Sessions focusing on the role of Amateur Radio in major weather events will be a part of the 2016 National Hurricane Conference, set for later this month in Orlando, Florida. The goal of the annual conference is to improve hurricane preparedness. Attendance is free to all Amateur Radio sessions, which will take place Tuesday, March 22, from 1:30 until 5 PM ET (1830-2200 UTC). Amateur Radio presentations will live streamed via YouTube and recorded.

At the 1:30 PM session, National Hurricane Center Director Rick Knabb will discuss the importance of Amateur Radio surface reporting. Other presenters will include Bob Robichaud, VE1MBR, of the Canadian Hurricane Centre, who will speak on hurricane meteorology and give a brief overview of his center’s operation, and WX4NHC Assistant Amateur Radio Station Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R, who will talk about activities at WX4NHC, the National Hurricane Center’s Amateur Radio station.

The 2-5 PM session will feature presentations from Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, discussing the HWN, personal weather stations, and back-up power and antennas; VoIP Hurricane Net director of operations and ARRL ARES Eastern Massachusetts Assistant SEC Rob Macedo, KD1CY, on the VoIP Hurricane Net and best practices in SKYWARN tropical systems, and ARRL Assistant Emergency Preparedness Manager Ken Bailey, K1FUG, who will offer an ARRL beginner’s course in Amateur Radio hurricane preparedness.

A question-and-answer session will follow the presentations.

The National Hurricane Conference takes place March 21-24 at the Hilton Orlando. Some 2000 attendees are expected.