[AARA] Annual WX4NHC On-the-Air Station Test Set for Saturday, May 29

[Herman Campbell]

Annual WX4NHC On-the-Air Station Test Set for Saturday, May 29

The annual WX4NHC <https://w4ehw.fiu.edu/> station on-the-air test will 
be held on Saturday, May 29, 1300 - 2100 UTC. The WX4NHC operators plan 
to be working remotely again this year as the National Hurricane Center 
plans to maintain all CDC COVID-19 pandemic protocols until the end of 
2021. The yearly exercise takes place just ahead of the official start 
of the Atlantic Hurricane Season, June 1 - November 30. Assistant WX4NHC 
Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R, said the event offers an opportunity for 
radio amateurs worldwide to exercise the sorts of communication 
capabilities available during severe weather.

"We will be making brief contacts on many frequencies and modes, and 
exchanging signal reports and basic weather data (sunny, rain, 
temperature, etc.) with any station in any location," Ripoll said.

Participating stations may use HF, VHF, UHF, APRS, and Winlink, with 
WX4NHC HF activity centering on the Hurricane Watch Net frequencies of 
14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz, depending on propagation, and will operate 
elsewhere as conditions dictate. WX4NHC will also participate in the 
VoIP Hurricane Net <http://www.voipwx.net/>, 2000 - 2100 UTC.

As for the upcoming hurricane season, Ripoll said, "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!"

In conjunction with the National Hurricane Conference 
<https://hurricanemeeting.com/> next month, the traditional Amateur 
Radio Workshop sessions will be held virtually on Tuesday, June 15, 
10:30 AM - 12 PM EDT and 1:30 - 5 PM EDT. The sessions will be moderated 
by Rob Macedo, KD1CY,**Director of Operations, VoIP Hurricane Net, with 
Ripoll.

To access the Zoom meeting check-in 
<https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84497886921?pwd=ZVJKZkx4VDk1bGJzbWFjaEhweTY4QT09>, 
use the meeting ID 844 9788 6921, and the passcode 565708.

Red Cross Emergency Communications Spring 2021 Drill was a Success

The Red Cross Emergency Communications Training Group 
<http://arc-emcomm-training.org/> held its third nationwide drill on 
Saturday, May 8. While results are still being compiled and checked, it 
appears that some 800 participating radio amateurs took part in sending 
traffic via Winlink to one of eight Red Cross Divisional clearinghouses 
around the nation.

The Training Group has two overarching goals: to attract and train a

*Bruce McQuade, KD2PSP, operating from Warwick Town Park, Warwick, New 
York, ARC Nationwide Winlink Drill on May 8, 2021. [Steven Hoffman, 
KC2YYF, photo]*

large number of radio amateurs in the basic use of Winlink and to 
incrementally raise the bar to higher levels of proficiency. To 
accomplish this, Winlink Thursday training ops were held all winter.

For the May 8 nationwide drill, participants were asked to send two 
Winlink messages -- a Winlink check-in form providing GPS coordinates of 
the station, and a message containing a Red Cross Shelter Requisition 
Form 6409. The valid GPS coordinates were mapped and displayed in real 
time during the drill.

One challenge for the second message was that the sample Form 6409 had 
been filled in by hand, to provide a more realistic scenario than a 
neatly typed one. Operators had to transcribe the requisition items.

The use of radio to send Winlink messages was encouraged, and more than 
80% of participants did so, either on HF or VHF/UHF frequencies. The 
percentage number and message accuracy rate have continually risen 
during the Winlink Thursday drills.

Because the May 8 date fell on World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day 
<https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/celebrate-world-red-cross-and-red-crescent-day.html>, 
hams from around the world were invited to participate, and more than 50 
checked in from Central and South America, Canada, Germany, and South 
Africa.

For more information about the Red Cross Emergency Communications 
Training Group, visit the group's website and sign up for its group 
email service <http://arc-emcomm-training.org/JoinGroupsIO_2.html> to 
receive announcements of future activities. -- /Thanks to / The ARES 
Letter <http://www.arrl.org/ares-letter/>/via the Red Cross Emergency 
Communications Training Group/

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