[KYHAM] KEN Training for March 17: Storm Spotter Net Concerns

[Ron Dodson]

Severe storms can happen at any time of year so long as
weather conditions are present to allow their formation. 
Still, most people associate spring as being storm season
because the greatest number of storms typically will occur
in the months when the earth is warming from the winter
months.  Right now, while we are in the last days of winter
is a good time to review our procedures and prepare for the
rash of storms to come. Attending an annual refresher class
or two in spotting is always good.  I've been at SkyWarn
Storm Spotting since 1981. I also took the train-the-trainer
course in the mid-1990's and I still go whenever a class of
either basic or advanced level is offered locally.  Never
consider yourself an "expert"!


Spotter nets are done somewhat differently from area to area
based on the weather service office and the amateurs in the
area involved.  Likely your local community, if spotter
efforts involve amateur radio, has some plan or protocol in
place that is followed during severe storms.  If you are not
familiar with them, ask around.  A list of many of the
weather nets and repeaters is available at
http://www.qsl.net/kd4pwl/docs/wxnet.txt for spotter
operations in Kentucky. An inquiry or two on any of these
repeaters will likely get you the answers you need.

Generally speaking, there are things that need reported and
things that waste net time and could cause a transmission
that needs to be heard to be over-ridden by unimportant
clutter.

Always Report:

Winds over 58 MPH
Hail over 1/4 inch diameter
Heavy rainfalls (in excess of 1 inch per hr.) and Flash
Flooding
Heavy cloud to ground lightening
Tornadic activity, Wall Clouds / Funnel Clouds / Tornado on
the ground
Storm damage (Type and location)


Things that tie up nets and endanger net efforts are:

"Sunshine Reports " -  Example; "It's not raining here, the
sun is out"  If an NCS or NWS station specifically ASKS for
a report from your location and that is all it is doing,
fine, say so.  It is, however, a waste of the net's time to
volunteer this information by calling a net control just to
announce it. If there is nothing occurring of a severe
nature where you are, keep the frequency clear unless you
are asked about conditions there first.

Exaggerated data, making it sound worse than it is.

Plain out false reports.  This last one can get you
arrested!  We had a fellow come through here some years back
who was a "Chaser". This fellow had a car fixed with all
manner of radios and portable TV in the dash and right front
passenger side of the vehicle right down to huge SKYWARN
insignia on the doors.  He would 'chase' storms across whole
areas of the state.  One day, he came through my county seat
during a bad storm and promptly announced via the local
amateur repeater and to my 911 dispatcher that a tornado
was, "On the ground" at a specific site. When units
responded to the "aftermath" they found nothing.  Only
assurances by myself that I'd have a strong word with him,
made to a very upset deputy sheriff, kept this guy out of
jail!  

A ham going to jail for making false reports or just being
stupid would not be good PR for the hobby!



Next week, some tips on safety in spotting... 73