Before Proceeding to the Application Form – Please Read Carefully
Mission Statement:
“The Hurricane Watch Net exists to serve the public interest or necessity (PICON) by providing reliable, timely, and accurate emergency communications during hurricanes and tropical events. We operate as a trusted link between affected communities, emergency management agencies, and humanitarian organizations, ensuring that critical information flows when it is needed most. HWN members conduct operations according to the highest standards of professionalism, guided by the operational principles of PICON – Prepared, Informed, Calm, Observant, and Neutral – ensuring mission readiness, reliability, and integrity.”
The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) is seeking dedicated amateur radio operators who are willing to train and serve as Net Control Stations (NCS). While bilingual ability is not required, fluency in
Spanish–English or
French/Creole–English is a significant advantage.
Applying to join HWN indicates your desire to participate in Net Control duties – work that can involve long hours of focused operation to ensure that critical, ground-truth weather information is relayed directly to the
National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami.
How and When We Operate HWN generally activates whenever a system reaches hurricane status and is within
300 statute miles of populated land. Activation criteria may vary depending on storm intensity or at the request of NHC forecasters.
Once activated, HWN operates
continuously (24/7) until the storm no longer poses a threat to life or property. Because hurricanes do not follow a schedule – and often make landfall at night – our operators must be prepared to work both day and night. Net Control duty cannot be pre-assigned with firm time slots; instead, we function as a coordinated team, handing off responsibility as conditions dictate and staying available as needed.
We operate on:
- 14.325 MHz by day
- 7.268 MHz by night
- During challenging propagation, we may run both frequencies simultaneously.
Our mission is to:
- Disseminate Hurricane Advisories
We relay the latest official advisories issued by the National Hurricane Center in Miami, FL. We do so for everyone. While advisories may be easily accessable for those here in the United States, this is not often the case for marine interests, Caribbean and Central American communities, and others who may not have access to conventional media.
- Collect and Relay Ground-Level Reports
We gather real-time weather conditions and initial damage assessments from amateur radio operators in affected regions and relay them to the National Hurricane Center through WX4NHC, and when needed, the Canadian Hurricane Centre.
- Provide Backup Communications
We serve as a contingency communication link for National Hurricane Center, NWS Forecast Offices, the from amateur radio operators in affected regions and relay them to the National Hurricane Center through WX4NHC, and when needed, the Canadian Hurricane Centre, Emergency Operations Centers, Emergency Management Agencies, NGOs, and – when required – military relief operations.
- Provide Situational Awareness
We assist government and non-government agencies with real-time situational updates during hurricane events.
- Support SATERN
We assist the Salvation Army’s SATERN Net with outgoing Health & Welfare traffic when requested.
Our coverage includes the hurricane-prone regions of
eastern Canada, the U.S. East Coast, the Gulf of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. On occasion, we also activate for
Eastern Pacific tropical systems.
Membership Requirements
All new members must complete a
probationary period – generally one year – under the guidance of an assigned
Elmer (Training Officer).
This period:
- Reinforces HWN operating procedures
- Helps refine operating skills
- Ensures any poor operating habits are corrected
- Allows both the candidate and trainer to evaluate readiness for NCS duties
Not every operator is suited for HWN Net Control, and our expectations are intentionally high due to the nature of our mission.
Station Requirements
While having a tower, beam, and/or amplifier is not a requirement, your station
should be capable of reliably hearing and being heard in the regions where hurricanes commonly make landfall. While most stations can be heard somewhere around the world, HWN operations depend on consistent communication with stations in hurricane-prone areas, often under difficult conditions. Directional antennas and amplifiers are therefore preferred, as they enhance both reception and reliability when it is needed most. A strong station is more easily heard, and the antenna gain enables you to hear weak stations in difficult conditions. Storms and atmospheric noise go hand in hand.
Operational Expectations
- An Operations Officer is on duty for every hour of every activation; they ensure communications and operations flow smoothly.
- We send activation notices via email and/or secure text messaging. If this is not a dependable method of communication for you, please do not apply.
- We use online platforms for scheduling, real-time chat, reporting, and coordination. A reliable internet connection and willingness to learn these tools are essential.
Unique Nature of HWN Operations:
- HWN has no fixed operating schedule, and operators are not assigned to specific time slots. Unless you have an excused absence – planned vacation, illness, equipment failure, or work conflict – we expect all members to be available during activations.
- We are a seasonal, weather-emergency net. The Hurricane Watch Net is not your typical Net. We activate only when needed, much like a Fire Department responding to emergencies – tropical cyclones are our “Weather Emergencies”.
- We never know when the alarm will sound.
- We never choose which storm to handle.
- Each activation is unique, and duration is unpredictable.
- After each activation, we file After Action Reports to improve our operations.
- Teamwork is essential: Together, Everyone Achieves Much. When we activate, we rely on 100% of available members.
None of us can control the weather. While most hurricanes give us some warning before landfall, as a group, we must always be
prepared and ready to respond when a storm threatens any populated area.
Geographic Needs and Acceptance Limits
Not all applicants are accepted. One common reason for deferral is an excess of members in a particular region. If this occurs, we will keep your application on file for future consideration.
We are especially interested in operators located in:
- Central and Western United States
- Canada (central and western provinces especially)
- Central America and the Caribbean
And we are always seeking additional
fully bilingual operators (Spanish–English or French/Creole–English).
If this makes sense to you, and you would like to join our team of very professional operators, then we welcome your application.
Thank you for visiting the HWN website and for your interest in supporting our mission.
Sincerely,
HWN Net Management
To proceed to the application page, please
click here.
