SKYWARN is the program set up by the National Weather Service to provide an avenue for the general public to report severe weather. Although you do not have to be an amateur radio operator to participate, many SKYWARN participants are hams who report their severe weather criteria via amateur radio.

The MTARA supports the SKYWARN program in our coverage area and encourages our members to attend one of the SKYWARN training sessions given in the area at least once every couple of years in order to remain aware of the reporting criteria.

If you would like to participate, watch this site for announcements regarding the schedule of training classes in the area. Also, please familiarize yourself with the reportable criteria - links to summer and winter criteria may be found in the left hand menu under SKYWARN.

Weather Coordinators for the Pioneer Valley area: Ray KA1JJM, Jim N1VMH, Eric N1QKO

The Frequency's to use in this area to report severe Weather:

Lower Pioneer Valley - 146.94 (-) PL=127.3. The output of .94 (146.94 simplex)if all the repeaters go down.
Northern Connecticut - 146.79 (-) PL= 82.5 . Its backup will 147.000 (+) PL=127.3.
Mid-Pioneer Valley    -  145.130 (-) PL=173.8. If not active, use 146.94 or 146.985.

(Amherst, Deerfield, Sunderland).

Upper Pioneer Valley - 146.985 (-) PL= 136.5. 

An important note: The 146.67 is reserved for reporting with IRLP or EchoLink to National Weather Service (NWS). Do not give weather reports there. That frequency is to be used for coordinating Reports. All weather spotters should give their reports on the "net" frequencies above.