go though a testing period that will last from 6 to 8 weeks.   Once the transmitters have been successfully tested, they will be commissioned and go officially online.  We expect the Springfield and Meddybemps sites to go online by Fall.  Broadcast frequencies for these four sites have been determined and are as follows:

Frenchville       162.475 MHz         
Milo                  162.450 MHz
Meddybemps   162.425 MHz           Springfield       162.500 MHz

These frequencies can be monitored by NOAA weather radio receivers and can also be heard on most scanners.  For more information on NOAA weather radio receivers, please read Mark Turner's NOAA weather radio receiver article which can also found in this edition of Maine-ly weather.

In addition to the 4 sites listed above, there is a possibility that 2 or 3 more transmitters will be installed in Northern and Eastern

Maine.  Possible sites would include Cutler, Greenville, and Patten.  These sites would be funded by "congressional earmarked" money.  The Cutler site would be dedicated to marine weather broadcasts while the Greenville site would serve the Moosehead Lake region. We expect the Patten location to service a good part of Baxter State Park. 

Please note that these sites are not as far along as the 4 grant-money sites, and a final decision as to whether or not these sites will be installed has yet to be made.  However, it does look favorable that at least one or two of these sites will be approved.

By: Hendricus Lulofs, WCM

In the last issue of Maine-ly Weather we announced that NOAA weather radio would be greatly expanded during 2002.  I would like to give you an update on the progress of this expansion.  Presently there are 2 NOAA weather radio transmitters in eastern and northern Maine.  We have a 100 watt transmitter on Mars Hill and a 500 watt transmitter in Ellsworth. The average broadcast radius of these transmitters is 40 miles, however, terrain may decrease the coverage in certain directions.  Thus, having only 2 transmitters located in Northern and Eastern Maine leaves much of the north half of the state outside the broadcast range of NOAA weather radio. 

Recognizing this, we have worked with Maine's congressional delegation and Maine Emergency Management Agency to apply for grant money that congress made available last year.  Four sites were successfully funded by this grant money.   These sites are:

Frenchville      (300 watt)
Milo                  (1,000 watt)
Springfield       (1,000 watt)   Meddybemps   (300 watt)

The first 2 of these sites expected to go on the air are Frenchville and Milo.  Installation of the transmitters and supporting equipment occurred in March.  These transmitters will