NORTH LITTLE ROCK — The National Weather Service is hosting amateur radio operators at its North Little Rock office beginning Friday night to recognize their assistance during bad weather.
The Skywarn Recognition Day runs from 6 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday. The amateur operators are volunteers who relay reports of bad weather to forecasters, often while it is happening.
This is the 16th year that the amateur radio operators are being recognized. Similar events are being conducted at more than 80 National Weather Service offices around the country.
A new amateur radio call sign, WX5LZK, will be in use.
During the event, amateur radio operators attempt to contact operators in other offices.
In bad weather, operators have a base station at the weather office in North Little Rock to take in reports.