[PPRAANet] SKYWARN Training--2009

[Sid White]

All...

<<PLEASE EXCUSE DUPLICATE MESSAGES>>

Announcing the PPARES SKYWARN Spotter Training for 2009.

It's that time of year again.  SKYWARN training will once again be presented
by Tom Magnuson, KB0ZWX, Warning Coordination Meteorologist of the Weather
Forecast Office (WFO), Pueblo, Colorado. The training session will take
place in the Community Room at the Colorado Springs Police Department's
Stetson Hills Sub-station located at 4110 Tutt Blvd.  The date will be
Saturday, 4 April, 2009. It will run from 0800-1500.  

SKYWARN Spotter Training is ESSENTIAL for all PPARES operators who want to
participate in spotter activities during severe weather events, even those
who participate only sporadically.  Since Pueblo WFO personnel monitor our
SKYWARN nets closely, our operators need to be well-trained in both weather
spotter knowledge and good efficient radio protocol to provide the
information NWS needs without becoming a distraction to the NWS personnel.
This training is also essential, as storm spotting can turn hazardous very
rapidly.

Tom Magnuson is asking that all spotters attend this year's session as new
criteria for issuing warnings and related spotter involvement is being
implemented by the NWS this year.  

Also, the Spotter ID program instituted last year has proven to be quite
useful.  When responding to this e-mail, please include your SPOTTER
NUMBER(S) and the address(s) represented.  Those who do not yet have a
spotter number, please include your nine-digit ZIP code and/or your correct
Latitude and Longitude for the location FROM WHICH YOU WILL BE SPOTTING AND
REPORTING.  If you will be usually calling in from your work location and
have only a number for your home location, you may apply for an additional
number.  Additional spotter numbers will most likely not be related to
current spotter numbers.

Please remember that a spotter number is based upon a single fixed location
and should be used to report on conditions for that location only.  Mobile
reports will still require location descriptors such as address, mile
marker/road names, major intersections, etc.

While it is not required that all operators attend each year's training,
that, too, is strongly recommended, as innovations and modifications to
reporting criteria can change how and what we need to report.

Please reserve your spot in the April 4th PPARES session by replying to this
e-mail (Please DO NOT "REPLY ALL") or by e-mailing me at k4arm at arrl.net, or
by calling me at 495-4147.  In any event, please make sure that "SKYWARN
Training-2009" appears in the subject line.

I will be sending additional information as soon as it becomes available.

73,

Sid White, K4ARM
AEC-Weather Operations-PPARES