On Tuesday, April 29, 2025 a line of severe thunderstorms raged across Pennsylvania causing significant damage. In anticipation of the excess communications traffic that would be needed NWS CTP asked amateur radio operators to staff the amateur station in the State College Office. Carmine Prestia, K3CWP, and Dan Tancibok, KB3ESJ, operated from 1600 to 2000. Although very quiet at first around 1828 things changed. Continue reading
Category Archives: Skywarn
NOAA/NWS possibly up for layoffs
In the administration’s race to cut government NOAA/NWS could be on the chopping block. See:
https://www.axios.com/2025/02/27/layoffs-hit-noaa-national-weather-service
I understand that a federal judge may have blocked the actions. However, this is a matter of public safety that can affect every United States Citizen and visitors to our country.
Skywarn Recognition Day 2024 Report
On December 7, 2024 Centre County ARES/Skywarn operators in cooperation with the State College National Weather Service Office participated in Skywarn Recognition Day 2024. Greg Guise, K3HOT; Dan Tancibok, KB3ESJ, and Elden Wood, KF0JZM staffed the VHF/UHF stations in the NWS office. Carmine Prestia, K3CWP was to operate a portable HF station outside the NWS CTP office. Unforeseen circumstances forced Carmine to operate from his home station. Operations were conducted from 09:00 to 12:00 Local Time on Saturday. Continue reading
Western Pennsylvania Skywarn Exercise, October 19,2024
Between 10:00 and 12:00 on Saturday the nineteenth of October, Western Pennsylvania amateur radio operators cooperated with the National Weather Service offices in State College and Pittsburgh to test amateur communications capabilities throughout the ARRL WPA Section. It turned out to be a very successful drill confirming the ability of the State College NWS office (NWS CTP) to communicate over a wide area, including contact with the Pittsburgh office (NWS PBZ). Continue reading
Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, & Snow (CoCoRaHS) Network
If you are interested in greater participation gathering weather data for the National Weather Service you might want to look at the CoCoRaHS program for reporting precipitation totals to NWS. As the name implies CoCoRaHS seeks to record accurate daily precipitation data for the NWS. Click on this sentence to find out more information.
Weather/Skywarn information links
Bob Fenner, K3RDF, an NWS Employee provided a number of links to weather information that is of interest to Skywarn Spotters and Amateur Radio Operators in General. You can find them by clicking on “Links” in the menu above.
Thank you Bob!
Results of Skywarn Net Jan. 24, 2024 on W3GA, 146.76
As announced a Skywarn was conducted from the National Weather Service State College Office (NWS CTP) on January 24th at 19:00. NCS used the NWS CTP call sign WX3CTP. Carmine, K3CWP and Greg, K3HOT staffed the station.
Nineteen stations checked in from seven counties as listed below. The showed that the coverage for W3GA will be useful for Skywarn activations should other local repeaters fail. Thank you to the stations who checked in. They are listed below. Continue reading
Skywarn net announced for Jan. 24, 2024
On Wednesday, January 24, 2024 at 19:00 local time we will conduct a Skywarn net on the W3GA repeater. Frequency is 146.760 mHz, -600 kHz shift, 146.2 Tone. Net control will be operating from the National Weather Service Office in State College using the callsign WX3CTP.
Net control will call for stations to check in from Centre and surrounding counties. Stations checking in are asked to give their callsign, name, and a brief report of weather observations at their location.
This will give us a test of coverage into the areas west, south, and north of Centre County from the repeater’s location on Rattlesnake Mountain.
Any amateur radio operator is welcome to check in, not just Skywarn spotters.
Link added to the Skywarn Spotters Field Guide
A link has been added to the Link Library for the National Weather Service Skywarn Spotters Field Guide.
Public Service Events For 2023
Opportunities for public service yet this year. If you want to volunteer for any of the events not coordinated by Nittany Amateur Radio Club contact Carmine at k3cwp@arrl.net.
- December 2, Skywarn Recognition Day
- Coordinated by Carmine Prestia, K3CWP, carmine.prestia@gmail.com
Watch this space for more information, especially how to sign up to help.