Twelve amateur radio operators participated in Skywarn Recognition Day at WX6HNX, the San Joaqin Valley National Weather Station, located at Hanford, California. HF contacts were made on 20, 40 and 75 meters through either a Diamond BB7V or a Hustler 5-BTV connected to a Kenwood TS2000. The weather station also uses the TS2000 and Diamond BB7V tuned thru an LDG KT-100 tuner for it's licensed SHARES frequencies. D*Star contacts were made by Eric Ott, N6VYT and Ray Quinn, W6RAY, on their Icom IC-80AD via K6VIS 440.05(+) Mhz repeater located about 55 miles northeast of Hanford on Park Ridge in Kings Canyon National Park at an elevation of 7,500 feet.

Contacts were logged in Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD). A total of 57 contacts were made during the 24 hour period including 19 national weather stations. Weather station contacts were made on all the 3 HF bands and on 70 cm.

Jason Orton, KI6DKC, had this to say, "This is my first time working a Skywarn Field Day so I was a bit excited and nervous. I had never used a radio other than my own and it was my first time visiting the National Weater Station in Hanford, CA. Once I got going though everything was fine. There was a booming signal coming in from a NWS station in Texas. The operator was a quy named August and he was the friendliest fellow I think I have ever talked to on the radio. He was so friendly you would have thought you were his first and only contact of the day."

Ed Vonderbeck, KA6PNL, got the attention of the entire weather station staff when he made contact with JO7CVU, Ken, in Sendai, Japan, while using the Hustler 5-BTV mounted on a chain link fence for ground plane.

Please also see the attached pictures of operators and the station.

Regards,
Bruce Buhler, KD6DRU
San Joaquin Valley Skywarn Radio Advisory Committee Chairman