Hurricanes along the east coast of North America attract the media's attention each year. This is our attempt to synthesize data collected over time.

Monitoring hurricane activity has, in the last couple of years, undergone quite a dramatic change due to several significant events in the HF/LF world. These include:

• The shutdown worldwide of monitoring the old 500 khz distress frequency;
• The shutdown of all the AT&T coastal marine stations (these often had Sitor-B weather bulletins at regular intervals);
• The absorption of many military flights into the Global HF System network (which is slowly morphing into Scope Command);
• The acquisition of many HF maritime stations by Globe Wireless.

Military Monitoring

The most common question that arises is 'Where can I hear the Hurricane Hunters?'. As documented in many places, the famous Miami Monitor HF network no longer exists; most of the Hunters traffic takes place on Satcom. However, they still do use HF from time to time. Keep an eye on the MARS frequency of 13927 USB. This frequency is often used by the Hunters to do phone patches for various news reporting organizations, and on occasion to check in when Satcom is having problems.

Coast Guard weather bulletins are transmitted at regular intervals from various sites. These are automated broadcasts which give weather synopsis for their areas. These broadcasts (known as 'MSI' broadcasts) have regular schedules; see the link at the bottom of the page for more information.

Finally, in 2000, the Armed Forces Network sprang up from the ashes (it used to be known as AFRTS). These transmission are interruptable feed loops which are used to feed news and sports information to troops abroad. The sites to watch are found in Key West Florida, and Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. The current frequency schedule can be found here.

Come meet Mike Agner KA3JJZ at the annual Winter SWL Festival and share info!

Aeronautical Monitoring

Most people don't consider aero monitoring to be that important when thinking about hurricanes, but this idea is easily proven wrong. Have you ever had a commercial flight that had to fly near a thunderstorm? If so, then you know that the up/downdrafts and other problems make it a hazardous assignment. Often, therefore, flights can be heard having to divert from their flight plan. Places to look for flights reporting into their respective areas can be found below. Check out Hugh Stegman's MWARA frequency list below for more information.

Amateur Monitoring

When a strike is predicted, the Hurricane Watch frequency 14325U becomes very active! In addition, there are many other nets that may activate as a hurricane approaches. Take a look at Bill Snyder's site for a good listing of these nets.

Other Resources

In the last several years, the number of radios placed online on the Internet has exploded. This allows a listener to hear traffic from affected areas, as long as the links are safe from the storm. In addition, the state forums at the popular RadioReference website can provide up to date links and frequencies for sites in their areas. Some hurricane traffic is also echoed on the Echolink and IRLP systems. Check the links at the bottom of the page for more information.

Where can I go for up to date information?

The best place to go is to join the Worldwide Utility News Web site which is a HF utility-only club which distributes loggings electronically. If you watch the logs you will no doubt see what you are looking for. Be sure to contribute when you hear something!

Web Sites

• National Hurricane Center
• Hurricane Hunters - 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron
• FEMA: Tropical Storm and Hurricane Watch Information and Preparedness Material
• Hurricane and Storm Tracking
• Hugh Stegman's Hurricane Frequency List
• Bill Snyder's Hurricane Frequencies
• Amateur Radio at the National Hurricane Center: WX4HNC
• Hurricane Watch Net
• US Coast Guard Information Page MSI broadcasts
• Hugh Stegman's MWARA frequency list
• Convert ITU Channel Numbers To Frequencies
• Utility World (see special hurricane section on home page)
• Atlantic Tropical Weather Center
• Marine Product Information Dissemination Page
• Weather Reconnaisance Flight Schedule
• The Weather Underground: Tropical Weather
• WLO/KMI Frequency schedules

Streaming/Online Audio and other sources

• Hurricane City
• Caribbean Hurricane Network
• DX Tuners
• Shoutcast
• Forums at RadioReference.Com
• Echolink active stations
• IRLP active nodes

The Hurricane Watch Net normally occupies 14325 USB during times of crisis. On 29 August 2005 the net was being headed by Bob Reed N6HGG as Katrina approached the Gulf Coast and New Orleans. Reed, active on the Pacific Seafarers Net, used those Internet rebroadcast facilities to retransmit HWN audio on the PacSea Shoutcast server at 68.6.31.23:8000. Reed, an admitted SWL, is responsible for getting the audio onto the 'net, and I thank him for that. (We've chatted via AOL's IM.) It was in use on the next day as well. It is a great service, especially when the MUF (maximum usable frequency) closes the band during the dark hours or one is in a building without a receiver or antenna. Check the PacSea server for future activity in future hurricanes!

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