863  
NOAK49 PAMC 151931  
PNSMCG  
AKZ227-160100-  
 
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MCGRATH AK  
1131 AM AKDT THU JUN 15 2017  
 
...DISCONTINUATION OF MARINE VHF RADIO BROADCASTS IN ALASKA  
REGION ON AUGUST 1, 2017...  
 
EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1, 2017, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE (NWS)  
ALASKA REGION PLANS TO DISCONTINUE ALL VOICE MARINE WEATHER  
BROADCASTS VIA VHF RADIO. MARINE WEATHER AND FORECAST  
INFORMATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE AVAILABLE ON NOAA WEATHER  
RADIO ALL HAZARDS (NWR), WHICH ALSO BROADCASTS IN THE VHF  
RADIO BAND. THESE NWR BROADCASTS ARE AN IMPROVEMENT OVER  
THE VOICE VHF BROADCASTS BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE CONTINUOUS AND  
MORE COMPREHENSIVE WEATHER INFORMATION.  
 
ORIGINALLY, VHF VOICE BROADCASTS WERE PERFORMED NOT ONLY TO  
DISSEMINATE MARINE WEATHER INFORMATION, BUT TO RECEIVE WEATHER  
OBSERVATIONS FROM MARINERS. WITH IMPROVEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY  
(NWR, SMARTPHONES AND THE INTERNET), WSOS HAVE OBSERVED  
AN APPARENT DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF VHF USERS, AND A  
TREMENDOUS DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF WEATHER OBSERVATIONS  
RECEIVED FROM MARINERS DURING THESE BROADCASTS. FOR THESE  
REASONS, AND BECAUSE NWR ALREADY PROVIDES OBSERVATIONS AND  
MARINE FORECASTS 24X7, THE NWS IN ALASKA REGION PLANS TO  
DISCONTINUE THE VHF BROADCASTS.  
 
WSO MCGRATH IS CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO PERFORM DAILY VHF  
BROADCASTS ON CHANNEL 7 AT 0700 AND 1600 LOCAL TIME. THESE  
BROADCASTS WILL BE DISCONTINUED AS OF AUGUST 1, 2017. ON OR  
BEFORE THAT DATE, MARINERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ACCESS NWR  
BROADCASTS USING THE STATION LISTING PROVIDED IN THE FOLLOWING  
URL.  
 
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/NWR/COVERAGE/STATIONS.PHP?STATE=AK  
 
IF YOU HAVE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT:  
 
ANGEL CORONA  
ACTING CHIEF, SYSTEMS OPERATION DIVISION  
EMAIL: ANGEL.CORONA@NOAA.GOV  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, ALASKA REGION HEADQUARTERS  
ANCHORAGE, AK 99513  
WORK 907-271-5119  
 
NATIONAL PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS ARE ONLINE:  
 
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/OS/NOTIF.HTM  
 

 
MRC JUN 17  
 
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