[BARC-List] Re: Severe weather via non-voice modes?

Tue, 17 Jun 2003 21:10:42 -0400

They are transmitted as objects, on the APRS-IS stream. If you run
UI-View32 for APRS, and download a county shapefile set, it will
actually color your map in the appropriate (configurable) color for the
warnings that are out there. There must be similar features in other
programs.

The messages are sent as follows: (an example)

ILMFFS>APRS,qAO,WXSVR:
:NWS-ADVIS:181600z,FLOOD,SC_C041,SC_C067, {HFSAA

Where: (parameters of interest only):
- "ILMFFS" is the weather service covering the area
- "NWS-ADVIS" means it's an advisory
- 181600Z date and UTC time issued
- FLOOD is what is the advisory is about
- SC_C041 and SC_C067 are the county shape areas the warning is about,
see http://www.nws.noaa.gov/geodata/catalog/wsom/html/cwa.htm (somewhere
in South Carolina in this case, I picked them from the area I first saw
coming along on the APRS-IS stream)

As for a pager service, if you're OK writing PERL or VB, it seems to be
easy to write a script like this (Ramon's pseudo language):

connect instream to firenet.us:2023
While not disconnected(instream) {
	read packet from "instream"
	if ( instr(packet.payload,"MA_C123") ||=09
	     instr(packet.payload,"MA_C456") ) {
		email [email protected] packet.text }
}

Good luck,

     --Ram=F3n

Ram=F3n F. Kolb, KX1T, PA3EUG, Boston, MA, USA [FN42KI]
ICQ:77117744; MSNMGR:[email protected]
http://kx1t.webhop.org=20

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Bill N1VUX
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2003 7:53 PM
To: Scott Ehrlich
Cc: barc-list; Waltham ARA 64; Tom N1CPE Kinahan
Subject: [BARC-List] Re: Severe weather via non-voice modes?

Scott,

> Is there an amateur service, maybe packet-oriented, where I could=20
> capture updated warnings via a radio link at home?  I'll find a way to

> get myself paged from there.

Warnings and other events can be posted as bulletins on APRS; I think
WC1MA-2 was doing so at one point, not sure if they are lately or not.
I don't see any in the recent APRS logs at FINDU.COM, but I'm not sure
if WX bulletins would be listed under the originating callsign.

There are commercial and .edu pager services that will just page you for
warnings or watches in your county(s) of choice.

> I know weather radios exist, but I'd rather not carry around a wx=20
> alert on my belt (I have enough stuff on my belt as-is!)

So put a desk-type NWR-alert on your desk -- if you stay in one place.
If not, don't annoy your co-workers!

73,

Bill N1VUX
Waltham/Boston Skywarn Net Control/Coordinator
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