The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) [National Hurricane Center](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/) (NHC) amateur radio station WX4NHC will be on the air for its Annual Communications Test Saturday, May 28, 2022 from 9 AM-5 PM EDT (1300Z-2100Z). This event marks the 42nd year of amateur radio public service at the NHC. The purpose of the event is to test WX4NHC amateur radio equipment and antennas at the center, as well as center operators’ home station equipment, antennas, and computers prior to this year’s hurricane season, which starts June 1 and runs through November 30.

WX4NHC station assistant coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R, said, “The event is a good opportunity for amateur radio operators worldwide to practice providing emergency communications during times of severe weather. We will be making brief contacts on many frequencies and modes, exchanging signal reports and basic weather data (sunny, rain, temperature, etc.) with any station in any location.”

WX4NHC will be on the air on HF, VHF, UHF, 2- and 30-meter APRS and Winlink (subject lines of messages must contain “//WL2K”). Ripoll said “We will try to stay on the Hurricane Watch Net frequency 14.325 MHz most of the time, with an option of 7.268 MHz, depending on propagation and conditions. However, we will be operating on different frequencies depending on QRM; you may be able to find us on HF by using one of the DX spotting networks such as the DX Summit.” The operation will also be conducted on the VoIP Hurricane Net at 4 PM-5PM EDT (2000-2100Z): IRLP node 9219/EchoLink WX-TALK Conference node 7203. WX4NHC operators will also make a few contacts on local VHF and UHF repeaters as well as the Florida statewide SARNET system to test station equipment.

QSL cards are available via WD4R. Please send cards with a SASE. Please do NOT send QSLs directly to the Hurricane Center address, as handling will get delayed. Due to security measures and the COVID-19 pandemic, no visitors will be allowed entry to the National Hurricane Center. For more information about WX4NHC, please visit the station’s website http://wx4nhc.org/