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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