SKYWARNTM is made up of a group of trained, dedicated
amateur weather enthusiasts who work in conjunction with
the National Weather Service by observing and reporting
adverse weather conditions to promote public safety and
minimize property damage.
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WX2PHI Mount Holly NWSFO SKYWARN Amateur Radio Communications Center to be staffed
by SKYWARN Personnel
The National Weather Service's Mount Holly Forecast Office,
under the direction of the SKYWARN Advisory Committee
(formerly the SKYWARN Technical Committee), is seeking
SKYWARN volunteers to staff the WX2PHI SKYWARN Amateur
Radio Communications Center (SARCC) station located at the
National Weather Service Forecast Office in Mount Holly,
New Jersey. The Mount Holly NWSFO serves approximately
eleven million people in thirty-four (34) counties located
within Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The
office is located at 732 Woodlane Road(State Route 630) off
of State Route 541 in Westampton Township, Burlington
County, New Jersey. Mike Patton
(W3MJP), Member-at-Large of the SKYWARN Advisory
Committee, will be coordinating efforts to staff the NWSFO
office with SKYWARN personnel.
SKYWARN Communication Center activation will be based upon
prevailing and/or anticipated hazardous weather events
including, but not necessarily limited to moderate risk for
severe thunderstorms, major Winter Storm warnings and
Hurricane/ Tropical Storm warnings. The Senior Forecaster
on-duty at the Mount Holly NWSFO will determine the need to
have the SARCC staffed with personnel. Ideally, the
communications center will be staffed by at least two
SKYWARN educated individuals.
Currently, the SARCC is located in a separate cubicle on
the floor of the forecasting office and is equipped with a
Kenwood TM-742 Tri-band amateur radio, a TNC, APRS
capabilities, a computer, a telephone and a nearby FAX
machine. It is expected that SKYWARN personnel will be
responsible for acting as WX2PHI Net Control Operators
using assigned SKYWARN (WA3BXW UHF, Complex Repeater Group,
County) frequencies to obtain and evaluate severe weather
information from active SKYWARN Nets and from other amateur
radio stations. In addition, it is anticipated that
real-time e-mail, telephone and facsimile traffic reporting
severe weather conditions and data will also be handled by
the SKYWARN volunteers staffing the SARCC. SKYWARN
volunteers who are interested in participating in this
program will be expected to become familiar with SKYWARN
Net Control Operator guidelines and operating procedures
designed by the Mount Holly NWSFO SKYWARN Advisory
Committee specifically for the amateur radio communication
center as well as with the operation of the radio, computer
and telephone equipment. Volunteers who do not possess a
current amateur radio license will be able to operate the
station under the supervision of a licensed amateur radio
operator and will be able to participate in other station
activities. Questions about the program should be directed
to Mike Patton.
SKYWARN weather spotters who are interested in
participating in this program should contact Mike Patton via
e-mail at w3mjp@arrl.net
