Is my local NOAA station down?

[dragon48]

This is my local station:

NWR Transmitter Propagation

www.weather.gov

According to the site, operation is normal. I was listening a few hours ago (approximately 5:00 P.M. UTC - may be off by as much as 30 minutes) when the signal abruptly died. I still can't pick it up with any of my radios. I'm only around 20 miles away from the transmitter and my outdoor antenna and mobiles outside never had any problems picking it up. I'm assuming the transmitter is down, but the web page has not been updated. I can't imagine that something odd happened with the FM propagation.

Any intel on the actual status?

 

[a417]

Any intel on the actual status?

Did you check here...

before you do this?

If no one reports it, will they ever know to fix it?

 

[dragon48]

Did you check here...

before you do this?

If no one reports it, will they ever know to fix it?

I did check your first link earlier. I both left a voicemail and used the web form to report the outage.

Appreciate the info.

 

[a417]

I did check your first link earlier. I both left a voicemail and used the web form to report the outage.

Appreciate the info.

I have a feeling the 2nd link came from too many peoples knee-jerk reactions and lots of false reports.

 

[N4DES]

I reported a low PA power to them a few weeks ago, but I can hear the West Palm NOAA in West Boca.

Mark

 

[N4KVL]

It was definitely down for a few hours yesterday. I was using it to align audio and troubleshoot some network issues on a MCD5000 system I am currently configuring on a mobile command vehicle. Was singing along happily and then bzzzzzzt, nothing. Thought I borked the network config with a config I pushed. Turned on a portable and dead air. Came back on the air a few hours later.

Mark, based on the -55 I am receiving it at here in Delray currently, I think they may have taken a look at the PA.

 

[dragon48]

It was definitely down for a few hours yesterday. I was using it to align audio and troubleshoot some network issues on a MCD5000 system I am currently configuring on a mobile command vehicle. Was singing along happily and then bzzzzzzt, nothing. Thought I borked the network config with a config I pushed. Turned on a portable and dead air. Came back on the air a few hours later.

Mark, based on the -55 I am receiving it at here in Delray currently, I think they may have taken a look at the PA.

Appreciate the confirm and sanity check. I checked one more time last night and it was still down, but this morning around 3:00 P.M. UTC when I checked, the signal was coming in loud and clear. I wonder whether my report alerted NOAA of the problem and if I'll get a thanks.

 

[N4DES]

It was definitely down for a few hours yesterday. I was using it to align audio and troubleshoot some network issues on a MCD5000 system I am currently configuring on a mobile command vehicle. Was singing along happily and then bzzzzzzt, nothing. Thought I borked the network config with a config I pushed. Turned on a portable and dead air. Came back on the air a few hours later.

Mark, based on the -55 I am receiving it at here in Delray currently, I think they may have taken a look at the PA.

Sounds like they took a scheduled trip to West Palm from Miami to do the repair. They aren't expeditious unless it is totally off-line, and when that happens it's usually the phone line and they have to wait for AT&T. They monitor the transmitter performance on the back half of the phone line, so they do keep a 24/7 ear on it.

I'll take a trip to the tower over the week and take a look to see if it's back up to its 1KW.

 

[dragon48]

I just received a follow-up call from somebody in DC, asking whether the station was back up. I checked and it was still broadcasting. I reported it was back up on Saturday. The caller thanked me for listening. I also received an email follow-up stating that the broadcast has been restored.

I don't remember when I stopped checking for the night on Friday, but it was probably between 11:00 P.M. UTC and 12:00 A.M. UTC Saturday. During the outage times I noticed, neither the local site for KEC50, nor the outage page were updated to reflect the down status.

 

[N4DES]

It's a happy camper....

 

[dragon48]

It's a happy camper....
View attachment 124216

Cool! what's your job at the site?

 

[Firebuff880]

Guess I need to wake up my old MIdland and check it out -- Bet I lost the SAME code again as I have not seen (had the wife complain about) an alert in awhile. Even though my Text Messages from EMWIN are fine on my cells.

Thanks for the reminder --

 

[a417]

Cool! what's your job at the site?

If he tells you, he might have to kill you...don't want that now, do we?

 

[dragon48]

Guess I need to wake up my old MIdland and check it out -- Bet I lost the SAME code again as I have not seen (had the wife complain about) an alert in awhile. Even though my Text Messages from EMWIN are fine on my cells.

Thanks for the reminder --

I've got a bunch of radios that can pick up NOAA, but when I'm out on trails, I always bring one of my Standard Horizon HX210s, which are great handhelds. I've figured out that during rainy season here, forecasts aren't great, so I'm comfortable having the extra resource. I don't have any systems that can wake up with alerts, but when I take a break, I listen to the latest loop on the channel closest to my 20. Any alerts for my area, and I may decide to get the heck out of Dodge, or at least modify my plans.

Other than boaters, I'm not sure how much of an audience these channels have, but they are a valuable resource.

 

[N4DES]

Cool! what's your job at the site?

I'm the System Manager of 0598.