[PHX-Skywarn] General News...

Thu Apr 19 17:54:23 EDT 2007

Hello all

This is via the ARRL

I cut out a bunch of stuff in here, 

I did leave in the weather info......

Do Enjoy...

The ARES E-Letter

April 18, 2007

================= 

Rick Palm, K1CE, Editor

<http://www.qrz.com/database?callsign=K1CE>,

===================================

ARES reports, other related contributions, editorial questions or

comments: <k1ce at arrl.net>;; 

===================================

+ The View from Flagler County

Dr. Gray's Hurricane Forecast: 17 Named Storms, 9 Hurricanes, 5 Major

Hurricanes. He had earlier forecasted 14 Named Storms, 7 Hurricanes

and 3 Majors. Predictions are once again higher than the average. For

more info, <http://hurricane.atmos.colostate.edu/Forecasts/>

+ New Mexico Tornado Outbreak

New Mexico radio amateurs activated March 23 for 13 tornados. A day

before the storms, SKYWARN Coordinator and National Weather Service

(NWS) meteorologist Keith Hayes, KC5KH, at the Albuquerque NWS office

(WX5ABQ) warned New Mexico's ARES DECs and county emergency managers

of the potential for severe weather. ARES teams and SKYWARN weather

spotters consequently were already in the field and ready when the

string of tornados struck. 

"The teamwork by the ARES teams, support from the surrounding county

emergency managers, the NWS forecasts and real-time radar support,

WA5IHL's Mega-Link [repeater system] and numerous SKYWARN

observations saved lives," Jay Miller, WA5WHN, observed. During the

weather emergency, ARES volunteers relayed real-time weather

information to NWS offices in Albuquerque and in Midland, Texas.

Robert Tice, W5TIC, reported in with a tornado spotting west of Tatum

at about 5 PM. Jim Morrison, KM5BS, observed a large tornado on the

ground just south of Roosevelt County at about 5:45 PM. That prompted

the first of many tornado warnings for the counties along the

Texas-New Mexico state line.

The city of Clovis was especially hard hit. "We have always trained

for a single tornado, but not eight of them at the same time," Blaine

Smith, KB5UOT, in Clovis commented afterward. Using the KK5OV

EchoLink node, hams in Clovis established a backup connection with

Jory McIntosh, KJ5RM, at the Fort Worth National Weather Service

Office. McIntosh was able to pinpoint the exact course of destructive

tornados that hit the city.

The state EOC lost contact with Clovis, Logan, Texico, Carlsbad, and

Portales. Sandoval County DEC Mike Scales, K5SCA, was able to relay

information from hams in tornado-stricken areas to the state EOC via

the state-wide Mega-Link repeater system. 

The American Red Cross requested Amateur Radio assistance to staff

shelters in Logan and Clovis. John English, WB6QKF, was on the air

from the Albuquerque Red Cross office to assist in setting up those

shelters. -- New Mexico PIO Charlie Christman, K5CEC, and other

reports

+ All Hazard Alerting in Norfolk, Virginia

In Norfolk, Virginia, Tidewater Wireless <http://www.W4VB.org> and

Norfolk ARES <http://Norfolk-ARES.org> have teamed up to provide a

multi-repeater system with linking capabilities and emergency power.

NOAA All Hazard Alerting Devices also directly interface with the

repeater systems: One system uses a CATAUTO WX-200

<http://www.catauto.com/wx200.html> and the other system is using a

Radio Shack CAT 12-249 <http://radioshack.com>. 

Newer VHF Mobile rigs have the Alerting feature built in, when

enabled. Some newer HT's also have the feature. Hand held Alerting

Devices are included in ARES members' "To-Go" kits. 

The reason is that NWR broadcasts warnings and post-event information

for all types of hazards: weather (e.g., tornadoes, floods), natural

(earthquakes, forest fires and volcanic activity), technological

(chemical releases, oil spills, nuclear power plant emergencies,

etc.), and national emergencies (e.g., terrorist attacks). Working

with other Federal agencies and the FCC's Emergency Alert System

(EAS), NWR is an all-hazards radio network, making it the most

comprehensive weather and emergency information available to the

public.  <http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/allhazard.htm> -- Rich Davis,

W4NMH, Norfolk CERT, EC Norfolk ARES

======================================================================

The ARES E-Letter is published on the third Wednesday of each month

by the American Radio Relay League--The National Association For

Amateur Radio--225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200;

fax 860-594-0259; <http://www.arrl.org/>. Joel Harrison, W5ZN,

President.

The ARES E-Letter is an e-mail digest of news and information of

interest to active members of the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency

Service (ARES). 

Material from The ARES E-Letter may be republished or reproduced in

whole or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit

must be given to The ARES E-Letter and The American Radio Relay

League.

Editorial questions or comments: Rick Palm, K1CE, k1ce at arrl.net

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======================================================================

Allen Sklar

Tempe AZ USA