THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1977
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ROYAL OBSERVATORY STARTS EXPERIMENTAL WEATHER BROADCAST
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THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY WILL BE OPERATING AN EXPERIMENTAL WEATHER BROADCAST UNTIL THE END OF OCTOBER THIS YEAR ON THE SAME FREQUENCY AS ITS ROUTINE TIME SIGNAL TRANSMISSIONS.
THE EXPERIMENT STARTED ON THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH.
THE SIX-PIP TIME SIGNALS ARE BROADCAST EVERY 15 MINUTES ROUND THE CLOCK ON FM 95 MEGAHERTZ FROM THE OBSERVATORY'S TRANSMITTER AT TATE'S CAIRN,
DURING THE EXPERIMENTAL PERIOD WEATHER FORECASTS AND WARNINGS WILL ALSO BE BROADCAST CONTINUOUSLY BETWEEN 9 A.M. AND 5 P.M. EVERY DAY BUT WITH A BREAK OF ONE MINUTE STARTING HALF A MINUTE BEFORE THE SIX-PIP SIGNALS.
DURING THE DISPLAY OF A NUMBER 8 OR HIGHER TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING SIGNAL, THE BROADCAST WILL BE SUSPENDED TO ENABLE THE TATE'S CAIRN TRANSMITTER TO BE USED FOR RELAYING TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNINGS IN CHINESE TO RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG. AND COMMERCIAL RADIO.
THE EXPERIMENT IS TO TEST THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE BROADCAST MAY BE RECEIVED IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE TERRITORY AND TO SEEK OPINIONS FROM VARIOUS SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY ON THE
DIS IRABILITY OF ESTABLISHING A SIMILAR BROADCAST ON A PERMANENT BASIS.
DURING ADVERSE WEATHER, AND PARTICULARLY DOING PERIODS WHEN TROPICAL CYCLONES ARE THREATENING HONG KONG, PEOPLE URGENTLY NEEDING TO KNOW THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS OFTEN CANNOT GET THROUGH TO THE OBSERVATORY BY TELEPHONE AS ALL THE LINES ARE SATURATED WITH CALLS, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY SAID.
BY SIMPLY TUNING IN TO THE BROADCAST THESE PEOPLE AND OTHERS WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A TELEPHONE CAN GET THE LATEST INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY, HE SAID..
HE ENVISAGED THAT A PERMANENT BROADCAST WOULD TRANSMIT WEATHER INFORMATION AND WARNINGS AROUND THE CLOCK AND WOULD NOT BE DISRUPTED BY TIME SIGNALS NOR SUSPENDED DURING A DISPLAY OF NUMBER 8 OR HIGHER SIGNALS.
DURING THE EXPERIMENT TRANSMISSION TIME IS RESTRICTEDĮ.
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TO EIGHT QURS A DAR AND THE TCONTENTS VIL" INITIALLY BE L'IMITED TO BASIC FORECASTS AND WARNINGS.
THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY WELCOMES SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT INFORMATION PEOPLE CONSIDER WOULD BE MOST USEFUL FOR INCLUSION IN SUCH A BROADCAST. INFORMATION AVAILABLE INCLUDES THE LATEST REPORTS OF WIND AND WEATHER AROUND HONG KONG WATERS, SEA. CONDITIONS, THE LOCATION AND MOVEMENT OF HEAVY RAIN AREAS AND THUNDERSTORMS, TIDAL INFORMATION, RAINFALL REPORTS AND FORECASTS, AND AIRPORT WEATHER.
/ANYONE WHO