I. PURPOSE

  The purpose of this document is to state the terms of a mutual agreement
(Memorandum of Understanding) between the National Weather Service (NWS)
and the American Radio Relay League, Inc. (ARRL), that will serve as a
framework within which volunteers of the ARRL may coordinate their services,
facilities and equipment with NWS in support of nationwide, state, and
local early weather warning and emergency communications functions.  It is
intended, through joint coordination and exercise of the resources of ARRL,
NWS and Federal, State and local governments, to enhance the nationwide
posture of early weather warning and readiness for any conceivable weather
emergency.

II. RECOGNITION

  The National Weather Service recognizes that the ARRL is the principal
organization representing the interests of more than 400,000 U.S.
radio-amateurs and because of its Field Organization of trained and
experienced communications experts, can be of valuable assistance in early
severe weather warning and tornado spotting.

  The American Radio Relay League recognizes the National Weather Service
with its statutory responsibility for providing civil meteorological
services for the people of the United States.  These services consist of:

  1. Issuing warnings and forecasts of weather and flood conditions
affecting the nation's safety, welfare and economy; and,

  2. Observing and reporting the weather of the U.S. and its possessions.

  To perform these functions and many related, specialized weather services,
NWS operates a vast network of stations of many types within the U.S.; it
cooperates in the exchange of data in real time with other nations,
including obtaining of weather reports from ships at sea.

III. ORGANIZATION OF THE AMERICAN RADIO RELAY LEAGUE

  The American Radio Relay League is a noncommercial organization of radio
amateurs, organized for the promotion of interest in Amateur Radio
communication and experimentation, for the establishment of networks to
provide communications in the event of disasters or other emergencies, for
the advancement of the radio art and of the public welfare, for the
representation of the radio amateur in legislative matters, and for the
maintenance of fraternalism and a high standard of conduct.  A primary
responsibility of the Amateur Radio Service, as established by the Federal
Communications Commission, is the rendering of public service communications
for the general public, particularly in times of emergency.  Using Amateur
Radio operators in the amateur frequency bands, the ARRL has been serving
the public, both directly and through government and relief agencies, for
more than fifty years.  To that end, the League created the Amateur Radio
Emergency Services (ARES) and the National Traffic System (NTS).  The
League's Field Organization consists of sixty-seven administrative sections
managed by elected Section Managers.  A Section is a League-created political
boundary roughly equivalent to states (or portions thereof).  The Section
Manager appoints expert assistants to administer the various emergency
communications and public service programs in the section.  Each section has
a vast cadre of volunteer appointees to perform the work of Amateur Radio
at the local level, under the supervision of the Section Manager and
his/her assistants.

IV. ORGANIZATION OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

  The National Weather Service consists of a National Headquarters in
Washington, D.C., and six regional offices in the United States:  Eastern,
Southerm, Central, Western, Alaska, and Pacific.  An NWS Public Information
Office is located at Weather Service Headquarters.  Fifty-two Weather
Service Forecast Offices and 209 Weather Service Offices provide warnings
and forecasts to the Nation.

  SKYWARN is the spotter program sponsored by the NWS.  Radio amateurs have
assisted as communicators and spotters since its inception.  In areas
where tornadoes and other severe weather have been known to threaten, NWS
recruits volunteers, trains them in proper weather spotting procedures and
accepts the volunteers' reports during watches and episodes of severe
weather.  By utilizing the SKYWARN volunteers, the NWS has `eyes and ears'
throughout the affected area in conjunction with NWS sophisticated weather
monitoring equipment.

V. PRINCIPLES OF COOPERATION

  A. The American Radio Relay League agrees to encourage its volunteer
Field Organization appointees, especially the Amateur Radio Emergency
Service, to contact and cooperate with Regional Weather Service
Headquarters for the purpose of establishing organized SKYWARN networks
with radio amateurs serving as communicators and spotters.

  B. ARRL further agrees to encourage its Section management teams to
provide specialized communications and observation support on an as-needed
basis for NWS offices in other weather emergencies such as hurricanes,
snow and heavy rain storms, and other severe weather situations.

  C. The National Weather Service agrees to work with ARRL Section Amateur
Radio Emergency Service volunteers to establish SKYWARN networks, and/or
other specialized weather emergency alert and relief systems.  The
principal point of contact between the ARRL Section and local NWS offices
is the Meteorological Services Division of the appropriate NWS Regional
Office.  The addresses of the Regional offices are listed below.  The
national contact for ARRL is the Public Service Branch, ARRL Headquarters,
Newington, CT 06111.

  National Weather Service Eastern Region
  NOAA
  585 Stewart Avenue
  Garden City, New York 11530
  Tel: 516-228-5400

  National Weather Service Southern Region
  NOAA
  819 Taylor St., Rm. 10A26
  Fort Worth, Texas 76102
  Tel: 817-334-2668

  National Weather Service Central Region
  NOAA
  601 E. 12th St., Rm. 1836
  Kansas City, Missouri 64106
  Tel: 816-374-5463

  National Weather Service Western Region
  NOAA
  Box 11188, Federal Bldg.
  125 S. State St.
  Salt Lake City, Utah 84147
  Tel: 801-524-5122

  National Weather Service Alaska Region
  NOAA
  Box 23, 701 C St.
  Anchorage, Alaska 99513
  Tel: 907-271-5136

  National Weather Service Pacific Region
  NOAA
  P.O. Box 50027
  Honolulu, Hawaii 96850
  Tel: 808-546-5680












            Silver Spring, Maryland
            January 19, 1988



            For the American Radio Relay League,



            ARRL Secretary Perry F. Williams, W1UED



            ____(signature of Perry F. Williams)_____





            For the National Weather Service,



            Assistant Administrator for Weather Services
            Dr. Richard E. Hallgren



            ____(signature of R.E. Hallgren)_________