WX4NHC Annual Station On-The-Air Test

The WX4NHC Annual Station On-the-Air Test will be held on Saturday, May 29, from 9 AM to 5 PM EDT (1300Z-2100Z). This hurricane season, WX4NHC operators plan to be working remotely again. The National Hurricane Center is planning to maintain all CDC pandemic protocols until the end of 2021. The National Hurricane Center is allowing only the main meteorologists and staff to enter the building.

Julio Ripoll, WD4R, Assistant Coordinator of the National Hurricane Center‘s amateur radio station WX4NHC, said the event offers an opportunity for radio amateurs worldwide to exercise the sorts of communications available during severe weather. “We will be making brief contacts on many frequencies and modes, exchanging signal reports and basic weather data (sunny, rain, temperature, etc.) with any station in any location,” Ripoll said.

Operation will take place on HF, VHF, UHF, APRS, and Winlink. WX4NHC will center its activity on the Hurricane Watch Net frequencies of 14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz, depending on propagation, but will operate elsewhere as conditions dictate. WX4NHC will also operate on the VoIP Hurricane Net from 2000 until 2100 UTC. For the upcoming hurricane season, Ripoll reminded radio amateurs — “Even if you are not directly affected by a hurricane situation, please volunteer to monitor and relay reports; just one report can make a difference and help save a life!”