Caribbean SSB Radio Weather Reports Summer 2023
Editor’s note: As he has in previous years, Ken Goodings shares his broadcast intel with Compass readers.
UTC AST* STATION & REPORT DESCRIPTION FREQ TYPE MODE
0930 0530 NOAA Daily Offshore Forecast Voice USB **
1000 0600 Daily Caribbean Weather 6215 *** USB
1000 0600 Eastern Caribbean Weather (Parker) 4045 & 8137 USB (Note 1)
1030 0630 Trinidad Emergency Net 3855 LSB/Ham
1030 0630 Caribbean Emergency & Weather Net 3815 LSB/Ham
1030 0630 Bahamas Weather (Parker) 4045 & 8137 USB (Note 1)
1100 0700 Caribbean Net (Mon-Sat) 7250 LSB/Ham
1120 UTC Bahamas Weather C6AGG Carolyn Wardle 7096 & 3696 LSB/Ham
1130 0730 US East Coast, Western Atlantic N&W
of Bermuda Weather (Parker) 8137 &12350 USB (Note 1)
1145 UTC Waterway Cruising Club 7268 LSB
1200 0800 Coconut Telegraph 4060 USB (Mon-Sat)
1215 0815 KPK Cruising Safety (Sponsor SSCA) 8104 USB
1230 0830 Eastern Caribbean Weather (Parker) 8137 & 12350 USB (Note 1
1330 0830 (local time) Panama Connection 8107 USB
1230 0830 Cruzheimers Net 8152**** USB
1300 0900 Western Carib Weather (Parker)
0700 hours local time in Western Carib 8137 & 12350 USB (Note 1)
1330 UTC Panama Connection Net 8107 & 8167 USB
1400 UTC Northwest Caribbean Net 6209 USB
1530 1130 NOAA Daily Offshore Forecast Voice USB**
2030 1630 Caribbean Cocktail & Weather Net 7086 LSB/Ham
2100 1700 Doo-Dah Net 8152 USB
2110 1710 Transatlantic Cruiser’s Net (SSCA) 12350 USB Net (Note 3)
2130 1730 NOAA Offshore Forecast Voice USB**
2200 1800 Caribbean and Atlantic Weather (Parker) 8137 & 12350 USB (Notes 1 and 2)
2230 1830 Caribbean Emergency & Weather Net 3815 LSB/Ham
*Atlantic Standard Time (AST) does not shift to Daylight Savings Time (DST) in the summer in Caribbean waters.
** NOAA offshore stations (in kHz): NMN, Chesapeake, 4426, 6501, 8764, 13089, 17314 USB NMG, New Orleans, 4316, 8502, 12788 USB
*** (Uncontrolled 1000-1200 UTC)
**** Primary Frequency—Secondary 8146 or 8164
Note 1: Unless severe weather threatens, this net is not conducted on Sundays. When there are active tropical systems in the Atlantic, Marine Weather Center founded by Chris Parker (www.mwxc.com) runs a net at 2300 UTC / 1900 AST on 8137 USB.
Note 2: Please hail Marine Weather Center 15 minutes before the net so that Parker knows where to aim his antenna to reach you. This net is geared primarily to offshore Atlantic and Pacific passagemakers. After the Western Caribbean net Parker listens for additional boat traffic in the ESE and NE on 8137 and 12350 USB. For schedule updates see www.mwxc.com
Note 3: Emergency & priority traffic, safety and security; primarily for vessels making long ocean passages. Radio checks, float plans, telephone contact with family and friends, boat to boat relays, access to medical or mechanical professionals, internet searches and other assistance as required.
TIPS
In case of maritime emergency, there is a 24/7/365 24-hour Maritime Mobile Net (emergency, weather and cruiser assistance) 14300 kHz USB/Ham. Any vessel in distress may call in, even if not licenced for amateur radio, also known as ham radio.
Glenn (call sign KPK) listens for emergency/humanitarian calls of any kind on his 1215 UTC morning SSCA net on 8104 kHz upper sideband. Similarly, Parker always listens for emergency traffic at the very beginning of every weather net on 4045, 8137 and 12350 kHz upper sideband.
HURRICANE WATCH NET – During severe tropical storm or hurricane activity, information can be found continuously on the Hurricane Watch Net on 14325 USB Ham and 3950 LSB Ham.
WWV Continuous Time and Frequency Standard Broadcast 2500, 5000, 10000, 15000, and 20000 (Switch to AM mode). WWV discontinued (January 2019) its World Marine Storm Warnings (voice) at 8 minutes after the hour. Solar flux information is still transmitted at 18 minutes after the hour.
WWV has resumed continuous time signal broadcasting on 25 MHz on an experimental basis. The broadcast consists of the normal WWV signal heard on all other WWV frequencies, at the same level of accuracy. Schedule is typically continuous. As an experimental broadcast, the 25 MHz signal, may be interrupted or suspended without notice.
A more complete schedule of East and West Coast nets is available at
