National Hurricane Center's WX4NHC Annual Station Test: May 31

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National Hurricane Center's WX4NHC Annual Station Test: May 31

The operators of WX4NHC, the amateur station at the National Hurricane Center will be active for their annual station test on Saturday, May 31, 2014 from 9AM-6 PM EDT (1300Z-2200Z). The group is commencing its 34th year of service to the center.

The purpose of the event is to test station equipment, antennas and computers prior to this year's hurricane season, which starts June 1. This event provides good practice for radio amateurs world-wide as well as NWS staff to become familiar with protocols and procedures for communications available during times of severe weather.

The WX4NHC leadership will also be performing operator training. Operators will be making brief contacts on many frequencies and modes, exchanging signal reports and basic weather data ("sunny," or "rain," etc.) with any station in any location. WX4NHC will be on-the-air on HF, VHF, UHF, 2 and 30 meter APRS and Winlink. Operators will focus on the recognized Hurricane Watch Net frequency 14.325 MHz and announce other frequencies when QSYing. Amateurs may be able to find the NHC station on HF by using one of the DX spotting networks. The NHC operators will also be on the VoIP Hurricane Net from 4PM-6PM EDT (2000-2200Z) (IRLP node 9219/EchoLink WX-TALK Conference node 7203). Local southern Florida area VHF and UHF repeaters will be worked as well. QSL cards are available via WD4R. (Please send your card with a S.A.S.E.) Please do not send QSLs directly to the Hurricane Center address, as they will get delayed. Due to security measures, no visitors will be allowed entry to NHC without prior clearance from the NHC PIO and security officials.

Only WX4NHC operators on the pre-approved operating schedule will be allowed entry. For more information about WX4NHC, please visit the group's website. -- Julio Ripoll, WD4R, WX4NHC Amateur Radio Assistant Coordinator