The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) is activating for Hurricanes Tammy and Norma. In an e-mail sent on the morning of Friday, October 20, 2023, HWN Net Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, wrote: 

This morning, we have 2 Hurricanes threatening landfall.  

• In the Atlantic, we have Tammy which strengthened into a Cat 1 Hurricane overnight. 
• In the Eastern Pacific, we have Hurricane Norma. Once a Cat 4 Hurricane, it is now a Cat 3 storm, threatening Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of Baja California. 

We will activate HWN this afternoon at 5:00 PM EDT (2100 UTC) on 14.325 MHz (USB). This afternoon and early evening, we will be lining up reporting stations in the path of Hurricane Tammy in the northern Leeward Islands and for Hurricane Norma in Southern Baja California. We will close operations at 8:00 PM EDT (0000 UTC). 

On Saturday, we will resume operations on 14.325 MHz (USB) at 8:00 AM EDT (1200 UTC) and remain active until no longer required. If propagation dictates, we will utilize operations on 7.268.00 MHz (LSB)

Graves thanked radio amateurs for cooperating with the net over use of 14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz. 

In addition to HWN, the Hurricane VoIP Net and the WX4NHC amateur radio station at the National Hurricane Center are also planning to activate.  

“Tammy has already intensified into a hurricane and we will activate the VoIP Hurricane Net for Hurricane Tammy on Saturday 10/21/23 at 7:00 AM Eastern”, said VoIP Weather Net Director of Operations Rob Macedo, KD1CY.

“WX4NHC will be activating tomorrow (Saturday) morning 8am for Hurricane Tammy’s approach to Guadeloupe and later possible landfall on the Islands of Antigua and Barbuda. We will also be monitoring all reports for Hurricane Norma forecast to make landfall as a hurricane in Baja California Mexico tomorrow afternoon”, said Julio Ripoll, WD4R, at WX4NHC. 

Net operations will be on Echolink 7203, IRLP 9219, and a number of other resources, such as Allstar, Hamshack Hotline, Fusion, etc. provided at www.sunflowernet.us. Additionally, Winlink users may message KC5FM or use KC5FM-9 on APRS.

The full activation order is found at https://voipwx.net/2023/10/20/voip-hurricane-net-will-activate-saturday-morning-10-21-23-7-am-edt-through-11-pm-edt-for-hurricane-tammy/. 

The VOIPWX.NET provides Skywarn reports to WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center in Miami and receives calls for help from stations in the affected area.