Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (A) To : All From : Daryl Stout Date : Fri Dec 01 2017 07:58 am Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2092 for Friday, December 1st, 2017 Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2092, with a release date of Friday, December 1st, 2017 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1. The following is a QST. SKYWARN Recognition Day celebrates amateur response to weather. NASA prepares for a year of marking milestones -- and here come those Santa Nets! All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2092, comes your way right now. ** BILLBOARD CART ** SKYWARN RECOGNITION DAY WEATHERS THE STORMS STEPHEN/ANCHOR: As we reach the end of a particularly challenging hurricane season in the U.S., SKYWARN Recognition Day on December 2nd takes on particular significance. The event shows just how valuable hams are to The National Weather service. Here's broadcast meteorologist Bobby Best, WX4ALA, with that story. BOBBY'S REPORT: Many people, in both the general public, and more than you might expect in the amateur radio community, do not realize just how valuable NWS Trained SKYWARN Spotters, especially those that are amateur radio operators, are to the warning process at local National Weather Service Offices' level. Recently, I spoke with Clay Barnes, a former amateur radio operator, who allowed his license to expire. He has learned just how valuable both NWS-trained SKYWARN spotters are in the field to the National Weather Service. He especially saw this, sadly for the first time, first hand, six years ago, when a powerful EF-4 tornado tracked literally miles from his own home, North of Birmingham, Alabama. Clay, tell us, how do you see the need for more NWS/SKYWARN trained eyes in the field, and specifically, what made you choose to go back to scratch, getting your expired ham radio license back, please. CLAY: Honestly, the total devastation that Alabama took during the generational tornado outbreak, on April 27th, 2011, and how we saw first-hand, how that not only had power outages across the state, but also the severe devastation also knocked out emergency repeaters for law enforcement, fire/rescue and EMS, just to name a few, and the quickest of restoring communications was through emergency agencies cooperating with members of amateur radio. There's no doubt in my mind, that were it not for ham radio that day, Alabama would have seen more deaths. It was safer after that day. That's when I began to re-consider re-taking the test, and getting my ham license back, so that I could be of emergency communications assistance to friends, family, and neighbors. BOBBY: If you're a ham operator who has let your license expire, or a non-ham who is interested in how you can be of great support to your community during times of crisis, like during weather outbreaks, that fall under The SKYWARN umbrella of amateur radio operations, contact a ham radio club near you today. Reporting from Gardendale, Alabama, for Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bobby Best; WX4ALA. ** SANTA NET ARRIVES ON 80 METERS STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our favorite ham radio stories this time of year are about the magic of Santa Nets. Our first story comes from Kevin Trotman, N5PRE. KEVIN: As any kid will tell you, the best kind of Santa is one who doesn't make you wait until December 25th, right? Well, we've got one Santa who is already here: The nightly Santa Net went on the air on Friday, the 24th of November, and will be available every night at 7:30 p.m. Central Time through Christmas Eve. The tradition is into its 12th year, and is operated by the 3916 Nets, the Rag Chew Crew, the Tailgaters, and the Freewheelers. Pre-net check-ins begin nightly at 7:15 p.m. Central Time, and are also accepted on the Santa Net's Facebook page. Find Santa each night on 3.916 MHz. No milk and cookies needed - but don't be on the naughty list: please observe all FCC rules regarding third party traffic. For Amateur Radio Newsline, in Aiken, South Carolina, I'm Kevin Trotman, N5PRE. --- þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - wx1der.dyndns.org .