I always use NOAA weather radio to see if my scanner is working, or if there
is a band opening. I try and DX stations like that, but it isn't as fun or
as personable any more because they don't use human voices.
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Miller" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, May 10, 2004 10:34 AM
Subject: Re: NOAA Weather voices in different parts of the country
> Well, I don't believe in weather forecasts, but some times I use them to
set
> the volume on my scanner when I first turn it on in the morning and it's
> synthesized here last I knew, but like I say I don't believe in weather
> forecasts so I really don't pay much attention.
> ----- 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.
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