2023 SKYWARN Recognition Day

NWS Melbourne, Florida 2023 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 2023 SRD Event

Members of PCARS setting up their antenna for SKYWARN Recognition Day!	Rodger (AK4MI), Clyde (KD8AN), and Deb (W4DM) kicking off operations for SKYWARN Recognition Day!
PCARS antennas (dipole and tri-bander) set up outside of NWS Melbourne for the event	Sandy (KA1HUG) and Dave (K4VV) operating on HF
NWS Meteorologists Will and Rob giving tours of the office to visiting local amateur radio operators	Paul (W1IP) and Rob (K8RAR) operating on HF
Mark (W9MGB) making contacts on HF	Ray (KI4RHL) making contacts on 2M

After a 4-year hiatus, on-site operations returned to the National Weather Service Office in Melbourne, FL to support SKYWARN™ Recognition Day (SRD)! The Platinum Coast Amateur Radio Society (PCARS) contributed the equipment needed to run an HF station at the office and also staffed this station, making contacts and exchanging weather information during much of the event! SRD is held during the first Saturday in December (from 00Z-00Z), and for 2023 ran from 7pm Friday, December 1st through 7 pm Saturday, December 2nd. This event is co-sponsored by the National Weather Service (www.weather.gov) and the American Radio Relay League (ARRL; www.arrl.org). Local amateur radio operators and their family members also attended a SKYWARN™ Open House from 10 AM to 4 PM on Saturday, December 2nd, for tours of event operations and of the National Weather Service office.

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.

2023 SRD results at NWS Melbourne:

Total Contacts:   516
States Contacted: 37
NWS Stations Contacted:  26
Countries Contacted: 4
Bands: 2, 10, 15, 20, 40 meters
Modes: SSB and FM

Radio Operators & Assistance Provided by:

Platinum Coast Amateur Radio Society (PCARS)	Brevard County
Walter Aucoin Jr. - K5LD	Brevard County - PCARS
Rodger Boogren - AK4MI	Brevard County - PCARS
Mark Burke - W9MGB	Brevard County - PCARS
Jim Lauk - KC9UD	Brevard County - PCARS
Paul Lourd - W1IP	Brevard County - PCARS
Ken Hendrickson - N8KH	Brevard County - HIARC
Deb Markley - W4DM	Brevard County - PCARS
Rob Railer - K8RAR	Brevard County - PCARS
Gregory Seaman - WD9GKG	Brevard County - PCARS
Anthony Soto - KD2GAZ	Brevard County - PCARS
Clyde Spencer - KD8AN	Brevard County - PCARS
Phil Tso - W7TSO	Brevard County - PCARS
Dave Roy - K1EUS	Indian River County - VBARC
Sandy Roy - KA1HUG	Indian River County - VBARC
Ray Jaworski - KI4RHL	Martin County - ARES/RACES
Don Burkhardt	NWS Melbourne
Rob Haley	NWS Melbourne
Will Ulrich - KJ4ZWU	NWS Melbourne
Derrick Weitlich - W1DKW	NWS Melbourne

For questions, comments, feedback, please email Derrick Weitlich or Rob Haley.

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

Annual Statistics from WFO Melbourne (local records)

YEAR	Total Contacts	NWS Contacts	States	DX Countries	Contacts nation-wide
1999	279	20	38	7
2000	489	38	43	12
2001	276	33	48	3
2002	388	35	44	29
2003	538	42	43	20
2004	1524	68	49	57	1st Place
2005	778	71	49	20	3rd Place
2006	921	70	50	24	2nd Place
2007	930	64	47	17	1st Place
2008	1192	74	50	40	2nd Place
2009	1373	77	50	43	1st Place
2010	292	35	43	6	15th Place
2011	1604	81	50	43	1st Place
2012	978	74	50	25	1st Place
2013	1024	54	47	21	1st Place
2014	1294	63	50	38	1st Place
2015	1407	65	50	32	-
2016	1209	65	50	21	2nd Place
2017	182	27	33	6	-
2018	558	43	46	1	-
2023	516	26	37	4	-

2023 SKYWARN Recognition Day Official Website