2024 SKYWARN Recognition Day

NWS Melbourne, Florida 2024 SKYWARN™ Recognition Day Final results have been compiled and pictures from the event have been updated! Thank you to the Platinum Coast Amateur Radio Society (PCARS), and all of our amateur radio volunteers who made this another fun and successful event!

Pictures from the 2024 SRD Event

Members of PCARS assembling their antenna

for SKYWARN Recognition Day!

And it's up!

Another SKYWARN™ Recognition Day (SRD) at the National Weather Service Office in Melbourne, FL is in the books! The Platinum Coast Amateur Radio Society (PCARS) once again contributed the equipment needed to run an HF station at the office and also staffed this station. We also had volunteers from the Martin County Amateur Radio Association running our VHF station, all making contacts and exchanging weather information during the event! Local amateur radio operators and their family members also attended a SKYWARN™ Open House from 10 AM to 4 PM on Saturday, December 7th, for tours of event operations and of the National Weather Service office. SRD is held during the first Saturday in December (from 00Z-00Z), and for 2024 ran from 7pm Friday, December 6th through 7 pm Saturday, December 7th. This event is co-sponsored by the National Weather Service (www.weather.gov) and the American Radio Relay League (ARRL; www.arrl.org).

SKYWARN™ Recognition Day (SRD) celebrates the contributions that SKYWARN™ volunteers, including those in the Amateur Radio community, provide to assist in the National Weather Service's mission to protect life and property. During major weather events, Amateur Radio operators provide vital communication between the NWS and emergency management in the event standard services fail or become overloaded. Additionally, all SKYWARN™ weather spotters, provide valuable information during hazardous weather situations. Often, these spotter reports allow NWS meteorologists to issue severe weather warnings with greater advance notice and confidence than would otherwise be possible.

During the 24-hour event, Amateur Radio operators throughout the country visited their local NWS office, set up portable radio stations to simulate emergency conditions, and worked in teams to exchange weather reports with other amateur radio operators across the nation and the globe. All spotters were also encouraged to check-in on the SKYWARN™ Spotter Check-In Map on the official SRD website.

2024 SRD results at NWS Melbourne:

Total Contacts: 651
States Contacted: 45
NWS Stations Contacted:  32
Counties Contacted:  8
Bands: 2, 15, 20, 40 meters
Modes: SSB and FM

Radio Operators & Assistance Provided by:

Walter Aucoin Jr. - K5LD	Brevard County - PCARS
Rodger Boogren - AK4MI	Brevard County - PCARS
Ed Hutchiinson - KK4ZWC	Brevard County - PCARS
Jeff Stewart - KX4NM	Brevard County - PCARS
Deb Markley - W4DM	Brevard County - PCARS
Rob Railer - K8RAR	Brevard County - PCARS
Gregory Seaman - WD9GKG	Brevard County - PCARS
Clyde Spencer - KD8AN	Brevard County - PCARS
Jimmy Mooney - NQJAM	Brevard County - PCARS
Keith Stephens - KQ4JYG	Brevard County - PCARS
David Allen - WD4VID	Brevard County - PCARS
Garth Lubey - W4GPL	Brevard County - PCARS
Ken Hendrickson - N8KH	Brevard County - HIARC/PBARC
Gordon Coffey - KK4SJ	Brevard County - KARC
Ray Jaworski - KI4RHL	Martin County - MCARA/ARES
Ron Tagg - KD4PQQ	Martin County - MCARA/MCARES

For questions, comments, feedback, please email sr-mlb.webmaster@noaa.gov.

To receive a QSL card from WX4MLB after the event, please send your card along with an SASE to:

NWS Melbourne
421 Croton Road
Melbourne, FL 32935

SKYWARN Recognition Day Official Website