SKYWARN Recognition Day for Amateur Radio Operators is co-sponsored by the National Weather Service and the American Radio Relay League. The purpose of the event is to celebrate the contributions that amateur radio operators ("hams") make to the National Weather Service during times of critical weather. During the event, hams across the country try to contact as many NWS offices as possible using their radio equipment. The contacts are received and logged at the individual NWS offices by volunteer amateur radio operators.
During the 7th annual event, four operations teams participated using individual transmitters from the NWS Melbourne, FL facility from 7 pm Friday December 2 through 7 pm Saturday December 3. The teams were comprised of ham operators from three active SKYWARN groups within East Central Florida: Brevard County Emergency Amateur Radio Services, Inc. (BEARS), Osceola County ARES/SKYWARN,
Treasure Coast Weather Net, as well as the East Central Florida SKYWARN Group (licensed NWS Melbourne meteorologists). The NWS Melbourne East Central Florida SKYWARN Group callsign WX4MLB was used.
Thank you to all the BEARS, Osceola County ARES/RACES, and Treasure Coast Weather Net members who made this a very successful and enjoyable event, and to those stations who participated in the SKYWARN Recognition Day event and also those who support SKYWARN operations throughout the year.
The 2005 results:
Total Contacts: 778
States Contacted: 49
NWS Stations Contacted: 71
Countries Contacted: 20
Continents Contacted: 3
Bands: 2, 6, 15, 20, 40, 80 meters
Modes: SSB, CW, FM, Echolink |
Event Participants:
| Eric Smitt - K9ES |
BEARS |
| Stephanie Phillips - K4MVO |
BEARS |
| Robert Phillips - AA4HP |
BEARS |
| Ozzie Osband - N4SCY |
BEARS |
| Ken Hendrickson - N8KH |
BEARS |
| Mike Stallings - K4RVR |
BEARS |
| Robert Anderson - K2BTW |
BEARS |
| Don Winn - AF4Z |
BEARS |
| Jan Heise - K4QD |
BEARS |
| Alan Johnson - KI4GOB |
BEARS |
| Roy Hill - W6QCM |
BEARS |
| John Weatherley - AB4ET |
BEARS |
| John Gerstner - KI4LRP |
BEARS |
| Jimmy Edwards - KF4ZOL |
BEARS |
| Cathy Johnson - KI4GMF |
BEARS |
| Jan Ferguson - W4REN |
BEARS |
| Donald Hartge - AG4FC |
BEARS |
| Frank Merceret - NA4CW |
NASA - KSC |
| Wayne Burkett - KA1VRF |
Indian River/Treasure Coast SKYWARN |
| Don Wheeler - KI4JHV |
Indian River/Treasure Coast SKYWARN |
| Mark Timblin - AI4HO |
Indian River/Treasure Coast SKYWARN |
| John Hayden - KG4BFJ |
Osceola County ARES/SKYWARN |
| Don Pape - KI4LZX |
Osceola County ARES/SKYWARN |
| Harry Kaufman - WN7YJJ |
Osceola County ARES/SKYWARN |
| Pete Blottman - N2RFW |
NWS Melbourne SKYWARN Group |
| Dennis Decker - KB4TYM |
NWS Melbourne SKYWARN Group |
| Scott Spratt - KT4PD |
NWS Melbourne SKYWARN Group |
| Roddey Stevenson |
NWS Melbourne |
| Arlena Moses |
NWS Melbourne |
| Jackie Cartwright |
NWS Melbourne |
| Bob Wimmer |
NWS Melbourne |
| Bart Hagemeyer |
NWS Melbourne |
For questions, comments, feedback, please email Scott Spratt. To receive a QSL card from WX4MLB, please send an your card along with an SASE to: NWS Melbourne, 421 Croton Road, Melbourne, FL 32935. Electronic QSLs can be exchanged via http://eqsl.cc/qslcard/. For certificate information,
click here.
Previous Year Statistics from
WFO Melbourne (local
records)
| YEAR |
TOTAL QSO's |
NWS QSO's |
STATES |
DX COUNTIES |
| 1999 |
279 |
20 |
38 |
7 |
| 2000 |
489 |
38 |
43 |
12 |
| 2001 |
276 |
33 |
48 |
3 |
| 2002 |
388 |
35 |
44 |
29 |
| 2003 |
538 |
42 |
43 |
20 |
| 2004 |
1524 |
68 |
49 |
57 |
|
National Weather Service Forecast Office
