Hello to all….
…VoIP Hurricane Net Activated for Hurricane Paloma….
…WX4NHC Operations Activated….
Hurricane Paloma is approaching the Grand Cayman island and sustained winds of tropical storm force with gusts at the high end of tropical storm force already affecting the island. The VoIP Hurricane Net activated informally at 3 PM EST and is now in formal activation mode. Operations at WX4NHC are now active as well.
We could use any relays and stations that can assist with reports from Grand Cayman Island today and for any reports in Cuba and the Bahamas over the weekend. Any Amateur Radio Operators with contacts in the affected area or can monitor and relay traffic heard on 40 and 80 Meters would be very helpful to our operations.
For the latest advisory information including watches and warnings, you can go to the VoIPWXNet web site and click Atlantic Tropical Products and click on the advisory information for Paloma under the Atlantic Tropical Products section. You can also gather the advisory information from the National Hurricane Center web site at the following link:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov
The reporting criteria and activation policy for our net during hurricane net activations can be found on our web site at http://www.voipwx.net (Note issue with web site as stated in the first paragraph. Please utilize the typical SKYWARN Reporting Criteria)
Listen Only IRLP/EchoLink capability include the following systems:
IRLP:
Reflector 9508 Sydney Australia Reflector channel 8.
Reflector 9129 New England Reflector channel 9.
EchoLink:
*KC4QLP-C* Node: 290251
*VKEMCOMM* Node: 270177
*N5API* Node: 77433
*IRESC* Node: 278173
*N1TAI* Node: 269929
A streaming audio feed has been setup thanks to the assistance of David McAnally-WD5M. The links are listed below:
WD5M Streaming Audio Feed Main page
WD5M Direct link to Streaming Audio using OGG Format
WD5M Direct Link to Streaming Audio using MP3 Format
Bob Carter-KC4QLP has also setup an online stream for up to 32 listeners at the following link:
KC4QLP Streaming Audio Feed
An EQSO listen-only feed is also available via KC4QLP-R.
Lu Vencl-KA4EPS has also set up streaming audio capability. See links below:
KA4EPS Streaming Audio Feed
KA4EPS Streaming Audio Feed
Links to the WD5M streaming audio feeds have also been provided in the Main Menu of the VoIPWXNet web site.
Below is the typical activation announcement from WX4NHC Assistant Coordinator, Julio Ripoll-WD4R:
WX4NHC ANNOUNCEMENT – HURRICANE PALOMA OPERATIONS
WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, will be activating it’s HF and EchoLink/IRLP station on Friday, November 7th , 2008 at 4 PM EST (2100z).
PLEASE RELAY TO STATIONS IN THE AFFECTED AREAS.
The 7 AM (1200z) Advisory from the National Hurricane Center forecasts Hurricane Paloma to affect the Cayman Islands later this afternoon and evening.
“A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE CAYMAN ISLANDS. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.”
“MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 80 MPH…130 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. PALOMA IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. STRENGTHENING IS LIKELY AND PALOMA IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A CATEGORY 2 HURRICANE LATER TODAY…AND POSSIBLY REACH CATEGORY 3 INTENSITY BY SATURDAY.”
We request all land based stations as well as ships at sea in the areas affected to send us weather data (measured or estimated) and damage reports.
If you are in the affected area and normally monitor on a local Net on VHF, 40 or 80 meters, we would appreciate your checking into the HWN NET or EchoLink/IRLP Net once per Hour to receive the latest Hurricane Advisories and to report your local conditions.
Please do not venture outside during the hurricane to gather weather data.
Your safety is the first priority.
There are many constantly changing atmospheric variables that affect the storm’s track and strength.
Please refer to the National Hurricane Center Advisories for official information. www.nhc.noaa.gov
WX4NHC will be monitoring the Hurricane Watch Net www.hwn.org on 14.325 MHz.
Secondary HF frequencies will be 7.268 MHz and 3.950 MHz +/- QRM, should we loose propagation on 20 meters.
EchoLink “WX-Talk” Conference Room and IRLP node 9219 will also be monitored. www.voipwx.net
WX4NHC will also monitor CWOP, APRS and MADIS/MESONET Automated weather stations in the affected area.
Surface Reports using our On-line Hurricane Report form will be monitored.
Amateur Weather Enthusiasts and ON-NHC Volunteers may report directly to WX4NHC on-line.
http://www.wx4nhc.org/WX-form1.html
ON-NHC Volunteers are both Ham Radio Operators and Non-Ham weather observers that use their own weather instruments to submit “Surface Reports” directly to NHC over the Internet via the WX4NHC on-line report form. These “Surface Reports” are very important as they give Hurricane Specialists at NHC a better idea of what is actually happening on the ground level during the storm.
The WX4NHC Group continues to expand its efforts to increase the quantity and quality of surface reports to include many different modes of reception and groups of people; including HF, VHF/UHF IRLP & EchoLink, VHF & HF APRS, CWOP NOAA Program and ON-NHC Weather Observers Network.
(see our web site for more information on these programs): www.wx4nhc.org
WX4NHC is very proud to have maintained an active Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center for the past 28 years.
We appreciate all of the volunteers who help with our efforts.
OUR MISSION: TO HELP SAVE LIVES.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Julio Ripoll Architect WD4R
WX4NHC Amateur Radio Asst. Coordinator
www.wx4nhc.org
National Hurricane Center
www.nhc.noaa.gov
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net
1 1
Read more
