That is the same in my area.  I hear both human and computer voices.  All
the stations in Canada at least near mine not only have the human, but they
are also giving information in French even.  The U.S. ones I hear all use
the computer, and come on in severe weather, but the ones I have heard from
Alaska use the human, and I just have heard the male voice with a Canadian
accent, and it is the same voice used for Canada's stations.
----- Original Message -----
From: "shawn klein" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, May 10, 2004 9:04 AM
Subject: Re: NOAA Weather voices in different parts of the country


> Hi Jeff. I think it was in 2001 when they started with
> the human voice, 2 actually, supposedly belonging to 2
> anonymous NOAA employees, 1 male, 1 female. I remember
> when I started hearing them, I would hear all the
> little flaws where phonemes changed, now I don't
> really notice them. Well they still use the male
> synthesized voice that they started using in late 97
> or early 98, even though they had been saying they
> were fazing that out, so on most of the transmitters I
> pick up here, which is quite a lot, I used to avidly
> dx them, there is a mixture of all 3 voices involved
> on any given day. They say that the only time you'll
> hear a real live human on the air is when systems
> break down, but I don't think that's exactly truthful,
> as when severe weather threatens, I'll often hear a
> human on the Saint Joseph Missouri transmitter, where
> I generally get my weather. The human will be giving a
> current synopsis of what's going on with the
> atmosphere, what storms are moving where, then you'll
> hear the mechanicals again giving warnings and listing
> counties in Kansas and Missouri affected. I don't know
> if they'll ever phaze out the old voice or not, but I
> have found over the years, what ever voice is used, I
> can still use sound quality, speed, and with these new
> voices, dialect clues to discriminate between
> transmitters on the same frequency when ducting is
> running strong. A few days ago, I was able to pick out
> the Blue Rapids Kansas, Sedalia Missouri, and Cameron
> Missouri transmitters all on 162.425 just by moving my
> indoor twin lead J-pole around at the base. Back in
> 97, before they went synthesized, I picked up
> transmitters as far away as Alabama(near the Florida
> border), and Nashville Tennessee, and as far west as
> Goodland and Dodge City Kansas. North to Sioux Falls
> South Dakota, with a pair of stacked 5 element yagis
> for 2 meters. Got a tape full of recordings I made of
> all the stations I heard during that period.
> --- Jeff Kenyon <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > Hi everyone.  I have noticed something in when
> > listening to weather reports
> > from around the country.  Here in Michigan and in a
> > lot of other places the
> > synthesizer is in use with the computer voice that I
> > think is from AT&T, but
> > in Canada and when I have heard stuff from Alaska it
> > uses an actual person's
> > voice.  Does anyone know if the synthesizer will be
> > phased out in favor of
> > this voice?
>
>
>
>
>
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