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.