September 16, 2024

This Week in Amateur Radio

North America's Premiere Amateur Radio News Magazine

Via the ARRL: Hurricane Delta Prompts Activations of Hurricane Watch Net, WX4NHC, SATERN

The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN), WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center (NHC), and The Salvation Army’s SATERN have announced activations for Hurricane Delta, the latest Atlantic storm. The HWN moved to its Alert Level 4 on Wednesday and is now running on 14.325 MHz. WX4NHC monitors the same frequency to gather “ground truth” reports from radio amateurs that may assist NHC forecasters.

As of 1200 UTC, the NHC warned that Delta was bringing “a life-threatening storm surge and strong winds” to the northeastern portions of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, where it made landfall at 1030 UTC. Maximum sustained winds from Delta were clocked at 105 MPH, making it a Category 2 hurricane. The storm was some 35 miles west of Cancun, Mexico, moving northwest at 17 MPH.

HWN Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, said the net got off to a late start because it lacked propagation into the affected area overnight, both on 20 and 40 meters (the net’s secondary frequency is 7.268 MHz). The net anticipates remaining in operation for most of Wednesday, before taking a break and resuming operations on Friday at 1200 UTC on 14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz. Graves said the net plans to remain in full operation until around midnight CDT.

Read more – via American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources http://www.arrl.org/news/view/hurricane-delta-prompts-activations-of-hurricane-watch-net-wx4nhc-satern