Introduction

This page is a repository for several standardized RI strips. At the present, there are two groups. The first group is agency specific and the first (and only at this time) entry is a SKYWARN observation strip for the Maine and New Hampshire NWS CWAs GYX and CAR. This RI is named GYX-CAR SKYWARN. The second group will consist of three RIs that are being developed by Radio Relay International. The first is a general weather observation strip, WXOBS. All RIs in this group are designed to be compatible with the Winlink Express Radiogram forms.

Developmemt of the new SKYWARN RI has required a new version of the "Request for Information Strip Reader and Response Creator." This was released by the Winlink Team on February 22 as Version 1.6. For non-Winlink users it is available on the Documents and Downloads page.

In this version there are a number of major changes:

• The new RI Response Creator has a maximum RI character limit of 900. This permits more detailed explanations of the desired formats and contents of the Answers.
• Mixed upper and lower case letters are permitted in the Explanation fields (Masks in MARS terminology).
• There is a new field where a previous Response can be inserted to regenerate the Answer fields in the parsed RI table. This will be useful when updating a Response where only a few fields need to be changed. An example would be when making sequential weather reports where only a couple of fields have changed.
• In addition to copying the RI and Response to the clipboard, these may also be saved to a file.
• A form for the creation of new RI strips has been introduced. Upon completion and saving a ,csv format spreadsheet header is also produced and saved.
• Slants can not be entered into a strip field since they serve as the delimiters.

GYX-CAR SKYWARN

Responses to this strip are designed to load directly into the SKYWARN Google Sheets database without any alterations. As a result it is necessary that the formatting rules are strictly followed. This is relatively simple with the Response Creator tool.

Since this version is different from the released version it must be installed in the Global Templates folder in Winlink Express. It may also be used independently. Simply install both files (html and txt) is a folder on your computer.

Complete instructions for completing the response are in the form's Help. Here is the RI strip followed by an example response.

GYX-CAR WEATHER/DATE (MM-DD-YYYY)/TIME (HHMML)/CALL SIGN/SPOTTER ID (or NA) /SOURCE (Amateur Radio, Trained Spotter, Media, Public Service Radio, Other 3rd Party, Direct Messaging) /LOCATION (Road, Town; MGRS or USNG optional)/STATE & CWA (e.g. NH GYX, ME CAR, MA OA)/CURRENT WEATHER (Relevant info such as Temp, Barometer, Cloud Cover or Type. Be brief.)/SNOW, SLEET (inches or NA; if storm total add ST e.g. 2.6 or 3.5ST)/ICE ACCRETION (inches or NA) /RAINFALL (inches or NA, if storm total add ST e.g. 2.6 or 3.5ST)/HAIL SIZE (Inches or NA) /WIND DIRECTION & SPEED (AAA MPH - if applicable add the gust value e.g. NNE 7 21G) /STORM DAMAGE (Wind, flooding, ice jams, other details)/MODE(Personal Observation, FM Repeater, Winlink, DMR, Direct Messaging. For others leave blank)/NET (Name of radio net or other e.g. email, Slack)//

GYX-CAR SKYWARN/01-02-2026/1720L/WO1J/CU330/Amateur Radio/314 POPE RD, WINDHAM/ME/CLEAR & COLD/1.4ST/NA/0.01ST/NA/WNW 2/NONE/Personal Observation/REPEATER 147.045//

Radio Relay International Standard RI Strips

These strips are designed to work with the existing "Request for Information Strip Reader and Response Creator" as supplied as a Standard Form within Winlink Express. This includes the current Version 1.4 as well as future versions.

All of these strips are part of a process for the gathering of consistent and accurate sets of data that can be easily consolidated and then disseminated to agencies.

The RIs are:

• Weather Observation Report (WXOBS):
• Situation Report (SITREP): (Coming Soon)
• Operational Readiness (OPRED): (Coming Soon)

WXOBS