Central Illinois Storm Spotting Frequencies

Frequency (MHz)	Callsign	Location	Description
146.655	W9BIL	Mattoon, IL	Analog repeater with good coverage. Occasionally monitored by ILX.
444.925	W9MBD	Mattoon, IL	Analog repeater with good coverage into Eastern IL. Occasionally monitored by ILX.
444.275	W9NW	Lovington, IL	Analog repeater with good coverage. Occasionally monitored by ILX. Echolink node #744697.
442.250	WA9RTI	Decatur, IL	Decatur/Macon County's primary wx repeater. Occasionally monitored by ILX.
443.800		Decatur, IL	Multiple repeater linked system. Occasionally monitored by ILX.
146.730		Decatur, IL	Decatur 2m repeater. Occasionally monitored by ILX.
440.64375	W9BIL Port B	Cadwell, IL	D-STAR system at Cadwell. Digital voice.
145.195	W9BIL Port C	Cadwell, IL	D-STAR System at Cadwell. Digital voice.

If you have any storm spotting frequencies to add, please contact me using the contact link in the menu bar at the top.

Skywarn Recognition Day

Each year in December, the National Weather Service recognizes those members of the Amateur Radio community who are part of the national storm spotting network. Click here for details on this event.

Tropospheric Ducting and Amateur Radio

One of the most interesting properties of the atmosphere is that it can be used to bend radio waves. This has benefits for Amateur Radio operators because it means that radio waves can travel much farther than they typically would. This bending is the result of tropospheric ducting and occurs when cold air sinks to the surface and warm air rises to the upper levels of the troposphere (temperature inversion). Tropospheric ducting can be forecasted just like other weather phenomena. It typically happens in the mornings under an area of high pressure.

William Hepburn has created a wonderful website where he models current and future tropospheric ducting conditions. Click here for his tropospheric ducting forecasts for Eastern North America.