December 7, 2024 from 0000z to 2400z

SKYWARN™ Recognition Day was developed in 1999 by the National Weather Service and ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio®. It celebrates the contributions that volunteer SKYWARN radio operators make to the National Weather Service. During the day SKYWARN operators visit NWS offices and contact other radio operators across the world. 

SKYWARN Recognition Day Operating Instructions

Objective:

For all amateur stations to exchange QSO information with as many Amateur Radio SKYWARN Spotters and National Weather Service Stations as possible on 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6, 2 meter and 70 centimeter bands. Contacts via repeaters are permitted. SKYWARN™ Recognition Day serves to celebrate the contributions to public safety made by amateur radio operators during severe weather events of the past year.

Date:

NWS stations will operate December 7, 2024, from 0000 - 2400 UTC. 

Exchange:

Call sign, name, location, signal report, a one or two-word description of the weather occurring at your site ("sunny", "partly cloudy", "windy", etc.), temperature reading if available and SRD Number if the station has one.

Modes:

NWS stations will work various modes including SSB, FM, AM, RTTY, Winlink, CW, FT8, FT4, and PSK31. While working digital modes, special event stations will append "NWS" to their call sign (e.g., N0A/NWS).

Station Control Operator:

It is suggested that during SRD operations for NWS offices a non-NWS volunteer should serve as a control operator for your station.

Event and QSL Information:

The National Weather Service will provide event information via the internet. Event certificates will once again be electronic and printable from the main website after the conclusion of SRD.

Log Submission:

To submit your log summary for SRD, you can use the online submission form that will be made available on the NWS SRD Recognition main page when the event is completed. Deadline for log submission is January 31, 2025.

NOTE ON NWS STATION OPERATIONS:
Guidance on in-person Amateur Radio operations by volunteers will be determined by each National Weather Service Local Forecast Office. Amateur radio operators must make all necessary inquiries ahead of SRD with the appropriate NWS staff at your respective Weather Forecast Office.