[InHam] FWD: INARRL BULLETIN 059-2002

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FWD FM KA9QWC

INARRL BULLETIN 059-2002

8:24 PM 9/23/02 de ka9qwc

SUBJECT: SEVERE WX EVENT OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2002


The staff of the Central Indiana SKYWARN Association would like
to take this opportunity to thank each and every SKYWARN storm
spotter for your participation during the September 20th severe
weather event. This was a very challenging day for everyone
and it demonstrated the importance of comprehensive spotter
training in conjunction with a coordinated reporting network.
One of the most important aspects of the event was the amount of
lead-time many persons had before the storm entered their area.
These extra few minutes gave many Hoosiers an opportunity to seek
shelter and thus possibly save their life.

It is vital to continuously improve the manner in which vital
real time information is delivered to the National Weather
Service so that lead-time can be increased. To support that
effort an additional resource has been added to the Central
Indiana SKYWARN Voice Network. In cooperation with the Otter
Creek Amateur Radio Club, the Indianapolis Carmel
Experimenters(www.w9ice.com) and the Central Indiana SKYWARN
Association, the 444.35 repeater in Farmersburg, In. is going to
be linked to the 146.97/442.65 repeater system during severe
weather nets and during the monthly communications test net. This
repeater will enable the Central Indiana SKYWARN Severe Weather
Network to enhance its voice capabilities into those counties in
West and Southwestern Indiana. These counties would include
Sullivan, Knox, Daviess, Martin, Greene, Owen, Clay, Putnam,
Parke and Vermillion. This repeater should have a coverage range
of at least 50 miles and it is a great opportunity for you, in
those counties mentioned, to communicate directly with the
National Weather Service without using a relay station. Please
take the opportunity to try out this repeater to check the
coverage in your county. NC9U, Marvin Dabelow, K9HX, Kevin Berlen
and Keith Reedy WA9DRO, as well as the ICE trustees, are to be
commended for their expertise and professionalism in the
development of this system.  It is another fine example of
dedicated amateur radio operators working together to help
protect their fellow Hoosiers.

As a side note, the 146.97 repeater system will now be
transmitting a 77 Hz. PL tone during severe weather activity.
With this feature, you can enable your radio to alert you when
the severe weather net has been activated

The Central Indiana SKYWARN Association Web page has moved. The
new home page address is www.w9nws.org and is online now. This
will be the official Web page where you will find all of the
upcoming SKYWARN events and developments within Central Indian
a. Please be sure to check our Web page in the near future for
other developments slated for the Central Indiana SKYWARN
Network.

Once again thanks to each SKYWARN spotter for a job well done !


      Mark Shaffer, N9GDR
      President
      Central Indiana SKYWARN Association, Inc.
      EC for Central Indiana SKYWARN