WEATHER SERVICE, AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS PREP FOR SPECIAL EVENT

November 30, 2000 — NOAA's National Weather Service forecast offices and amateur radio operators across the country hope to make a record number of contacts during a Dec. 1-2 special event honoring "ham" radio operators. Hosted by the Goodland, Kan., Weather Service Office in coordination with the American Radio Relay League, the event is being held to recognize the contributions made by amateur (ham) radio operators to NOAA's National Weather Service mission of protecting life and property during severe weather. (Click image for larger view.)

Volunteers will demonstrate amateur radio emergency communications procedures and have a little fun in the process, according to Goodland Meteorologist-in-Charge Scott Mentzer, a ham operator who organized the initial event in 1999. Mentzer created the annual amateur radio testing plan, which started as a tribute to ham operators in northwest Kansas and blossomed into a nationwide project.

"We did the first exercise last Nov. 27 to demonstrate back-up communications capabilities as Y2K approached and to recognize the amateur operators," Mentzer said. "We had hams at 56 Weather Service offices across the country making nearly 16,000 contacts with operators in 63 countries around the world. This isn't a contest, but this year we are awarding certificates to operators who meet certain goals for making contacts."

Dennis H. McCarthy, director of the 14-state National Weather Service Central Region headquartered in Kansas City, said the test is important because amateur radio operators often play key roles in emergency communications. Many hams are storm spotters who provide severe weather reports to the National Weather Service and help coordinate relief services after natural disasters.

"The contacts we make and the relationships we start with amateur radio operators will pay valuable dividends when severe weather strikes," McCarthy said. "Amateur radio operators provide our forecasters with essential eye-witness information during periods of flooding and severe weather that helps us disseminate the information to ensure public safety. Ham radio operators provide us with on-site information about tornadoes, blizzards and other weather hazards as they happen—information we wouldn't otherwise have.

"The link between ham operators and emergency service agencies such as the National Weather Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Red Cross and the Salvation Army has been a long and extremely valuable one. This is one way we can recognize their valuable input."

According to Mentzer, the second annual special event will run from 7 p.m. EST Friday, Dec. 1 until 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2. Amateur radio operators will have goals to contact designated numbers of Weather Service offices that deal with 11 specified weather hazards/areas: blizzards, fire weather, hurricanes, floods and flash floods, lake effect snow, monsoons, Nor'easters, Pacific Rim hazards, Mississippi River floods, tornadoes, and contacting offices other than by telephone. Amateur radio operators in all 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, will work with forecast offices and national centers throughout the 24-hour project.

Relevant Web Sites
Additional information on the Dec. 1-2, 2000, special event and a report on the 1999 event may be found online

More information about amateur radio may be found on the ARRL Web site

SKYWARN

NOAA's Weather Page

NOAA's National Weather Service USA Forecast Offices

NOAA's Goodland, Kan., National Weather Service Forecast Office

NOAA's Storm Prediction Center

NOAA's National Weather Service

Media Contact:
Pat Slattery, NOAA's National Weather Service Central Region, (816) 426-7621 ext. 621 or Keli Tarp, NOAA's Severe Storms Lab, Norman, Okla., (405) 366-0451

 

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