A brand new net targeted at younger amateur radio operators debuts this Sunday, September 4th on the Southwest Missouri Regional Skywarn linked repeaters. The purpose of this net is to provide a forum to encourage young amateur radio operators and their families to key up and get out on the air and to create an educational awareness among these operators about Skywarn and basic weather facts.
The Skywarn Youth Net will meet on all full-time-linked Southwest Missouri Regional Skywarn repeaters every Sunday evening at 7:30. During severe weather outbreaks, this net will be pre-empted to allow for official Skywarn traffic on this repeater system.
Each net will start by taking check-in’s from young hams (approximately ages 25 and younger) and from any licensed hams within their immediate household. It will then open up to hams who have youths within their households who are not yet licensed but who are interested in getting their licenses. Those hams can then properly (in accordance with FCC Rules Sec. 97.115) allow these future hams to check in as a third party if they wish. Finally, any and all licensed hams will be invited check in.
As this net grows and evolves, we hope to create and present brief educational segments. For example, one segment, entitled “Skywarn Youth: Did You Know”, will involve a quick (about a minute long) summary about a specific weather-related fact, and it will be presented by one of our younger hams. This and other segments will be posted on the new “Skywarn Youth” section of this website. Click on the “Skywarn Youth” tab on the navigation menu.
We invite all young hams, their families and the amateur radio community in general to support this net by checking in every Sunday evening at 7:30. Young hams are the future of this hobby, and we encourage them to get involved, to get out on the air and talk, and to invite their friends to become hams as well. We also hope that all participants will learn more about Skywarn activities and about weather.
Frequencies and EchoLink for this net are:
Fordland/Springfield 145.490 (-) PL: 136.5
Joplin: 145.350 (-) PL 91.5
Walnut Grove: 147.330 (+) PL 162.2
Buffalo: 147.180 (+) PL 136.5
Branson: 147.105 (+) PL 162.2
and EchoLink Node: 291849 or N∅NWS-R