National Hurricane Center
Julio Ripoll (WD4R) & Mr. Ron Brown, US Commerce
Secretary @ NHC 1995
This picture was taken in May 1995 during the
dedication of the new National Hurricane Center Facility
and the appointment of Dr. Robert Burpee as the Director of the
Hurricane Center.
Mr. Brown took time to visit with the WX4NHC volunteers, the
Amateur Radio Station @ NHC,
have his picture take and learn about the Amateur Radio
operations at NHC.
Ron Brown, Ham Radio operators' friend
When the new National Hurricane Center
was dedicated last May,
Commerce Secretary Ron Brown per formed the ceremony and named
Robert Burpee as the new director.
Also present were several amateur radio operators who voluntarily
run W4EHW,
the center's ham radio station. We thought that it would be great
to get Mr. Brown
to the station for a picture session. When I asked him, he
agreed. As we walked to
the station, he was full of questions about our volunteer work. I
explained that public
service is one of the purposes of amateur radio. He complimented
us on our work.
A couple of months later, during the busy hurricane season,
Secretary Brown was in
Miami to address a group of businessmen. One of the numerous
hurricanes that
swept through the Caribbean last year was threatening life and
property on the islands,
so he visited the Hurricane Center to see it in action.
As I brought weather information obtained from ham radio
operators, in: the islands to
the forecasters, Secretary Brown spotted me and rose to greet,
me.
He again complimented the ham: radio volunteers. He may not have'
remembered my
name, but he remem-, bered that there is a corps of publicly
spirited men and women
who serve the community. I like to think that amateur radio had a
real friend in
Commerce Secretary Ron Brown. We will miss him.
RICK VAHAN, N4PBF Miami
