Date: January 2023
Amount: $101,302

Since 1978, the WX5FWD SKYWARN Team has been serving the citizens of North TX as a group of amateur radio operators liasing between storm spotters and the National Weather Service (NWS) forecasters in times of severe weather. WX5FWD provides this service using amateur radio equipment and infrastructure located in the NWS office in Ft. Worth, TX. This setup is both funded and maintained by the WX5FWD’s volunteer members. Unfortunately, this setup is approaching end of life due deterioration and otherwise failing equipment. Funding for upgrades and replacements significantly exceeds the current financial resources of the WX5FWD team.

This grant will provide funding to modernize WX5FWD via updated radio equipment, improvements to their antenna and tower, computer and network upgrades, remote base buildouts, and updates to their remote station operations. As a result, they will be able to communicate effectively with all storm spotter groups in North TX; receive mission critical information in a timely manner; and educate the community about communications and safe storm spotting, among other things. This improvement of information flow between storm spotters and the NWS forecasters will significantly improve the warning decision process, thus saving lives and property.

Learn more at https://www.wx5fwd.org/.