-issues SRD Numbers to participant Amateur stations. Some NWS offices that registered may have received them but any offices that register from this evening forward will not get one. The form can be found off the SKYWARN Recognition Day web site and can be see at the link below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdsiwFThctxPqEht9r7j1V1OLBNiAQjt-yJe7z3-XFMwiIx-w/viewform

Also, there is a SRD Facebook group created. Those with Facebook can join it at the following link:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/srd2021

The ARRL has posted the SRD’22 information on their web site and in their weekly ARRL Letter. The SRD article is listed below:
http://www.arrl.org/news/skywarn-recognition-day-set-for-december-3-2022

For 2022, the EchoLink *WX_TALK* Node: 7203/IRLP reflector 9219 system will be scheduling time for NWS offices or SKYWARN Coordinators with specific NWS office time slots to act as a net control to make contacts with spotters that are on the system. If a NWS office/SKYWARN Coordinator runs out of contacts and there are other NWS offices/SKYWARN Coordinators on the system, the NWS office acting as net control can turn it over to a different NWS office or SKYWARN Coordinator to act as a net control on the system at their discretion. You can also reach the network via Allstar 28848 and Hamshack Hotline 94032.

We’d like to ask NWS offices and/or coordinators who are operating from homw who operate at NWS offices do their best to adhere to the schedule. Sometimes this is difficult due to the number of contacts received by each net control. We ask for everyone’s patience and working cooperatively to respect the time slot schedule.

Below is the 2022 SRD Schedule with the time slots confirmed so far for 2021 and those time slots relinquished by NWS offices. See the list of NWS offices below:

Time in UTC NWS Office Call-Sign
0000-0100: N0NWS (Time slot confirmed for this year)
0100-0200: WX1GYX (Time slot confirmed for this year)
0200-0300: WX7SLC (Time slot confirmed for this year)
0300-0400: Open
0400-0500: WX1BOX (Time slot confirmed for this year)
0500-0600: Open
0600-0700: WX4HUN (Time slot confirmed for this year)
0700-0800: WX8APX (Time slot confirmed for this year)
0800-0900: WX8APX (Time slot confirmed for this year)
0900-1000: Open
1000-1100: WX7SLC (Time slot confirmed for this year)
1100-1200: WX1GYX (Time slot confirmed for this year)
1200-1300: Open
1300-1400: WX7SLC (Time slot confirmed for this year)
1400-1500: WX1AW (Time slot confirmed for this year – may arrive a bit late to the network)
1500-1600: WX1BOX (Time slot confirmed for this year)
1600-1700: WX4NC (Time slot confirmed for this year)
1700-1800: WX4JKL (Time slot confirmed for this year)
1800-1900: WX6LOX (Time slot confirmed for this year)
1900-2000: Open
2000-2100: WX4JKL (Time slot confirmed for this year)
2100-2300: WX4NHC (Time slot confirmed for this year)
2300-2400: Open

Here will be other conference systems utilized for SKYWARN Recognition Day. They are as follows:

The New England Reflector Gateway System will be utilized by SKYWARN Coordinators from New England from 0000-0500 UTC and 1200-2400 UTC. The New England Gateway system is on EchoLink Conference server *NEW-ENG3* Node: 9123, IRLP reflector 9123. If other SKYWARN Coordinators and NWS offices would like to join the system, they are welcome to do so and participants in SKYWARN Recognition Day can also use that system to make contact with various NWS offices. This is a great place to move off the *WX_TALK* Node: 7203/IRLP 9219 system after your scheduled time if other Amateurs or NWS offices wish to make contact with you.

Also, the Western Reflector will be having NWS offices calling CQ as in past years and have multiple reflector channels and Echolink conferences available. There is reflector 9250/Echolink Conference *HI-GATE* node: 357564, IRLP 9251 and the *WORLD* Echolink Conference node: 479886, IRLP 9257/*DCF-ARC* Echolink Conference node: 336037 and IRLP 9258/EchoLink Conference *NV-GATE* Node: 152566 open for NWS offices. Please contact Kent-W7AOR for additional information on the Western Reflector.

A few technical reminders for folks interested in making contacts with the NWS Forecast Offices on the *WX-TALK* Node: 7203/IRLP 9219 and New England Reflector Gateway IRLP 9123/*NEW-ENG3* Echolink Node: 9123 systems:

-The system allows both EchoLink and IRLP connections. For EchoLink users, you connect to the *WX-TALK* Node: 7203 conference system. For IRLP users, you would connect to IRLP reflector 9219. It is possible we will have DMR/D-STAR and other modes directly linked on the system. This will be updated in the next few days regarding that aspect.

-If you are using EchoLink, the RF node or PC that you’re using must have EchoLink conferencing disabled. If it is not disabled, the system will automatically kick the node or PC off of the system. The reason this occurs is to prevent unintentional interference from a conferencing station that may not know the node is connected somewhere else. This will keep traffic moving on the net and reduce interference considerably.

For more information on VoIP Technical Configuration Tips, please go to our web site at http://www.voipwx.net where we have a link to that information on the main menu of the web site. This announcement will also be on the web site.

We are looking forward to another fun SKYWARN Recognition Day on the *WX-TALK* Node: 7203/IRLP reflector 9219 system, New England Reflector Gateway system and Western Reflector system. Thanks to all for their support!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator for NWS Boston/Norton Massachusetts
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator

Hello to all…

With the Thanksgiving holiday week this weekend through next weekend and the late season November hurricane net activations, the net management team has decided to cancel tonight’s net on Saturday 11/19/22 and Saturday 11/26/22. Our next net, and the final net of 2022, will be on Saturday 12/3/22, one hour earlier, at 700 PM US ET/400 PM US PT immediately following the end of 2022 SKYWARN Recognition Day. Additionally, more info on 2022 SKYWARN Recognition Day will be posted by Monday 11/21/22. The VoIP Hurricane Net management team wishes all net participants a very healthy and Happy Thanksgiving and we will talk again in two weeks during 2022’SRD and on the net immediately following SRD. 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..

**VoIP Hurricane Net will informally monitor conditions starting at 8 AM EST and formally activate at 12 PM EST Wednesday Afternoon and will remain active potentially through 12 PM EST Thursday for Nicole and its impacts on the Bahamas and Florida**
**WX4NHC will also be active with their Amateur Radio Station through this time period for as long as needed.**

Here are the VoIP Hurricane Net Plans for Nicole as of Tuesday Evening 1010 PM EST:

The VoIP Hurricane Net will will informally monitor conditions starting at 8 AM EST and formally activate at 12 PM EST Wednesday Afternoon and will remain active potentially through 12 PM EST Thursday for Nicole and its impacts on the Bahamas and Florida. WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center in Miami Florida will also be active with their Amateur Radio Station through this time period for as long as needed.

Any Amateur Radio Operators in the affected area of Nicole or with relays into the affected area of Nicole 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 our voipwxnet Facebook and Twitter feeds or 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 Nicole 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:
https://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:
https://www.voipwx.net/qilan/nhcwx/list_VOIP_records1?auth=OK

APRS, Winlink, AllStar, Hamshack Hotline resources that can be monitored are as follows:
APRS kc5fm-9
Winlink KC5FM
Allstar 28848
Echolink KC5FM-R 906281
Hamshack Hotline 94032
DMR TGIF 31207
P25 31207
DSTAR XLXOKL C
Yaesu Fusion 31207
M17-SUN module A

Stations outside the affected area that do not have relays into 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
*SKY_GATE* Echolink conference node: 868981/IRLP 9252
*KC4QLP-C* Echolink conference node: 290251
*ARERT* Echolink conference node: 902723
*WASH_DC* Echolink conference node: 6154

These two streaming audio feeds should be available. Those streaming audio feeds are as follows:
Streaming feed 1: http://74.208.24.77:8000 -Provided by KC4QLP-Bob Carter
Streaming feed 2: http://audio.arert.net/ -Provided by the ARERT conference owners and sysops

Please note that there could be additional listen only nodes and streaming feeds. If time allows, this info will be updated via the voipwxnet web site and social media feeds.

The VoIP Hurricane Net Management team continues to closely watch Nicole. 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…

Subtropical Storm Nicole has formed in the Atlantic east of the Bahamas this Monday Morning. Nicole is expected to intensify and impact the Bahamas, Florida and other parts of the Southeast US coast later this week transitioning into a fully tropical storm in the next couple of days and will have the potential to become a hurricane before landfall in Florida. Advisories on Nicole can be seen off the Atlantic Tropical Products menu of the voipwx.net web site and at the National Hurricane Center web site via the following link:

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov

VoIP Hurricane Net activation for Nicole is possible to likely as we get into the middle part of this week. Additional updates on Nicole will follow later this week as well. The VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team will continue to closely monitor the progress of Nicole. 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…

The VoIP Hurricane Net Activation for Hurricane Lisa secured on Wednesday 11/2/22 at 1100 PM EDT. Several damage reports and information were received on net from Amateur Radio Operators in Belize via their Echolink/AllStar linked repeater system which was connected to our network until late evening when it appeared the Internet linking or power failed over the linked system. Numerous other reports of storm damage and meteorological data were obtained from Davis and Tempest Weatherflow online weather sensors and social media reports. A total of 25 reports were handled over the course of the net activation from all these resources. The complete list can be seen on the VoIP Hurricane Net Report viewer at the following link:

https://www.voipwx.net/qilan/nhcwx/list_VOIP_records1?auth=OK

Lisa is expected to move over the Bay of Campeche and is not expected to reintensify into a hurricane so this should end any hurricane net activations for Lisa. That said, the VoIP Hurricane Net management team will closely monitor Lisa and the rest of the Atlantic tropics which are more active than normal for the month of November. 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..

**VoIP Hurricane Net will activate at 11 AM EDT Wednesday Morning and will remain active potentially through 11 PM EDT Wednesday evening for Hurricane Lisa and its impacts on Belize, the Bay Islands of Honduras and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center in Miami Florida**
**WX4NHC will also be active with their Amateur Radio Station through this time period for as long as needed.**

Here are the VoIP Hurricane Net Plans for Hurricane Lisa as of Wednesday Morning 1045 AM EDT:

VoIP Hurricane Net will activate at 11 AM EDT Wednesday Morning and will remain active potentially through 11 PM EDT Wednesday Evening for Hurricane Lisa and its impacts on Belize, the Bay Islands of Honduras and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center in Miami Florida WX4NHC will also be active with their Amateur Radio Station through this time period for as long as needed.

Any Amateur Radio Operators in the affected area of Lisa or with relays into the affected area of Lisa 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 our voipwxnet Facebook and Twitter feeds or 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 Lisa 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:
https://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:
https://www.voipwx.net/qilan/nhcwx/list_VOIP_records1?auth=OK

APRS, Winlink, AllStar, Hamshack Hotline resources that can be monitored are as follows:
APRS kc5fm-9
Winlink KC5FM
Allstar 28848
Echolink KC5FM-R 906281
Hamshack Hotline 94032
DMR TGIF 31207
P25 31207
DSTAR XLXOKL C
Yaesu Fusion 31207
M17-SUN module A

Stations outside the affected area that do not have relays into 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
*SKY_GATE* Echolink conference node: 868981/IRLP 9252
*KC4QLP-C* Echolink conference node: 290251
*ARERT* Echolink conference node: 902723
*WASH_DC* Echolink conference node: 6154

These two streaming audio feeds should be available. Those streaming audio feeds are as follows:
Streaming feed 1: http://74.208.24.77:8000 -Provided by KC4QLP-Bob Carter
Streaming feed 2: http://audio.arert.net/ -Provided by the ARERT conference owners and sysops

Please note that there could be additional listen only nodes and streaming feeds. If time allows, this info will be updated via the voipwxnet web site and social media feeds.

The VoIP Hurricane Net Management team continues to closely watch Hurricane Lisa. 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…

Hurricane Julia has been downgraded to a tropical storm on Sunday 10/9/22 at 1100 AM EDT. The VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team, CU3AU-Francis from the Azores Islands of Portugal and NP3OD-Francisco from San Juan Puerto Rico have been monitoring the YN1YN-L associated with the Club de Radio-Experimentadores de Nicaragua – CREN group. We have obtained reports of widespread cell phone and power outages in Bluefields Nicaragua where Julia made landfall. Social media has numerous reports of downed trees, power lines, some structural damage reports and flooding with rivers out of their banks as Julia has pushed inland in Nicaragua. All these reports have been sent into WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center. Our report viewer shows the information sent in and can be seen at the following link:

https://www.voipwx.net/qilan/nhcwx/list_VOIP_records1?auth=OK

With Julia now a tropical storm, our more formal monitoring of Julia has ended but we will send in any higher end reports received by CREN or via social media today. Julia will emerge over the Eastern North Pacific as a tropical storm before eventually dissipating along the Pacific coast of Guatemala in 48-72 hours. No other tropical systems of concern are noted in the Atlantic, Eastern North Pacific an Central Pacific basins at this time. The VoIP Hurricane Net Management team will continue monitoring Julia and the tropics. 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…

Our VoIP Hurricane Prep Net will continue as planned for this evening at 800 PM EDT/0000 UTC. Julia has now become a Category-1 hurricane and has been impacting the islands of San Andreas and Providencia Islands Columbia. Julia will continue to the west and make landfall in Nicaragua as a hurricane late tonight or early Sunday Morning. The VoIP Hurricane Net will be semi-active during this period looking for any reports out of Nicaragua. We will be actively monitoring the couple of online weather stations and also monitoring the CREN group social media and any activity they may have on Echolink and IRLP as they have an active network they have utilized in the past for hurricanes. The VoIP Hurricane Net management team will closely monitor Julia and its impacts on Nicaragua overnight into Sunday Morning. 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…

**VoIP Hurricane Net Activation for Hurricane Ian Secured at 5 PM EDT/2100 UTC – Friday 9/30/22**
**VoIP Hurricane Net for this Saturday 10/1/22 is canceled due to extended activation for Hurricane Ian this week. Our next net will be Saturday 10/8/22 at 800 PM EDT.**

The VoIP Hurricane Net and WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center, secured operations at 500 PM EDT/2100 UTC – Friday 9/30/22 as Ian became a Post Tropical Storm. Ian is now a depression and the NHC has stopped issuing advisories with the Weather Prediction Center issuing advisories on Ian’s remnants. Hurricane Ian brought significant storm surge, fresh water flooding and damaging winds with wind gusts high as 91 MPH at Frying Pan Shoals, North Carolina , 87 MPH at Winyah Bay Range, South Carolina and 82 MPH at Morris Island Lighthouse, South Carolina with numerous locations with wind gusts between 40-80 MPH across Eastern South Carolina and Central and Eastern North Carolina. Ian brought significant storm surge to places such as Pawleys Island and significant fresh water flooding to places such as Charlestown and Georgetown South Carolina. Over 300,000 are without power in North Carolina and at the height of the hurricane, over 150,000 without power in South Carolina.

Over the entire course of Ian from its tropical storm force effects in Grand Cayman, major hurricane landfall in Cuba, his major landfall in Southwest Florida and its landfall in South Carolina into North Carolina, the VoIP Hurricane Net sent around 150 reports, many of which are in the report viewer with a few sent via email to WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center. See the report viewer link below to view many of the reports:

https://www.voipwx.net/qilan/nhcwx/list_VOIP_records1?auth=OK

During Ian’s landfall and impacts on Southwest Florida, 7 water rescues were called into the US Coast Guard. We will likely never know the outcome of those rescues but our net was ready and handled those requests that came into our net from various means. Measured wind gusts as high as 140 MPH were recorded in Cape Coral Florida with numerous winds sustained at hurricane force with higher end hurricane force wind gusts. With the loss of power and Internet, it is quite likely even higher wind gusts occurred but will not be known until much after Ian’s passage as the historical forensic weather data is collected. The damage photos and videos received show a very grim picture of the issues in Florida from Hurricane Ian.

Our local National Weather Service office in Boston/Norton Mass was tasked to support monitoring Hurricane Ian for the local NWS offices impacted by monitoring social media and other tasks. Given our strong relationship with the local NWS office, they reached out to us knowing our support of hurricanes. Our net relayed data to the science officer who was tasked with this monitoring and fed this information including our report viewer into the local NWS offices and there was much appreciation for the service this net provided and the data collected. It is possible we could see more of this activity in future hurricanes striking the US East and Gulf coasts.

An approximate volunteer man hour count for this hurricane is estimated to be over 150 hours including the planning, execution and release of activation information and accounting for those stations in the affected area or stations that were relays into the affected area reporting storm damage. Also, for those that are in the affected area and lost power and all Internet connectivity, any post storm damage reports, pictures and videos that you may have may still be useful for recovery efforts and for the historical significance of Ian. They can be sent to my email address directly, via our voipwxnet social media feeds or to the email address pics@nsradio.org

With the extensive activation for Hurricane Ian over multiple days, the VoIP Hurricane Prep Net for this Saturday 10/1/22 is cancelled. Our next VoIP Hurricane Net will be Saturday 10/8/22 unless a hurricane net activation preempts our regular net.

As we look into the Atlantic tropics for this week, there is one tropical wave just west of Africa that has a high chance, 70%, for development in 5 days. It is no immediate threat to land at this time and we will have at least a week to monitor this system before it were to come close to any land areas.

We want to thank all the listen only node owners for providing their capabilities to the net and all those who stood by and monitored the net for Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Fiona a week prior. Thanks to all for their continued support of the VoIP Hurricane Net!

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