SKYWARN RECOGNITION DAY 2006

SKYWARN Recognition Day 2006 officially took place Saturday, December 2, from 0000-2400 UTC. Over one hundred National Weather Service offices across the nation participated in this 8th annual event, including the Raleigh National Weather Service. Using the call sign WX4NC, Central Carolina SKYWARN joined in the fun at the NWS from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, making contacts on the 146.88 repeater, the 147.105 repeater, the Carolina 440 UHF Link System, IRLP and HF.

The day began with Dave Roy W4DNA arriving at the NWS at 7:00 AM to put up a Carolina Windom 80 and an inverted V antenna. Assisting him periodically were other early birders Rod Thomson KI4LSN, Bob Woodson WX4MMM, Virginia Enzor NC4VA and Jeff Orrock KI4KKX.

By 9:00 AM, most volunteers arrived, eager to man the radios. Volunteers serving as radio operators for the event included NWS Meteorologist-In-Charge Darin Figurskey KC2IPY, NWS Warning Coordination Meteorologist Jeff Orrock KI4KKX, Rod Thomson KI4LSN, Jim Mcright KB4BZ, Bob Woodson WX4MMM, Dave Roy W4DNA, Phillip Jones KG4IVD, Robin Lane KI4LEC, Courtney Enzor KI4HOS and Virginia Enzor NC4VA.

In addition to two Kenwood dual band radios already at the NWS, Dave Roy brought his Yaesu FT 857 as did Rod Thomson his ICOM 751 for HF use.

During contacts, volunteers exchanged names, call signs, locations, signal reports and weather reports with each station. Just a few moments before 9:00 AM, the first CQ went out by Rod Thomson. The reply came back from Aruba! Contacts were made throughout the day with hams in 47 states, the Bahamas and as far away as Beauport, Grand-Mere and Baie-Comeau, all in Quebec, Canada.

Two volunteers made their very first HF contact ever - Courtney Enzor KI4HOS with N3HIS in Littitz, PA, and Phillip Jones KG4IVD with WX1CAR in Caribou, ME.

Here are the final statistics:

• 40 meters - 113 contacts
• 20 meters - 106
• 2 meters - 44
• UHF - 15
• IRLP - 66
• Total - 344 (Including duplicates)
• Total NWS offices contacted - 41
• Total points for the event - 46
• Certificate earned - Flash Flood

Saharan dust storms containing tiny specks of dust are linked to suppressed hurricane activity in the Atlantic. For details on this NOAA news story, please click here.

PERMANENT CHANGE IN BACK-UP REPEATER
August 2006

<We are delighted to announce that our permanent primary back up repeater will be the K4ITL repeater in Broadway, NC (Lee County); the frequency is 147.105 (82.5 tone). Thanks goes to Danny Hampton, K4ITL, for use of the repeater! Our secondary back up remains the Carolina 440 UHF Link System. Those frequencies can be found at www.carolina440.net.

ATTENDEES ENJOY CCS SPOTTER DINNER
July 28, 2006

Despite earlier severe weather in the afternoon, spotters enjoyed a delightful dinner at the Golden Corral Restaurant on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh, Thursday night, July 27, and an entertaining, informative program following the meal. Warning Coordination Meteorologist Jeff Orrock of the Raleigh National Weather Service gave an excellent PowerPoint presentation entitled, "North Carolina's Katrina: A Worst Case Scenario." Jeff detailed disaster implications of a category 5 hurricane hitting the NC coast west of Wilmington. CCS EC Virginia Enzor provided a handout of weather related frequencies. Door prizes of weather motif mouse pads were won by Lillian Ferrarini and Jim McRight.

Attendees included Jeff Orrock KI4KKX, Jim McRight KB4BZ, John Van Pelt K4JVP, Bernie Roy KI4HHU, Dave Roy W4DNA, Chris Massengale, Selene Montgomery KG4RMT, Hank Montgomery K4HM, Chuck Littlewood K4HF, Jim Maas N0YAO, Jacob Gore KI4PYO, Timmy Gore, Ashby Spratley W5PGX, David Crawford KF4VXJ, Lillian Ferrarini KC4AYH, Steve Ferrarini KJ4BX, and Virginia Enzor NC4VA.