Skywarn Recognition Day 2010

[newsphotog]

Tomorrow is Skywarn Recognition Day. If you're not familiar with it, here's an FAQ: https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mtr/hamradio/srd10faq.pdf&pli=1 and a post from my local Skywarn org: Mid-Iowa Skywarn Association » December 3: 2010 Skywarn Recognition Day and there's also more information at National Weather Service - NWS San Francisco/Monterey Bay Area.

I will be on the bands this weekend operating from K0DMX. Not sure when, since I'll be setting up everything beginning at 9 a.m. tomorrow so I may not stay overnight until 7 a.m. like I usually do.

Also, for those with D-STAR repeaters in their area, REF024C will be used as the Skywarn Recognition Day reflector during the event. Anyone is welcome to connect at any time to make contacts with stations participating in SRD -- NWS stations, home stations, mobile stations, dongles, etc. That would be great to use the reflector if/when bands go dead. Any QSO's made on the reflector will count towards your final QSO count.

Are you going to participate in the event? If so, post in this thread!

 

[dwh367]

Nevermind. Thought better of it.

 

[newsphotog]

Even though I have been licensed several years, this was my first and last time trying to participate in this event. On the list of participating offices, the ones that said they would be monitoring IRLP and Echolink didn't have a node number or call sign associated with it so I did it the hard way by looking for repeaters and links in the same cities as the weather forecast offices. Long story short, I gave up after 3 hours of trying and not getting the first contact for all my time and trouble. Even one contact would have made it worth my effort. Some appreciation day. From now on, they can take their weather spotting requests and stick it where the sun don't shine.

You did know that most likely they were all on the *WX_TALK* conference server right? In fact, the NWS stations took turns and divided the 24 hours into shifts so that they have pretty good coverage. It was pretty active. They've been doing that for at least the past few years.

 

[dwh367]

You did know that most likely they were all on the *WX_TALK* conference server right? In fact, the NWS stations took turns and divided the 24 hours into shifts so that they have pretty good coverage. It was pretty active. They've been doing that for at least the past few years.

I threw out my call there several different times. There was no answer so I would try somewhere else and then try back again with the same lack of any response. There were no problems on my side of the link as I had just finished up a QSO with a friend of of mine right before I wasted my time with it.